Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-07-10
sTAUNToN; VIRGINIA, FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1874.

Nv first words to her, after we had retlfeo
to the lovely conservatory, We're
ssFlorenco have you forgotten four years
ago ?''
II She never answered me, and | thought
would not press the subject then Inc
4 next dance was Quadrille, and | was too
sad to do anything /; so l went up to Mary
and asked her if she would not sit 1T out
with, me. | did not hesitate q moment,
when we were alone, to ask her II sne
knew any thing Of Florence's reasons for
throwing me over so coldly and so sudden
ly. She said no; it so remained mystic
ry to her as to me-the only possible clue
she could give me being that she might
have heard that | had been flirting with
somebody else. 5sai
h''No, Mary, y / said, ssyou know me too
well for that.' N
[ then asked Mary if Winning was not
engaged to Florence, aud if she did not
care for him.
'sWhy," said she, don't you know that
he is engaged to Milly, and is only waiting
for fathers consent to get married at once
only they had little milf to-day because
he thought you were paying attention to
Milly-that's all.''
The nexr dance had with Florence was
the seventh The very words she said to
me were:
| ssMr. Henniker, I am sorry for your dis
! appointment" ass&
l answered nothing to this, but in a mo-
ment I said to her:
cruel message ~ g
She looked at me with her frank blue
eyes, and said
"Claude, I heard you were engaged to
Mary"
| Then I said
"Now it is too late. you seem to have
ceased to care for me.'
The blue eyes filled with tears the lips
said nothing.
AS bad luck would have it, the music
struck up for another dance, and I saw
Charles Dawkins coming out of the dane
ing-room to look for Florence, his part
ner,
esDon't leave me Florence am so very
wretched.''
'What for Why are you SO wretch
ed ?''
Because you hate me.''
Then the blue eyes looked bright again,
and she said:
ssThen you'd better be happy
She was wearing white camelia IN hel
dress, and | said :
'sGive it to me.'
II will give it to the one / love-"
Charles Dawkins came up, claimed her
hand and left me in misery to walk up and
down on the lawn till it was time for, me
to claim the next dance with her: eThe
time came at last. went into the room.
Charles DaWkins was again talking to her,
with the white camelia in his hand. The
whole thing was plain enough now-she
loved him. I was in agony, and without
word l turned on my heel and strobe out
of the room. To put on my coat and hat
was but the work of a moment, and then
scarcely knowing what | was about, |
started to walk home to the Chase, three
miles off.
slept for an hour or two, then rose,
packed all my things, and, at daybreak, got
fly to take all my things to the station.
A note on my dressing-table told my uncle
the reason of my going, and adding that [
had sustained fearful disappointment
about my class. | meant that my hard
won honors were uselese to me without
F]orence's love to spread halo of sunlight
over them; but my words were ambigu-
| onS.
The train was just starting that was 60
ing to take me to London en- route for anyaa
where, when the little pony carriage drove
I'D, and Florence and my good uncle inside
Of it.
'sStop him Stop him ~ exclaimed the
good-natured old gentleman, all radiant
with smiles.
I turned around in surprise at seeing
Florence holding in her hand the white ca
melia of the preceding evening, and I'm
Gle Guy, with shy smile, said
II know all about it, you young rascal ;
YOU made precious mistake
[ said that / had, but / couldd't help
1 it,"
ssNow, my boy,7' said uncle Guy. ''you
two can walk home by the lanes together
and I'll drive the pony carriage by the
road.'
What happy walk that was Florence
told me it was all mistake about the ca
melia.
Mr.. Dawkins wanted to exchange his
for mine; but you know,4 wanted mine
for a particular purpose
/ When we reached home-looking very
! guilty but very happy-everything was sat-
isfactorily explained but luncheon had
been waiting some time. Uncle Guy for
4 gave us, and told me wasn't such fool
after all, and added that he thought fa1
more Of my sense in getting Florence tc
be my wife. One thing he stipulated with
Mrs. Betterton was that he should have a
wedding breakfast at his old Chase, and
that he should put ''that rascal of a neph-
ew of mine" in a position to marry the
lovely Florence. I have the white camelia
still, and before long / shall be going down
to Broadbeach again to claim the fulfil
ment of the promise which l received will
/ it. Milly is going out to India with hel
husband, Winning but We-Florence ano
myself are to live in the old Chase ant
take care Of our Uncle Guy.
i A BRIDE SHOT IN THE MOUTH
MI. Casper Fisher, who lives on the
mountain near Ellenville, N. Y. having
taken young wife, was visited on Satur-
day evening Of last week by what the Ell
lenville ssJournal'' styles '.skimmelton'