The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-22

serve to be believed in. Well, now. wbnr
do you think did? l determined to get n
note from Miss Woodroffe and send il tn
Miss Harris before took another stem In
the affair. Miss Woodroffe, rs it happen.
ell, was to stay Mt the Joddrells' for two or
three weeks, and before n week was over i
had managed to get note OF two or three
lines from her. This sent TO Miss Harris.
and can show You the answer received. {"
Here John took from his pocket letter
case or pocketbook. from which, after some
turning over of the papers it contained. he
drew out much worn letter and handed
IL to me. 1t began: The handwriting of
the note OF which you have requested nv
opinion is very remarkable one; it eX-
presses III the strongest degree the quail
ties OF noble and refined character. The
writer has II clear brain, an affectionate
heart md great rectitude of mind: she
talks well, and neither too much nor too
little" There was good deal more in the
same style, describing such n paragon OF
our sex that | really felt an inch or two
taller for the reading of it,
'lf Miss Woolroffc was all tbat.u T soi5
can't imagine how you ever let her CO."
She was" he answered "At any rate
l have no reason to doubt it,"
He put the paper back in its place and
went on:
IL think may say that lost no time
after that. She was friendly from the
beginning. About four weeks after our
first meeting asked her to marry me. and
she said Yes Upon my word, Mary, if
had been twenty-five instead of fifty-five
don't think could have been happier.
She was just going away from the Jod-
drells', and before she went told her all
about Miss Harris and what thorough
hud in har LII
laughed Mt me, but unfortunately | was
quite convinced that my belief was we'll
founded and quite determined to persuade
her to think so too
She went away, and of course l wrote
to her. In one of my first letters l sent
her the one have just shown you, and
begged her to send my handwriting also to
Miss Harris for her own satisfaction. You
see, felt quite safe in doing this. because
the description of me which had been sent
at the time, you remember, had been rather
hattering. On that occasion Miss Harris
had declared that was of an amiable tenn
per, liberal, hut trustworthy I remember
the words well, and I thought it could do
me nothing but good if such nm account of
me found its way to Miss Woodroffe.
What fools people are! The woman was
rank impostor of course. rs found after.
ward to my cost and rs | ought TO have
known then, but did really belirv . ia her.
Could You have guessed its"
WELL no." answered ~ really don't
think should have believed it--only YOU
know, John. you shrewd men can be so
dreadfully credulous. Why. remember
friend of my husband who doubted every-
thing, and yet lac believed in Nine Blavat-
sky"
John grunted. He did not seem to like
riS ,r.h,.
poor fellow.
she said," he went on, that she could
trust her own Judgment and did not want
anybody else's. That might have satisfied
anybody, but it did not satisfy me- wrote
again and begged her to do as wished.
telling her about the housekeeper At last
She wrote that she had done to please ma
what she never would have done for her
self, and she said, 1 suppose you expect n,o
to abide by whatever Miss Harris NAY
say
do you know that those words gave me
fright? / had never doubted till then
that Miss Harris would give just the same
character of me as she had done before.
and also had only thought of it as giving
me more value To Miss Woodroffe got
nervous after ! heard she had really CON
suited the sibyl. and Two days later re-
ceived these"
He turned over his pocketbook again and
handed to me two papers. sinking back in
his chair after he had done so with ces
ture that said, You have the catastrophe
and its results before you"
opened one of the papers. and literally
opened it. with trembling fingers There
was something tragical In poor Johns ges-
tnre and IN the emptiness aud silence Of
the house. My eyes fell upon sheet of
M hn1 ,stl
handwriting, the words of which were
much rs follows:
This writing belongs to person of
singularly impulsive and eager temporal
ment. easily carried away by the feeling of
the moment; very uncertain and unreli-
able. sadly Inconsistent. without fixed pur-
pose or deliberate judgment: not wanting
in ability, but only in the power to apply it
usefully; careless of money, but scarcely to
be called generous. not altogether free from
vanity, his temper is very irritable and
passiOnate"-
There was more. but sigh from John
poor John! the most faithful and generous
Of friends, and the most steady going of
mortals-made me drop the sheet ard take
up the other.
This was very short note:
DEAR Mr.. ELDER-You insisted that should
consult Miss Harris and trust her verdict
on your character rather than on my own.
What that is you will see by the Enclosed, and
am sure you cannot wonder that dare not
marry the man described. am sending back
your presents and letters by next post. With
most sincere wishes for your happiness, yours
truly. LOUISA WooDRoFFc.
"Oh, John" said when had read this,
"but she could not have meant it,"
''She meant it so thoroughly that when
got to her mothers house in London the
very evening of the day received it they
We're both gone abrond, and | have not so
much as seen her from TINT time to thisn