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

- "Papa, who is the stranger saw in the
library just nowa He was talking to your
secretary, Mr. Winchell, as if he were quite
at home" said Daisy Clyburne, winding one
plump white arm around her fathers neck
as she perched herself on the arm of his
chair
Those who knew Silas Clyburne only as q
business man, president of Several railroads,
director in score of other corporations and
shareholder in every paying concern in the
state, would have been amazed to see how
easily this fragile girl bent to her will the
stony hearted, iron handed man.
"His name is Osborne Palmer" replied the
elder Clyburne, gazing affectionately at his
idol
81 didn't ask you what his name is; ask,
who is hea And is that the way you dare to
answer my questions, STRIP and as she spoke
Daisy playfully pinched one of his ears.
"Ouch You little inquisitive torment!
Well, to be explicit, Mr.. Palmer is to be one
of my under secretaries. He is toto assist
Mr. Winchell"
"Come, come, sir!, that hesitation shows
that you are trying to hide something; I
want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth"
perhaps you remember that few weeks
ago you and your mother exacted from me a
promise that I would never again, under any
circumstances, open the packages which
might come to me by mail or express"
"Of course we did! If those wretches
would send you dynamite bomb once, they
might do it more successfully again; it was
by mere chance that the thing was out of
order and did not blow us all up" replied
Daisy, with a shudder.
''Not one of the servants has courage
enough to do it for me; Mr. Winchell has a
family, and since our recent experience he
has no taste for the task; SO have employed
this young Palmer, whose special business it
will be to open my parcels"
ooh, papa, why should he take the risk Of
his life? He is $3.50 young, maybe he has a
mother9'
''No, nor sister, nor any near relative. He
Is highly educated and well born, but being
unfortunate in business, and therefore Tilted
by heartless girl, he resolved to put an end
to an unhappy life. He procured quantity
Of laudanum, but decided that that was I'M
certain, and SO shot himself In the head.
Either his hand swerved or his aim was IN
certain, for the w4lnd proved to be only
tai, and as the letter no had written for post
norton purposes proved that the shooting
was Intentional, he was in danger of arrest
and trial for attempted self murder.
Learning of the affair, was struck with
an idea and so used my influence in his be-
half, and there was no arrest. He placed no
value on his life, and so readily accepted the
position I offered him. He came the very
grandmother's to spend Thanksgiving, and
Mr.. Winchell tells me that he Is of great as
sistance to him, especially in my large
foreign correspondence. He is a gentleman
born, SO he will live with us as member of
our family, and I want you to give your
cousin Bertha hint that while she is with
US we hope she will be courteous to him.
am very fond of Bertha, my dear, but I can
See that she is just the least bit snobbish-
like her father. Obed Jenness is an inbred
snobln
The famous Kilkenny cats might well have
been named Silas Clyburne and Obed Jen-
ness, for these two men were continually
fighting, tooth and nail. If one could thwart
q scheme of the other it was rare sport to
him, but retaliation was sure to come in some
heart searching way. As they had married
sisters and there was constant intercourse be-
tween their wives and daughters, they out
wardly maintained an armed neutrality.
Goodness gracious, Daisy, do you know
who Uncle Silas has in his employ now?'
cried Bertha Jenness to her cousin when she,
too, had seen the young package opener
''Yes, he told me all about him just few
ago. Poor fellow! He has ro-
mantle and sad history" replied Daisy, and
then went on to relate what we already know
about Osborne Palmer.
: Bertha listened attentively with peculiar
smile lowering around her thin, soulless lips,
and when the story was concluded she said
with q shrug of her shoulders, every ro-
mantle, admit, but what fool he was!"
ooh, no, Bertha! Doubtless his troubles
had temporarily turned his brain, yet surely
he Is to be pitied"
II am not so sure that he is not now-but
tell me, Daisy, did you ever hear me speak
of a young cavalier had who used to deluge
me with rare roses and choice bonbons until
his fortune vanished and then showered on
me tender verses of his own compositionsn
"Oh, yes, and how I envied you for having
a real poet at your feet! But where is he
MOVIE Does he still send you poems2"
"Doggerel, you mean! No, hope not. In
Osborne Palmer, your fathers clerk, you be-
hold the mant'
"No! Not really? Isn't that odds And
now that he has come to life again, SO to
speak, the lovely romance will begin all over
again." said Daisy, with faint shade of re-
gret in her voice.
Each of these cousins had something the
other lacked; Bertha was one of large
family; and how Daisy wished that she too
might have one or two brothers, or one or
two dear little midgets of sisters. But
Bertha regarded these younger ones as chan
nels where large share of her fathers money
must go, while Daisy was the sole and idol
lied heir in her home.
Then, too, Bertha had so many lovers and
Daisy so few! To be sure, the former, ever
eager for attention, met them fully half way,
while the modest little flower waited quietly
for notice or attention.
OF course it was not now at all surprising
that Osborne Palmer was soon made quite at
home In the Clyburne mansion. He and
Bertha had one day long and confidential
and after that there. was no
restraint in their intercourse. =
If, however, he wrote any more verses on
his lady's eyelids, Bertha neither spoke of nor
exhibited them.
About this time there appeared in the social |
ornament where the Clyburnes sparkled a
new star Of great magnitude, neither more
aor less than a genuine sprig of British |
he was poor, to be sure, but he
YES unmarried, and more than one managing
mamma was quite ready to exchange her
daughters ducats for share of his lord |
hips title.
And Silas Clyburne, as ambitious as Luz |
.ifer made I'D his mind that it should not he /
his fault if the young man were not attracted |
by his Daisy. Thereupon ensued series of |
Of all sorts; Clyburne began |
none of them, but he gave the last of each |
'eries, for so much more costly was his din
Ter or ball, or theatre party, or luncheon, or
yayety of any sort, that no one ventured to |
ucceed him.
"Papa," said Daisy to him one evening as
,e CHANGED to be alone in the library for
ew moments, 81 have piece of news for
you."
How his heart jumpedI The foreign fish
lad certainly been swimming round and
ound the bait on the Clyburne hook; was he
eally going to nibblea
swell, my darling what is it?'
'Did you know or suspect that my cousin
Bertha was the girl for whom Mr. Palmer
vas willing to throw away his lifea"
'tNoi You don't mean it'll Well, well, I
m surprised. Heartless little jade that girl
~ L