Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-01-30

Patience, James, said Swinton; and
Dinner y said servant at the same mo-
ment so was fain to marshal my hostess
to the DINING room and endure uncom-
plainingly several jocose remarks on the
subject of hops which were evidently
generally understood, though could not
comprehend their meaning. t
Much as admired my hosts charming
family, felt glad when he and | had the
dining-room to ourselves, with a prospect
of an unrestrained chat. lls..
my wife was very fall-in-lovable per-
son, seven-and-twenty years ago. said
Luke, after the door had closed upon that
LADY. ,,ajs. ,..,-.] -. 5l.tleia
You need not tell me what she was, old
fellow replied; she is charming still
and I would soon let her know my opinion
if she were wsdow.' .7s
| sThank you. have no wish to test your
sincerity in the mode you so feelingly hint
In. But take my word for it, in those by
Igone days Nellie would have been hard to
match. / was intended for the church, as
YOU are aware, and went to college with
that profession in view; during my very
first vacation met Nellie at Christmas
party, and the changed everything
Did Nellie object to parsons then?'
mo, but her father did. The old man
was very rich, and had amassed his wealth
by trade. SO he was determined to have
merchant son-in-law. Nellie was dutiful-
she owned her love for me-but would en-
ter into no engagement unsanctioned by
her father. So the end Of it was that L
never went back to college, but entered
!. the old merchants office as a clerk
VERY chivalrous, am sure; but pre-
I sumo you would have resigned crowns as
well as q mitre-in prospective-to win
Nellie.'
Say as you will, it requires self-denial
to give up such fair prospects as had, and
take to plodding and quill-driving, with no
very definite notions of reward. Old Stan
ley-Nellie's father would only say that
if through my own unaided efforts should
win good position in the mercantile
world he would not refuse me when ask
ed for his daughter. In the meanwhile L
was allowed free, communication with my
beloved, and we were both young enough
to wait few years for was twenty when
we first met, and she was twelve months
younger. ....-.s,
sFor three years l toiled like a galley
slave in my new vocation. Old Stanley
smiled approvingly, advanced me fairly
enough but still there was an awful hill
to climb before l dare to say word about
claiming Nellie, or indeed before circum-
stances would permit me to marry without
pecuniary aid from Stanley. My whole
capital amounted ID $4,000. 1t was le-I
gacy from maiden aunt OF mine;and many
times during those three probationary years
.I.Ad been tempted to speculate with it, in
hope 6f taking fortune by storm, as it were
instead Of winning it bit by Bit
Il cannot fancy you spec ulator, Luke
said I, though always considered you a
particularly wiGe-awake individual DO
YOU remember your school nickname, All
| Eyes,
ITO be sure do, and deserved it. Still,
as you say, am not speculative. l make
the most of:things in regular way OF
business, but run no needless risks
| Above all, hold that he who endangers a
dollar more than he possesses commits
breach Of the command, Thou shalt not
steal Yet 1 have specialized desperate
| ly: and it is Of my own gambling
transactions am about to speak. l had
made such satisfactory progress under
old Stanleys tuition that at length he
proposed 1 should invest my little capital,
and become his partner to the amount l
have named above. Well do I remember
leaving home OH the morning of the day on
which he made this proposition. AS !
passed through tho gate which led into the
little shrubbery-you recollect the place,
James, for you spent a day at our house
when we were lads-I was at once attrac-
| ted by the beautiful appearance of hop
vine which entangled lightly round sap
ling hard by. I had watched its growth,
| and now, as its flowers trembled in the soft
| wind, paused to admire it before l passed
on my way. Before I returned in thefeven-
ing had made arrangements for becom-
ing a partner in the great'house of Stanley
Il Co., and my little capital was, may
say, in my hand ready to invest. o os
ANY person would suppose that under
such circumstances I should be too much
absorbed in meditating on my commercial
prospects to notice small external objects.
| But such was not the case. AS usual /
was all eyes = and when reached the lit
tie shrubbery-gate noticed that the plant
whiclem the morning looked so beautiful,
wal Nw shrunk and appeared as though
scofched and withered.o Curious to know
the cause, went Immediately to the libra
| ~ and took down a work which would, [
thought enlighten me. In it found de-
scription of what is termed the hop blight
and on comparing my own small expert
ence with it could scarcely doubt that
my favorite plant had been thus suddenly
struck with the disease. Still / was not
quite satisfied; so consulted the garden
or, who happened to be at work on the
lawn. He shook his head when he saw
the vine. 1T is the blight, sure enough
said he. Very few hops must there be
this year. It comes in this way and covers
great extent of country all at once, just
as though fame had passed over it.
Then you think said l, the crop will
be spoiled = ,'a ail,l 3ys.., r.- .su445
ssNot bit Of doubt of that sir . sa
.'That will do thank you. 1 felt anx-
ious to know what had spoiled my vine so
suddenly 3D. -.G
The man returned to his work, and I,
never waiting for dinner, hurried back to
town, to purchase every packet of hops
could Law hold on, It was desperate game,