Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-02-20
THE DOVE-COLORED SILK,

Bya kind and thoughtful arrangement on
the part of their employer every domestic
in the house of Sir John Dayton, baronet
! and banker. received his OF her salary one
| week before Christmas day.
Very bright and tempting looked the tt
ny pile of sovereigns that Lottie Warde,
| Miss Dayton's own maid, carried away to
her chamber and sat meditating over,
with a cloud on her pretty face such as it
| seldom wore. Last Christmas the spend
ing of her money had cost her no trouble
except quickly stifed regret that she
could not do more with it for those dear
ones whose kisses and joyful thanks had
had seen such pleasant acquital Of her
generosity.
Although she was as dutiful and loving
a daughter and as kind sister as Of yore,
there had been event in Lottie's life since
the Year began that was closely connected
with the impatient sigh she gave, as she
sat gazing at her gold, and abstractedly
turning it over in her palm. She had met
at the house of an old friend of her late
father, a young man so well connected that
many wondered he should think of we'd
ding girl who was lin service"
Nh. Charles Morrison, they argued, with
his good prospects and excellent situation,
in the Office Of Smithson Brothers, ought
to look higher for a wife than Lottie
Warde, whose father had died bankrupt,
and whose Mothers sole dependence was
the annuity some Of Mr.. Warde's compass
sionate creditors had purchased for her,
But if Charlie Morrison heard these things
limited, he laughed and forgot them. He
loved Lottie for herself-her sweet tenn
per, her good principles, and the pretty
face and figure that were always set off
by the perfect neatness and propriety wit
with which she dressed.
Lottie, however had taken to heart ma.
ny of the remarks made in her presence OF
told by i'll natured friends, and had
rather hastily decided in her own mind
that the relatives of her affianced husband
looked down upon her because of her 20.
sition. This fancy-for it was no more
had made her shy of meeting them, and I'M
willing to accept the invitations so kindly
sent to her. But Charlie had made point
Of her acceding to his parents wish that
she should join the family party they al
| ways gathered around them at their hand
some house at Chaplain on the eve of the
great festival and as Miss Dayton had
cheerefully consented to spare her, she had
| not been able to excuse herself
Naturally timid and shrinking from
strangers Lottie looked forward to tn is
visit as an ordeal rather than pleasure
She was to be introduced to Charles mar
ried sister from Manchester, and to the
wealthy uncle from whom he had expecta-
tions and her anxiety that they should
think we'll Of her eliminated in the inquiry
"What shall [ wear 20
1t was no use discussing this question
with her betrothed She knew he would
say that nothing could be in better taste
than the well-ftting merino that had been
her best dress since the commencement Of
the autumn. But Lottie had her share Of
girlish vanity, and as she raised her eyes
to her lookingglass vision rose before her
Of a certain dove-colored silk in a MERGERS
window near st. Pauls's that would be-
come her admirably. 1t was true that
such an expensive purchase would absorb
every farthing i'll her possession, but she
chose to ignore this. So strong grew the
temptation that when Lottie went that
evening to visit her mother, she fingered
long at the MERGERS window, and decided
| that on the morrow that dove-colored silk
should be her own.
The children threw down their books
and toys when Lottie entered, for they low
ed her dearly, and Mrs Warde, though she
| had been wearing very anxious face, as she
| stitched busily at some childish garment,
contrived to smile at her eldest daughter,
who, however, was not easily deceived.
Something has gone wrong, mother
am sure Of it by your looks. What is it
Nothing you can alter, dear nothing,
in fact, that I ought to dwell upon. I
heard by chance, that the man through
whose roguery your father failed has re-
l tuIHou w EHSIduu, itHu ID LII PlooPoAouo
circumstances f; and it worried me for a
little while to think that my excellent, up
right husband went to his grave In sorrow
and poverty, while this dishonest man
holds up his head and grows rich; but ii
was only for minute, child - and Mrs.
IWarde smiled now with less effort. II
know to whom I have committed my cause:
and l will not murmur at anything He
Wills"
Lottie kissed the placid speaker affec'
tionately, but she was not as sympathetic
as usual. Her little sisters hung about
her, wondering whether they should have