Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-10-21
So / Law still, wondering veaklyiwho she

So lay still, wondering weakly who she
was and who had seat her theres; but pres
emily, seeing her stir the fire into a blaze,
forgot her caution, as all my old anxieties
came back, and 1 said pleadingly
"Don't poke the fre, please. 1t. vii
burn out too quickly, and we have no more
coals' j
"Oh, now, miss, you have been dream.
ing. The cellar is nearly full, the Goals on.
ly came in last. week"
Again essayed to answer, but was sc
gently, yet with such authority, ordered tc
De quiet that l was glad to obey, SO I lay
still enjoying the sensation of being moi
| able to think. In a day Or two grew
stronger, and one morning, to my delight,
my mother came in, and had leave given
me to talk little.
Then I heard all about my late adven
ture.
ut was really most wonderful event,
| my dear, and reads like chapter out of 8
three-volume novel; said my mother, who,
bs-sae way looked quite bright and strong
again. ''When you fell down in a faint
you ct fall the envelope in which you hac
| carried the miniature, and the gentleman
who was in the shop"
81 remember him, mamma" 1 cried
portrait. I fancied l must be dream
ing.
THAT is the strangest part of the story,
out you won't let me tell it to you properly,
my dear. That gentleman saw your name
and address, brought you home in cab,
sent in nurse, and everything we wanted.
and has been our good angel ever since
He is Arthur Rashleigh, the only son OF
your Aunt Betsy's old lover, who, after
mourning the supposed faithlessness of
his old love, married late in life, and has
not long been dead, leaving Arthur a
large fortune. His astonishment at sceing
you with his fathers portrait, you may he
sure was very great However, it was a
| very lucky thing for us; after all, Aunt
Betsy's present was uot such poor one.-
By the way here it is; Mr.. Rashleigh was
kind enough to bring it back with m.''
There was one thing which did not ap-
pear to concern my matEasnie. .the least j;
but made my pale face flame, and thai was
tine idea of receiving all these benefits from
a mere stranger, upon whom we had not
the slightest claim, unless the fact that his
father, forty years ago, had been my aunt's
lover, could be considered one.
So | made up an eloquent speech, in
which l thanked him warmly for his good
ness, and delicately yet firmly conveyed the
information, that intended to repay him
as soon as I could get to work again.
But carefully as rehearsed it, that elo
quent speech was never uttered. nor did /
wonder at my mothers willingness to
receive benefits from him. He was so lonely,
he said, had not a friend or relative in Eng
gland, and man servant, whom he had
treated with kindness and confidence, had
just robbed him of some valuable old fam
lily plate which his father had thought high
ly of, and had carried with him in all his
wanderings.
For me-may confess it without shame
the grateful interest l felt in him soon
grew into love, and, alb, happy as my life
has been since, can ever forget that happy
evening, when, walking home from the
theatre, whittier he had taken me, he told
that he loved me dearly, and asked me to
be his wife?
''But II am poor, l am not pretty,
and l am so old p I pleaded, fearing to
accept this sweet new happiness, and
mindful of Lena's depreciation of my per-
sOnal appearance, age, etc.
Arthur laughed and drew my arm closer
in his,
-s'If you are too old for marriage at
twenty two, now may hope with six more
years added Oh, ever to enter that blissful
state" be asked
So said yes, and soon after, we all went
to Aunt Betsy's, and there I was married
at the little village church, to the son of
old her lover, who loved and reverenced the
queer, touchy old maid not little, for her
loyal devotion to his father.
So Aunt Betsy's present saved my dear
mothers life, and also saved me from the
dreadful fate Lena had threatened me with.
had it made into a locket, and wear it
constantly. 1t is generally mistaken for
the portrait of my dear husband, so is the
large oil painting of mis- father which hangs
in our drawing room, from which the min
iature was copied.
We are very happy, and when my broth
er Walter comes home, as we expect him
to do with his young bride next Christmas,
we shall have wonderful story to tell him
of the same present he and Lena thought
so little of.