Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-12-17

course wit ! her Simpls relatives.
ITO hear his talk as he. stond there by
the 1ve-barred gate, swinging little Elsie
to and fro. one would suppose that he had
never pleaded case; that he had never
quoted !. p rem, or delivered an grafton.
Pamela's uncle drawled to him in his pro-
vincial .1ialect, her aunt joined in the con-
versation without dropping her sun bonnet,
| and cousin Ephraim, ths blshfulest Of
II ortals, sat down to tea with the stranger
guest. The supper the young lawyer de-
voured that night would have hnnored the
appetite of i laborer in the off kitchen.
Pamela looked with dsm ~ At her Olym
plan, wondering it that could be the way
the go;ls dined upon ambrosia. So, wound
ell and disappointed scarce knowing why.
she sat silent and cold by his side when
they were alone together once more. Tsiry
had the whole of that grim parior, With its
w!itewasled walls, its hideous portraits.
its he rse-hair sofa and chairs t., themselves:
but the d ,or of the sitting room stood
ajar, and Reginald looked longingly thence
upon the gay carpet, the well-polis'ea
stove, with its CRATE aftme, the warm
cushioned chairs where her aunt nodded,
and the bit of holly crowned glass where
.Ephraim made himself smart to visit sweet
little Jessie Dawnes.
ss.She is the l0veliest creature, Regi-
nald,' said Pamela, that the sun ever shone
upon.'
Except one,' said Reginald. But /
don't believe old Soils rays often reach you,
my Pamela
''The very next morning at the country
church, he saw cousin Ephraim's sweet
heart. As was her wont, she nestled in her
fathers, the deacon's, pew, and looked
with wrapt eyes to the good old minister,
while Reglnald's eyes. once fastened on her
primrose face, never left it throughout the
service. By some magnetism their eyes
met, and poor little Jessie's wrapt gaze lett
the face 0 the minister to feast shyly upon
the classic.l allurements Of the young
barriSter.
ssR .ginald walked homeward by Jessie's
side, while EphrAiln and Pamela followed
after, b It'll proud and pleased that the
little IN lien ha found favor in the sight
of 81 distinguished guest.
"Reginali prolonged his stay in the
country, declaring that he needed Il va "a
ton, and was out III the mornings betimes,
fishing in the neighooring streams for SUM-
fish, and gathering wild ferns, coming back
at sundown, somewhat distracted in his
manner, but sallying forth again on the
next day.
ssP.mela declined to join these excur-
sions. as the sun and wind together wo uld
have made sad havoc with her complexion
AS they would with yours, my dear, you
very well know. But there are complex
ions, Belle. that the sun takes to kindly
enough. and ptinis with a magical brush.
the wini putting in crimson that Was
never found even upon the palette Of Sir
Joshua Reynolds.
Upon the May festival, which was ar
ran ed late III the month rs a fare veil Gel
ebra 10 for Pam la and her betrothe,l,
the beauty Of sweet Jessie Dpwnes seemed
to our plle patrican of the city like some
hing almost supernatural. s le called t.
Reginald time and again tn tell her if he
had ever conceived ct 80 glowing Al d viv-
ii a l'veliness, and could not take he,
eyes from a head that made the sweet
blosso rs with which it was crowned seem
IA ied and dull b, comparison.
The day grew somewhat chill toward
evening. and in the hollow of the wood
where Pamela wandered alone, it seemed
t., her that the wind "histliny among the
trees arose to kind Of sob that was al
most human in its intensity. As sh.
walked along, half anxious now to ESCAPE
from solitude that seemed peopled with
melancholy sounds, she heard murmur of
voices close at hand, just beyond the little
lhicket that barred her progress.
''[t's so hard to say goodby my sweet
child" said voice that was the one voice
in the world to Pamela. ''You have crept
into my heart, warming and blessing it,"
And shall never see you again ?''
sobbed little Jessie OWNS.
IN W. darling, how can tell Perhaps
when this sweet madness is cured"-
And then, B.lle, p),r Pamela heari no
more. A blessed Inconsistencies seiz4d
her, and for the first time in her life she
tainted. N 1t the last, alas! since that
moment of agony her nerves have been so
strong, and upon the REQUIRE ce OF certa in
sounds or certain rem entrances she loses
herself for Il tina. A little while ago,
phou " ,, nj ot ,,rpd h. n coopo II; fho ,,,.,,,3c
it put into words that bit of the past 1
saw sgain the moses and ferns at my feet
the little bl tck pool of water half covered
with withered leaves, and heatd TIE dull
thud or discord mt croak of the frogs.
"When, upon that time long ago,
swoke to consciousness. r ,ginald was
bending over me with white stricken
face, and all the rest we're busy with pos
sets and restoratives in my behalf.
when we were left alone together, and
found that Reginald hoped I was uncon-
scious Of all, was tempted to accept this
negative happiness held out to me by
niggardly destiny, but he begged of me,
with persistency which l interpreted in
my own way, to follow him as quickly as
quickly rs possible to the city, whittier he
was going the following morning.
"'You may as W. II remain, Is id coolly;
"a cowardly retreat now will avail nothing.
Seek your happiness where you may, Reg
inald .Vickers; it has never been dependant
upon. mine. l heard your words to Jessie
'''And if you did, ne broke in, what
then? They We're the fi:st fond words [
had ever said to her. aud they We're Wrung