Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-07-03
the hand he was lifting to raise his hat.
The sweet musical voice he loved spoke

this obstinate door. 1t will stick.n
He went forward with all the easy
grace of manner that had ever marked
his intercourse with ladies. The little
gloved hand was intended to meet his
as she thanked him.
TT is too bad you are engaged" she
said. II should like to borrow your ar
fist eye to aid me in selecting dress for
my reception on Thursday evening. But
you will come and tell me how sue
ceeded alone, will you not?"
She said the last words very earnestly,
raising her dark eyes to his face.
"Do you really wish me to come
now ?" he asked.
II do!,'
"Then 1 will come! I must say good
morning." and he left her with most
courteous bow.
But while the great express waDn
ratified down the street, Miss Haines
turned away from the stores she had
been entering, and re-entered her car
riage.
ITO my father's," she said to the
driver, and few moments later the
merchant looked up from his ledgers to
see his only child in faultless walking
dress, entering the counting house.
"Another check!" he said, moving
chair to her. "How much this timer"
Nothing; 1 want to talk to you
Shut the door, so those horrid men can't
hear me-"
The door closed. and privacy in the
sanctum secured, Bertha astonished her
parental relative by bursting into pas
sion of weeping.
"Why, Bertha" he cried.
'.Never mind papa. 1t is all over now.
Do you remember what you said to
me when Raymond Thurston asked for
some employment here?"
"Not exactly"
II do. You said that man brought
up as he had been would want sine
cure; that he would never come down
ton for fine gentlemen that his offer
to take subordinate position and learn
the business was simply farce"
Ibid say all that, Bertha?"
"To me you did. supposed you dis
missed him politely enough. But, papa,
if you thought he was really in earnest
really meant to work for living
would you give him chance here ?"
"Yes. He has capacity. brains and a
splendid address. But he has been an
idler all his life.r
''He is no idler now. He is driving
an express cart"
Bertha !"
"He is. met him not an hour ago !;
he thought was going to cut him. AS
IT." she added with magnificent scorn,
II would slight an old friend in adver.
sity."
"Bless my soul! Driving an express
wagon! Ned Thurston's boy! Educa-
ted at Harvard! Dear me: Did you
notice whose wagon 1t was, Bertha ?"
Bertha had noticed, and the old gan
tleman hustled into his coat, and started
for the Office.
At dinner he informed Bertha that
Raymond had accepted place in his
large establishment, with frank con-
fession of his profound ignorance of all
BUSINESS affairs; but in earnest resolu-
ton to learn we'll and speedily whatever
appertained to the duties entrusted to
him.
1t was not many weeks before Mr..
Haines congratulated himself upon the
acquisition of his new clerk. He told
Bertha marvellous stories of Raymond's
rapid progress, and the strikes he was
making in his new life, knowing Of the
long nights spent in pouring over ledg-
ers and accounts, the many migivings
the clerk felt. The same active brain
and quick intelligence the new student
had brought to gain college honor, now
stood in good-stead in mastering the in
tricacies in invoices, bookkeeping and
cOunting-hOuse mysteries, and Ray
mond gained favor rapidly in the eyes OF
his employer.
/ 1t is question whether actual merit
would have advanced him quite SO fire.
quently as he was promoted, hard as he
worked, and steadily ~ lie improved
But Mr.. Haines worshipped his only
child, and the burst of tears in the count
ing house told him the secret Bertha
successfully concealed from all others
A self-made man himself, with an am
pie fortune to add to the one Bertha al
ready held, he laid no stress upon
money in thinking of a son-in-law.-
Energy, industry. integrity, these were
the foundation stones of his own for
tune, and these were the qualities he de-
sired in a life companion for the child
who was the hope and pride of his old
age.
The closer ties were bound that drew
Raymond Thurston to him in business,
the more he hOnored and esteemed the
sterling worth of the man he SO regarded
as mere butterfly of fashion, one of
fashions spoiled children. And learn
ing to respect his worth, he had also
learned to love the frank, bright face, the
courtesy of the young clerk. It grew to
be very frequent occurrence for him to
ask the support of the strong, young arm
when the streets were slippery, and at
the door to invite Raymond to dine, sure
of beaming look of pleasure from
j Bertha.
There came day after two years of
faithful service, when Raymond was in
formed in the privacy of the counting
room that junior partnership was his
if he would accept it. Some emotion
checked the utterance of Raymond's
heartfelt gratitude. He extended his
hand. to meet a cordial grasp, and hear :
eyes, yes. ! know. And now if you
want to tell Bertha the news, you may
take holiday"
i "May 1 tell her more? May 1 tell her
love-that the one hope of my life is
to win her love in return ?"
"You may tell her that have been
your most sincere friend and warmest
well-wisher for two years. You may
i tell her." and the old mans eyes twin
killed., that I have looked upon you as a
i SOU, ever SLICE Cle Jay Sno met you
driving an express wagon ?"
"And behaved like an angelo"
eyes, yes, of course, they always do.
There, get along with you. I'm busy.
Take my love to Bertha, if you are not
overburded with your own"
| And so-you know the rest. There
was wedding, and Amabel gave the
bride parure of diamonds, and owned,
when, in burst of confidence Bertha
told her the whole story, that after all,
Thurston's pride was not so good in the
end as Raymond's True pride"
BRIGHAM's OLD SINs.-When the
Arkansas emigrants were massacred at
Mountain Meadows there property fell
into the hands of the Mormons. It was
VIGOROUSLY the richest train that had
ever entered Utah. What became of
this property ?
Brigham Young was then not only
Governor of the Territory but Superin-
tendent of Indian Affairs. It seems
probably that the Mormon prophet not
only ordered the destruction of the emil
grants. but afterwards. with cynical