Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-07-27

to give you why you shouldn't marry
that mana story to tell and then I've
do he advising. viii you hear'me''
"s;.Yes, Peggy" answered Alice, bury
| ing her face in the lap of the faithful
serving woman.
elm going to tell you about your
m aher. We were girls together, and
1'knew quite as Miicll about her affairs
as she did herself, and I remember as
plain as If it was but yesterday, every
little circumstance connected with her
marriage. { u ""
-'f'Pe6ple call you good-looking, Alice,
but you're nothing to what she was,
with her hazel eyes and chestnut hair.
It was my pride to Irvine the heavy
rtnglets byeri tty finger and then let
them fall aarelessly oyer er"neck and
shoulders. There are no Ouch complex
ions rh!ow .a-days, SO ! can't tell you how
fail aid beautiful she was. Tier father
was poor, 'ise' the rest of us, aud his
wife was an invalid, SO the cares Of the
house came upon Lefty, your mother.
Gas soon as the house was put to
rights she woula'' bring out her spin.
ning-wheel, and buzz, buzz, buzz, it
went from morning till night, many a
day, to earn the price OF a new dress or
bonnet. Some way, she always COM
triyea TO look trife smarter than the
rest of lis girls, and as TAI the 'y'oung
men of the 'towh,, why Letsre might
have taken her pick. Aunt Larry
Burch used to say they acted like
parcel of fools around Lefty; but you
sees had batch Of grown.up daugh-
tiers. waiting for an offer, SO she was
excusable for being little jealous
One 'da!y-it was when Lefty was about
eighteen-she had big days work on
hand, aid sent for me to help her.
''But few could afford ii those days
to keep steady help, ana as it was nee
essary for ME to do sod ething, used
to 60 oil, by the day. .f1Yhats the
matter, Lefty" says I, the first thing
when I set eyes on her, for she looked
strange like to me that morning.
"Won't you ever mention it if I'll tell
you,'' she asked.
mo-" says /; and my word was as
good as Bible oath with her. y"
"You know Squire Mol'se's nephew
Robert, that was here nigh on to Six
Weeks last spring" she said.
"Yes,"' replied
''Well, he wants to marry me. Here's
the letter you may read it, and then !
want your advice" ''''
She drew d 'crumbled sheet of papa:
from her pocket, which proved to be 9
long, loving letter.
He was then twenty-one, the possess
or odf a handsome fortune, AID after
telling his love IN what I chilled hifalutin
language he offered her his heart and
hand. ' 80 81
N'You'll take him, of course, says !.
handing back the latter and bringing to
my mind the fnely-dressed, smooth~
faced, meek looking Robert Morse.
Eyes, Lefty, you'll cut b t|gare in the
rich silks and satins the Squires nephew
VIII buy for you. You'll be the hand
soonest woman in the county, Ill Walls
rant.!' F''''' -
I don't think Lefty thought as much
O. her good fortune as l. She l6oTed
haf-pl ased, talf frightened, as skesat
down to answer the letter. u ~
Suddenly a thought struck me, and l
interrupted het 70 ask if she hsdr't told
her parents. : :" ''''''
: 81 gave them a hint of the contents
of the letter, and of Course they think
II q great thing, si1he replied. "Robett
can get their consent without half ask
ing, but poor Will Worthy might have
hung around till doomsday and then
got surly refasal-poor WIFI"
= With sigh she went on with her
letter -sigled, sealed, directed, and
gave it into my hands to'pdss on my
way home that night % :
" In due time MIR. Robert Morse made
his appearance, and, 'o&|Mg to his i'm
PATIENCE, the wedding day. Vas set full
two months earlier thai Lefty wished.
This was the first and last time That
saw him in hurry about anything.
He gave Lefty scarcely time to finish
the web of linen She had commenced, !
insisting that it wassEr't necessary )"
My mother was to take Letty's place,
care for the house, and wait upon her
invalid mother, while | was to go as
iiousekeeper to Lefty in her new home.
"Robert stayed with his uncle, the
squire for q, month before the wedding
and, of course, WI Saw him every day.
One evening he ieft us standing on
the porch watching him I'd the noon
light as be went down the lane.
When he was out Of sight and hear
ing, Lefty said; - :
"You've been a good friend to me
Peggy, and | feel that I eau trust you