Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-08-10
SEVEN TIMES THREE.
BY EMMA LEE.
"Oh sweet nightengale, wait
Till l listen and hear
If a step draweth near,
Tor ,,,v louo bo q, 1a fat1f


Till listen and hear
If step draweth near,
For my love he is late!''
Pretty Mamie Harrisoff scOWled her
low, piquant brow with white tangle, of
discomfort, pouted her sweet red lips
drumming on the window-pane and strain.
ed her blue eyes to try and discover soil
tary figure against the bleak gray of the
wintry twilight.
COB, dear!" The words, spoken below
her breath. had disappointed qulver in
them the saucy eyes grew misty, and
their sparkle was angrily bright, while her
eyelids dropped to hide a half -rebellious
tear.
A slight girlish creature, with slender,
willowy grace about her. gold brown hair
growing low on her forehead, and swept
carelessly back in a fashion that would
have ruined utterly all claims to beauty in
ninety-nine of hundred women. The
warm intense face with its clear outlines
was not sharp. never angular, but rather
thin. with delicate, voluptuous lips, be-
wilderingly saucy and bswitching in joy
Gus moments, and mobile enough so that in
sad hours their piteous, pleading sorrow
well nigh melted you to tears.
ooh, Dick !" With a wild glad cry she
sprang up. as a tall, fair, rosy heeked
young giant opened the door; ''letter for
me ?"
mot tonight. mot even Richard
Hamstead's sympathetic hesitation and
general answer and his hopeful comment,
ut will come to morrow, Miss Mamie. ~
could keep the tears fcom rising, and a
sob from escaping her.
She had waited so impatiently, poor
Mamie, for his coming and three long
weeks expected her truant lover, Guy Fay
nestock, whom all her friends called I'M
worthy. and of whom many dark forebod-
ings were expressed.
What an age these three dismal, drag
ging, wearing weeks had been. 'Twenty-
one long days." thought Mamie, counting
the time, girl fashion. as her thoughts went
flying back to the evening three weeks
since. when in her cardinal silk and cream
white Glorie de Dion roses, she had
received her friends in royalty hospitable
style, dancing away the fleeting hours in
such Grant. careless fashion, and wher,
GLIDING her aunt's watchful eye, she stole
away to the conservatory to hear Guy
whisper of his devotion. II will come, my
own love, will write every day." were his
last passionate words as he snatched kiss
from the glowing cheek in the shadow of a
pink oleander.
81 might have KNOWN" she murmured
to herself, not wholly doubling him, yet.
Il will hope, and he will come-oh! know
he will, and in the meantime"
Hastily she repressed the unruly emotion
and turned quickly to say, hope So
"Dick I'm greatly obliged take seat,
won't you ?"
"Thank you. I came up to have little
talk with you. This seems like old times,
Mamie"
"Indeed it does.n The rlotous dimples
began to dance in sunshine ct ripping
smile. Her heart was bravely ordered to
the dungeon of seclusion. Mamie began at
once to gain her old c>quetish gaiety and
light hearted merriment. For the moment
Guy was forgotten, and all the sad weeks
his faithlessness had caused her.
She sat rapidly thinking ere she spoke.
Idlewild was the grandest country seat in
the universe; the best place for genisne
good time. Her lot was cast there for two
months, at least. Six weeks might libe-
rate her if she was specially amiable, for
Aunt Lue thoroughly mistrusted and dis
liked her hero, Guy, and had urged her
visit for this very reason, jmpelled by the
real sense of womanly duty to willful Ma
mic. and the thought of manly, true-heart-
ed Dick Hampstead, united to hope that
she feared even her eyes might betray, as
she babe her niece tender good-by.
"Guy must surely come" reasoned
Mamie; he had promised, and he had three
weeks of grace, for three weeks she had
been miserable. 81 will enjoy myself now
all can," she sensibly decided. "Dick
always was good to me, and have snub-
bed him dreadfully this time''
"Are you much Disappointed" Rich
ards pleasant voice broke the current of
her thoughts. I'm real sorry, Mamie-but
well, we young folks m ISIS you, and
you've seemed so different since you come
this time. l thought maybe, you tell me
if you are in any trouble. You know I'm
your friend.''
'Certainly, Dick, you are the same good
old fellow-I am unhappy, and-do you
know-you won't laugh at me. I believe
| will confide in you. can trust you?'
The young mans face was study, but
grave concern finally conquered, he drew
nearer this playmate from infancy, held
out his hand to receive the slim. firm one
outstretched so frankly; studied the trou-
bled, downcast face, and finally gave his
solemn promise not to laugh, not to tell,
to hear and to keep. sympathize and
amend-and Mamie began:
1.-THE fact is. Dick, I'm in love-yes, "
smiling in superior way at his aston
ished start, land with the handsomest
and incest fellow, with glorious dark eyes:
and oh! Dick, how he can dance. and his
name is Guy. is it NOT romantic?" Well
of course. Eyes, Dick, he is a little wild,
but not real bad. and he will do better, of
course, for love of me. We are SO perse.