Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-05-02

LET. All tno curves III Hoi 1aCo lui LIEU
upward, and she talked frank epigrams.
Then there was Psyche who had a Gre
clan head, and fell into unconsciously
beautiful poses, and Bess. who dotted On
music, and was in CULVER of bashful
pleasure when she took her seat before
you at the piano. These two with the
eight-year-od sister. were school girls.
They were always consulting together,
and making a group with their arms
around each other, and watching with
keen, modest eyes, the many interesting
i people who came and went at their house.
Well did l know and enjoy the compan-
| ionship of six Carews, but there remained
a seventh, completely invisible. TIE Or
der of her birth had been between the
goddess of laughter and the Greek pro-
i file. 1 reckoned her age at about seven
teen.
You'll not see Lsda," said Mary Honor,
! briskly and frankly, the first time sat at
their table. "She's reel use, and never
shows herself
''she does the cooking" Bess explained.
And in my passing thought [ pictured
Leda as some elderly step-sster, grown
stoical among the pots and kettles. But
there certainly was no drudgery about
that house. 1t must have been delight
to prepare such dishes as you found at
F, the Carews', and the table-linen and we'll
preserved Powered ware are even now
retrospective delight to my senses.
"Leda was my pupil in housekeeping
at FIRST, because she was younger than L."
said Miss Clara; ''but in my old age turn
to her for Instruction.
I then decided that Leda must be
deformed or scantily supplied with those
gifts which the others had in abundance.
And afterward, while talking with a
friend of theirs. made inquiries abont
her.
"Oh no." said he they're all straight,
well-made girls, and bright from first to
last. Let me see she's one of three
or four in short dresses, isn't she ?''
''Shes COOK replied.
They all do: they're trim housekeep-
ers. The women praise the way they've
plotted along ever since their mother died.
don't think I've seen that enc for year
or two"
: When felt impeIled to tell Psyche
how handsome her head was, it's front be-
came stepped III pink from chin to low
reaching hair as she replied, sincerely !:
You ough0 to see Leda's head before
you make any speeches. She is the beauty
OF the famlly.'
Then why does she hide herself
so 2"
sob, because she wants to. She always
did,
"And does she read and talk and study
like the rest of you ?'
'She studies great deal more than l
do. She reads Spanish and German, and
knows short hand.'
''And French %
contempt.
II think am CHASING her now. She's
a book-worm, and perhaps rather near
sighted"
Psyche called on Bess to join her in
well-bred giggle; then they fastened toex-
! plain to me how strong Leda's eyes were,
and how pretty
"She has the truest eye for color Of any
of u.s." said Bess. "Her dress and things
have to be just so. Leda would perfectly
fly if she had to wear inharmopious
tints.'
"And her favorite is green, isn't it ?"
said 1. "And she vanishes into tree
trunks and foliage when mortals come
BY"
people seem to annoy her," acknowl-
edged Psyche.
'She ought to pity u.s." l said.
''She just wants to be left alone" apollo
gized Bess; 'and she would rather we
didn't even talk about her.'
BY degrees I4eda became a tautaliZing
vanisher before me. Let me watch and
listen ever SO Warily, could not hear her
footstep CIR catch glimpse of her dress.
She went regularly to church-perhaps
through the air, for l guarded the en-
trance to Episcopal services two different
Sundays in Collegetown without distin-
gushing her, and 1 knew 1 should recog-
nize her as soon as she materializsd to my
view. l remember rising early in the
morning and sauntering past that house
that might discover her in the act of
taking milk from the mIlkmaD, or whisk.
ing market basket through the back
gate. Ideal faces of Leda lowered before
my eyes. She did we'll to have a mytho-
logical name.-Frequently, while speak
ing with her father, [ led our talk up to
her. He always smiled, and said she was
8 good girl; they were all good girls.
And he said no further. Naturally 1
could not expect him to share my ferver ID
the pursuit Of Leda.
1t became an actual pursuit. The liter
allure emarating from my pen at that
time bore her tint and impress. l dealt
in vague and shadowy things, and felt my
self shaken with rapture over kate's
sEnGymion." 1t seened healthy and
delicious phase of life to ba forever
painting the invisible to myself. 1t was
less gross an alteration than that express
ed in kisses and VOWS.
But experience hurried.n me- on and I
came to Collegetown the third time On
purpose to see the invisible. The friends
who entertained me were going that very
evening to Mary Honor's den, where an
informal knot would discuss Schiller, and
they took me along. l had NY views
about Schiller, but I also had views re-
speeding the Carew girls. Their father
was there. Miss Clara was there, ]auel .
ing and embroiderng; Psyche and Bess