Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-01-04

had been reared by a bachelor uncle
who, dying when Twas eighteen, be
questhed me to the tender care of Mrs
Yepsy, his housekeeper. At the age o
twenty-five, I fervently hated every
woman in the word but her. It would
be too Notifying 10 me, and dull anl
undressing to you, were 1 to recapit
ulate the causes which bred dislike
30 keen and intense. 1 may just hint
that, Althea Brand (who is now q
Madame, with an ugly German name
utterly ltnpronounceable,) had sozne'
thing to do with my misanthropy.
1 led quiet. somewhat secluded life
"a life of my own designing. I smok.
ed and read, Or went to the club, or on
excursion, when 1 chose, with no one
to question my motives. I congratula.
ted myself IN grim sort of way, when
alone, on my freedom, which I ferocious-
ly declared I would not be despoiled Of
Imagine my alright, my horror, when
the following epistle came to hand:
sMY DEAR Mr.. Bernardo am
dying. The only relative you have in
the world will soon be an orphan. ]
confde her to your care, knowing you,
magnanimity and benevolence. Please
make necessary arrangements for hei
provision. Do this for the sake of your
dying cousin.
AGATHA FRoTH,"
1 could not wholly resist this plea,
though deputed Mrs. Yepsy, who was
in every respect capable woman, to do
what my conscience told me. l should
have given my personal supervision to.
In weeks time, my housekeeper re.
turned, saying she had placed Florelle
in very respectable seminary; so I,
with a deep, relieved inspiration, dis
missed my unwelcome protege from
my mind, without any inquiries relative
to her appearance, and Mrs. Yepsy was
too discreet to furnish gratuitous infor-
nation. 20
At the close Of the war, tiny note,
in schoolgirls hand, came to my adj
dress. I was angry and annoyed. 1
did not answer it. For five years these
dreaded missives arrived with persistent
punctuality. l could not shut my eyes
to the fact that the unknown writer had
improved rapidly in these FIVE years,
though no very great depth of thought
was perceptible; yet the chirography
was, elegant; the spelling, for wonder.
beyond criticism; while those glazing
characterizing romantic
young ladyhood were apparent. At
last, she announced that she had finish
ed her education, and was going to stay
while with the ''dearest girl in the
world"
1 read this from tiny sheet Of per-
fumed paper, under the hall-lamp, be-
fore going to Mrs. Finch's reception. 1
had hardly paid my compliments to that
excellent lady before Judge Finch took
my arm, and, nodding toward a petite
young girl, whom I had already noticed
as seeming to bewltch young and old
with her spirited, piquant ways, said:
"a young friend Of my daughter
Miss Florelle Froth. Shall l present
your"
mo, excuse me-"
And, as the Judge moved away, l
drew back in the shadow Of a curtain,
and watched my ward. had all along
fancied that my bank-notes were devel-
oping a pale faced, haxen ringleted
little thing, who would, some day, in a
a fit of romance, elope with q fictitious
lord. 1 was not at all prepared for the
contrast to my imaginings that the
sparkling sylph presented to my dazed
perceptions.
L returned to my domicile, dreaming
of a fairy crimson silk, with scarlet
roses in her hair, and the next morning
became the recipient Of the subjoined
gushing but not positively compliment
tary letter:
"MY DEAR OLD GUARDIAN-Will
YOU allow me to come and see you? |
am in town, stopping at Judge Finch's.
Is he an acquaintance of yours I? just
give me permission to visit you, and
see if you regret it! know how to
compound at least dozen preparations
for preventing the hair from falling of.
i will tie your neck-cloth (drab OF
white do you wear? p and get your cane
and slippers, and make Cruel for you
when you are laid up with the govt.
I'm so pretty, and so smart, and can
dance, OF sing, or read your fovorite
German and French authors. You
eyesight must be failing, ehs
lido SO wish to see you! I pledge
my word, as lady, not to be disagree.
able, nor bring company. FL just de-
vote myself to you.
Your curious ward,
FLoRKLLH FROTH,"
I am sure the worthy pastor whose
church / regularly attended would hayl