Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-11-04

Braithwaite, a great heiress and a very
handsome girl. Steve was attracted by bel
beauty, and her great wealth was no draw
back in his eye. In short time he per
ceived that Miss Braithwaite favored him
above all other pretenders to her hand. an6
he began to consider the advantages of g
rich wife.
His profession had hitherto been fail
ure. his one thousand pounds was nearly
spent; his three sisters were all on the
point of marriage, condition which
might seriously modify their sisterly in
stincts, and his mothers annual income
wouldn't support him month-would it
not be the best plan to accept the good
fortune so evidently within his reach?
Elizabeth was handsome and inclined
to favor him, and though she had the rep
utatlon of being authoritative in temper
and economical in money matters he did
not doubt that she would finally acknowl-
edge his power as completely as his moth
or and sisters. So he set himself to win
Miss Braithwaite, and before Christmas
| they we're married.
True, he had been compelled to give up
great deal more than he liked; but he
promised himself plenty of postmarital
compensation. Elizabeth insisted on keep
ing her own house, and as Steve really had
no house to offer he must needs go to
prietress. She insisted upon his removing
his Office to Braithwaite, small village,
! Offering none of the advantages for kill
ing time which large city like Leeds did !;
| and she had all her money scrupulously
settled on herself for Der own use and I'M
der her control.
| Steve felt very much as though his wife
had bought MIN. but for little while the
eclat Of having married a great heiress,
| the bridal festivities and foreign travel
compensated for the loss of his freedom.
But when they returned to BYaithwaite,
life showed a far more prosaic side. Mrs.
Gasklll's economical disposition became
particularly offensive to Steve. She in
quired closely into his business, and did
not scruple to make unpleasant witty re-
marks about his income. She rapidly de-
veloped, too, an authoritative disposition.
az ainst which Steve daily more and more
rebelled. The young couple were soon
very unhappy.
The truth was that a great transition
was taking place in Steve's mind, and
times of transition are always time of un-
rest and misery. The better part of his
nature was beginning to claim hearing.
He had now seer all that good society
could show him; he had tasted all the
pleasures money could buy, and he was
not happy.
She had no ennui and dissatisfaction
with herself. There was her large house
to oversee, her garden and her conserva-
tories, her servants and charity schools,
her toilet and whole colony of pet ami
mails. Her days were so short for all the
small interests that filled them; and these
interests she would have willingly shared
with Steve. but to him they soon became
intolerable bnres.
Under such circumstances he might
have found his work in the ordering and
investing of his wife's large estate, but
Elizabeth was far too cautious to trust
her business to untried hands. Her faith
er's agent was her agent: her banker man
aged all her investments; her park and
farm and gardens were all under the care
of old and experienced servants, who
looked upon Steve merely as ''Missis's
husband:''
In the second year of his marriage he
began to have some thoughts which would
have astOnished his wife could she have
thought it worth while to inquire whatoc
cupied his mind in the long hours when he
paced the shrubbery, or sat silently looking
out of the window. But Steve was now
ready for any employment that would take
him out of the purposely dependent life
which he had so foolishly chosen for him
self.
One day, greatly to his surprise, Eliza
beth said to him
"Steve, have letter from a cousin of
mother, who lives in Glasgow. She is going
to Australia, and wants me to buy her
house. She Says it is a bargain ard wrote
to Barrett to go and see about it. l have
a letter this morning saying he is too ill to
leave his bed. I wonder if you could at
tend to it p
Yes, l would be very glad to go.'
Every well; should think you knew
enough of titles and deeds and conveyan-
cling and ali that sort of thing. 1 will
trust the aft air to yon Steve"
So the next morning Steve found HIM
self on the Caledonlan line, with e100 in
his pocket and a valuable piece of bust
ness on hand. The first twenty miles out
of Leeds he enjoyed with all the abandon
of a bird set free. Then he began to
think again. At Crewe be missed a train,
and wandering about the station, fell to
talking with the engineer of the next
train, who was cleaning and examining
the engine with all the love and pride a
mother gives her favorite child.
The two men fraternized at once, and
Steve made trip over the Caledonia line
in the engineers small cuddy. He was
fine young fellow, lone of seven'' he said,
''all machinists and engineers" he was
only serving his time, learned every branch
of the business practically; he had broth
ers who made engines. and hoped to do so
sometime.
In spite of his soiled face and oily cloth
es, Steve recognized that refinement that
comes with educa ton; and his new friend
called upon him at tie Queens Hotel, he
would not have been ashamed of his ap-
pearance even in his most fastidious days.
"Mr. Dalrymple, l am glad to see you,"
said Steve, holding out both his hands to