Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-03-28
THE PROFESSOR AND THE HAPPY.
Continued from, last soeek.]

| 4AG xAVE GDOUQ AMI LIE dAkf
Continued from, last sueek.l
"Oh, / didn't know" replied Mrs. Ceci
coldly Perhaps she would have liked te
say that she was not so very intimate witt
Mr.. Annesley; but when one has daugb
ter whom one is naturally anxious to mar
ry we'll, one is apt to be debarred from in
discriminate retorts. After pause, she
asked, without removing her eyes from
the distant view, "Are you staying any
time at Lichbury. Mrs.-er-?"
"Harrington, !" replied the other. .'Well
[ don't quite know. It will depend a goo(
deal upon the regiment | always like tt
be where the Twenty seventh are''
"Realty I" exclaimed Mrs. Cecil and
the amount of establishment, contempt
and disgust which she managed to con.
dense into that one word was quite ar
achievement in its way.
''Oh, yes.'' Mrs. Harrington went or
ch+erfully, II follow the drum. My object
is to get as much fun out of life as posi-
be. and I don't know any better way Of
doing that than living in garrison
town."
''Violet," said Mrs. Cecil. 81 think
see some vacant places on the other side
of the lawn. We will go over and Sit
there" And so saving, she arose and
swept majestically away. leaving Mrs
Harrington surrounded by number OF
silent persons who appeared anxious to
stare her out of countenance, while at the
same time resolutely ignoring her.
The poor woman's position was really
cruel one, and signs that she felt it to bs
so were not wanting. She flushed for z
moment, then turned pale again, arc
stood. not unlike hunted animal, while
those merciless ladies enjcved her discnm
future. The Professor, who knew wha
agony he himself would have suffered
under such treatment. could not help be-
ing very sorry for her. So sincere was Ri
compassion, and so strongly did he disap
prove of the base practice of hitting thos'
who are down, that he was moved at las
to do an unusually bold thing. He ad
| vanced abruptly to the side of the unfor
| tunate par.ah. upsetting chair on bi!
passage, and said in nervous, hesitatins
way, "What beautiful afternoon. is ii
not ?''
Mrs. Harrington turned pair of as
tonlshed and rather angry eyes upon him
Most likely, at the first moment, she tool
this queer-looking cleric for an emissar,
of the enemy; but glance at his fac
must have treasured her, for quicl
change of expression came over her own
and the Professor was rewarded by sing
ularly pleasant smile, and word or twt
spoken without any of that harshness O
information which had been noticeable IL
Mrs. Harrington's voice a few minutes
before, Having thus entered his little
protest against bullying, he would gladl
have retired from so conspicuous a posi-
ton. but he was man who was who'll
unable to extricate himself from any posi-
and so he went on conversing with Mrs
Harrington for matter of five minutes
at the end of which time he mentally quail
flied her as very intelligent and agreea
bic person. ST WONDER" thought he
why she chose to speak In such an ob
jectionable manner just now" And thel
with his unlucky habit of thinking aloud
he said musingly, II suppose she wantet
to shock Mrs. Cecil. Well, can't blam
her,"
Mrs. Harrington laughed. You ar
quite right" she observed; THAT was wha
| wanted to do. But you ought to blam
J me, for it was not at all worth while t.
shock Mrs Cecil. and brought her rude
ness upon myself.''
The Professor, IN great distress, begal
to stammer out an apology, which he wa
not permitted to finish. There is n
5 need to beg my pardon, - Mrs. Harrington
interrupted; ''you only said what yo
thought. and it Is not often that one ha
the good fortune to hear any one do that
[ wish you would go on. l should like t
hear what you think of me, for instance
or ratneT, no; InaC would noG Ut very I'D
teresting. should prefer hearing VIVA
YOU think of Mrs. Cecil"
, The Ceclls are old friends of mine,
g said the Professor, with slight accent 0
reproof.
"Then you need not hesitate to sa
what you think of them, for one does no
as rule, think badly of ones friends.
am interested in them on Mr.. Annesley'
account. He is great deal at their hous
is he not?"
eyes, believe SO, answered the Pro
fessor, stroking his chin pensively.
strong desire to come to the point promp
ted him to add, with some audacity, ''Peo
j, pie say that be is likely to become engag