Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-12-31
in city chap will gobble her up yet. She's

Leslie is deserving OF SOOu uuSOanQ, ana
| think the right one will come along yet -
| If any one had watched Paul Ridgeway
during this conversation, he would have
thought he had not heard at all, so little
interest did his Indifferent face portray;
but he heard every word, and the ossip
had interested him just as much: It had
entirely changed his plans. When he first
got off the train at the little village, he
only intended remaining few days to
sketch some wild, beautiful scenery which
had attracted him; for Paul Ridgeway
called himself an artist; but during the
last few moments he had decided to re-
! main there for the summer.
| He arose lazly from his seat, threw away
the remainder of his cigar, and, taking
his portmanteau, left the hotel. To the
/ iirst boy he met he said
| "Say, my fine little fellow, will you show
me the way to Miss Leslie's house2 1
will pay you well for your trouble. -
The lads eyes fairly sparkled with Gag
erness as he answered, -
"Yes, sir, will
| Some twenty minutes after, Paul Ridge
way was ringing the bell at the door of
one of the most quaint, picturesque farm
| houses he had ever seen, nestled in a low ly
valley, almost covered with honeysuckle
and creeping rose vines. which clambered
from veranda to gable in the widest
| luxury imaginable.
The door was Immediately opened, and
our hero stood face to face with lady of
ly inclined to petiteness, with fair skin,
blue eyes, and a sweet smile which display
ed a set of we'll preserved teeth, and kept
| the ,dimples dancing in her cheeks.
81 would like to see Miss Leslie, if you
please" fo 1854 Y '9S
''That is my name, y replied the lady
'sWill you walk in, sirY"
''She is at least good looking; that is a
comfort, y thought Paul. sThank you."
he said, aloud. II have been informed
that you intend keeping boarders, and
called to see if 1 could obtain board here
this summer I am an artist, and the
scenery about here is very fine.'
! ''Walk in, and we will talk the matter
over,'' said Miss Leslie, throwing wide
open the door of the elegant little parlor.
The dining room also opened into the
hall, and as Paul passed the door he caught
| a glimpse of a graceful little figure in a
neat print dress, with snowy collar fas-
tened at the throat with tiny gold pin;
mass of brown curls tied back with a
blue ribbon, and for second his eyes met
the glance of pair of laughing brown
ones.
! IL wonder who she can be?' thought
Paul, as he and Miss Leslie sat in the par
lor, settling the terms for board, &c.
eff you would like to begin tonight. 1
will send John over to the hotel for the
luggage. Tea will soon be ready"
"Thank you, have brought my port
manteau with me. My trunk has not yet
arrived
A few moments later the tea bell rang
and Paul again had the pleasure of seeing
the Young lady in print, who, when he first
saw her. was occupied in arranging the
shell-like china tea service upon the table.
'My niece, Mr.. Ridgeway, Miss Leslie.
Paul bowed low over the tiny brown
hand extended to him, and thought,
s'Some orphan niece, no doubt, to whom
in che goodness of her heart, Miss Leslie
has kindly given home.''
During the meal Paul found no difficulty
| ;o1y vlJith
the elder Miss Leslie. She was very well
informed upon the current topics of the
day, literature &c. Altogether quite a
pleasant sort of person to converse with.
Her niece said very little at first ; but soon
the restraint which strangers presence
always cast over her sunny disposition
wore away, and before the. evening was
over, she even INDUCED in her usual non
sense, and flashed merry glances from her
laughing brown eyes upon her hero. That
night the last thought of Paul's waking
moments were of those same brown eyes,
and he certainly dreamed of them all
night.
The next morning, contrary to his usual
lndolent habits, he was awake and astir
before the rays of the sun had fairly crept
over the hill tops, and with large portfo-
lilo under his arm containing sketching
paraphernalia, and his camp chair in his
hand, he passed through the rose scented
garden, and out into the dewy fields be-
yond. Possibly the cause for his early ris-
ing was an eager desire to begin a sketch
Immediately of wild, romantic spot which
he had marked for a picture; or more
probable it was desire to SEE how the
broad lands which he coveted, and hoped
some day to possess, looked by morning
light.
"Why, it's perfect Eden!" he mutter-
ed, hating for moment, and gazing
around him. ''Tnis place. together with
the elder Miss Leslie, would not be the
worst fate to which man might be con-
signed, but substitute her niece, and 1t
would be veritable paradise. Bah! Paul
Ridgeway, don It you be fool enough to fall
in love with that brown-eyed witch. What
would you do with poor wife? In fact,
you are far too indolent TO marry the de-
pendent niece, ms cad of the rich aunt
To be quite plain, Paul Ridgeway, you are
lazy. You would rather live at your ease
than labor for even the woman Of your
love; so now prove yourself sensible and
let the head, instead of the heart, decide
for you in this NATTER
Our hero did not finch at all from his
own plain thoughts, although be certainly
would have resented it if another had
called him lazy. But it was the sound
truth-he was lazy. He professed to be an
artist. but it was more for an excuse to
loiter around than from any great gift, or