Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-08-05

JUST 5. 1875.
joying with keen zest the intellectual
artistic and musical treat spread before
her, she turned mentally to Walter fol
congenial pleasure. When the vapid
praise or weak criticism of the fashion
able invalid was poured into her ears
she wondered how Walters clear brain
would have viewed the same object
Her home memories were not very
pleasant ones to her soul, full of sordid
cares, of mean shifts, of shallow pre-
tense, and she rested upon those Of
her cousin Walter, floating upon them
to rosy dreamlands till stung to life
again by the fact of her rejection Of
his hand and her reasons for that step.
Viewed through the medium Of this
rose~haze Of memory she softened to
her discarded lover, thinking of the
chivalry of his wooing, the unselish.
ness of his love. She knew we'll that
Mrs. Ambrose Montgomery's heir
might have chosen bride among the
wealthlest that Walters handsome
face, undoubted talents and courtly
manners would have won him true love
among the most fastidious. And yet
he had turned from all them to choose
her. pennyless girl, whose education
was, for the most part, self impaired,
who was quick tempered, and unpopu-
lar. In spite of her beauty, she knew
we'll that she often owed it to Walter
and his efforts that she was not wall
flower in social gatherings.
He loved her, and she had shut her
heart to his love. She did not regret
that home of luxury he could have
commanded for her, the probable for
tune she would have shared with him,
but in her bitter loneliness she hunger
ed for the sound of his tender voice, the
love OF his pleading eyes.
For four years she wandered hither
and thither across the Old World at
the caprice of her employer. Then a
lawyers letter informed her of her
Aunt Lucille's death, and her own in
hertance of $4,000 and a superbly
bound copy of the olives of the
Pilgrim Fathers" Mrs. Montgomery's
one literary effort being a collection
of all her own cuttings upon the SUBJ
ject. u.
She was glad to 60 home again, glad
to end her uncongenial bondage. AT
the steamers arrival her cousin Walter
met her. There was new beauty up
on his handsome face-the beauty of
purpose, of noble content. He had a
hack in waiting and drove first to a
hotel for breakfast. In the private
parlor where it was served he told her:
"Eda, want to thank you"
''Thank me p she said wondering
"For awakening me from a slothful
dream to an object in life. Do You
know how have spent the last foul
yearss"
"Wlth Aunt Montgomery, have you
not7"
"Certainly. would not desert her
In old age when was certainly
comfort to her. But studied medi
cine, won a diploma, and have now a
practice. 1t is large. Edna but net
very lucrative, being among the very
poor for the most part. But l have
found what you told me lacked, cou-
sin, purpose in life, field for labor
where hope l am not altogether use
less"
II congratulate you with all my
heart she said, impulslvely, holding out
both her hands.
II want more than that, Edna. Your
words opened my eyes to my own
waste of life +; but, though I find my
time busily filed, my heart wants some
thing more, Edna all the old love
there cries out for you. Can you love
a me little now!"
Mot llttle," she said in low
voice, her cheeks flushing rosily, ''but
with my whole heart, Walter"
''Then will you grant me my hope
and be married here and now, coming
to my old home as my wife, to help me
in the life-work to which your words
have guided met"
And Edna, loving him, granted his
wish, and in his old home proves, as he
hoped, a true wife and helpmate in his
noble works OF charity and usefulness
A Cass street boy OF tender years
yesterday entered the house with big