Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-10-09
THROUGH THE SHADOWS,
LINDA'S TRIUMPH.

or
LINDA'S TRIUMPH.
When Mrs. Murray invited Linda Des-
mond to make the tour of the continent
with her as companion the young girl, who
had never been dozen miles from her ma
tive town, felt that she was the luckiest OF
mortals.
Had she known the SORROWS that waited
her. she would not have started out on her
tour with such gay heart
Mrs. Murray and Linda reached Paris af-
ter long round of visits to the art centres
of Europe.
Everywhere the beauty of the young girl
had excited universal admiration. In the
gay French capital they made the acquain
lance of young Englishman, Raymond
Vincent. It was the old story. The young
couple constantly thrown together fell in
love aud became betrothed.
The news of their engagement reaches
the young mans family in England before
he had time to acquaint them of the step
he is about to take.
So it happens that one morning Linda re-
ceives a call from "Lord Vincent" her
lovers father. When she encountered the
cold, contemptuous gaze of her visitor
proud eyes, she sees that his errand is not
Lord thinks to intimidate the young girl,
whom he stigmatises as ga scheming ad-
venturess.' he counts without his host, for
Lnda's pride is equal to his own.
@Don't be afraid" she says, in voice
vibrating with intense feeling, in which
scorn is uppermost and for the time drives
away pain. "We1e your son to come to me
on his Bonded knees / would not be his
wife,
ooh, Mrs. Murray! take me awayp is
Linda's cry while later. 81 must never
see Raymond again. Should he plead l
could not resist him; and sooner would l
die than meet again that cruel man?"
Four years have elapsed. During the
last, soon after their return to America,
Linda's kind benefactress had died. In
one of her sudden fainting attacks her spir-
it had flied from its tenement of clay, nev-
er to return. In her will all of her fortune,
which was large, was left to her young
friend, Linda Desmond.
Thus we meet our heroine again. But,
although it wonld seem that fortune lad
poured all her richest gifts at her feet,
though youth, beauty and wealth are hers,
it is easy to see that Linda is not happy.
She is seated this morning by the window,
her hands lying lstlessly in her lap, the
embroidery, with which she has sought to
beguile the time that hangs so heavily un-
needed.
s'Was there ever any one more alone than
II" she muses., bitterly. 'rMy parents, my
lover, my dear benefactress, all taken from
me. have nothing to live for"
Just then comes an interruption to her
sad thoughts, as a servant knocks to inform
her that gentleman wishes to see her.
otis a lame gentleman, and he sent no
III m ri g
tress's inquiry.
ga lame gentleman No one among
her acquaintance answers to that descrip-
ton. And so, never imagining for an in
slant the surprise that awaits her, Linda
goes down to the parlor. AS she enters the
room tall form rises slowly with the aid
of crutch from a chair and advances to
meet her.
With cry of startled pain, Linda
springs forward, to shrink back as sudden
". Can this pale, crippled man be the
lover who had combined in his one person
all the beauty and grace of manhood!
Raymond notices and interprets her de-
meanor wrongly. An expression of sad
ness crosses his features.
81 do not wonder that you shrink from
me, Miss Desmond" he says. ''Do not
for moment suppose that l have sought
and found you to take advantage of our
former relations that were severed so long
ago. I came in obedience to the request
of nv dead father. He was taken ill
three months ago. and during his last ill
ness learned for the first time that it was
his hand that SO ruthlessly dashed the cup
of my life's happiness from my lips, and
that all these years l had been wronging
in my mind one who, instead of being a
hard-hearted coquette, as l had deemed
her, has been as cruelty injured as myself.
He had kept his secret well; even during
my own sickness, when l had come back
from the war with the savage Zulus, al
most wreck, with but little chance and
less hope of living the year out, he did not
disclose the truth. But in his own last
moments he remorsefully told me all, and
begged me to promise that after his death
I would seek out the young girl whom he
had wronged and tell her Of the repentance
for the harshness that had bighted two
lives. | have no extenuation to make for
my father" Raymond concludes, ''save
this: "That he was proud and overwhelm
ingly fond of me, his only son; and he had
mistakenly thought that, in preventing my
marriage with girl whose goodness and
beauty were her only dover, he would
further matrimonial scheme he had
long had planned in his own mind"
Raymond pauses, but as Linda does not
speak, he goes on:
'fYou must wonder how l discovered
your whereabouts. A friend in this city
who had known Of my engagement wrote
me of your arrival here and of Mrs. MuI-
rays death. But pray, believe me, that as
am now, though my love for you is still
the strongest passion of my heart, had it
not been for my promise to ny dead parent
nothing would have induced me to intrude
myself upon you"
Now Linda fluids her voice, and though
it trembles with agitation, an unmistakable
ring of joy thrills through its low, soft
tones.
"'As you are now?' Oh, Raymond, a
love would be worthless indeed that tim e
could cure, or hero's scars terrifyP'
It is three years later. Upon the vel
yety lawn, before an elegant English man-
sion, are group of three, a lovely woman,
tall, MISUNDERSTANDING man, and a
toddlipg, golden-haired child. 1t is Lord
and Lady Vincent and their two-year-old
son.
They have only been at Vincent Towers
short fortnight, for among the physicians
of his wife's native land Sir Raymond
found one whose skiIful efforts had re-
stored to its usefulness his injured limb;
and though longing to show his bride his
beautiful ancestral home, he had remained
in America until cure had been effected
Such joyous homecoming as that had
been! Such time of affectionate greet
Jugs and warm well-wishiDgs!
And thus, happy in the love of her hus-
band and child and surrounded by hosts of
friends, we bid our heroine farewell.
sLaugston sells the negro vote to Ma
hone," says New York Republican pa