Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-12-31

/ daily duties unusually reserved and qule
Once her aunt would lave quickly per
ceived the change in her; but now she was
so taken up with her own happiness tina
she did not notice the difference.
Flora received note at last from Pau
which ended forever her dream, and caused
her to cruelty stand face to face with tle
reality. She was sensible girl, and aftel
she had read this letter If the battle Of
conquering her love for him was won. II
ran thus:
! FLORA Il know you must heartily de-
spise me, and will. despise me still more
when you read these lines. I must ask you
to forget that ever word of love passed
between us. 1 have this day received a
promise from your aunt that she will be-
come my wife in few weeks. Much as
deserve it. still cannot bear to think you
will hate me. Fate has been unkind to
me in giving me poverty, when others have
so much wealth. Consider the great temp.
tation placed before me, and pity my weak
ness. PAUL.
Flora shed a few tears over this note
then calmly sat down to think it all over
and came to the sensible conclusion thai
although she had loved Paul Ridgeway as
probably she would never love another, yet.
for all this, she was not going to pine ava.
and die, but chose to see little happiness
in store for her. She was young, and tim,
| would heal her sorrow.
81 wonder if any one will ever truly love
me for myself ?" she sighed. 81 cannot
blame Paul for preferring queenly, intel
lectual woman, like aunt Alice, to sim
| pie little body like me. am glad he had
the strength to resist the temptation Of
marrying me for my money. What a mis-
cradle life we should have led would
have found out, sooner or later. that b.
did not love me-" Then she grew almost
happy thinking over certain little plar
for wedding present to aunt Alice of a
life interest in the farm. "They will boil
be- so happy here,'' she thought, and will
find home somewhere else," she added.
with big lump in her throat and trying
to keep back the tears.
Little did Flora dream that Paul Ridge
way was laboring under mistake, and
instead of at the last resisting the tempta-
ton to marry for money, he had been over
come by 1t. and she never knew it.
The wedding day of Paul and Miss Les
lie drew near, and Leslie place, as the farm
was called, was alive with hustle and pre-
paratlon for the event.
It was the day of the wedding. and Miss
Leslie stood radiant and beautiful, lookint
not day over twenty-five in her rich bri-
dial dress-a present from Flora. She had
with her own hands given the finishing
touches to her aunt's bridal toilet; ther
she slipped paper in her hand. and 81
lently left the room.
| Miss Leslie glanced over it, then uttered
little cry of delight. Paul had just ap-
preached and stood in the doorway. She
flew to his side, and slipped her hano
through his arm.
"Oh, Paul! Just think how kind and
good of Flora! We shall not have t.
leave the dear old place after all.''
"Why should you expect that we would?"
he enquired almost petulantly.
''Why. of course you know, dear, every
thing belongs to Flora. She has allowed
me to live here, and 60 on with everything
just as if were mistress instead of her,
OF course 1 could not expect home here
after was married; but the dear LITTLE
thing has given the farm to me during my
life time, and oh, Paul! we shall be so very,
very happy"
A deathly pallor stole over Paul's face,
and an icy hand seemed graspiDg at his
heart, and he reeled as if he we're going t.,
faint.
why, Paul! you are ill., exclaimed
Miss Leslie in alarm.
sit is nothing but those tube roses" he
said, his voice sounding strange and hol-
low. II always did hate the smell OF
Them"
1t was too late to turn back now. AL
ready the guests we're assembled and the
minister in waiting, and Paul Ridgewav,
like one in dream descended to the par
lor, and listened to the words which bound
him to Alice Leslie for life, instead of
Flora, the heiress and woman he loved
After the wedding the married pair went
on short bridal tour. Flora remained
at Leslie Place to welcome them back.
then went to spend the winter with cous-
in in the city. While there, she became
acquainted with young DR.. Aimes. and
within year they were married. They
lived so happily together that the old love
for Paul seemed only like dream.
AS for Paul Ridgeway, he wisely made
the best of his bargain, and like Flora, his
wife never knew that he had supposed her
the heiress. He never stained his hands
much with actual labor, but made good
overseer, and kept everything going alorg
smoothly upon the farm. His friends Of
ten remarked that his marriage with ener-
getic Miss Leslie was the making of him.
After all he had married loving wife,
and could live at his ease. which was far
''better than he deserved"
MIRTH.-There is large class Of people
who deem the business of life far too
weighty and momentous to be made light
of, who would leave merriment to children
and laughter to idiots and who hold that
joke would be as much out Of place on
their lips as on gravestone or in ledger.
Surely it cannot be requisite TO mans
being in earnest that he should wear a per-
petual frown Is there less Of sincerity in
nature during her gambols in spring than
during the stiffness and harshness Of her
wintry gloom? And is it, then, altogether
impossible to take up our abode with truth
and to let all sweet, homely feelings grow
about it and cluster around it, and to