Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-07-16
Emma looked guilty, but pretended

Emma looked guilty, but pretended
not to hear.
''Did you see him, James?" asked
Mr. Lermont laughing.
eyes, and heard him too. Twas wa
kened from a profound sleep by man.
ly voice chanting in dulcet tones.
awake lady, wake" Looking from the
window, saw Mr.. Adolphus Gordon
seated in garden chair under Emma's
window, guitar was suspended from
his neck by broad, blue ribbon, and
he was pouring out his soul in"
'For shame" interrupted his sister,
Indignantly. 81 viii not stay to hear
Mr.. Gordon ridiculed; Lucy, dear, will
you come with me?" ~, y. 80.
And rising hastily from the table,
Emmy left the room, followed by her
cousin Lucy, careless, pleasure loving
young lady, who was wise enough to
see the rock on which Miss Emma was
about to founder her barque, and too
INDECENT to warn her of her danger.
Emria Lernont went to the boat
ride, and Mr.. Benthall was duly inform
ed of the fact by some interested gos~
sip, and he took prompt measures.
He gathered together all the letters
and love tokens he had ever received
from his betrothed, and sent them back
to her, accompanied by letter from
him; short, but very much TO the ptr-
pose.
Emtha had spent a delightful evening
upon the water, had been escorted
home by Mr.. Alolphus, and had gone
sweetly asleep without the shadow of a
Suspicion of the storm that was brew
ing.
The next morning she arose from a
most refreshing slumber, dressed her.
self and was sitting at the breakfast Ia
BILE with her cousin Lucy, when small
package was put in her hands by Bet
tie, the maid.
Miss Emma turned pale as she
laid it by her plate and went on with
her breakfast. But her appetite SEEM
ed to fail her of sudden, and she cast
uneasy glances at the ominous looking
package.
care you not going to read your let
ter?" asked her cousin Lucy.
'Letter? what do you mean, 1ucy?
I see none," said Emma taking up the
package and turning it over. "Oh !
here is one under the string," and she
drew it forth with trembling hands and
read it.
If Emma was pale before, she was
very much paler now that she had read
the letter, and giving it a little, bitter,
laugh, she threw it across the
table to Lucy.
There, she said, 'sread that, and
learn how much lovers VOWS are worth.
'What pity you went last night,
remarked Miss Lucy,as she refolded the
letter.
''Not at all" said Emma, with assum
ed composure- T'm glad went!"
"My dear Ernma said he cousin with
animation, 'you oa,3tthink Mr.. Cor
don is to be compared to John Benthall
81 think Mr. Gordon infinitely his
superior" was the answer given with
angry vehemence, "and l am glad Mr..
Benthall has given me my liberty back
again"
Sand do you not regret him 2"
mot in the least"
"Well," said Lucy, almost contemp-
tuously, ':every one to their taste, but
you may be sure that my taste does not
lay in the direction of MIR. Adolphus
Gordon"
perhaps" said Emma holly. "your
taste lies in the direction of Mr.. John
Benthall."
swell, yes; I don't deny it,
Whereupon Miss Emma called her
cousin crocodile, a serpent, and de-
manded to know, in a voice of extreme
scorn, if she expected to catch his heart
in the rebound, and then burst into a
food of tears and retired first careful
ly securing the package.
Before night Emma became recon
ciled to her cousin, and Lucy was en-
powered to announce to the family the
rupture of her engagement to Mr. Bent
hall.
Mr.. and Mrs. Lermont heard the an
nouncement with the greatest concern,
for they held their daughters intended
husband in the highest esteem, and had
Emma's father been made aware OF Mr..
Benthalls decided objection to this boat
ride, in all probability he would have
commanded his daughter to abstain from
going.
Emma, he said, when he met her
that evening, 'you have done exactly
what I said you were doing, exchanged
your gold for tinsel"
81 do not think SO papa" said Emma
lightly.
"Well, wcll, my dear, youth think SC