Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-12-03
FAITH MURRAY'S VOW.
BY WILLIAM o. sTODDARD.

Not an ungenerous girl was Faith Muir
ray by any means, and her honest blue eyes
were very pleasant and kindly to look into.
A part, NJ yertheless, of Faith s Inheritance
from her high-headed Scotch ancestry had
been somewhat hasty and jealous dispo-
sition, and a goodly share of their own un-
yielding obstinacy AS her mother was
apt to remark at INES:
''Faith is dear girl, but she needs man
agement, and it ism It everybody that k: .ows
how"
Not ''everybody," indeed; and assuredly
not such "a bluff, frank; stralghtfor" ard,
up-and-down fellow as Curtis Rowland.
Tall, broad-shouldered, curly-headed,
dark-eyed was Curt, and his white teeth
were perpetually cleaning through his
heavy III ustache, in smile that beto-
kened good will to every soul he met, male
OF female.
That was much the way in which he
came 50 utterly to grief in his manage
ment" of Faith Murray. He was as true
as steel, and she knew it; but his universal
popularity had shaped itself > strangely
enough, into one of her pet grievances,
and this she had nursed into such strength
that its evil energy burst forth, at last,
just at the wrong time and place.
Openly, angrily: and in the hearing of
others even, had Faith told Curt, on their
return from the last pic uic and boating
party of the season, that she would never
put her foot into boat of his again"
Curt replied with a laugh:
''Then I'll always have to borrow one
for you of somebody else.'
But Faith learned afterward, that. from
| built and almost handsome skiff, which
had carried SO merry a party to the pic
MIC, had never, since that day, been loosed
| from it's chain at the head of the little cove
where the Rowland farm came down to
the river.
When the winter approached, the boat
had been taken ont, of course, and care.
fully carted to it's customary shed near the
great barns, but Faith felt very sure that
no other female foot since her own had
been permitted to step within it.
AS week had followed week, and month
after month went by, Curt Howland's
broad and merry face had seemed to grow
a tr.He graver and more thoughtful; but
his thoughts, however serious they may
have been, had taught him little additional
wisdom. If they had, he would have known
better than to say what he did to Faith
when he made his first out-and-out effort
at reconciliation.
He had refused all along to be on any
other than speaking TERMS" and had
cleft Faith to do her own quarreling" in 8
way that was exceedingly impolite and ex
asperating.
She had fairly longed to see him show
some signs of temper or sentiment, and SHE
had derived no small degree Of satisfaction
from tie manner in which he had treated
his boat. She had fairly warmed toward
him. one day, when she learned OF his Dor
rowing skiff to go duck hunting, and We
she had muttered:
"He.said he would borrow boat 10 takt
) me out in, but IL teach HIM lesson yet. ,
Perhaps Curt thought he had learned all
the lesson that was necessary; but, at all
events, one fac December day he decided
to call for Faith Murray and ask her to g
with him OH the grand sleighing party t,
the ssqui!ting be- across the river. Their
would be such a magnificent drive on TIL,
ice, and such splendid opportunity t.
make up. and Curt had laid the matte
very Gloss TO his heart aud hopes.