Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-01-15
the first water-more's the pity that you

are blind to its SPARKLE"
"But, Charles-my son." pleaded tn
mother, I'VE have so depended on you
making wealthy alliance"
Mother, am sick of this schemin
and man9uvering," passionately brok
out the young man. depend upon il
/ never shall become the hanger on to
rich wife. / have too much respect 70
myself ever to be bought and sold in tn
matrimonial market. I love Ruth Muir
ray, and shall marry her!"
And from this position no storm Q
tears, reproaches or upbraidings coui,
induce him to swerve one hair breadth
"And when will you be my wife
Ruth?"
"OnIy wait until February, Charles, ;
pleaded the blue eyed little damsel. %
have but one relation in the world-mS
uncle-and he is coming home from
abroad. I should like to be present a
my marriage.
So Charles waited much against his
will.
Maria Trevor came into the drawing
room one evening full charged with the
fashionable on dit of the day. +
Mamma, everybody is talking about
this Sir William Murray, who has ar.
rived from India. Mr.. Lacy says he was
commander in-chief there, and ia i'm.
mensely rich; moreover that he Is q
bachelor, and has niece who is to be
his sole heiress. Couldn't we contrive
to make their acquaintance? Oh, if
Charles wasn't such an infatuated mad
man about this dressmaking girl.n
ITS the same name," unused Mrs.
Trevor; "sgrely they cannot be connect
Maria laughed contemptuously.
General Murray connected with a
dressmaker! that looks likely don'ti ?"
And Mrs. Trevor owned to herself
that the idea had been very visionary
one.
The wedding was to be very quiet
Ruth had insisted upon this-and as she
walked to the church dressed in a neat,
gray travelling guise, leaning confiding-
ly upon the arm of her future husband,
asudden memory flashed across Charles
brain.
y thought you expected an uncle,
Ruth?"
"He will meet us at the church,
Charles"
"And you've never even told me his
"His name? Oh, it is General Sir
William Murray "
s!WhatI Not the General Sir William
Murray?"
II think there is but one General Sir
William Murray" said Ruth, smiling at
his astonishment.
Hallo!" calculated Charlas, stopping
short and staring down into the blue
eyes, ''and are you the heiress that half
the world is gossiping about!"
II believe so, Charley"
Charles Trevor never spoke another
word until the marriage ceremony re-
quired his voice, and hardly knew if he
was awake or dreaming, when his little
wife introduced him to the tall, white
haired old gentleman who had given her
away as "Uncle William"
Young man." said the general. '"my
niece tells me she has married under
false pretenses do you regret the trans
action?'
mot bit of it," said Charley heart
lily. II don't care whether she's dress
maker or heiress, so long as she is my
own little Ruth"
1T was her own CAPRICE" said the
laughing. "The fact is, Ruth
was so afraid of becoming victim to
some devouring fortune hpnter''---
"That she turned dressmaker In self
Defense" said Ruth, finishing her un-
cle's sentence for him. kate Wardley
and Miss Mackenzie ie-whO had once
been my mothers maid-were alone
cognizant of my secret; and they have
kept it well. Now it is no longer a sa-
eret. Oh, Charley. how 1 trembled
that night at Wardley Place, lest you
should withdraw your love ewhen-when
told you that was only a dressma
ker."
II loved you, Ruth" said honest
Charles, all unconscious that any other
was possible.
And Ruth looked triumphantly at her
uncle with eyes that said: "HaVa I not
won price,"
Unole William wiped his spectacles
md smiled, and said nothing. To him
Ruth was the dearest thing in all the
world, and he could fully sympathize
with Mr. Charles Trevor.
Mrs. Ruth welcomed her mother and
sister in-law to her palace home with
sweet frankness and aopdial welcome
hat almost persuaded Maria into the
belief that she had entirely forgotten
hat little episode in Miss Mackenzie's
'oom and Maria loves dearly to talk to
ler fashionable friends about darling
title sister Ruth-the heiress, YOU know,
hat Charley married."