Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-05-13
WAS she A SAINT OF 4 SINNER,


"And so you are Bessie Wentworth?
said my sweet little mother, looking
with loving eyes on the petite creature
she had just released from her arms.
"You are very welcome, child"
As for my gr,,ff old father. he shook
his head and sighed. I think he felt
disappointed. Never before had there
been Wentworth with ripping blonde
hair and eyes like wood violets. The
anomaly seemed to give him an un-
pleasant sensation. It was utterly at
variance with all his preconcerted nos
tons of what every scion of the dear
old family tree should be like.
"You ought to be as brown as ber-
ry, with eyes black as sloes, and hair
the color of Margaret's, said he, shak-
ing his head still more decisively. 81
don't understand it.
The color died out ofBessie's bloom
ing cheeks for an instant, and then they
burned brighter than ever.
81 am like my mother" she said, in
a silvery, sweet voice.
"You are like nobody ever saw or
knew" sharply. "Yohr mother was a
Higinson and they were all dark, like
the Wenthworths."
She drew nearer, and dropped her
pretty slender hand on his arm.
''I'm so sorry don't look to please
you, Uncle john she murmured, with
an upward glance of the liquid blue
eyes, that might have disarmed hard
er>hearted man than my father, even.
"What nonsense Who said you
didn't please met You do. But you
are not in the least like the Went
worths.
He kissed her with an air Of man
determined to make the best of the in
evitable.
"We did not look for you before
next week, said mama, gently. Il am
glad you saw fit to anticipate the time
a little, however"
81 decided, quite suddenly, to come
on at once," Bessie answered, speaking
hurriedly, thought. 81 knew your
welcome would be just as warm, though
l did not take you by STORM"
eff you just give us SO much more Of
your society, my dear"
But the concluding part of the sen.
tence did not reach my ears, 1 heard a
step on the gravel just then-we were
all gathered on the piazza at the time,
as was our susto!h during the hot Au-
gust evenings-and looking down into
the garden, caught glimpse of Jack
Thurstane's wide-awake hat among the
rhododendrons.
ran down to meet him.
"Who've you got up yonder, Marga-
ret!" he asked abruptly, the moment l
reached his side.
"My cousin, Bessie"
Hump! Definite, upon my word"
81 suppose you would like me to re
gale you with half ah hours gossip
about her . said 1 smiling. "But, I'm
fortunately; know very little to tell.
She is Uncle Toms daughter, and has
lived in Illinois all her life, and l never
saw her till this evening"
"stop!" said Jack, putting up his
hand and grimacing. "Do you mean
to tell that girl has spent all her life in
the backwoods I"
'If do, what then?
you ale laboring under delusion
that's all. l know New Yorker the
instant / hear one speak. If the young
lady in question has not spent several
years of her life in the modern Gotham,
you may use my head fot foot ball.
Enough. Out of your own mouth
are you convicted. Seriously, though,
your penetration is at fault once. Bes
sic is Western born and bred. Come
up to the house and she will tell you SC
herself"
Later, after the purple dusk had driv.
en- us into the parlors, which were bril-,
liant with light, realized what a very
charming woman Bessie had grown to
be. So modest, so sweet, so self-con.
scious, 80 impulsive, | could not Won
der that Jack was quite enraptured witt
her. She seemed like new revelation
Of womanhood, with her shy and artless
ways and pretty tiinidity.
"W hat sweet, little Creature = sale
mamma, soto coce. "Thete is nothing
conventional or studied about hers
; anifs her exeeetiH.ly."