Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-12-05

lesson in painting. He had all her week.
days ut last. He certainly had improved
in pronunciation, but Miss Piper felt her.
self to be humbug. What they really
did was to spend the day together exactly
as he chose. Playing with educational
books, humping the piano, daubing bris-
tol-board with impossible flowers, scram-
bling through the lesson in French, of
which Miss Piper had had quarter from
Swiss gentleman. For long time she
was alone on Sunday, and usually went to
the Methodist church to which she belong
cd; but Mr.. Sliger soon altered that. He
began by asking her VIII either they had
'these vespers of theirs at the Cathedral
on Sunday morning" And whan she in
structed him that ''vespers" were in the
latter part of the day, said he would call
for her.
Accordingly she went to vespers at the
cathedral in the afternoon, and after that
regularly three times day to different
churches.
1t was then that the landlady thought it
her duty to call.
She appeared in Miss Pandora Piper's
apartment at the awful hour of 10, majes-
tic in her crimping pins, and with very
serious eountenance, and was welcomed
in with smile by the little music teacher.
''Good evening, Mrs. Grimm" said she,
81 haven't had call from you for very
long while"
"No, Miss Piper, you haven't" said
Mrs. Grimm. with emphasis. You
couldn't expect me to call after such car
ryings on.''
"Why. what do you mean, Mrs.
Grimm ?" calculated Miss Piper.
Can you ask, Pandora Piper z" an
swered the landlady in her deepest chest
note. "The whole neighborhood is talking
about you"
"About me ~ screamed Miss Piper.
"You and that man. said the landlady.
"My pupil Mr.. Sliger!" sobbed Miss
Piper, now fairly in tears.
"Your pupil! Don't tell me.'' said Mrs.
Grimm. miss Pandora Piper, shall be
obliged to put up a bill for my second floor.
You've got to CO."
"Oh. oh, OH" cried Pandora. "Can you
think any harm of me? Why, you could
come in at any moment. Nora is in and
out every now and then. Such respect
able elderly gentleman, and such cor
rect person as am ~
ut isn't me. Pandora" said Mrs.
Grimm, quite melted. tits the neighbor-
hood. The ehurch-going Gf it is the
church) finished 'em. You're of age this
long while, my dear; you ought to know
how to behave; but I can countenance
this. I shall put up the bill. On, oh. oh
Pandora that it should come to this ~
{ Poor Miss Pandora!
I AS her friend and landIady walked out
OF the door with her handkerchief to ler
es,she stood motionless as though turned
| to pillar of salt. She saw just how this
repair of neglected education must appear
to her small circle of discarded pupils and
felt strong desire to drown herself or
jump out of the window, or turn on the
gas or take box of matches in Ter tea,
and she might actually, it seemed to her
afterwards, have died of modification,
but that the goIg at the front door, pulled
violently at this MON ent, startled her, and
Nora, running up, wrapped in water
proof cloak, for she had been making pre-
para lions to go to bed, announced:
'Mr. Sligerl -
''He can't come up" said Pandora, sat
this hour of night
mo, miss, he ask for you to come
down. said Nora.
Pandora went down.
Mr.. Sliger was at the door.
"There's telescope at the corner,' he
said; ''something going on in some star or
other, believe. Get bonnet and shawl,
and come and have peep. 1t will be
lesson in astronomy for me. You can
explain 1t, you know-same terms as the
other lessons.
Pandora without word obeyed.
The door closed after the two, leaving
Mrs Grimm staring at Nora.
''That's the capsheaf." said the lady.
''Shall sit up for them?" asked Nora.
NO." said Mrs. Grimm. 81 will"
Meanwhile Miss Pandora and Mr.. Sliger
peeped through the telescope and saw the
rings of Saturn, which Mr.. Sliger supposed
to be phenomenal and temporary and
which were explained by Miss Pandora to
be fixtures, and then adjourned to an ice
cream saloon of much elegance,
This indeed. was desperate dissipation
Miss Pandora said to herself, as she sat
before the cut-glass goblets on the damask
cloth and saw the water splash from the
little fountain in the center into the
aquarium and over the glossy plants, all
reflected In the long mirrors. However,
what did it matter? She was already
'talked about" turned out of Der lodg-
ings, as person who had gone wrong. She
would keep this merry moment to remem-
Der when she had put an end to all by say
ing to the neglected pupil that she could
no longer impart instruction to him.
He was ordering every indigestibIe lux
ury on the bill of fare, the diamond on his
little huger flashing like small sun, OBJ
sequious walters bobbing about behind