Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-01-09

OlQ colonial times. MIS-. It my AcooA'0 W
them with manner that was grac1ousness
itself. IF she made up her mind TO 90
thing at all, she did it thoroughly. She
had combatted her sons engagement to
beautiful Eddie Clark as long as there re-
NAMED a grain of virtue in opposition
Now she determined that there should De
( no vulgar family jars. She showed prop,
er gentility in that at least.
Alas Mrs. Clark was powerless to In
terrupt a long, amicable tete-a-tete be-
| tween their hostess and her husband, dur
ing which George LIE Roy showed hel
various curiosties with which the draw
ing rooms were filled, and Eddie played
soft airs on the piano. Eddie had beer
beautifully taught at the academy; hel
tact in music, as in other matters, wheI
she chose to exercise it, was great; she
played in that charming pensive, twilight
style which serve SO admirably to fill uI
odd corners and crannies.
George walked home with Eddie; the
h usband and wife were together.
1--WE done it," Mr.. Clark said, desper-
ately, as soon as they were fairly started
s'She was too much for me; couldn't help
| it,"
'sYou didn't agree that a perfect stran-
ger should give away Eddie p
Eyes, 1 did. After all, what matter
does it make Anyway, it can't be'helped
now; and its nothing but form anyway y
"Our only childl' groaned MRS. Clark,
with tears. Her heart was very sore. At
that moment she would far rather Eddie
had been gong to marry Joe Thompson, a
clerk in her fathers store. who had been
in love with her for years, and who would
have been honored by the connection, "a
Their than blue blooded George LIE Roy. to
whom Eddie's parents were thorn in the
flesh, to be endured as best might be.
Mrs. LIE Roy carried the day; Mr.. Clark
having given his word, held by it like an
honest man. The wedding took place in
| st. Mary's, and Mr.. and Mrs. Clark were
ushered to their seats like all the rest OF
the congregation, to see their darling mar
ried. Mrs. LIE Roy swept IN on her sons
arm, calm, cool, collected; the bride fol
lowed, supported by the white headed
governor of the State. In bitterness OF
heart her mother heard her take the vows
which made her Eddie LIE Roy. 1t was
large, dignified assembloge, in which good
Mr.. and Mrs. Clark felt lost. They felt
equally lost afterward at the wedding re-
ception at Mrs. LIE Roy's. 1t was very
melancholy satisfaction to them to hear
on all sides praises Of the BRIDES exquisite
LONELINESS. They seemed no longer to have
part or parcel in the matter.
If Edna did not realize the pain OF all
this to her parents. it surely was not be-
cause she did not love them. She loved
them dearly, with a tenderness all her own;
but at that time she was too utterly alb
sorbed in her own tumultuous happiness
to be able to conceive of there being ser.
pent trail in her paradise. She chung to
them with passionate kisses before she
started on her wedding journey. and had
almest to be torn from their embraces; but
this without probing the nature Of theiI
regret and wretchedness. She and George
sailed for Europe almost Immediately. He
was rich man, out he had profession to
which he proposed to devote himself. Fol
the next two years he attended medical
lectures in Paris as assiduously as though
he had been a needy student anxious to &c
to work to earn living. He and Edna
were very happy during those two years
it was the life that suited Edna-art and
music and congenial society. The world
was even gayer and brighter than her day
dreams had pictured it, Then year OF
travel. Then home.
Eddie had never known how she had
missed her dear father and mother until
she found herself once more clasped in
their loving arms. How had she done
without, all this while, their extraordinary
devotion, their blind infatuation! She
had never half enjoyed her own two babies
until she had shown them to her father
} and mother. Tears of JOY and pride raine6
down Mrs. Clark9s cheeks. Eddie's little
girls! There never were such beauties
such darlings. Eddie's eyes, clear brown
eager, with their fathers beautiful golden
hair. Fortunately they were sufficiently
like their fathers family to win favor witt
; the grandmother LIE Roy on that score
} On the whole, she was satisfied with the
appearance presented by her sons family
Edd1e's French toilettes were stylish ant
becoming; the elder baby prattled il
!, French in distinguished way; the baby
J proper was study for picture as she lay
, in the arms of her bonnie, whose pictures
, que cap and apron were the first that hat
ever appeared in Port Royal. Edna reall.
did not do George discredit; she would b
well enough, if only it were not for he
} vulgar father and mother.
: Still there were no jars. But all thu
J same, Edna grew gradually harassed ant
, unhappy. 1t became patent to her thai
} Mrs. LIE Roy looked down upon her ante
: cedents, and that it was perpetually upol
her mind to instruct her in the differen
articles of her own social creed. Eddie
gentle soul rebelled. She had her owl
pride of birth. She hated Mrs. LIE Roy
, arrogance and assumption. She almos
) hated Mrs. LIE Roy. Day after day sh
Was made to appear to disadvantage befor
} George. Day after day she felt that sh
t was stjffening and hardening before tn
ICY breath of her mother-in-lawss con
| slant surveillance. A word here and /
3 word there will prejudice almost unawares
George, for the first time, noticed that hi
wife had defects; she lacked self-contro'
3 self-possession. These things would com
Q in time, but they. were an indispensable