Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-06-06

Lawrence, the prettlest glrl-sO the pop
ular verdict ran-in all the country
round. A flush rose to Johns sun
Drowned face as he quickly rose and be-
gan to take down the bars.
"Out for walk, Miss Lily?"
YES" very briefly.
$50 you are fond of quiet strolls? I
am, too"
Lily drew herself up and looked at the
presumptuous speaker.
Really, Mr.. Hollawy, I don't see
Then she stopped. She did not mean
to be rude, but truly, she thought to
herself, it was high time she should
show this young man that his openly
expressed admiration was exceedingly
distasteful to her. It had been going
on for some time, and every one, even
Lily herself, had come to see that the
sun rose and set for John Holloway
where she was.
HE must be intensely stupid not to
know how utterly Indifferent I am to
him." she thought.
But John was not stupid. He under
stood the unfinished sentence, and as he
drew back without another word to let
her pass Lily saw that he did, and a
shRme-faced, compunctious look stole
into her eyes. For, from the richest to
the poorest, every one acknowledged
John Hollaway's noble, sterling char
acter.
Lily walked slowly along the road,
half determined to turn back and apol-
ogize for her rudeness, until a turn
brought her face to face with some one
whose handsome eyes met her own with
such a glad welcome that all other
thoughts were for the time driven COM
pletely away.
It was Richard Blake. the most ad-
mired and courted young man in the
village.
"Ah, good afternoon. Miss Lawrence !
was hoping would meet you"
And the wavy black locks were barred
to the breeze as Richard cautiously
lifted his hat and walked on beside her.
What contrast to John HolIaway!-
And the contrast was great in many
other ways than Lily thought. But the
girl was too young to read charac ter,
and that Richard Blake was very hand.
some and elegant none could deny-a
lover of whom any one might be justly
proud.
When Lily's home was reached, an
with another graceful bow Richard had
left her, she did not go directly into the
house, but fingered awhile among the
flowers that filled their little GARDEN
Her thoughts were very busy. She knew
that she had behaved very unkindly to
her old friend, and her memory went
back to the first time she had met him.
It was at picnic, and she had fallen
and sprained her ankle. She remem-
bered how the great fellow. SO much
stronger than his mates, had persisted
in carrying her all the long distance
back to her home. Since then he had
shown in hundred ways what she was
to him. and knowing his noble nature,
perhaps her heart would have gone out
to him before this If Richard Blake had
not come back from college.
But he had, and Lily fancied his gay,
debonair manners, and his entertaining
conversation, and like many another
heart deep love that liking which we all
have for things pleasant to the sight.
And 80 she SHOOK off her reproachfu
feelings and went into the house.
"Why, mother, dear. what is the mat
ter? Crying, and I out enjoying my
self! Tell me, what is 1t, dear? Let me
share your trouble"
Mrs. Lawrence lifted face, smiling
through her tears.
"Yes, crying, Lily, darling, but not
from grief. Sit down here beside me,
and let me show you what q load has
been lifted from my mind this morning.
Lily, I did not tell you, but some time
ago Mr.. Burton, the lawyer, came to
me and informed me that the holder of
the mortgage on our home was in need
of money, and intended to foreclose, un.
less the mortgage was paid In full when
he should demand 1t. Now, child, you
know whata trouble has been weighing
upon me, for knew that it would be
impossible for me to raise the sum nee.
essary, and that we must leave the dear
old home that we had loved SO WE'LL
And now, this very morning, Mr.. Bur-
ton came and told me that kind friend,
hearing of the intended foreclosure, has
paid the amount in full"
"Who is it that helped you, mother?"
That is the strangest part of it, Lily.
Mr.. Burton said he had strictly promis-
ed not to tell the name of my benefac
tor, and as to who it can be I have no
idea Pr
But though she did not say 80, Lily
had; and when later, in her usual i'm
pulsive way, she told John Holloway
how sorry she was that she had been so
rude to him, and then asked him frank
ly whether he was not the kind friend
who had come SO OPPORTUNITY to her
mothers relief, his manner confirmed
her suspicious.
It is said that "gratitude Is neiehbor
to love-" and whether that be true or
not: 1t is certain that from that time the
manly young farmer was often in Lily's
thoughts, while Richard Blake was Just
as steadily losing ground. But John, of
course, did not know 1t. He was not one
to wear his heart upon his sleeve, and
at length, after hard struggle, had de- |
cided to abandon his hopeless suit and |
leave the field to that rival who evident
~ was the favored one. Lily noticed the |
difference; but, woman-like, she did
not appear to care, and 80 the months
went by much the same, until at length |
the crisis came.
The village in which our heroine lived |
was just on the shores of little bay,
and many were the pleasure parties that |
enjoyed trip over its limpid waters.
One afternoon Richard Blake, obtain.
Ing Mrs. Lawrence's consent, invited
Lily to take sail.
When they reached the beach who
should be waiting in readiness to man
age the boat but John HOllaway.
.'Hallo, Hollaway, are you turning
into boatman 2" exclaimed Blake, in as
Lifting his cap to Lily, John answer.
3D.:
"Not exactly 4; but Joe came to me in
great distress, saying he did not feel
we'll enough to 60 out, but had promis-
ID not to disappoint you, and knowing
could manage boat, he asked me to
lake his place. Joe has done me many
! good turn and 30 I could not refuse