The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-03-24
gelert STORY,
A PERFECT TREASURE.


One day Frank came home with look
Of triumph
have a perfect treasure for you" he
said, Sin the why of a nurse. Gerald Tenn
pie Is going to take his family to Europe
and, when he heard what you wanted
offered to let us have their nurse, whom
they will not want
! heard low sigh. Virginia, Frank $
only sister, had been sitting in a corner of
lhe drawing room. She rose now and
dipped out.
How could you Frank p said fol-
lowing her with sad eyes. IL have never
beard your sister speak Of the Temples
sinec she has lived with us; the very men
lion of their name brings back the memory
of Gerald's brother and all that sad
tragedy"
am sorry, said, Frank, "but | did
not know she was in the room. Poor
Virginia p
Yes "Poor Virginia ~ | said to my
sell. But once the lovclcst little creature
Ieser knew. 1t is something of story,
but tis an "ower true tale" and | will
tel it in the shortest way can
Virginia and Frank were orphans, and
Old Mrs. Chichester, their grandmother,
had adopted Virginia almost from infancy
The old lady had very ambitious hopes Of
making splendid match for her beautiful
Rrandchild But Virginia thought differ
ont and when she was IL, at the time of
NY wedding, she and Langley Temple were
Insane enough to fall desperately in love
with each other. Langley was Franks
most intimate friend, and the pair met
continually at our house, until Grandma
Chichester found it out After while
langley was ordered to his ship Che was
b the navy j but Frank waged war with
Grandma until he obtained u viperish
consent that the lovers might correspond
Grandma took pains not to let Frank know
bow Virginia was tormented and tyran-
nized over until the poor child consented
% 90 out into society again and there she
bet and made conquest of the very man
whom Grandma had intended for her
beauty-Horace Kent Virginia refused
him but Grandma said scornfully "That
made no difference. She would come to
her senses soon y and to my utter amaze
ment, the preparation of the rousseau
went on, and by.and-by We were bidden to
the Wedding. quite elegant affair, whore
Virginia walked and talked as if she was
Frozen. Frank and confessed to each
cther, that night, that the business passed
Dur apprehension, for we had no idea
sheu of foul play.
Kent aud Virginia were to sail for Eu.
rope within fortnight of their marriage,
and weLr to Washington and Baltimore to
pass that time, Left alone one evening
in Baltimore, with a severe headache,
Virginia remembered to have seen some
hromatic vinegar in her husband dressing
base. Kent was peculiar in his careful
way Of locking up his belongings, and she
look her own bunch keys to open the box,
when, rather to her surprise, she found
the key left in the box. Some listless,
vague impulse, which she never afterwards
could account for, prompted her to lift the
Upper tray, although she had found the
Vinegar already, Underneath, to her sur
prise, she found paper, and was about re-
Burning the tray to place without further
Examination, when her eyes were caught
by the words My own Virginia" 10
dear, too well-known handwriting.
When Kent came back that night, he
found his beautiful young wife senseless
9pon her bed, with two letters erumpled
Between her cold fngers,-one the last
ietter Langley had actually written her
tho other, the base forgery in which he
asked to be released from his engagement.
Kent was not at all bad. lie loved her
nadly, and you may be sure that his sore
punishment began when, after the physi-
eian had got her out of the death-ike
swoon, the first words that came to Vir-
ginia's lips, in that strange, passionless
Tone which is far worse than anger, "Re-
member | will never forgive YOU
heverp
They came back to New York for
single day but Virginia saw no one but
Der grand mother. The old lady upln her
aeathbed raved of that interview, aud
faiuly implorcd her forgiveness for urging
Kent on to his treachery The newly
Fedded pair sailed in the Inflated ship
which took fire off the coast of Nova
Scotia, and whose name still carries ter
for to many heart. Virginia was one Of
khat handful of survivors her unhappy
husband fought for her place in the boat, and
remaining behind himself, perishcd with
fhe ship. The agony Of terror, the long
plight which she spent at the mercy Of
the waves proved too much strain upon
Der already overburdened frame, and
Frank and were summoned by telegraph
p her at Halifax, where she lay for days
Unconscious with brain fever And
heu, to add to her misery, when recover
ing she was thrown into nearly fatal
relapse by seeing accidentally that the
lecumseh had gone down in the attack
pn Mobile harbor, with every soul on
BOARD. The Tecumseh was Langley's
bhip. -
Virginia came to live with us about two
Years before the commencement of my
tory She seemed to feel sorrowful
femorsc about her husband, which was
pot grief, and yet it east shadow over
per life. ale was treacherous and false,
he said to me one day, sand he broke my
heart2 Harrie, told him would never
forgive him, and he died thinking him.
eelf unforgiven." OF Langley she never
epoke.
Well, the "perfeet treasure made her APP
Pearance. She was rather young woman,
with pleasant low voice, aud very good
manners of her station. | was charmed.
certainly this girl seemed determined to
please me she did her work in faultless,
beat way she amused and played with
The twins; and baby had more quiet
nights than had known him to have for
weeks. So, after m5nth's trial began
to sing Alioeis nraisas and alInyvad ber fitll