Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-10-07

A
"But," groaned Mr.. COPYRIGHT, where
i can one get one which he can trust on such
| short noticeS"
| A bold idea entered Gabriel's head She
tried three or four times to speak, and her
| voice failed. Finally she choked back the
| lump in her throat and said:
''Would it be presumptuous for me to
offer myself? / can show you excellent
| references, and I am now looking for some
| such position"
"You nursemaid?" exclaimed Mr..
Courtright in amazenent. Then, a mo-
ment later, he would have given much to
have it back unsaid her plain black gown
was darned at the elbows-it was merely
her way OF wearing it that gave her the
appearance of woman of long founded
culture and delicacy.
Two years went by, in which Miss Var
ney, as she was now known, undiscovered,
was loved by and loved in return Mr.
Courtright's two children. 1t was one
evening in March, just before dusk, when
she had left Leslie up stairs asleep and
had just come down to the drawing room
with Mabel to stay with the child till her
father came to dinner.
He was late and Mabel had wandered of
to back parlor, thus leaving Gabriel alone
in the dimly lighted room when Mr.. Court
right finally entered.
II shall call Mabel" she began, starting
from her station by the window.
mo, Miss Varney, stay. l have some
thing to say to you. You remember how
moved l was the first time that Leslie
called you 'mamma?' You thought then
no doubt that it was because of the men,
ory of my wife. Partly So but mostly be-
cause, as I looked up at you, thought for
an instant that you were the woman who
who might have been his mother if the
fates had been kinder. Do you know, Miss
Varney, that you often remind me cruelty
of a woman l loved better than the world?"
"Your wife?" She was glad that it was
dark enough to hide the trembling of her
lips.
mo, not my wife. 1 loved Marie one
way; she was tender and true to me. But
the woman that l really loved''- Then,
after a short pause, he went on: "But
what meant to say to you is this: have
learned to love you thousand times bet
ter than Marie, and sometimes, almost
think, as much as loved-the dearest one
Can you. will you hate me if ask you thus
to be Leslie's mamma in truth as we'll as
in word?"
Slowly came the reply, 'But you love
the first woman best of all even yet?'
YES do. But, as l said, l often al
most think that you are she when stop to
realize how feel toward YOU"
Moment after moment went by. The |
shadows came closer and the rim of lighter |
clouds near the west horizon grew mar |
rover. At last she said: 81, too, loved in |
the long ago. But can never in any way |
love another man. Butt
Miss Varney." he broke in.
''No, let me finish," she continued. "Take
an umbrella and go down to the east gate
Do not ask question, but take the UNI
brella and wait there'
Then she sped up stairs. He was dazed
maybe that was the reason that he as in
dream, did as she had bid and took his
station down by the rustic gate, where the
softly falling rain dripped through the
leaves on to the gravel of the walk.
Suddenly he was conscious of rustic at
his side and turning, there stood a tall
girl, with a loving smile beaming above
the same dark collar, with sweet face
shining from beneath the same velvet bon
net remembered SO well from long ago,
and an old time voice murmured, "Rob-
ert."
''Gabriel?" he gasped.
eyes," she laughed, "Gabriel and your
in one"
When they walked up to the house that
night she chung lovingly to his arm under
the marrow umbrella, for they were stran-
gers no longer.-Chicago News.