Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-06-26
DRAWING FOR A PRIZE.

"But you must admit she is very pretty,
Miss Mercy" said her visitor, smiling quiz
zically, as she once more endeavored to
draw out her hostess upon the party under
discussion.
ssNo, am sorry to say that cannot see
it, Handsome is that handsome does, and
for my part l fail to understand why a
young woman, if she is widow, should be
running around all over the country getting
up concerts and theatrical performances,
fleeing people out oftheir money and max
ing herself generally ridiculous, if she has a
mother and home to stay at. Why
doesn't she settle down and take in sewing,
or teach school like respectable person,
instead of fitting about from place to place
making herself laughing stock and nui-
sanee generallyp" and Miss Mercy's black
eyes snapped Indignantly as she stroked
down her soft, dark hair with her plump
| little hands, and settled herself in her chair
with decisive movement, as though to
put an end at once and forever, to the dis
cussiOn.
Miss Mercy Proctor, though naturally
| the cheeriest and brightest of women, and
one not addicted to making ill-natured
speeches, had been so unusually tried dur
| ing the past few months that her sweet
temper had become sadly ruffied, and she
only needed the match applied in the shape
Of praise to her rival tomake her break out
| into sudden flame of bitterness and cen
sure; for Miss Mercy loved John Lockwood,
and had loved him for years, and ON his re.
4 turn from the West he had treated hel
with such gentleness and apparent devo.
ton that her tender heart had fluttered with
expectation, and she almost felt sure she
was loved in return. But then the widow,
the brilliant Mrs. Hazleton, had appeared
upon the scene, drawing him from his allie.
glance to her and diverting his attentions
until she grew weary and heartsick, and al
most despaired of ever winning him back
No wonder the little weman failed to dis
cover beauty in the gay and dashing widow
for whoever knew fellow-creature to ap
pear to advantage in the eyes of an oppo
nent.
Still, there was good deal to be said af
ter all on the other side, for Mrs. Halle
ton, though indisputably gay, was far from
of Miss Mercy's opinion, was certainly of
high order. Married at the age of eighteer
and widowed at twenty, she was now at The
age of twenty-four, a still young and charm
ing woman. Fair and winsome, she made
friends wherever she went, supporting her
self by giving music and dancing lessons
with occasionally concert or an amateur
dramatic performance thrown in.
And John Lockwood? John was hand
some careless fellow, not worth half the
laurels with which he was usually crowned
Some ten years before he had left his ma
tive village and gone West to seek his for
tune-had been fairly successful, not Sc
much from energy or application to busi
ness as from sheer good luck, which some
how or other always seemed to follow him
But six months ago he had returned from
his journyingsI; returned to find everything
changed. Everything but Miss Mercy,
as he remarked half fondly, to that patien
little woman, his sweetheart of former days
and she had blushed and smiled down int
her heart, thinking that that at least wa
unchanged.
John had come back to get him a wife
he laughingly announced on his arrival, ant
many maid had smiled up into his eyes
and many heart had quickened at his ad
vance, for John was thoughtless and dis
tributed his attentions with remarkable
evenness until the advent of the widow