Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-01-29
till I found his letters. what n~s ne done

till found his letters what lseS me done
nextY'
She looked, as she put that question 10 her
self, at an open newspaper thrown om the
table, which announced the death cd @that
accomplished artist, Mr.. Tollmidge, related,
it is said to the late well-known connoisserlas
Lord Lydiard." In the next sentence the
writer of the obituary notice deplored the
destitute condition Of Mrs. Tollmidge and her
children, 'sthrown helpless on the mercy OF
the worldn Lady Lydiard stood by the table,
with her eyes on those lines, and saw but too
plainly the direction in which they pointed
the direction of her check book.
Turning toward the fireplace, she rang the
bell II can do nothing in this matter" she
thought to herself, until I know whether
the report about Mrs. Tollmidge and
her family is to be depended on. Has
Moody come back?" she asked, when
the servant appeared at the door. Moody"
otherwise her ladyship's steward had not
come back Lady Lydiard dismissed the smb-
ject of the artists widow from further CID
sideration until the steward returned, ~snsa
gave her mind to question of domestic fin
terest which lay nearer to her heart. Her
favorite dog had been ailing for some time
past, and no report of him had reached her
that morning She opened door near the
fireplace which led, through little corridor
hung with rare prints, to her own boudoir.
Isabel" she called out, chow is Tommieg'
A fresh young voice answered from behind
the curtain which closed the farther end of
the corridor, 'sNo better, my lady"
A low growl followed the fresh young
voice, and added lin dogs language, much
worse, my lady-much worse!"
r II l. L. l. IL
a compassionate sigh for Tommie, and walked
slowly to and fro in her spacious drawing
room, waiting for the stewards return.
Accurately described Lord Lydiard's widow
was short and fat, and perilously near her
sixtieth birthday. But it may be said, with
out paying compliment, that she looked
younger than her age by ten years at least
Her complexion was of that delicate pink
tinge which is sometimes seen in old women
with well-preserved constitutions Her eyes
equally wellpreserved) were of that hard
light blue color which wears well, and does
not wash out when tried by the test of tears
Add to this her short nose, her plump cheeks
that set wrinkles at defiance, her white hair
dressed in stiff little curls, and, if doll could
grow old, Lady Lydiard at sixty would have
been the living image of that doll, taking life
easily on its journey downward to the pref
test of tombs, in burial ground where the
myrtles and roses grew all the year round.
These being her ladyship's personal merits,
impartial history must acknowledge, on the
list Of her defects, total want of tact and
taste in her attire. The lapse of time since
Lord Lydiards death had left her at liberty
to dress as she pleased. She arranged her
short, clumsy figure in colors that were far
too bright for a woman of her age Her
dresses, badly chosen as to their hues, were-
perhaps not badly made, but were certainly
badly worn. Morally, as well as physically.
it must be said of Lady Lydiard that her ont.
ward side was her worst side. The anomalies,
of her dress were matched by the anomalies Of.
her character There were moments when.
she felt and spoke as became lady of rank,
and there were other moments when she felt
and spoke as might have become the cook in
the kitchen. Beneath these superficial incon-
sistencies the great heart, the essentially true
and generous nature of the woman, only
waited the sufficient occasion to assert them
selves. In the trivial intercourse of society
she was open to ridicule on every side of her
But when serious emergency tried the metal
of which she was really made, the people who
were loudest in laughing at her stood aghast,
and wondered what had become of the famil--
LAT companion OF Gne1r every Gay lives.
Her ladyship's promenade had lasted but a.
little while, when a man in black clothing.
presented himself noiselessly at the great
door which opened on the staircase. Lady
Lydiard signed to him impatiently to enter
the room.
II have been expecting you for some time,
Moody" she said. ''You look tired Take a
chair"
The man in black bowed respectfully, and
took his seat