Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-05-04
PROvIDENrIAL PIGS.
A PLEASANT LOVE STORY ALL OF THE
PRESENT DAY.

A PLEASANT LOVE STORY ALL OF THE
PRESENT DAY
sob, missus, missus! Some6n's done
happened.
Blank horror and dismay were depicted
upon the face of my small African, as she
stood upon my threshold with appraised
hands and eyeballs that seemed starting
from their sock Her pause was one Of
preparation. for with the innate conside-
ration of her race, she sought to break the
news gently to me. but the burden of it
was too great for her, aud with the next
breath she exclaimed
Dem pigs done chawed up Miss Lyd-
dy's weddin' gown!'
"GlOry," 1 exclaimed (-he had been
p'ously christened Glorianna), GLORY, how
d it happen?"
Dunno" said Glory. "Pears to me
dem D igs has g. Satan in 'em. Guess
dey's Seconded from Ie old lot what run
do wn steep place inter the sea. I'll GO
an fetch ye piece
She sped out and instantly returned
with a tattered shred of India null thai
had once been white. and still bore soma
resemblance to a gOwr. Poor Miss Lyddy |!
T ere was all that remained of her dream
of wedding splend,r. It was too pitifiI!
felt at once that the Dor ds of good neigh
borhood had been irresrievably broken.
and that Major Hawthorne must be made
aware of this last and worst depreciation
of his unseeming pigs.
But who would break the news to Miss
Lyddy.
"G ory." said I. "where Is she ?"
''Gone over to de bnryin' place OBJ her
ancestors" answered Glory.
Poor, faithful spul; even in those last
days of her maldenhood. with the vague
| trrrors of matrimHny and the still more
appalling responsibilities of unsaved heath
en- snuls hanging over her, she did not for.
get the ancestors. Long lilies of Ludkinses
| lay buried in little suLken hillocks in the
family burying-place, which lay just in
| sight Of her sittlng-rnom window. She
| herself was the last of her race, and until
within three weeks it had seemed that the
only fate which awaited her was to live
out her little space under the ancestral
ronf-tree. and then take her place in the
silent ranks of those who had & ne before.
| But change had come. 1t came in the
| pers"n of a returned missionary from the
| Micronesian Islands, WHO had buried the
| first and second partners Of his joys and
sorrows somewhere under the palm trees
# those tropical lands and had come back
to the scenes of his youth to recruit his
health, serve the cause and look up part
J ner No. 8. He met Miss Lyddy at a
woman's missionary meeting. He called
the next afternoon and was invited to stay
tn tea He accepted the invitation, and
next morning Miss Lvddy came into my
ro'm for I, too, domiciled under the
LuHkins tree, for a consideration-and
with much hesitation and many faint ard
delicate bushes. informed me that she
had promised toshare the future lot If the
Rev. Nehemiah AppIabloom take care Of
|
trduous labors Among the heathens of the
| Microne+'an Islands.
| | was struck dunn With ama7ement.
Miss Lyddy," said at lensth, shave you
duly considered Thu pro- ctr''
II thin figure gu we're d, and her white
face, that had yet delicate remembrance
| of youth in it, grew tender with feeling.
Yes" she said; 81 think I have al
ways had presentiment that 1 should
marry minister or missionary" Adj
mirable and prophetic faith And Mr..
Appl+bloom says he knew the moment he
set eyes up n me that was ordained to be
his wife; so you see it is not the surprise
tn either of us that it is likely to be to our
friends.''
| knew then that her Eiud was fully
made up. demurred no longer, but lent
myself at once to discussion of the we'd
ding which plainly saw was what MISS
Lyddy desired OF me.
~ gu will be married in church, sup
pose ?''
''Oh no." said Miss Lvddy with gentle
decision. 81 am the last of the Ludkinses
All the Ludkinses have been married at
home. will not go out from under my
own roof-tree. If must seem to forsake
the ancestors'-she paused to regulate
little choking in her thrOat-''I will at
least not forsake their traditions. shall
leave a little mony with the parish clerk.
that he may see that the graves of my dead
are kept ia proper order, as always have
loved to keep them. and hope they will
forgive my departure; hut will at least
go as a Ludkins should. 1t is my desire to
be married in my grandmother wedding
gown.''
Miss Lvddy's voice trembled, and there
was humidity in her eyes, at which did
not wonder, for it was much Ikea funeral
after all.
II thought perhaps.'' went on Miss
Lyddy, "if brought the venerated relic
to you you would tell me if anything was
necessary to be done to ft it to me.
don't care for the fashion, you know. and
T