Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-06-03
0rrcr N "JErrEGsoE BunDIEa."
FOlhe Virginia Free P,ess.
.SUJIIER REVERIES.
No. ,.
Mabel Dare.

Oniie an uncommon name ell well, 1t Is
refreshing, sometimes, TO leave the beaten
path trod by story writers in this--and
other particulars. We tire Of continued COM
manpiGce. and may occasionally welcome the
sudden uru, in the winding ways Of an
authors world, which gives Us a light into
pastures new. Not that this particular pas
ture is TO be extraordinarily attractive, al
though II may do for a change.
Yes she has-or did hIve-an un-sual
name, did my lady, aud yet, it but suited her
rare beauty, her rare accomplishments, and a
manner. winch was as vastly different from
tbc eyer-thc-samc mien Of our city girls as
well. AS ducks are from chickens And these
original ways Of Mabel Dare, while they were
lhp envy Of all her companions .emiaine, Of
c5urse, likewise brought down upon her de-
voted head the gos,iping ccusure Of all Pru-
dyvil.c. Mabel WAS Of type Of beauty sell
dom met with. Tall and slender in stature.
aud Of graceful gait and bearing, she had
dirk brown hsir which fell iu wavy tresses,
and eyes whose liquid depths were hard, in
deed. to fathom. They were not black nor
yet brown; but, If possible, shade batween
these cclors. and were ycicl with Long and
,Tkcu lashys FROM early childhood she had
rviuccd a great fancy for reading aud return
cd from haol. wherein an innate intelligence
had ads;venhercoutiuucl tiumphs, slest clang
with teuacity 20 Ler books. Not school litega-
turc. MUD YOU; nor that other reading which
Gene ally comes after; " the latest French
ueyd but a series Of instructive, yet en-
,trAiuiug works wherein history aud kindred
scieicc veic blended with amusement.
a. DO bate these fippant girls aud boys, ),
Sic used % say "with whom, TO read book
and remember a book are two vastly different
things. Not even the modern magazines seem
recreation 10 them. They rogar! literature,
from Arc:-4l History down. rs ole YrJiound
bore; and only fad existence beiraJle where
II is comprised of g6s,ips and Irritation at
gaEseam.' Aud with thls highly satisfactory
expression Of opinion, Miss Dare contented
hcrself:-as indeed, she might, for the few
sentences contained sufficient wisdom to sink 8,
Intellectually, scyen-eighths OF the women oI
this renowned age Of Progress.
Isaac Dare. q retired miller and large mill
owrer Of Pudyviile, had lost bis wife some
wears since. aud lived with Mabel in his old
brick mansion on the edge Of the hamlet, just
where it became lost in smiling country acres.
Spacious grounds surrounded the house, aud
the flower garlcn-Mabel's special providence
was a marvel Of tasteful laying out
One morning late IN September Prudyville
was literally up to its G rs 10 excitement. 1t
was rumorlI that Miss Dare was missing, and
later Intelligence corroborated tie report. 1t
seems Sic had lcft home very early iu the day,
keeping pace with Old Sul 10 rising, aud with
ont leaving any word for her distracted father.
Aud now gossipdom was happy2 They never
did think this wonderful staiduess was any
thing but skin-deep Love for her books, 10
decd! twas only ruso d settle things ioT
a fight. And the father, plor old smpleton,
had spent lots OF money in fitting up hls
bjokish daughters library 50 much f9f
Welding 10 girls Uhiuls etcs ETC., etc.-
These idle taunts, sped by the idle petticoats
of Prudyvi.lr. Mr. Dare bore IN silence lie
bad known M4befs fidelity towards himself
and her late mother, from the earliest age at
which she could have shown II, and yet, he
dared not promise his heart that her sudden
disappearance would prove wholly biameless.
lie Lad been long her ccnfdant, aud from the
mass of these sccIets-vasiiy differing from
the foolish condolences Of my modern maiden
he failed 20 extract auy motive asLe thought,
CAPABLE Of e1ticing bis darling child away
Vel. two days passed, and the telegraph was
yainly used in discovering the stray being S
whereabouts. In the dusky twilight Of the
tbird day, Mabel Dare was seen leisurely walk
ing down the village street towards home
Sic had just arrived on the passing train. Her
fatber was displeased at the cool explanation
sfe aave: "Tho trip to New York was quite
pleasant, papa" shercmarkel, "and ! am en-
,e3 from next week" "Why, Mabel, he
asked. "what are you speaking about ?" 80,
papa. sherepliej, ,asouseo ofbisiemporary fright
10 which she had not been accessory-dawn-
ing upon her, did you not get the note left
on yorr bureau the morning ! went away,
explaining lras gone TO ask for that writer 5
place ou Apretou's? ! ooly saw the az