Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-05-20

FROM MISS NORA WICHERLEY, PEMBRIDGE
SQUARE, W., TO MISS AGNES CREwE, NEWN-
HAM COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE:
JUNE 4th.
My DEAR AGNEs:-What relief, to be
quiet and alone in ones room, to lock the
door, take up ones pen and have little
peaceful talk with ones best friend!
Since we parted at the station lis it really
two days ago p, life has been all hurry
and hustle; all dress makers, boot-makers
and milliners; and perhaps, under the cir
cumstances, this is the best state of affairs
possible. Like the young ladies in the
novels, one can pretend to 'forget." For
get! Agnes, believe the Fates have ours
ed me with the boon-terrible in any case,
twice terrible in the case of woman-the
boon of constancy!
Mamma was very shocked at my dress
when got home, and insisted on my 60
ing off to the dressmaker's directly after
lunch. was wearing, as you know, the
beautiful sage-green which our Hall so ad-
mlres. The absence Of stays and crino-
lette almost wrung tears from the various
members of my family. If it had been
worth while | should have protested, but is
anything worth while? So I allowed my
self to be borne off to Nine. Stephanle's
like lamb to the sacrifice. What does it
matter? With the new dress I suppose I
put on the new life, unwholesome, artii-
cial, violating all laws of beauty; the sordid
London streets, the sordid London faces,
these | shall have to endure all my life
long And it is only few days ago since
we walked down the dime avenue together,
and watched the sun set behind the elm
trees in the "Backs;" since we puzzled
over Plato on the lawn, and read Swinburne
on the roof in the evenings. Only few
days! Is it not rather hundred years?
Agnes, have never had any conceal
ments from you, and I know you to be fully
aware even of what | have not told you in
so many words. With regard to certain
person, yo1 will tell me-will you not?-
all you see and hear of him. Remember,
it is all shall have in the way of pleasure
till l die; the few scraps you can collect for
me, the few scraps I have myself collected
for memory to hug
| Tonight L went to big dance in West
bourne Terrace. I did not wish to go, re-
tiecting that skeletons are apt to be out
| OF place at feasts, but I yielded finally to
Mammals request, and submitted to the
ordeal. AS was standing at the window,
a1ter dinner, before going up to dress,
somebody passed III a hanson. At first I
DID not recognize him, and stared vaguely.
I'LL he bowed, and then-oh, Agnes! | saw
it was Mr.. Talbot! I think it was the
| sight OF him made me so desperate after
wards. The music, the lights. the crowd.
and that terrible pain at my heart. all these
combined to make me little mad. T am
not quite sure what said and did, I be.
lieve it was nothing to offend Philistine
senslbilities, but personally l feel rather
debased and degraded. I know my sister
''rallled' meas our dear Sir Charles
Grandson hath it; ''chafed," she calls it
all the way home. Now I come to think
fit, l did dauce great many times with
some impossible man-his name I believe
was Mr.. Broke-who assumed rather the
manners OF grand Turk, and paid me
some quite coarse compliments.
Oh, what relief, to get back to solitude.
even when solitude means the old terrible
pam, the Old awful longing! Yet is 1t not
| something to have ''known the best and
loved it ?''-to have seen what is noblest
highest and purest in the world, and to
have felt it to the depth of ones being?.
Here follow several pages which. for
the readers sake, we have thought best to
omit.
am glad to say we leave London for
Switzerland next week. Please excuse
these outpourings of your very sorrowful
Nora.
PEMBRIDeE SQUARE, Oct, 10Th.
DEAR -AGNEs-Is it possible that four
months have elapsed since l wrote to YOU
And, if | remember rightly, my last letter
was neither very sane nor very dignified.
l must confess that Switzerland is a disap-
pointment; it is all SO obvious; one has seen
the whole thing so often on work boxes, in
albums, and at the theatre. The scenery
wants restraint, reserve; the green trees,
the conical mountains, the blue-green