Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-10-17

tDIOugnam, with nigh stepping horse
and . man in plain livery.
s"The Silvingtons have property, eh ?''
thought to myself. II wish I hadn't
said quite 80 much about heiresses!n
Somehow the bloom seemed brushed
off the Jessup idea, after the brief tete a
tete with Miss Silvington but I had
pledged myself to my sister Kate, and
never was man to 60 back from my
word. So, after dinner Jones and /
walked down to the Jessup cottage, q
pretty little gem of place, close to the
shore of the lake
lis Miss Jessup at home? ?" asked OF
grlzzle headed old man, who was roll
Ing lawn cutter to and fro over an
emerald expansc of green grass in front
of the house.
"Yes, sir, Unanswered the old man.
IN the tower-garden, sir, just out a
bit, mOtiOning with his hand towards
hedge of blooming rhododendrons. "a
lookin' at her rose"
path, Jones and I, until we came in
sight of precise little old maid, of five-
and-fOrty, at the very least, in q flower,
ed muslin gown, and garden hat, who
was gazing at newly blossomed isis in
one of the bushes
"Jonee," said ], in q sepuIchral
whisper, ''Is that the heiress ?"
"Old enough to be your mother, said
Jones, repressing strong inclination to
laugh.
paused for no more extended ac-
quaintanceship. but took jones' arm
and hurried him away.
II couldn't marry that old hag," said
|. glancing back at the stillunconscious
Miss Jessup; mo, not for her weight in
gold. Kate must have been crazy to
think of such q thing I"
met Miss Silvington the next day on
the shadOwed lake-road. with her gypsy
hat stuck full of ferns, and a bunch Of
wild roses In her hand.
"Well," said she, with q world of mis-.
chief shining 10 her dark eyes. "how do
you get along with the heiress ?"
"Do you really wish to know ?" said I.
"Of course 1 do" she answered, arch
ly.
"Well, I've seen her." said 1.
"Seen her! "Oh !" cried Miss Sill
vington; chow very awkward of me to
drop all my roses! Oh. pray, don't
trouble yourself, beg. Well-and how
did you like her ?"
mot at all !" said I, replacing the
pink cupped treasure in Miss SilviDg-
toms hands.
"Dear me ?" said she.
"a nice little elderly person, who
would do very well for mother, or an
aunt; but for wife"
"But she's rich."
do you take me fo- a mere heiress-
hunter?" said l, indignantly.
"MOst men are mercenary," said she,
tat ON M xspH hrA
which she was trying to detach from the
rest.
Count me among the exceptions, if
you please" said /, not without dignity.
II would rather break stones on the
road than 10 marry woman l could
not love, were she possessed of all the
veal, of the Rothschilds ?'
"And l honor you for it," said Miss
Silvington, with sudden flush of color
rising into her dark cheek.
This as on Wednesday morning. On
Saturday. in the shadow of the woods.
asked Alice Silvington to be my wife.
"But what ia to become of your heir
ess ?" said she. half laughing and half
crying.
my darling" said I, II love you
tetter than all the heiresses in the
world ?"
"But-you don't understand" inter-
posed she, as I resolutely obtained pos
session of her hand. "You have been
under misapprehension from the very
beginning;"
her.
ST am not Alice Silvington."
"You said you were"
"There's where you are Mistaken"
rot tod ct, IoV Tn nrnif pf hn~
self "Yon took the fact for granted be
cause you saw the name written on nv
friend Alice's bird-cage which I was
taking home with me for the summer,
as she has gone to the White Noun
tains, and i didn't contradict you. I
thought it an excellent joke, but I
might have known that jokes turn out
disastrously, sometimes"
"Then you are"
II am Marian Jessup."
Nonsense I" said /, with an air of
serene superiority. II saw Miss Jessup
myself, and she is no more like you than
wisp of dried hay is like bunch of
blossoming clover"
"Yes," said she, looking shyly down;
"but that was my aunt. There are two
Miss Jessups, you must know"
looked despairingly at her.
"Then you are an heiress, after all ?"
said I.
"Oh, Harry" said she. bursting into
tears, 'it isn't my fault"
"I'll manage to forgive it," said I. "if
you'll only tell me that you love me-"
II do love you," said she.
And SO married Miss Jessup in spite
of fate.
'Father," said a fashionable young