Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-09-28
A MANS MISTAKE.

$50 tired, my darling9 Well, never mindl
It's all over now, and you will never have to
60 through it again, you known
The speakers were the sole occupants Of q
first class carriage, in which they were rap
idly whirling along towards London from the
north. One was a decidedly pretty girl Of
some 10 or 20 years. Not even the fatigue Of
which she complained could deprive her face
of its piquant vivacity, and the very protest
of WEAKNESS was uttered with vigor, telling
of considerable force still in reserve in the
slender frame.
Her companion was man on the borders
of middle age. There was a certain out Of
door expression on his bronzed and bearded
countenance and q general suggestion of field
spores in his largely built figure which
stamped him at once as a country gentleman
Perhaps kindness and honesty were moro
legibly written on his countenance than any
great amount Of intellectual power. One
could not picture him bordering very deeply,
for instance, over the mystery of lfe," or
becoming the shining light of Browning So
cietp. Yet his was face which few women
could have been trusted to criticise impair
TALLY. At all times it was good and pleas
ant ,countenance, and now that it was radi-
ant with the light of love, the brown eyes
fairly trimming over with tenderness as
they followed every movement of the dain-
tily arrayed figure by his side. no woman, at
any rate, would have hesitated to pronounce
Mr.. Collingwood q handsome man.
A mischievous smile broke over his COM
panions face at his emphatic assertion Of the
final nature of the ceremony that day accom-
plished.
''Indocd, Jack! So you have quite made
up your mind that in the event of your quit
ting this mortal scene before me am to play
the part of Hindoo widow for the rest of
my days! What pity you did not insert q
clause in those tremendously long, dry settle
ments arranging suffice in oil due for1n!"
The shadow of shade passed over her hus-
bands face at her light rejoinder. She saw
1t at once, and placed her hand on his in
haste to heal the little wound.
''You didn't think meant it, Jack, dear
You know that if you were to be taken from
mel
The eager protest got no further; 1t was
cut short in sudden but not alarming man
ner.
The two had been married that morning In
the village church, where whole generations
of Mr.. Collingwood's forefathers lay sleep
ing In one respect 1t had been singular
wedding; the bride had neither parent mol
relation to give her into her husbands care
nor even the poorest apology for a home
from which to make her debut in her new
life. She was just a solitary waif cast upon
the worlds wide shore and gathered up by
Jack Collingwood into his big, simple heart
there to be guarded thenceforth with the
tender reverence many a princess Of the
blood longs for in vain.
Kathleen Raymond had been the bosom
friend of Mr.. Collingwood's young step sis
ter in q Hanoverian ''pensionnat de demoi
selles" The motherless daughter Of an i'm
pecunious Irish officer, her fathers sudden
death had left the young girl singularlJ
alone in the world, and when she quilted
| the ''pensionnat," where she had known
Mabel Collingwood, no other prospect lay
before her but to join the great crowd o.
lonely women who are fighting for theil
own living.
But before beginning the much dreaded
search for employment she had been per
suaded by her more fortunate friend to taxi
a long holiday among the hills and dales O.
| Westshire. The orphan girl received warn
welcome to the hospitable old Dover house
where Mabel lived with her widowed mother
| and there the bright weeks Of that summe
slipped gently by in happy idleness.
And then most wonderful and yet ex
ceedingly natural and simple thing, hap
pened Mabels half brother, the squire o
Annersley, the eligible bachelor Of the cour
| trvside, the cynosure of every match make
in the neighborhood, fell swiftly, irretriev
ably, head over ears in love with the littl
Nd oto to1 n
his threshold.
There was no one living who had the RICH
to say him nay in the matter when ono
Kathleen's shy consent had been won, an
the preparations for the marriage were hast
ened on as rapidly as possible.
To Mr. Collingwood himself it was neve
ending source of wonder that this conser
should have been so easily and quick
gained. In his honest eyes Kathleen stood S
far exalted above all ordinary human girl
so far removed from the crowd Of youn
ladies whose attentions had often owe
whelmed him with terror, it almost SCENE
to him that he was taking an undue adval
tage Of her inexperience in linking her brigl
girlhood to his own more mature existenc
1t is needless to say this was not the vie
of the situation taken by the world in gel
|
sister, who for years had been at the head {
his bachelor household. When Jack, blusl
ing and stammering like lad of 90, carrie
the news of his success to Miss Collingwoo'
he was received with an air of lofty conside
alton, and to the long story of hopes, doub
and delights she replied only with q cool
''Of course, Jack"
"Why, of coursep" asked her brothe
sharply.
'sMiss Raymond is clever girl, Jack, al
when the ball was actually laid at her fee
it was not likely she would fail to secure h,
advantage"
ssShe is not whit more clever than good
answered the squire. "She would not ha'
accepted an emperor unless-unless she Low,
him as she loves me-"
The squire said it bravely, but he blush
again like boy.
'sThere are few girls in Miss Raymond
position, Jack, who would fail to love t
possessor of e5, 900 year"
Mr.. Collingwood LETT the room In speec
less indignation.
The wedding was celebrated with all t
eclat which would have beftted the nuptis
Of an heiress, for thus the squire willed
So bonfires blazed, bells clashed, banne
decked the village street, villagers feaste
tenants danced, evergreens adorned t
church, children strewed the brides pa
with flowers. And all In honor of the G.
who, only three short months before, h
stood shivering on the threshold of ha
j. and lonely life of TOLL
1t was towards the close Of that EVENT.
day that Kathleen Collingwood leant b
throbbing head back against the cushions
the carriage, and the involuntary complai
escaped her lips at last: ~ am SO tired"
Paris in August was unendurably hot a
dusty, so the travellers hurried through
gay streets without halt, scarcely pausil
in their journey till Lucerne was reache
Here they rested through long sunny da
I and Jack tasted the full enjoyment Of
new happiness. It was the very delight
! his heart to surround hJs Kate with eve
conceivable pleasure. and be found her