Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-07-22

quaint little panes Of the old house. It
was empty,
Derby never could believe in ST because
ne seemed SO contented and serene in the
dull, colorless routine of their farmhouse
llfe Her idea of ambition, like that of
: most women consisted of a mixture of
| dissatisfaction with what one has and an
lrrepressible desire to do something des-
| perate
| The result was that she broke up her
| little home, sent her sister to an asylum,
and started out into the world without
any very definite idea of what she was 60
ing to do or how she was going to do it.
She went to large city and sought en-
ployment. After many struggles she OBJ
| tanned drudgery which afforded her bare
subsistence. She met with insults some
times, but always preserved her self re-
spect. The years fitted by. She grew
haggard and worn and unlovely in the
| fight to maintain life. Finally she became
governess in a family which was going
| abroad. This was at least security against
hunger and privation, at the cost of a sur
render of independence. But Debby had
lost much of the spirit of rebellion which
had once possessed her. Many times she
had looked back with regret to the calm,
peaceful life in the little, ugly gray house
on the hillside, but pride kept her from
acknowledging even to herself that she
had made a fatal mistake when she left
that house and the honest, faithful love of
ST behind her.
Things had been very different in the
meantime with ST. He had gone to west
ern city when he left the little gray house
on the hillside, and with the money he had
saved and what he could pick up here and
there, supported himself while he finished
the study of the law begun in the little
home left by Debby.
He had developed from the awkward
country boy into a man of commanding
figure. His practice had increased; he had
entered into political life and had been a
state senator, with all things pointing to-
the probability that he would soon be a
candidate for attorney general, when he
was struck down with the first serious ill.
ness he had ever had.
Now during all these years his heart had
been true to Debby, the novelist would
say, and the novelist would not tell the
truth. He simply had been a busy, hard
working, ambitious man. Debby's image
was naturally interviewer with all his
memories of his early struggles and of the
beginning of his career, but he did not re-
vert to these daily nor hourly; he had TOO
many other things to think of.
But when he was raving with fever he
reverted to the old days under the hill and
called on Debby. He was just as likely
to- and did at times, speak of other things
connected with his boyhood, but it was on
Debby that his thoughts dwelled lovingly
in his delirium.
When he was conva lescent and inquired
concerning the details Of his illness, the
nurse told him that in his delirium he
called on Debby's name. This brought
with it shadowy something of the old
love. His mind. in the dreamy, feeble
state peculiar to convalescence from a
fever, reverted to the old days when Debby
was such a bright, pretty girl, and he was
an awkward farmers boy, but her friend
and protector all the same.
When he recovered he was ordered to
travel for at least six months. for his
physical condition was still far from
robust
He packed his trunk and started east
ward.
Four months later ST arrived in Paris.
On the day of his arrival in Paris he
sought the bankers of Debby's employers,
and learned that the family he sought
was living in Paris and had taken an
apartment; the location of this he learned
without difficulty. The servant told him
that Miss Parsons was out with the chill
dren and would not return till dinner time
"Did the girl know where they had
gomez" She was not sure, but believed to
the Louvre. ST declined to leave his name
and said he would call again.
As soon as he was in the street he called
1. 81 H. l. l.,{~ L.
Louvre.
Arrived at the gallery he walked through
the rooms. They were nearly deserted.
He only saw one woman with children, and
that surely was not Debby. Suddenly a
thought struck him which made him feel
faint and choked.
elbow could have been such a fool?"
he mused "Here am I, a middle aged
man, and yet ]. have been picturing to my
self Dehby as the blithe, pretty girl that
used to teach school more than ten years
ago."
Just at that moment the woman with
children turned and walked in his direc-
tion. There could be no mistake; the thin,
pale face was not like Debhy's round and
losy visage, but the big eyes, which had
lost their sparkle, were the same even with
their weary look, and the silky brown hair
that used to toss in the wind, now streaked
with gray and drawn smoothly back, that,
TOO, was the same. Yes, it was Debby.
Unprepared for the shock of this change
ST stood rooted to the spot. Then he turned
away little and looked at picture. AS
az ioo t ut hin, On instant and tban
s7nn aapav nehhv I'd nassed e eiaso e +n
GREAT hanDineSS and had missed it,
81 went back to his hotel and shut him
self up in his room to look the world and
his future in the face.
He was a voung man still standing on
- th "s. 5 " $3.50; H 80 s, w.
Ihe vi, % Ioiu y. :. e.u noioi ,:Y
career ne coulu easily CONTRACT Dlil-
liant marriage, one which would strength
en- his social and POLITICAL position, While
nothing. Now. however, he had found
that the love of his boyhood was dead and
Il