Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-05-04

about my height. but, still, you know
some;hing-some changes might be advl-
sable.''
Certainly" said, "do bring it to me-
should like to see it,
ut is sprigged India (she called it Inpy)
null. My grandfather, Capt. Simon Lud-
kins, brought it home from over the seas.
Ill bring it,"
Like some pale and silent ghost she rose
then and went to a bureau drawer aul I'M
rolled from folds of linen that smett Of
lavender, the frail relic of Mrs. Captain
Simon Lndkins' wedding state, 1t was
fine. embroidered null, the undoubted pro-
duct of Indian looms.
sit is lnvely.'' said. " and so wellkept
that it will be just the thing for you. Will
you try it on 7 We can tell then Just what
it needs"
Miss Lyddy proceeded to disrobe herself
and put on the spider.net gown. As she
did so, the change in fashions mand 4tes
became only too evident. 1t had no waist
to speak of. and just little lace-trimmad
puff for sleeves. Miss Lyddy was evident
" surprised. She had n It thought this
[ knew we'll what the troubled look up N
her face IN can't, and pi.isd her maiden
sensibilities. Conld it BIZ possible that her
grandmother, Mrs. Captain Sim ~ Lnd-
kins. had ever worn such gown as thisY
She said not a word thafcould indicate the
depth Of her mortihcation-but her face
was study for an artist.
"Thsre must b. sleeves, :" she murmnc-
ed. after few moments of silent and en-
barrassed contemplation.
Yes" replied as cheerfnlly as my con-
strained gravity would allow "And you
might have fichu and founce on the bot
tom.'
She looked down. She had not before
real 'zed that the skirt of the venerated rel
ic lacked quarter of a yard of touching
the floor.
However could they!" she CALCULATED
in All unde, tone. But she On ckly recovered
herself and looked up to me cheeIfully over
Ter spf ctacles.
How Ingenious you arep" she said, with
an air Of sweet relief. Il knew you would
help me QUIZ
We went out together and houeht the
requisite null that day, but when we came
to put it ASIDE, the veterinary relic'' oil
Mrs. Capt. Lndtins it was evident that
time had so enriched the co'cr of the lat
ter that the Two were most unfort unately
unlike.
"We can lay 1t on the grass" I said
''these June days are just the thing for i
an as it will be evening, nobody will in the
least noli e."
Again Miss Lyddy smiled gratefully
and declared that my suggestion should
be carried out in the most faithful man
uer.
The Rev. Nehemiah Appleblo IA
lovely name, don't you think SOP" said
Miss Liddv, and she blushed and smIeG
like school girl III her teens-had but a
short fnrlough, and the marriage was tc
transplre the next week, so the relic was
put out to bleach forthwith. 1t had al
re; dy been put upon the grass three day:
and the three nights. aud had been rellgi
"usly wateled by Miss Liddy at morn
AID noon and dewy eve. and thu
next day it was to be taken up early and
out into the dressmaker's hands for thu
necessary alterations, when the dreadful
event occurred with which the chapter
opens.
GLORY. " 1 said, do you keep watch fo
Miss Liddy when she returns. Say moth
ing about what happened unless she MISE.
he gown from the grass. Ia that case
tell her that thought it was blea chez
enough and took it up to try, and yor
don't know where I put it. l am goin,
out now. but if she asks where, tell hej
you don't knew"
Glory was faithful, and had besides the
natural craft of her race. and knew tina
she could be trusted. AS for me, swift,
'nned my bonnet and set out to fnd Mai
Hawthorne. 1t was bright June even
ing, ard my walk through the meade y
and the grove that skirted Horthornedeat
would have been delightful one if haf
borDe mind more at ease. The Maio
was gentleman by birth, but he had lIyet
nut his fifty bachelor years in a gay and
careless way that had seemrd to set tn,
general part of creation at dtfi4nce. II
the lifetime of his parents 4orthorpedea,
mad been beautiful estate. 1t still re
aimed many marks of wealthy and cult.
waited Ownership. but it was sadly rur
down, as the home of a bachelor is ant &c
be. The avenue which had once been the
pride of the place. was grown up will
brush now. and the sere leaves of many
summers growth rustled under nv fee,
as walked through 1t. AT one poiut
coming suddenly around thick clump O
underground, heard chorus of tiny
snorts, and the scampering of number
less h0ofs, and knew that had invaded a
haunt Of the Majors last agriculture al
freak, the very brood of Berkshire pigs
that were the source of all my borrowed
woes. Away they scampered. their shouts
well raised in the air. and each with a
curl in his tail that seemed tn be wholly
the product of nature and to justify the
village rumor that the majors own man
put those tails in curling paper every
night. They had the air of spoiled child
rem. every one. and were evidently the
maj RS pets. But that didn It matter, they
had ruined Miss Lyddy' 3 wedding gown.
Co say nothing of other aggravating ex.
ploits which do not belong to this story,
and was determined to have the satisfac
tim out of their owner.
l found the major sitting on his piazza,
with an after-dinner look on his hand
some good-humored face. He arose to
meet NE with an air of old-school polite
ness. dashed with faint wonder that I,
a woman. should have had the hardlhood
to approach place so little frequented by