Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-02-06

den's. She was in great trouble. She anu
her husband had not been married long,
but they had had heavy money losses, and
he had been obliged to leave her with her
mother while he went out west to seek
employment
had brought her some wine jelly, and
after I had given it to her I said: "Cheer
up, my dear. It might be SO much worse.
Suppose he was dead!"
ooh, don't!' she cried.
"Weil, but it might have happened. In
the midst of life we are in death, and
think how dreadful it would have been to
see him lying in his coffin instead Of his
being just out west, where you can hear
from him twice week. Does he write
twice week?"
''Only once" she said.
'tOnly once-dear, dear!' said I. II
should think he'd write oftener"
"He's too busy" she replied.
Then to divert her mind from her own
grievances l began to tell her about my
new housemaid, Clarissa, and how many
things she had broken in the last week.
"Three saucers and a teacup-no, three
teacups and saucer,n was saying, when
I happened to glance at her and saw that
she was not listening to word was say
ing.
She seemed to be poor, spiritless Great
ure, and made up my mind that would
not go to see her again in hurry
Indeed, | came to the conclusion that
there is very little gratitude in the world.
You can go around wearing yourself out
trying to do good TO others and never get
a word of thanks
thought would goson to Mrs. Stones,
as she had asked the ladies Of the church
to meet at her house and talk over the new
altar cloth. When I stepped upon the gal
lery the front door was ajar, and a sound
of voices came from the parlor; but no one
seemed to hear my knock. paused a mo-
ment, when my attention was attracted by
the following remark:
Mrs. Paulding is one of those people
who are moral fy-blisters to all their
friends and acquaintance"
'Yes,' said another voice-it was that
deceitful Margie Hoffheimer-'I always
think it was fortunate for Jobs reputation
for patience that he did not know her.
''And the worst of it is that she has q
good heart, and one can't quite hate her."
'You are right, replied Gerarda Abbey g
voice, ''NIrs Paulding has one of the best
hearts in the world. know of ever so
many sacrifices she has made in order to
help Others"
well, l should think you would be the
last''-
But | did not wait to hear more was
SO angry that did not know exactly where
l was going when I walked away To
think that Gerarda's voice was the only
one raised in my defense after the way
had always snubbed her! 1 felt heartily
ashamed of myself AS l was hurrying
along who should overtake me but Gerarda.
She bowed and was going to pass on, but
l said, ''Your cold doesn't seem to get any
better, my DEAR
She looked surprised and her lip trem-
bled; then she answered bravely. cob, now
spring is coming it will soon be we'll"
'Not unless you take care of yourself.
You ought to get Tom to prescribe for you"
She hung her head and murmured some
thing that sounded like, ''Tom doesn't
care"
I asked what she meant and she an
swered: ''Tom and I are not engaged any
longer. | did not write to him that l had
undertaken the dancing school, for fear he
would say the work was too hard for me.
But some one else must have told him, for
he wrote me such strange letter-that
could not care for him much if [ was able
to dance and enjoy myself in his absence.
l could not help fancying that he was
ashamed of my doing such a thing, and
have always felt that ought to be doubly
proud because we are poor. So matters
went on from bad to worse until our en-
gagement was broken off,"
''But, dear, why did you teach?"
''Why, you see, we had had so much ex-
pense in fitting Morton out for Cincinnati,
and then Jenny's long spell of typhoid got
us into debt. don't know how to do any
thing but dance, and it was my only chance
to earn money. But never thought Tom
would be ashamed Of anything did"
A sudden idea struck me and took away
my breath
''Well, Gerarda, if you have never hated
me before l am afraid you will hate me
now" 1 said, and remembered the allusion
I had made to her dancing, which Toms
jealousy had clearly misunderstood. told
her the whole story, and said would
write to him Immediately.
''But suppose he's fallen in love with
some other girl in the meantime" sail
Gerarda with sob.
''Bless you'll" said l. che hasn't done that
of course not! He is too much the son
of his mother to change his mind in a
hurry. You'll see him in Paschal before
ZIG S1d VI GIC NeCh. IOO WdlkSu 10 ZIG
gate with her and left her comforted.
When | reached home I dispatched a
hasty note to Tom saying that patient in
Paschal needed his immediate attention.
and this brought him on the wings of the
wind.
When I had made the necessary explana~
ton he gave me bearlize hug and then
rushed off to see Gerarda.
Of course they kissed and made friends.
In fact, they have been married since last
evening, and l am as fond of Gerarda as if
she were my own daughter-the only draw
back being that they are so far away.
wanted Tom to come back to Pasehal,
and then we could all have lived together
in the same house and been so happy 1
can't think why he wouldn't do it.-Maria
Saintsbury in New Orleans Times-Deno-
crat.