Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-10-21
THE STORY OF A VISIT.
PART 1.

| What old roundabout ways Cupid choos-
es! What queer little messengers he dis
patches on his errands: What innocent
conspirators they are!
| Little Jenny Jones did not know what
she was about as she tripped along the field
! way to Dorley Grange that fine June morn
ing, between the many-colored long mead
ow grasses weighted with dewdrops, yet
| the three-corn4red note in her hand was
the match that was to set a-going long
train of events and he the beginning OF
the end he delights III.
Jenny made her way to the back door,
and into the low, old kitchen, and present.
ly old Susan put Der head in at the door of
/ the breakfast-room, which in the morn
! ings was school-room, too, aud said:
Miss Ellice, here's letter for you from
Miss Furnival."
When Ellice had read it she got up from
her chair of office at the end of the table.
"Now, children, get on with your work,
there dears. jack, get that sum finished
before come back; and Sybil, sit up, and
hold your pen right; II shant be long.
away!"
Aud then she fitted out into the hall and
| through the wide open door into the gard
en-, where the rose trees were holding UP
their honny red heads, and the warm air
was full of the humming of bees and the
scent of woodbine.
Down the long walk to the left she went
where, among the red currant bushes, a
large straw hat was to be seen bobbing up
and down.
"Mother, dear" cried Ellice, ''here's a
note from Cousin Mary, and she wants us
! girls to go and help her this afternoon with
a lot of library books. I'll say yes sup.
pose! There's no reason why we shouldn't
go?"
Mrs. Holt thought moment, and then
said; mo, certainly, 60 by all means"
"Why don It Oracle and Belle come and
help you gather those currants?"
"They are coming very soon, my DEAR"
SID like to help" said Ellice; but |
must not. 1 suppose" and then she Went
back through the sunshine.
| The mother. bending down to the ripe
red clusters, had still the picture in her
eye of the 1.-the, straight, white-robed fig
ure, with the dark-haired head so daintily
| poised, standing against the background
of the old red wall on which the apricots
! were ripening.
How pretty the child gets?'' she said
| to herself. and her mouth and her eyes
smiled, and softened into the expression
that only mothers faces wear.
| A few hours afterward, amid the cheer
full clatter of dinner, the afternoon ar
engagements were discussed, as all other
family details we're, in full conclave. Mrs.
Holt sat with her back to the open wind
ow, against which the blind tapped gently
in the warm breeze, her husband opposite;
Ellice on one side. with Jack and Sybil on
either hand, and Grace and Belle on the
other.
Bell was next in order to Ellice, and
just back from school "for good" bonny,
healthy 17-year-old lassie. Grace was the
orphan niece of Mr.. Holt-tall, fair-hair
ed, graceful, still in deep mourning gar
ments for the loss of her mother.
Fifteen loads, my dear! " said Mr.. Holt,
in answer to his wife. eve couldn't be-
gin carrying till 10 oclock-the dew was
so heavy. I don t think we shall get into
the long meadow to-day. However, the
grass is very high and I think we are in for
a long spell of fine weather. l don re-
member a finer daytime and [ never had
better lot of men than this year"
stFather,n said Jack, ''may Tom and
Harold Price come tomorrow afternoon
and work in the hay6eld!"