Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-07-15
A SPY IN THE CAMP.
By KARL DRURY.

When Viola Adair's father died, his
will contained one clause which many
people considered extremely singular.
He desired his daughter, then eleven
years old, to become, on completing
her twenty. first year, the wife Of
Ebert Dulane, then aged fourteen.
Various conflicting reasons were
given for this curious stipulation
Some persons affirmed that in early
life old Mr.. Adair had been a hopeless
| adorer of Ebert Duane's mother.
Others stated, with roundest positive
ness of assertion, that this was COM
pletely untrue, and that the clause in
the will sprang entirely from strong
friendship once existing between the
dead fathers of Ebert and Viola.
With the other gossipy reports we
will not concern ourselves.
Viola Adair lived in great country
| homestead that had been in the family
a great number of years, aud principally
occupied herself, at the age of twenty,
in specializing upon what a fine time
| she would have in the future.
Ebert Duane was always the sub
ject Of such dreamings. She had never
| seen him. he having lived since baby
hood among foreign English relatives,
and consequently the possibility that
he might be the most charming of
young demigods was changed by Viola
into the decided probability that be
was thus divinely favored.
Viola's great aunt, Mrs. Markstey,
lived also at the homestead, but being
eighty, if day, and so deaf that it
would not have disturbed her repose a
particle had she slept over a shooting
gallery, this estimable lady, as may
readily be imagined, did not contribute
any special diversion to her niece's
daily life.
Viola's only real companion was g
certain Miss Butterfly, lady now
about forty years old, who had beer
engaged as Miss Adair's governess
surely twelve years ago, aud who still
retained her position, though it was
every day growing more and more of {
sinecure.
/ 1t would be hard to imagine more
charming elderly spinster than Mis-
Butterfly, She was literally "fat, fai
and forty" Her plump face seemed
never tired of dimpling itself with thu
heartiest and happicst mirthfulness.
Viola adored her, and repeated.
declared that existence would be
blank without her ''dear old But
terby."
One day, about three months or ST
before the completion Of Viola
twenty-frst year, Miss Butterfly cam'
running into the room where she was
seated, with an expression of fright ant
anxiety by no means natural to the
governess' usually merry face.
/ "Oh, my dear Viola!" exclaimed
Miss Butterfly, "such dreadful thing
has just happened down at the gate
A gentleman has been thrown from his
horse and half killed"
Viola's sapphire. colored eyes opened
to their widest as she jumped up from
her seat, almost shouting:
"Good heavens! Butte tby, dear, d,
you mean it, What have you done
I hope you called James and job
right off: Did you see him thrown 2
'sNo'; but just as l got ia the gate
heard groan, and there he was. lyin.
on his side with bis eyes nearly closed
and the fend of a horse that ha
thrown him was grazing several yard
j off as quietly as lamb.
e "Well?" questioned Viola, deepl
e interested. $50 Oh. What else hap
pened :"
81 at once rushed up to the poe
creature, and asked if he were muc
hurt and what had hurt him. II
q pointed toward the horse and mul
INJURED, Thrown l felt like THROWN
the largest sized stone conceivable {
|. Che beast, Viola, for daring to tire;
r such beautiful young gentleman
such an infamous way"
e "Was he beautiful p inquired Viol;
more Interested than ever.