Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-04-09

to speak to you
Certainly 1 said, and rose to folio"
her.
Not YOU, Alice who had risen also
| want to see Kate alone
What could she want with me?
thought yet my heart told me- and
full of conflicting emoti@s, L entered the
room with her.
My DEAR said my grandmother
seating herself and smoothing her dress,
as was her wont when she had anything
important TO communicate, L wish to
,ell YOU The story OF friend OF mine.'
A storyp exclaimed. jumping up
somewhat relieved. for expected a lee
inre. Then by all means let us have
Alice here
SIT down again. Kate; this story /:
for your ears alone
saw by the gravity with which this
was said that it was no common story
TO be told, so wonderlngly l resumed
my seat.
Heaving a'lttle sigh. and brushing
away a tear, my grandmother COM
menced:
The story that am about to tel
you has not been told for forty years,
and I would not tell it now did moi
think that circumstances demand it,
Forty years! Why, what a Ions
time agon
Yes, it is a long time and my
grandmother sadly shook her head. but
Ioncas it is. was then acquainted with
a Young gill whom l will call Marion
Orme.
Then it is not real story, grand
map
IF YOU mean a true story, it is. But
7 will disguise the Names
A true story with the names disguised
NV curiosity was piqued, and l deter
mined to find out the real actors in it il
| could. become all ears.
People called Marion beautiful; ; be
that as it NAV, she was good girl, OF
that I am sure, though somewhat
thoughtless and giddy. At last she was
married. and none loved her husband
more than she.'
And why shouldn't she love her hus-
band interpolated.
Motioning me to silence BY wave OF
her hand, my grandmother continued /;
After two years of welded happi
ness business called her husband away
and Marion was sent to spend the sum-
mer with an old friend of hers on Wash
lngton heights
Here was a parallel case to my own,
so I listened, if possible, the more in
tently.
New York in those days was not the
city it is now, and a journey to Wash
ington heights involved as much prep
araton as trip to Lake George does
now. So. after taking an affectionate
leave of her husband. Marion was ump-
ed along in numbering old stage coach
to the residence Of Mrs. Van Dusen. -
Clara Van Dusen. who had been one OF
Marion's bridesmaids. received her with
open arms, and, perhaps. it would be
difficult to say who was the happier OF
the two. The first evening was spent
as is usual in such cases when two young
Girls meet-for indeed they were MOTH
inc else-after long separation. Clara
showed Marion all her new dresses and
knick. knacks and Marion unpacked her
trunks for the edifcation Of Clara.
The next morning Clara, on enter
ING Marion's room TO announce break
fast. said carelessly: Oh, Marion. l
forgot to tell you last night that Mr..
Clarence Arlington is staying here. He
ia the son Of an old friend ofmy fathers.
| have been plaguing him about you,
and have told him he mustn't lose his
heart What nonsense Marion an
swered, laughing; a man doesn't lose
his heart 10 a married woman
My heart beat violently.
Nolhing more was said on the sub
iect but at the breakfast table Marion
was introduced to Mr.. Clarence Airing
ton BY Clara, who simply said, while a
roguish twinkle beamed in her ewes :
This is ny dear friend, Mr.. Arlington
Marion Orme.' All women like admi
ration. and Marion could see before the
meal was finished that Mr.. Arlington
admired her. He paid her the mos
devoted attention, and before weel
was over he became her most constan
attendant
so like, so like thought.
Mr. Arlington was to leave few
days after Manon's arrival, but on ont
pretext or another he prolonged hi
stay. To do Marion justice, it must b.
,aid that she did not court his atten-
tions: but they were rendered so grace
fully. and with such an air of polit'
Difference, that she thought no possible
harm of receiving them. Clara woul'
often Joke Marion upon Mr.. Arlington
devotion, as she called it; but wit
some light hearted jest Marion woul
parry the thrust, and continue the hom
age of her admrer.'
My grandmother paused. 1 had I
sickening sense of inde6nable dread up
on me, yet begged her to continue.
The end of Marion's visit was draw
ing nigh, and she casually told hr. Al
liugton so. That very day, she wa
sitting in the library alone, Mr.. Airing
A.,.Arad and-as WAS the custom il