Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-04-19
A PLAIN GIRLS STORY.

judicious handling of the last had resulted IN
a peerage. He was fully aware that
the agreeable title of tiny lord" which sur
rounded his footsteps with gentle nlurmur,
was slightly incongruous when applied to
himself, and Undetermined to marry woman
to whom "my lady" was a natural adjunct.
No difficulty about this, every one knows.
The Earl of Ballywally had seven daughters
and an encountered estate. How he greeted
the noble nail manufacturer, and invited him
to fish for salmon in the Ballywally waters;
how the new peer surveyed the seven daugh-
tiers, and finally decided on the youngest, Lady
Flora; how Lady Flora, being IS, and in love
with a penniless soldier of fve-and-twenty,
tried to show him that any of her sisters were
better fitted for the post of Lady Terrick
than she was-these are matters well known.
Also the grand wedding and the welcome
home from the Terrick tenantry, and the
pale sweet smiles of the young bride
year after there was great expectation.
Bonfires were built ready for lighting; the
ringers hung about the Terrick arms, wait
ing their orders, and inside the great house
people walked silently and whispered anx-
iously. At last the old woman who had
come from Ireland to nurse the Lady Flora
she had been the darling of her nursery
CIGpt uOWu UuS eau SUts1l ColSC W
her heart misgiving her, but a bold front to
it all.
"Praise God, yer honor-your lordship has
beautiful child"
Up started the father, flush on his elderly
face.
"a boy?' he cried.
may, yer honor; not this time. It's the
finest girl in the world though"
Down in his chair sat Lord Terrick, angrily
glowering at the fire. After minutes 81
lence the old nurse spoke, and there was anger
in her voice:
''Ill be going back to your lady, my lord.
Is there anything to say from your honor?'
"Eh?" he started. Eyes, of course. Very
glad it is over. Hope she will soon recover"
But before the argument had fairly
commenced as to the propriety of ring
ing bells or lighting bonfres, the mothers
tired spirit found rest, and the smile on her
dead face was all for the tiny girl she left
behind
When the child was year old and matrons
were spreading their tolls to provide solace
for the widowed nobleman, and when he had
sent for the little girl and heaved deeper
sigh than usual over the unconscious head,
Lord Terrick died. and, swapping the difficult
chain of events, left the Hon. Flora Benson
heiress at law to all he possessed.
Providentially this bereaved child fell into
good hands, and received sound and whole
some bringing up. The fact revealed itself
early that she would have no beauty, and as
she grew to girlhood her well cultured mind
decided that her money would bring much
pretended alteration to her feet, and that she
would never have the happy consciousness of
believing she was loved for herself. When
she was IS she conided some of her doubts to
her aunt and chaperon, the Lady Margaret
O'Kelly, and between reasoning and coaxing
persuaded that good and affectionate woman
to consent to romantic plans he had formed.
"You see, Aunt Margaret, though my
father was peer, he was also o man of
trade. While live in state in Surrey large
sums of money are paid to my agents by the
managers of the mandatory in Stafford
shire There is Ridwell Grange-two miles
only from the works. My father lived there
till a peerage and this estate were attained
together"
"Well, my dear, and do you want to live
at Ridwell Grange? 1t is your own"
"No-not just that" said Flora, hesitat-
ingly.
"What then, child?' asked her aunt, laying
down her knitting and adjusting her spec
tacles.
"You see, aunt, want to get away from
myself for little"
1.-THE saints preserve us" cried the Lady
Margaret, although she was a very stanch
Protestant, and looked upon a priest as the
direct and accredited messenger of the evil
one. "What has turned your headY'
'Well, auntie, it's this. Pm very ugly, you
know
''Who said sog' inquired the elder lady, in
a peppery tone.
Flora laughed outright.
''My looking glass. No one else has ever
suggested or ever will suggest such a thing.
But have studied my short, plebeian nose,
my little eyes, my mouth
'Hold your tongue, child" cried Lady
Margaret, aghast to find how well acquainted
her niece was with her imperfections; and
conscious, too, that she and her sisters had
many times bewailed that Lady Flora's
daughter had not one of her mothers fea-
lures.
''Please, auntie, let me unfold my plan.
Before the lovers of my money bags begin to
buzz about me I want you to travel with me
for little"
''Travel, my dear?" doubtfully answered
Lady Margaret. "I'm sad coward about
going across the water"
'There's no water to cross, Aunt Margaret.
just want to go to Staffordshire."
"Dear me! I asked you if you wanted to
live at RidweD, and you said no."
"I'm a tiresome, provoking, trouble
some"-
''Have done now and tell me what you do
want"
''Its just this: I want to find out what
would happen to me if I were poor-I mean
with enough to live on, but not an heiress
/ want to live near Ridwell Grange with
you, and for nobody to know who we are
| just for few months, to see what the ten
ants are like, and the nail makers homes"
"My dear, anybody but my doting self
would say you were mad~
''But you won't say it," whispered Flora.
And all that evening they sat like two con-
spirators arranging their plans, with bated
breath, for leaving the luxurious home at
Terrick, and setting up in a small furnished
house with two servants, one to be taken
with them, the other hired on the spot.
On dark November evening, about s
| o'clock, the train drew near the station, and
Floras eyes had been fixed with sort of awe
upon several flaming, smoking places-the
| ~.