Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-11-23
FOR LOVE OF sUSY."

FOR LOVE OF sUsY."
"For Love shall still be lord Of all."-Sir Waiter
Scott.
The October haze hung like gauze of
gold about the purple tops of the low lying
country hills. Perched among them shone
the pale stone walls and ornate roof OF
superb country seat. Behind it rolled and
rumbled the glistening river, and before
it, almost under the pretty bay windows,
ran the elm fanked, common highway.
A man, very young and very handsome,
with brown, dreamy eyes, and proud
drecian head, rode by that day.
He looked up and saw lady standing
on a balcony above him. About her queen
ly figure fell folds of lustreless amber silk
and foam-pale lace. Her Spanish eyes, and
delicate, naughty features smiled down
upon him from behind an exquisite fan;
she wore white roses on her bosom. and
an arrow of gold and diamonds held back
from her dusky brow the glossy plalts OF
her ebon hair.
SIT is Madeline he thought, drawing
rein, "She is very beautiful They told me
she is past thirty, but she looks younger
than /, and l am twenty-one. 1t won't be
very hard for me to obey my uncle, 1
fancy"
The wealty and eccentric old uncle who
Lod raorod ond odu him bod oopt
gernon Heath to this elegant place, with
friendly letter of introduction, ostensibly
given that his beloved nephew might have
week of change and quiet, but really.
privately and commandingly, that his ne
phew should meet, WOO, win and marry a
beautiful creature whose lands and lucre
should be worthy of his great expectations.
A glance from those brilliant eyes told
the young man that he had reached his
destination.
He had never seen the lady before, but
it was fatteringly evident that she knew
him. and was bit merry because through
his Ignorance Of the locality, he had miss
ed the entrance.
He returned Der smile, lifted his hat
calamity, wheeled his horse, and rode back
to the gloomy gate of iron, guarded by
two bronze lions rampant.
II have crossed the rubicon. +" he thought
again, as the big, grim gates changed be-
hind the heels of his uncle's favorite
black. "Methinks when recross shall
carry to my good relative the message: 81
came, saw, conquered !"
Algernon Heath was only twenty-one.
He had had his fancies and follies, but he
knew nothing of the love that can make a
lifetime of misery or a singlt day of rapt-
nrous. blissful peace. He was doing the
bidding of one who had enervated his fine,
strong nature by too much ease and deli
cious living-that was all.
He was welcomed warmly, and his stay
was prolonged unreasonably; and he left
only to return in few weeks to claim the
Spanish-eyed Madeline as his bride.
Algernon Heath was proud of his hand
some, stylish wife. She was passionately
fond of him and alas quite as passionately
jealous.
Why should she not be-this world-worn
coquette of thirty, who had shared the
fevered fancy of his youth, we'll knowing
that his untouched heart might some day
thrill to the claim of fresh and true af-
lection.
But they were reasonably content in
their marriage bonds for ten quiet years
Out of Madeline's money her husband
had had prodigal share, and she never
reproached him for his lavish extra
vagance. He was always kind and true
and devoted, and surely she could ask no
more.
Her father died the first year after her
marriage; but Algernon's uncle still lived,
boarding his millions for muni6cent
final bequest to favorite charitable insti-
tuition, it was said and believed.
Madeline believed it; and with the in
stinct of jealousy, guessed that the eccen-
trio old gentleman had planned her mar
rage with his young nephew for purpose
of his own.
s'He imagined that rich wife would
rid him of Algernon's extravagant de-
mands for money" she thought bitterly
when she felt death creeping through her
veins. ''IIe knew his plans, of course. II
nv husband married me for love, he will
never take another wife when [ am gone.
If he married me for my worldly posses
sions, have way to thwart his sordid,
heartless desires.
And so Madeline Heath made just such
a will as rich and aged men often make
who have taken unto themselves very
young, very poor, and very unthinking
| wives.
And with this jealous bitterness in her
soul she died, leaving to her husband, if
he remained unwedded, the whole OF her
fortune; but should he marry again, he
| would be penniless as he was the day be
| led her to the altar.
| "Poor Maddie!'' was the only comment
made by the husband who had faithfully
been fond of her in his way. II have
never vet seen woman her peer in beauty
and goodness.
| And for FIVE long years he was the most
ipimitable widower who ever wore Grape
on fashionable hat.
L