Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-07-21


to the door. Only one small flask lay
broken on the floor, filling the air with the
subtle fragrance of garlic. ssThat won't
be missed" said Lefty. ''Thank fortune.
there is no more mischief DONE" But.the
''thank'' was scarcely uttered when her
eyes fell on the famous peach marmalade,
the secret of the making of which died
with grandmamma, and which was being
kept carefully for Aunt Emory's AUNT
Emory was an old maid worth 3O,OOO)
birthday. There it stood directly in front
of Baby, with moro than one half of its
thick paper hat torn off. and yawning
cavity made in its precious contents by
little scooping fingers.
"Oh. Baby, why couldn't you have TAX
en- any jar but that?" asked Lefty reproach-
fully and dramatically.
But Baby had no excuse to offer for not
dong so. for she keep grooming to her bot
tie doll, while her sister hastily fashioned
another paper hat, and tied ic securely
over what remained Of the ogriginal Gov
ering.
Then said Baby, ''Rick tiss I-nice
Rickl'
Oh, that is what he was doing when
she foolishly imagined he was waiting for
her to cone and inplore his forgiveness
bidding goodbye to Baby. She might
have known it. for he had always loved
BABY dearly.
Eyes Baby, nice Rick, good Rick, dear
Rick; but, for all that, the ring he gave
goes back to him tomorrow unless I hear
from him tonight. How dare he wish we
had never met"
But she did not hear from him that
night, and the next day the little band of
gold was released from its hiding place in
her thick, brown hair, and a too faithful
messenger placed it in Kicks hands as he
left his place of business. But, ali! what
a silent, sorrowful maiden wandered about
Lounsberry dwelling thereafter! What
listless, weary voice repeated the nursery
rhymes that Baby demanded fifty times
day!
"No nice-no MORE" said Baby, missing
the merry tones and happy laugh.
But Mrs. Lounsberry was not at all dis
pleased with the turn affairs had TAKEN
Brougham Brown suited her much better
as prospective son-in-law than Richard
Creighton. Que was wealthy young
brewer, the other poor clerk in count
1ng-hOuse.
"Letty will soon get over it," she said
to Lefty g father, whose heart ached at
the sight of his daughters sad face. GA
first love disappointment is always hard
to bear. I thought 1 should have died
when Stephen Ford married my cousin;
but 1 didn't. lived to marry you, and
have seal-skin cloak, and Mrs. Ford
hasn't even a Jacket"
And so Brougham Brown, who really
was manly, generous, good-natured fel-
low, in spite of his beer and wealth, en-
couraged by the maternal head Of the
house, began devoting himself in the most
ardent fashion to Lefty; and she, seeing
her mothers pleasure thereat. and hearing
no word from Rick, received his atten-
tions in a passive, unresponsive way.
Three months went by, and it was Aunt
Emory's birthday, and that eccentric old
lady had decided to divide it among the
family, lunching with one portion, dining
with another and supping with third
The lunch party was given at her sister
Letitia's MRS. Lounsberry), and some half
dozen old friends and some dozen relatives
we're hidden to the feast. Lefty in sea
green gown (Rick's favorite gown, with
a spray of pink hyacinths (Rick's tavorite
spring hower) in her hair, went quietly
about welcoming the guests. Brougham
Brown followed her like her shadow until
lunch was announced. Then taking her
place at the table, the young man still
near her, she raised the cover from and
dipped spoon into the last jar OF grand
mama's famous peach marmalade (she had
it placed before her, trusting to be able to
hide the mischief Baby had done), when
somebody said, addressing her MOTHER
'sHave you heard that Richard Creighton
is going abroad for his health? He has
given up his situation, and sails in day
or two. They say he has failed very fast
lately"
And the very next moment Aunt Emo
ry fixed her specialized eyes upon her
niece's poor, pale face, and asked sharply:
''What's the matter child? Do you see
anything dreadful in the sweets?"
mo, ma'am, " answered Lefty, with
pitiful attempt at smile, when the spoon
struck something harder than preserved
peaches should be.
''Let me help you," said Brougham, and
with one turn of his wrist he placed upon
the dainty china she'll before her-a wad
of paper.
Sand so that is the last of the celebra-
ted marmalade, is it?" said Aunt Emory.
81 don't want any. prefer my sweets
unmixed with any foreign substances
Take it away, Norah."
But Lefty was already slowly unrolling
the paper lit proved to be the missing part
of the jars original hat)-a rather difficult
thing to accomplish, as it stuck persistent
Iy to her small fingers, but accomplished
at last, when out rolled the little gold pig.
And on the inside of the paper was scrawl-
ed, in Kicks bold hand, these words:
ssMy Darling-How foolish we are-I
anil Here ia the charm. Miss Varian had