Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-02-06
A MIDNIGHT INVASION.

A MIDNIGHT INVASION.
Madame Carrelle's school was remark
able institution, aAd the madame was re-
markable woman. 1 Was Of, what Byron
calls, the bread-and butter age, and there
fore, did not appreciate these things
much; but did appreciate the four lovely
girls who were my intimates. Vestella
Raymond was my favorite. shall never
forget an incident related by her brother.
She and her mother lived alone on their
estate, and were one day alone in the
house-the servants being all out-a stray
Cling rufian entered the parlor where
they sat, and demanded their money and
jewels. Mrs. Raymond was paralyzad with
fear Vestella feigned excessive terror,
and taking small box from her pocket,
she handed it to him with the key, say
ing:
"We were preparing for a journey and
had packed up our jewels. l believe this
box contains them; will you open it and
see ? My fingers tremble so cannot I'M
lock it,
The man laid his pistols on the sofa for
the purpose of unlocking the box, when
Vestella snatched them up; and command
ed him not to stir hand or foot. Il was
his turn to be appalled,, for there was no
mistaking the will flashing from those
eyes, AID there was no trembling in the
finger that pressed the trigger. He remain
cd motiOnless. In few mon ents the SER
wants entered. and he was secured
This was Vestella's style, and she mani
tested 1t i'll various ways among US. But
the steelY vigor of her character was soft
ened and rendered lustrous by the glitter.
ing polish of mirthfulness and frolic. Her
merry conversation was our unfailing an
tidote for inconsistencies. SO cheerful and
affeetionate, SO warm-hearIed and ccnfid-
ing. And what sarcastic observations
she would make. not exactly ''upon men
and things" but upon things in general,
and the madame in particular.
At her instigation we five formed cur
selves into society "for the mutual dis
cussion and preservation" Of all such Sc
crets as 1t seemed unadvisable to commu-
nicate to our many friends among the
other young ladies IN the school. Our
rules provided that there should be no re-
serve upon any subject between the mem
bers; that any interview with a gentle
man should be faithfully reported, and all
hat TRANSFERRED at said interview; and
that any member guilty of falling in love
should have her hair cut short, and woven
into bracelets for the other four.
Vestella was rogue, a mischief. very
Amazon. She couldskate, ride, swim. and
Ii dear, cannot mention half her ex-
ploits. Yet when | remembered how she
nung over me through the long nights,
when was racked with fever, away from
home ana friends, how nearly she filled
the place OF Ii other to me, | fell per-
suaded tHat, if the members of our society
had an opportun ty to fall in love, she
would be the first one to improve it.
The house was built in style uncom-
mon in this country. Its popularity con
sisted in two square towers upon the front
-one upon each corner giving it the APP
pearance of an Episcopal church. Yes
tella called it the double barrelled school
house. The house proper was three stories
in height, and the towers rose one story
above the roof. The windows in each
story opened upon a broad veranda, ex-
tending across the front of the house.
and quite around each tower, and these
piszzas were supported one above the
other by slender pillars. The upper story
III each tower had formerly been used as a
deposit for old furniture and other rub
bish. but when Vestella entered the school,
her rambling disposition led her into one
of these rooms, and nothing would do but
it must be fitted up for her occupation.
She had such q taking way with her. and
the increasing popularity of madame's
establishment had SO often forced upon
her mind the propriesy of shortly enIarg-
ing her buildings, that Vestella carried
her point, and was installed in the tower
top" 1t suited the society. for we could
discuss our secrets without danger OF
being overheard, and could vent the ex-
plosions of mirth which they often elected,
without risk of visit from tie hall
teacher.
The lawns and gardens extended in
front Of the house for a great distance,
with great slope, terminating in a circu.
lar pond, surrounded by an artificial
grove. 1t was my delight in the after
moons, at such hours as We were not re-
quired to be in our rooms, or at recitation.
to take my book Or fapcy-WOrk, and slip
away to cunning little seat | had con-
structed in the shade Of the grape-vines.
| was sitting here one afternoon, when l
was startled by mems voices on the other
side of the paling. My first impulse was
to run; but l thought, perhaps, l might
gather something to report to the society,"
| cautiously parted the vine leaves and
peeped through a crack in the boards
There we're two young men, whom l re-
cegnized as members of the Collegiate In
stitute. One of them, a tall gracefully
formed young fellow, with 9 laughing
blue eye, was conyersjng and gesticulating
with great animation.
oop do If foil uo,, no, do -, r