Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-05-13
A PRESSED ROSE.

Grace Hetherton was happy; that is,
young Grace was. There was an old Grace
Hetherton too. Aunt and niece they were,
one nearly sixty, the other just turned twen-
ty. And the young Grace was happy that
summer evening for the same reason that
Aunt Grace had been happy forty years be-
fore. She was going to marry Archie Armi-
tage.
For years before Archie Armitage and
Grace Hetherton had been betrothed. He
was young Euglishman, and short time
before the day fixed for the wedding he had
been called home by the sudden death OF
bis father, leaving Oraco to wait on this
side the water for his speedy, safe return.
But that never came. The ship on which
he took passage for England never arrived
in port. Grace waited and hoped on. "He
said he woald come;he will come" she said.
Her father and mother and her brother John
hoped and waited with her, but no tidings
came. Until all chance for his return was
past, they did not tell her that he was dead
that he had been drowned at sea. Then,
at last, they put away the bridal finery.
Bot still Grace hoped and waited. Her
clouded brain held fxedly to the one idea;
her lover would return. The months grew
into years, but still every night she looked
long and anxiously down the drive, and
said, eff not tonight, he will come to-mor-
row."
The father died; John brought a wife in
to the big, rambling house, Grace's hair
turned from brown to gray. from gray to
snowy white; wrinkles came into her sweet,
wistful face; nephews and nieces grew up
about her; but still she looked out from ber
rooms at the end of the wing and said, ''He
NAV come to morrow" About the country
she came to be spoken of as ''poor old Miss
Hetherton." Visitors to the house saw her
sometimes, and she explained to them that
she was merely ''staying with John till
Archie came back"
Now. after forty years, another Grace
HetherSon was to marry another Archie
Armitage, Johns daughter. Oracle, had
met the second Archie while travelling
abroad. He was the son of the drowned
mans brother, and in face and figure, in
voice and bearing, was remarkably like his
uncle.
Oracle walked up and down in the sweet
smelling June twilight, from the piazza to
the gate and back again. She was waiting
for Archie. He had but recently come from
England, and was soon to take her back
with bim, his bride.
As she paced to and fro, she caught the
CLEAN of light from her aunt's windows in
the old wing. 1t occurred to her to 90 and
sit there with the old lady until Archie
came. She had told Aunt Grace some time
before of her engagement, but when she
gave her lovers name, the gentle voice had
checked her. "Do not talk nonsense, child,
dear! Archie Armitage is coming over sea,
true enough. have been waiting for him
You mnst not claim him for your sweet
heart, my dear Gracie." Aunt Grace dis
missed the subject as nonsense, and was moi
to be reasoned out of it. So when the
young Archie had come for his first visit to
the little town he had not been presented
to the mistress of the pretty ground fool
rooms in the old wing of the Hethertor
mansion.
Oracle crossed the lawn aud mounted th'
short flight Of steps to her aunt's door, al
most hidden by climbing roees full of bloom
She paused there and looked in, silently. Ii
the center of the coy room her aunt sa
reading by shaded lamp, her lavender sill
dress falling about her in full folds. AL
her surroundings told of love for the
beautiful, Choice engravings and etchings
hung ON the walls. A great jar Of old fash
ioned single white roses stood upou tht
open piano. The shaded lamp cast mel
low, softeued light over everything. Th'
corners we're but half defined. Oracle wa
about to 60 in when she heard the click o
the gate and quick footsteps coming up tht
path, Then she saw Archie walking to
ward her. He had seen her white dres
crossing the lawn and had followed.
:I'll hide from him behind the roses ant
| let him hunt" she thought, and quickl!
drew back at the eide of the steps.
ssThe young man came up the steps
sGracieF' he called; ''Graciep'
The figure in the room reading by tn
shaded lamp turned at the voice. She rose
and for one trembling, uncertain romen
stood still. Then. with the lovelight in he
eyes, witt arlas outstretehed, with +b
sns!lo of her happy girlnood up1a her face