Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-12-02

Desplaines, whose flushed cheeks and duI
eyes betokened the fever coursing throug
her veins, breathed a sigh of relief as May
deft fingers soon arranged the pillows, batl
ed her throbbing temples, and softened th
| light with which the room was flooded
Mr.. Desplaines looked in, and seeing who's
care his sister was in, whispered a fe,
cheerful words and departed for little rest
May sat near the bedside all night, admins
tering medicine as directed by the doctor
and when he came in the morning, wa
| thankful to know that her watchfulness ha'
averted the fever which seemed so immine mt
A nurse came during the day, but Mrs. Des
PLANES begged of May to stay with he
until she recovered sufficiently to again b
''round the house,
Nothing loath, May assented to her wish
and though many of the parishioners sen
offers of assistance, her tender ministration
were all that the sick woman would accept
'.fou are very thoughtful, Miss May,
said Mrs Desplaines one morning, as Ma,
came in with cup of tea and bit of deli
cate brown toast, prepared by herself. g
fear Ellen would forget that l require any
neurishment; were it not for you, might
suffer. When was first taken sick, anf
before was too weak to care, l kept won
dering what would become of my brother
if should be taken away. wish he had
just such nice little wife as you woulo
make. Why do you dislike brother sc
much?'' she continued s'Re told me one
day something he overheard you say about
him"
"Dear Mrs. Desplaines, please do not
mention those rude words again. 1 did moi
mean it, but felt vexed about something
else, and said more than 1 ought. 1t is all
over now, and | have since regretted many
times that I indulged in such language.
do not. dislike Mr.. Dssplaines; on the con-
trary admire his many excellent qualities,
but fear he has never forgiven me for
wounding his pride. As to being his wife,
think he seems much attached to Miss
Emerson, who would make him much
better wife than I could. I am sure
should never want to be minister's wife;
too many duties fall to her share.''
s'Is that the final decision, Miss May %
said the minister, who had entered unob-
served of either. Gam to understand that
the duties, OR the thankless work forced up
on minister's wife is all that deters you
from becoming mine? If that is all assure
you that sister will assume the responsible
ty incumbent upon the position. Since the
day when our acquaintance commenced l
have never ceased to think of you; never
ceased to hope that 'old and plain looking
as was, you might accord me little of
the love which felt you were capable of.
Believe me, am not too old to appreciate
the gentleness Of disposition and tenderness
of heart which seems your birthright If
you will be my wife, will wait for you,
even as Jacob did for Rachel, seven years,
if need be-"
"You needn't wait as long as that
said May, looking up through tears 81 am
my own mistress now, but don't know how
long shall be. 1 suppose it is my fate to
become minister's wife after all. But you
must wait until next Christmas; perhaps by
by that time shall become reconciled to
the duties which seem inevitable"
''Please leave May and l alone now,"
said Mrs. Desplaines. 'May, you are an
angel almost" was her exclamation, as her
brother retired. "Ycu are the only person
in the parish that would wish him to mar
ry. am going to tell you a secret: did you
know that Lily Halsted was so infatuated
with him before he came here that size ac-
tually opened a correspondence with him?
She had listened to his sermons, but never
had made his acquaintance. By the way,
brother says she is going to marry Will
Adams-soon, believe. They are quite
suited to each other"
As May dressed herself to go home, Mrs.
Desplaines, though nearly recovered from
her recent illness, begged her not to stay
too long, aud not to keep her brother wait
ing until the holidays returned.
s'You know" said she, she is growing
older each day. Be good girl and marry
him before you tire of him."
81 shall never tire of him." said May
blushing; ''for l love him too well now."
s'That is much more pleasant to listen
to- was Mr.. Desplaines' remark, as he ap-
peared in the doorway prepared to accom-
pany her home, ethan the first opinion 1
heard you utter of me-"
May. ''If you do will delay the marriage
another year"
s'May tell your friends, MIR. Adams and
Miss Halsted, whom am to join in mar
riage tomorrow, that you have promised
to become Mrs. Desplaines just four weeks
from to-day7"
eyes, if it is absolutely important that it
should occur so soon. / see it is useless to
make any resistance against fate"
When Lucy found out the sequel, she
told May she was not surprised; she had
felt the day she saw her run into his extend
ed arms that she would ultimately become
Mrs. Desplaines.
PAY IN MoNEY-The Democratic party
pledged itself two years ago to abide by the
settlement, and every true
Democrat, every patriotic and public-spirit-
cd citizen, will therefore pay his taxes in
The only way for the Riddleber
ger settlement to be effected easily and
readily is for the people to act together in
this matter. The Virginian who says he is
not bound by the action of party conven-
tion and pays his taxes in coupons to save
money is short-sigtted man indeed, to say
nothing of the principle involved. The
State must have money to carry on the
Government-to maintain its schools and
it's asylums-and unless money is received
from the Taxpayers, the result will be an
increase in the rate of taxation.
Those who pay in money, as matter
both of conscience and of public policy, are
bearing the burden for those who fOolishly
buy coupons and tender them for taxes
And it is the interest of every patriotic tax
payer to persuade his coupon-paying neigh
Dor of the error of his way.
December is the month when taxes are
received by the Treasurer in large amounts.
Let all the people pay in money, and Vir-
ginia's debt will soon be settled forever
Richmond State.
BUSINESS PRospERITY.-If industrial en-
terprse is not in as fourishing a condition
rs we would like to see it, more wage
workers are employed to-day than we're en-
ployed year ago. All branches of trade
we're depressed in 1884; indeed, business
reached rock bottom last fall. But with
he new year the general trade of the coun-
try began to improve, and it has been inn
proving ever since. The wheat crop was
failure this year. But to make
Up for the loss in this product the corn
,rop, the most important of all crops, is un-
Usually large; the cotton crop is beyond the
average; the tobacco crop is large, while
most of the minor crops have been bounti-
ful in yield and fine in quality. As result
of the crop reports railroad securities ad-
'anced, and iron manufacturers increased
heir work. If 1886 proves to be full
,rop year, then may be expected industrial
equal to that which prevailed in
1880 and 1881.
In the meantime our wholesale merchants
Ire pushing their trade and extending the