Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-04-01
THE VAILED LADY.


do not imagine that any of my read
ers ever heard of the village of Stebbins,
nestled down in n corner of one of the
New England States, twelve miles from
the nearest railway station.
There i a boy at Stebbius, who rides
this TIVE I've miles once a week TO get the
mail, rests over night ut the post-office,
and returns the next day.
StebbinS is not town--it can scarcely
be called village; butts settlement,
comprising store where you can buy
cOal-Scuttles and bOnnets of the same
salesman, or procure soap and boots in
the same parcel. There is blacksmith 5
shop, a church, and schOOlhOuse, and
there is a little stream running past the
cluster of houses, and in this stream are
such fish as are seldom seen outside OF
just such quiet localities.
One of my friends, walking tkro' New
England upon 4 sketching tour, told me
of the fish and the quaint little village,
one hundred years behind the age, and l
resolved to spend Il few weeks there to
recover from bitter, blightinS disap-
pointment that had fallen upon my life.
And while the iron horse is taking me
from New York to the railway station,
where l am told horse can be hired TO
take me TO the little village, will tell
the story of this disappointment, though
it Involves some mention of myself in 4
light that may appear that of vanity.
| am the sou of widowed mother, and
the possessor Of half of my late fathers
property, with the reversiOn of the other
half upon the death of my mother. This
property, amounting to nearly a million
of dollars, probably accounts for the fact
that 1 am favorite in society, and espe-
cially so amongst the ladies.
| have passed hOnorably through col
lege, spent four years in Europe and two
in Eastern travel, have dabbled in itera-
tuTe and art, and, at thirty, returned to
my mothers house, intending to settle
down, take care of my property, and
waste no more of my life in pleasant idle
ness.
found in my mothers house two la
dies, who were spending the winter with
her, and to whom she introduced me as
''My friend, Miss Iona WillOughby, -
and ''my companion, Miss Hester Brown
In our first private interview, she gave
me the following sketch of the young la
dies:
"MiSs Willoughby is the daughter of
| your fathers partner, Herbert. You
/ never knew him, as he was always in En-
/ gland, managing affairs there, but ne
/ died two years ago, and by his request,
Iona makes her home with me until she
/ marries or comes of age, although her
large property is in the hands of guar
| dians in London. She is very much adj
mired. Do you think her handsomein
/ "The handsomcSt woman l ever saw, -
| said, emphatically; ''iu face and figure
/ absolutely perfect. l never saw more
glorious dark eyes"
"And she is very accomplished adj
ded my mother, evidently proud OF my
/ praise. "Iler voice is remarkably fine,
though not as good as ESTES"
''Who Is ESsie?"
\ "My cOmpanion, Hester Brown. She
is an orphan, and without means now,
though she will have a small income from
some property of her fathers when she
comes of age, next year. She is very
useful TO me, and l allow her TO sing in
the - Chnrch choir, to add TO her sal
AIRY. Her father waS a music teacher,
aud Essie's musical training has been
/ very thorough. Her voice is powerful
I and yet very sweet
Ny mother did not ask me if | thought
I her companion handsome; and had She
4 done 50, should not have replied as uu-
hesilatmgly and emphatically as before
Tor there was none OF the dazzling, start
/ ling beauty OF the heirrss about the qui
rt. pale companion.
Yet, when l thought of the ladies, il
my solitary musings, it was constantly
ESSie'S face that came before me, no
lona'S.
louA Adll. Juno llAt hSAlts htE llO
fusion of auburn hair, dazzling complex
ion, perfect features, and large blacI
eyes, would have made her belle wher
ever she appeared; but in the beauty o
Testers face there was no such irresis
tihle power.
Let me recall my love as l first saw
her, for she was, she Is, she ever will be
the one woman who reiguS supreme il
my heart.
While Hy mother and Iona wore dress
Is of the richest silk, fine laces and spark
ling jewelry, with cOifftIres of the lates
fashion, the young companion had sim
pie dress of WoOlen material, with nea
linen collars and cuffs, fastened by
plain gold pin and buttons. Her hair, o
the golden yellow rarely seen after child
hood, was short, and nestled in nctura
\ curls round her small, vell-shaped head
She was pale, but her complexion was o
the pure sOftness that could bear the los
of color. Her eyes were Il deep blue
shaded by long golden lashes, and he
features were very regular. She was
medium height, and very slender, look
ing small beside my mother and Iona
both of whom were very tall, and full II
figure.
Probably my own six feet of stature
broad shoulders, and long legs, added {
the dwarting of Essie, for We all Spok
. and thought of her Is little.
Ny arrival in New York was II tim
when the Winter festivities were fairl
inaugurated, and was presented to m
, mothers world of society at party inyi
ted for that special purpose.
When presented myself in the draw
ing-rOom, Iona was standing beside m
mother, radiIntly beautiful, in dress q