Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-06-09

| member of II theatrical stock company
Much sealed happiness passes through
their hands; but they have to refuse
many mariana in the Moated Grange
weary women who reach hand out OF
their dull lives for letter and draw it
back empty.
| 1t was far into the second year before
Joe's first letter came. 1t was surely a
fanclful and foolish thing for school
mistress to do, but Dora carried it to her
own little room, and put on the red dress
before she read Joe's first letter.
Joe was working in the mines in Colo
RADIO. His luck had not come yet, in mug
gets at least, bat hard work and sober liv-
ing were slowly giving him the advantage
over the other miners. He was never so
we'll. and he loved her better than all the
world 4sH
I Dora lived on this letter for many weeks
| and she set Colorado" for copy so often
to her scholars that they will write that
word better than any other to their dying
day.
Letters came as often as years drew on,
sometimes Joe was up IN the world, some
times down once his carefully boarded
gold was stolen from him and he had 20
begin all over again; but this was nothing
to long illness, OF which friend wrote
to Dora as soon as Joe was out of dam
ger. Then Dora snvied the doves their
wings.
New Years day was the hardest of all
to bear. She could not help strong
pressure Of excitement when she put on
the red dress, which grew more and more
old-fashioned, and watched the SUI 60
down on the road which Joe must travel
when he should come home. The next
morning she fitted her shoulders sadly to
the burden of another year.
| One young farmer after another found
his way to the old farm house on Sunday
evenings, and Dora pushed them down an
inclined plane of encouragement 80 gently
that they scarcely knew whether they had
meant to court her or not
| 1t was not the least of her trials to meet
the entreaties Of her mother and the rough
arguments of her father, when one or two
more persistent suitors would take nothing
less than moi for their answer.
Dora could give no reason for repeated
refusals to marry, only she loved mono we'll
enough, a reason which should be all suffi.
cient, if parents remained immel tally
young, but it loses weight after sixty.
AS the seventh year drew to close,
Dora's heart beat light in her. Joe had
mentioned seven years, as if he meant to
come home then at any rate. She wore
out the first day of the ''glad New Year,
with busy cares till late in the afternoon,
when an old man. spent with much walk
ing, stopped to rest himself in the farm
house kitchen. Prudence bestirred herself
| to give him hearty luncheon, and when
| be was warmed and fed he began testalk
of his travels. He had been seeking his
fortune all over the West, and never find
ing it, had come back to die at home. He
mentioned Colorado and Denver, and when
Dora found herself alone with him for a
moment, she said: ibid you ever see Jo-
seph Raymond in Denver 20
Joe Raymond ? Oh, YES knew him
we'll; lived with him nigh onto month.
His wife was real good cook couldn't
be beat in than parts"
''You said he was married -
10 be sure !; right smart Teller, and
mighty fond of his wife. Women are scarce
out thsre.''
Prudence came in and the old man went
on his way, all unconscious of the great
stone he had cast in tho still waves of De-
ra's heart.
whats the matter 2" said Prudence,
you're as white as sheet.''
Dora's only answer was to start out of the
house and run. as for her life, down the
frozen orchard path, by which she could
gain upon and overtake this terrible old
man. She might have said, with the "holy
HERBERT
My tho'ts are all case of knives,
Wounding my heart
With scattered smart
only hisery must have time to crystalline
into memory before it takes the form of
poetry. She stood before the old man at the
turning, bareheadsd and GREATNESS. show
did the Joe Raymond look that you lived
With" gasped Dora.
Il never said Joe Raymond, - said the
old man. peevishly; 81 said Jim Raymond
who" but Dora was off again before be
could finish the sentence.
She ran back through the orchard, giving
| thanks with all her heart that she had not
suffered herself to be persuaded of Joe g
faithlessness on one hearing Her feelings
of grateful awe, as if she had escaped from
sudden death, kept her from mourning
| much over the passing away Of the seventh
anniversary of Joe's departure, with no sign
of his return.
His letters had wholly ceased, and there
was nothing for Dora but to possess her
soul with patience. When another New
Year dawned upon her, she put on the old
red dress more from habit than any CLEAN
of hope in her heart, and did not care to
look in the glass. In the twilight she
walked slowly down the orchard path, and
leaned on the gate that opened into the
road.
Suddenly man sprang out from behind
the wall. Theodore, my gift Of God!' :"
be said; and Dora, though she recognized
no mark of the lover who had left her eight
years before, felt that no other knew that
pass werd, and suffered herself to rest ST.
lently in his arms, in the ineffable content
that comes after long waiting.
When Joe and Dora went into the house,
and she looked at him by candIelight, her
heart almost forgave her; his luxuriant
beard and the manly assurance of his man.
ners were not at all like her Joe of belov-
ed memory, and terrible barrier seemed
to rise up between them, while Prudence
remained in the room with her company