Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-01-23
WIDOW MCPHERSON.

w lDOW M I nEnOUlN.
''In short, say you've appointed yourself
mentor over me at once and be done with
it--hang it!'
Lakely glared at his companion. Bristed,
inmovable, went ON smoking A silence,
fraught with explosive possibilities, en-
sued. Finally Bristed arose. He was
somewhat the elder of the two, and he was
saturnine and dark.
what are you going to do?' he de-
manded.
"If you think Pm going to say
"Then you go to the dickens by the short
est cut you can findl'' was Bristed's ulti-
matum.
The next day Mrs. Lakely tearfully
pressed me into an interview.
81 assure you have done my best to dis
suade Horace" Bristed Said
'Oh, it's too dreadfull'' moaned Lake
ly's mother, wringing her hands, "You
have always been such good friends-room
mates and all-and young men will often
listen to an older comrades advice and re-
monstrance where a mothers, sisters
are quite thrown away. Do use your in
fuence, my dear Mr.. eBristed, with my
poor, benighted boyl Oh, it is too shock
ing that he should be thinking for one in
slant even of such a marriager'
Il appreciate your position, you may be
sure, my dear madam. 1t is a very trying
one," murmured Bristed alphabetically.
"And it is so horrible, too, that there
should be a question of bringing such q
person into the family where there is a
young girl" continued Mrs. Lakely. put
ting her handkerchief to her faded, pretty,
ladylike little face.
Mrs. Lakely felt that this allusion to
her daughter was master stroke of diplo-
macy.
Certainly, l can appreciate your feel
ings here more than ever" cried Bristed
warmly.
'In the name of heaven, Lakely, don't
make such fool of YOURSELF he began, in
the tone Of more tolerant responsiveness.
"A fool of myself! By George! l think
I've good deal of patience to stand what
I've stood from you the last month, Bristedl
If fellow didn't feel sore about throwing
over an old friend, by George"-
"All right, understand your point of
view,'' said Bristed placidly. at isn't
agreeable to have warnings dinned into
your ears when you want to rush headlong
into the biggest folly of your life. But it's
the friends part to sound the warning, all
the same, whether it's agreeable or not.
You might think of your mothera and sister
little in this matter, too
what the deuce have they, or have you,
or has any one. for the matter of that, to
say anything against Mrs. Mcpherson,
Bristed?' cried Lakely, starting up and
confronting his friend, with his boyish
features afush and kindling light in his
blue eyes, "You say she's little older
than I''-
mot little; good deal. She's older
than l am-must be-" interrupted Bristed.
"WeIl, and even if she were. What of
it? What are few years one way or the
other?'
ga great deal when the few years are on
the wrong side. But that isn't the worst
feature. You needn't force me into saying
things you wouldn't care to hear. But you
know as well as l do that McPherson's
widow has been talked about. Oh! unjust
ly, if you care to have it SO! Pm not going
into that question. But the old fellow
didn't inspire the greatest respect himself,
and, at all events, a good many things were
said of his pretty wife. Why, my dear fell
low" continued Bristed reasoningly, and
with the kindly influence in his fine voice
and the softened expression in his strong
features which had always had so much
power over Horace Lakely's impulsiyely
Youthful temperament, tits preposter-
Gus thing, you losing your head and letting
yourself in for this sort of thing This
woman is no wife for you"-
"You don't know herl You haven't even
seen her, exclaimed Lakely weakly.
~ have never seen her, that's fact. But
I know her all the same. One always
l., xxyo,,oay, cf that cort of "a her
They're very interesting to meet; very
stimulating; very amusing; very fascinat-
ing. They have ten thousand arts. While
their spell is on man he thinks them
anything they choose to be thought. He
believes nything-everything Afterward
he has an awakening, and it is very well
for him if he hasn't to discover that he has
bound himself, hand and foot, while he
was under the charm. Flirt with an adj
venturess-for really you know McPhep-
son can scarcely be called anything else
fiirt with an adventures as much as you
like, my dear boy, if you feel sure enough
of yourself; but be very careful to stop--a
long way off of matrimony. That's what
wise man does, my boy"
| Poor Lakely, with his elbows on his
knees and his hands supporting his head;
Eat staring at the figures of the carpet.
"Confound it! you always had wisdom
enough to fit out an army, Bristol" he
growled sits no effort for you to keep
out of scrapes You couldn't get into one
if you tried You're so deucediy cold
blooded."
When it dawned upon Mrs, Lakely that
her son might unexpectedly be on the
point of listening to reason the poor lady's
JOY burst forth in touching gratitude to
Horace's friend. But it was short lived
Joy. At the end of fortnight she came
to Bristed, pale with agitation, and COM
municated the dire intelligence that Mrs.
Mcpherson had appeared in person on the
scene; that she was following Horace up.
81 suppose she feels that the boy has
| been slipping from her-odious personl"
exclaimed Mrs. Lakely, waxing bitter in
her righteous indignation. cit is too
shocking, the vulgar forwardness of such
people | do not fancy that she really
cares for Horace, you know. 1t is his
money-that is what she wants to SECURE.
She knows the boy has just come into his
grandfather's property. And she is poor;
they say, though she lives with an appear
ance of luxury, that she is absolutely I'M
pecunious Her husband, it would seem,
left her nothing whatever"
luae5lile lueTe Is 40 uouDb dDOut tudt,
said Bristed.
| And then Mrs. Laizely came to her point.
| Would Mr.. Bristed go to this 'iperson"
and try to convince her that the family
strenuously objected to the proposed mar
rage, and that everything would be done
to bring it to naught? Would he try TO
persuade her to give Horace up, to relin-
quish her hold of young fellow-a mere
boy-much her junior, who ought not to be
thinking as yet of matrimony under any
circumstances? Would he appeal to her
good feelings if she had any? Would
he''-
my dear Mrs. Lakely. anything to
oblige you, but don't know"-
sob, don't say So" interrupted the poor
lady. 81 have such confidence in your
ability to straighten matters out for u.s."
A day or two later this conversation re-
suited in a visit from Bristed to the hotel