Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-07-27
MISS PEVERILL's PRIDE.

MISS PEVERILL'S PRIDE.
81 never heard of such impertinence,
SAID Agnes Peverill, throwing down the
letter she held, and half crying in her vex-
alton. 'How dare he write such things
| to me ? What business has he to love me
He never would have dared write like this
Tiff papa were alive and we had not lost
our money"
''You may thank yourself for this said
! grandma Peverill, looking over her specta-
cles with an air of concern. '!You have
amused yourself considerably with Harold
Helper, to my certain knowledge. When
one dances, one must pay the piper"
II don't understand you, grandma GER
tainly never gave him shadow of encour-
agement. [ have guessed for some time
that he-that he didn't dislike me, you
know; but I never dreamed that he would
say as much Papa's clerk Why, I've
seen him sweeping out the office, and his
fingers as inky as Caddy Jellyby's.
''Men are audacious creatures" observ-
ed grandma ''but if you knew that he
didn't exactly hate you, you onghtn't TIC
have accepted him as escort when you were
learning to ride. When your papa brought
him home to dine, you needn't have
made yourself so attractive, need you ?
You might have had a headache in your
own DOM, OF All invitation out. You need
not have talked pretty nonsense with him
by the hour, while your father and | took
after-dinner maps, need you?''
|. :'One can't help flirting little, grand
MAJ
What, with ones fathers clerk? And
no doubt one can't help working him slip
pers and braiding watch-chains either
"Why, Of course, one gives birthday and
Christmas gifts to all ones acquaintance
even to old Biddy, the pauper. One does
not expect them to presume on that, how
ever
"And SO you think Mr.. Helper is pre-
suming when he offers you his hearts love
and all his worldly prospects? Why so p
II think he is presuming, because the
Peverills are not of his order, grandma
/ They came over in the MayfoWer. they are
descended from Lord Peverill, they have
graduated at colleges, have enjoyed ele
CANT accomplishments ever since the flood
and have never soiled their hands with the
CRIME of labor. While Mr.. Helpers an,
cestors were illiterate mechanics, who muir
dered the kings English. Why, his owl
father was stone cutter. I've heard pa
pa say So"
| "And supposing that yours had been {
mechanic, what objection could you have
urged ?"
"Why, it's not a supposable case, grand
mammal Peverill d stone-cutter u
"But supposing you were not Pever
| in?''
| 'sMy imagination is not bold enough fol
/, such IL flight. You see. have all the pre-
JUDGES Of my class. [ would choose un
Happiness sooner than marry beneath me.
"Then am to understand that you con
slider yourself superior to Harold Helper
1t is some years since he figured as you
lCtUDCI lin ClNIA3 lCllCluDcI
Since that he has written a book, invented
a machine, he has lectured to scientists
Wherein does your superiority consist
What have you been doing III the mean
time %
II have been rubbing papa's equity toe
and accepting the attentions of Mile!
Bond"
"You don't mean-''
Il mean that l shall probably marry
Miles Bond, some fine day, If nothing hap
pens"
"Marry Miles Bond p repeated grand
mann ma, as if she had said she was goine
| to marry the Khan of Tartary.
"You seem to be astonished, grandma
ma"
Eyes, a little. He's a born aristocrat.
| "Exactly-there's a pair Of us. [ shall
be entitled to consideration in the s'beal
m,nde' as bis wife, don't you see 20 Fo
it must be confessed tnat since Mr.. Pever
ills death and insolvency. the s'beal
monde' had looked coldly upon his pretty
daughter, instead of the Peverill coat-of
arms and the luxurlance of the famil,
tree.
"Then you do not care fig for MI
] Helpel. ?'' asked grandma.
''Is it necessary for me to deny the sof
impeachment. when I have almost mad
up my mind to marry another ?''
"When 1 was a girl" began the OLE
lady"
"You loved brocades and brocatelles a
well as your granddaughter
'But did not sell myself for them
And SO you are really engaged to Mile
Bond, and there IS no help for it ?'
i "Well, not really engaged. Iwon't Civ
my word at least not just yet. You see
grandmamma, one hesitates to rivet th
chain, as they say in novels. And the
Miles says he will wait, he won't hurr
me; he'd rather wait a'century in swee
suspense, as he calls it, than be refused a
once. But I suppose it will end all on
way"
'sAnd what will you answer to Harol
Helper 20
"Heaven only knows. It will not do t,
: tell man who offers one his heart that h
ought to have known 5etter.''
Nor that you will not marry him be
cause his father is stone-cutter.
Mr.. Helper accepted his refusal. howev
er. with good grace. lie made no fus