Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-03-21
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nd the canons' wives shifted and said that

As- Special notices 20 cents per line for every
| Insertion.
and the canons' wives shifted and said that
she was person whom nobody visited,
although, upon being pressed, they admit
ted there was nothing definite against her.
Possibly, after all, she might prove less
| formidable than Mrs. Annesley had sup
posed, and the Professor was confirmed in
| this hope by the evident admiration with
which Bob regarded Miss Cecil. That
young lady willingly consented to drink
tea and play tennis in the Precincts, and
closer inspection showed that her personal
attractions had been in no way exaggera-
ted. Not only did she possess quantity
of golden brown hair, and eyes of the
darkest blue, shaded by long curved lashes,
but her features, complexion, and figure
we're all perfect, and she had an enchant-
ing smile. If any young man could pre-
fer the vulgar charms of Mrs. Harring
ton to these, be must be very extraordi-
nary young man indeed; and The Profess
sor, watching the tennis-players from his
cane arm chair in the shade, sr1iled as lie
thought to himself that Bob Annesley
had none of the outward and visible signs
of an extraordinary young man. Furth-
ermore. he noticed that Annesley and
Miss Cecil remained partners throughout
and though this might be a trivial basis
upon which to build conclusions, there
was surely some significance in the fact
that after each game these two sauntered
away together, leaving Captain and Mrs.
Green to entertain their host with polite
conversation.
When play was over for the day, re-
newal of the contest at an early date was
agreed upon, and after three such meet
ings the Professor felt justified in despatch
ing a consolatory note to Mrs. Annesley
II really think you may make your mind
quite easy" he wrote. II have had your
boy and Cecil's girl playing tennis in nay
garden several times; and even so mex
perienced looker.on as myself cannot
fail to perceive that il ever two people
were in love with each other, they are.
The 'harpy' have not yet met, nor am I
likely to do so; but Captain Green of your
sons regiment tells me she is what is call
ed garrison hack-a term not
known to me, but which I take to mean
broadly that she is ready to firt with all,
and is consequently dangerous to nome"
The folly of generalization was one to
which the Professor was fully alive in
dealing with matters of historical inter-
est; and the question before him being of
that kind, be would have been the first to
point out that. though this lady might not
be dangerous qua garrison hack. there was
no sure ground for assuming that she was
not dangerous qua Mrs. Harrington. Mrs.
Annesley's grateful reply to his letter did
not reach him before he had begun to re-
pent OF his haste in communicating with
her.
1t was upon the occasion of an after.
noon party. given by the officers of the 9th
Lancers, that Canon Stanwick was privi-
legged to make Mrs. Harrington's acquain-
lance. Had he been left to consult his
own inclinations, he would not have been
present at this entertainment but the
Cecils, who had driven in from the coun-
try to attend it. invited themselves to lun-
cheon with him, and then carried him
away by main force, alleging that it
would do him good to see more of his
neighbors. AS matter of fact, however,
he was not benefited in this particular
way, for the cath edral dignltaries seldom
showed themselves at the barracks, and
he searched the mess room and anteroom
ed beside the Cecils, and presently accom-
panied them to the lawn in front of the
building, where some younger members
of the assemblage were playing tennis
Then it was that he became aware OF Mrs.
Harrington, attended by young Annesley.
and was able to scrutinize her little more
nearly than he had done on the cricket
ground. She was tall, striking looking
woman, not in her first youth. No doubt
she was rather over-dressed, and the
Professor noticed that she was more anxi-
GUS to appear at her ease than successful
in doing so. He noticed. besides, that the
the other ladies fought shy of her, and
that his friend Bob, who stood by her side,
looked anything but happy.
After time the couple drew near to
the spot where the Cecil family were seat
ed, and from the expression OF despair
visible upon the young mans face, and
the mixture of triumph and defiance ex-
hibited by the lady, it was easy to guess
hut fn bop
Professor, from living so much alone, had
got out of the habit of REFRESHING his emo
tions; and when he realized that this dar-
ing woman had demanded an introduction
to Mrs. Cecil, he gave vent to loud,
abrupt chuckle, which caused everybody
to turn round and look at him and over
whelm him with consequent confusion.
Then he missed the actual formality which
had moved him to mirth by anticipation;
but he recovered himself in time to see
that it had taken place, that Mrs. and Miss
Cecil were looking grave and annoyed, and
that Mrs. Cecil had assumed the stony de-
meanor with which she was won't to COW
the presump tuous.
Mrs. Cecil was not lady with whom it
was advisable to take liberties A great
liberty had been taken with her now, and
while holding in reserve the punishment
of the chief offender, she made things very
uncomfortable for his accomplice. Hav-