Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-02-12
MARK ANTONY'S WIDOW.

"Mark Autony's widowr' said Mrs. Mel
| thorpe, sharply ''Again! Didn't desire
you to tell her yesterday, when she called,
that was particularly engaged?'
Hyacinth Melthorpe hesitated. She was
tall, angular girl of Is, with feet and
hands pitifully in her way, and big
frightened eyes, like those of a hare dis
turbed in it's woodland haupts.
"Mamma" she ventured, "won't you
see her? She is very pretty and young,
and she looks so drsadfully tired"
mo, 1 WON'T" said Mrs. Melthorpe,
standing with q little Dresden statuette in
her hand, and considering whether it bad
better be packed in trunk or carried by
hand. 81 am going down to my brother
iu law Harper's, with Noriue, and I have
no time to spare for poor relations"
"Oh, mamma, hush! She will hear you!'
"Let her hear me. The truth never yet
did anybody any harm. Mark Antony
would marry her, in spite of all of Us,
when be might have had Prudential Goldi-
land. with her quarter of million, for the
| asking"
Mamma, she ia your brothers. widow"
Mrs. Melthorpe fixed upon her youngest
born Gorgon glance which nearly froze
her to stone.
s.Be silent, miss !'' said she. sis it for a
slip of a thing like you to contradict me
| and lsy down the law? Tell Mark Antony's
widow go about her businessp'
At this moment, however, Hyaciuth was
reinforced by slight, fair haired little
woman in very plain black gown, who
valiantIy presented herself on the scene.
"Do not blame Hyacinth, Mrs. Mel
thorpe" said she 81 called to see you
because l have just returned from visit to
Hsrper castle'--
Mrs. Melthorpe stiffeped visibly. Hya-
cinth looked appalled,. Even Norine, the
beauty of the family, who lay like a
sultana among her cushions and drank
chocolate, reused herself into something
like attention. lifting her big, deerlike eyes
to the blushing face of the newcomer.
"She is pretty, in wax doll sort of
fashion, thought Norine, who herself was
sort Of Junonian belle-large, languid
and pink checked.
eyes" said Mrs. Melthorpe. 'But if
you will allow me to mention it, Mrs.
Mark Antony, it was hardly the thing for
you to beslege my poor dear brother in-law
even at h,s own house."
"H,s wife was Mark Antony's sister,"
sHumphr' said Mrs. Melthorpe. s1f
you expecf, madame, to be adopted by all
MARI Antony's relations, you will find
yourself considerably mistaken. You are
young, and perhaps inexperienced. Allow
me to warn you that too much pushing will
not be tolerated by the family"
Mrs. Mark Antony haywood colored to
the very roots of her golden fringe of hair;
she would have spoken, but her sister-in-
law kept the floor.
''If you will read the newspapers, said
she, ''you will perceive that there are
plenty of situations as companions, stenog-
raphers, amanuenses, and SO on, to be
had.'
sBut-
Again Mrs. Melthorpe struck in:
'Or 1 would recommend you to study
telegraphy, or purchase typewriter and
practice diligently upon it. Anything
would be preferable to becoming burden
upon your friends. Good morningp'
Mrs. Mark Antony withdrew silently,
Norine Melthorpe tossed her head; Hya.
cinth burst into tears.
"Goosey," cried Norire, "what are you
sobbng about?"
s'Oh, it was too cruel" faltered Hya.
cinth. 'You might at least have offered
her cup of your chocolate, Norine."
"Nonsense. said Norine. '.The woman
has got to be taught to know her place
Let her go to work!'
.sBut she never was brought up to do
anything. She was rich when Uncle Mark
Antony married her," pleaded Hyacinth.
"She might have had few thousand
dollars-nothing to what Prudential Goldi
land would have inherited; but it is nc
fault of ours that Mark Antony gamb'ed
them all away. Her mother should have
brought her up differently"
mamma. it's just the way you have
educated Norine She can't even sew on
her own shoe buttonsp' protested truthful
Hyacinth.
"How dare you argue with me. you i'm
pertinent minx?" retorted Mrs. Melthorpe.
putting down the Dresden statuette and
giving Hyacinth smart box on the ear
and don't you ever dare again to dictate to
mep'
So the packing went on, for although
Mrs. Melthrope had only written to her
wealthy brother-in law that she would
spend few weeks at Harper castle, With
his permission, as dear Norine's health was
delicate, and Hya cinth. sweet child, was
growing a great deal too fast, still she had
made up her mind to remain there perma-
nently, when once she had obtained foot
ing.
'.And I WONDER" thought indignant
Hyacinth, "what mamma calls that but
pushing"
The Melthorpes went down by train the
next week but one, leaving the packing
boxes on storage and taking only nine
trunks. For Harper Castle was not many
miles from Saratoga, and Mrs Melthorpe
intended that dear Noripe" should have
the benefit Of the fashionable season.
| ''Albert Harper is as rich as Cr@sus, %
thought the maneuvering mother, land
there's no reason that some of the money
shouldn't be spent on his niecesp
/ Ste had not seen much of the Harpers,
of Harper Castle, of late years, because
there had been no very particular warmth
of affection between herself and her sister.
''If had supposed" reasoned Mrs. Mel
thorpe, s'that Artemis was going to marry
rich, / should have treated her very diff
ferently those years that she lived at home
with me. But Mslthorpe said there was
no reason she shouldn't earn her living and
save us the extra expense of lady's maid.
and OF course all that is bygone Low, and
II We play our cards we'll we can havs a
L