Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-07-05
PRETTY MRS. OG1LVIE.

All the women are jealous of her; there
is no doubt about that. The first time she
appears in church with crisp mauve mus
lin floating about her and dainty niauve
erection on her head, which presumably
she calls bonnet, I know at once how it
will be. And of course the other sex will
range themselves on her side to a man
that is also beyond question. AS she rises
from her knees and takes her little laven-
der-gloved hands from her face and looks
about her for a moment with a sweet shy
glance, she is simply bewitching; and
doubt if any male creature in our musty
little church pays proper attention to the
responses for ten minutes afterward. A
new face is q great rarity with us, and
such new face is one might not see more
than once in decade. let us hope we
may be forgiven.
AS gaze at the delicate profile before
me, the coils of golden hair, the complex
Ion like the inside Of a sea-shell, the slen-
der milk-white throat and the long dark
eyelashes, which droop modestly over the
glorious gray eyes. shall I own that 1 steal
glance of disapproval at Mary Anne-my
Mary Annette partner of my joys and
sorrows for twenty years and the mother of
my six children? Mary Anne's figure is
somewhat overblown, her hair is tinged
with gray, and the complexion of her good
humored face is slightly rubicund. But
she has been good wife to me, and feel,
with twinge OF compunction, that have
no right to be critical, as l think of shin
ing spot on the top of my own head and Of a
little box I received from the dentist only
month ago, carefully secured from obser-
walton. But as we emerge from the church
l draw myself up and try to look my best.
AS we pass the trailing mauve robes, Jack,
one of our six, stumbles over the train,
which gives me an opportunity of raising
my hat and apologizing for the brat's awk-
wardness, and I am rewarded with sweet
smile and an upward glance out of the
great gray eyes which is simply intoxica-
ting.
''We must call ON Mrs. Ogilvie at once"
I observe to Mary Anne as we proceed
across the fields on our homeward walk"
sit is my duty as her landlord to find out
If she is comfortable. She is lady-like
person. continue, automatically for
bearing to allude to the obvious beauty !;
ssand 1 daresay, my dear, you will find her
an agreeable neighbor."
"Lady-like !" cries my wife. with a ring
of indignation in her voice. Il don't call
it lady-like to come to quiet country
church dressed as if she were going to
fiower-show. Besides, she is painted. A
color like that can't be natural But you
men are all alike-always taken with lit
tie outside show and glitter.''
But, my DEAR" I demonstrate, ''per-
haps she did not know how countrified and
bucollc our congregation is. 1 really do
think it will be very unneighborly if we
don't calls 1t must be very dull to her to
know no one." ignore the remark about
the paint, but in my heart I give the as
sertion an emphatic contradiction.
Mrs. Ogilvie has rented small cottage
which own in the west-country village
! IN which am the principal doctor. one
is the wife of a naval officer who is away
in our Flying Squadron, and has settled in
our sleepy little hamlet to live. quietly dur
ing his absence. All her references have
been quite unexceptionable, and, indeed,
she is slightly known to our Squire, as is
also her absent husband. "a splendid
fellow he is" Mr.. Dillon tells me; stands
six feet in his stockings, and is as hand
some as Apollo; indeed, 1 don't believe
that for good looks you could find such
another couple in England.
Fhe following day Mary Anne, with but
little persuasion, agrees to accompany me
to the cottage to call on Mrs. Ogllvle. The
door is opened by neat mald-servant.
She is at home and we. are ushered into the
drawing room, which we almost tall to