Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-09-29

K'$ ri ifNfiiildI Is q cosmopolitan
-S@szAy ss%S1A up in a season
little city of hotels. It sprung
and will endure as long as the waters
are hmpid and the mountains grand.
Growing the highest hill is the chief
hotel. The view from the veranda is
magnificent. The lower hilltops,
rugged and Scared, near by, seem to
grow level in perspective, stretching
away in a vast plain of darkest green
to meet the blue sky in the distant
horizon. The morning wind brings
the odor of wild roses; the evening
wind is freighted with the spice of
pines.
The Chalmers, mother and daugh-
ter. were guests of the chief hotel.
"Itis exquisite, 80 said Miss Chalmers.
Il am weary of society. 1 will do
nothing but rest for the entire sum
mer."
Miss Chalmers rested four entire
days. The fifth day was Sunday
eve must 90 to church, " said Mrs.
Chalmers.
"But there is no church, mamma !;
the minister is taking his vacation in
the city while We take ours in the
hills"
Il shall go to church" declared the
elder lady. "There is lovely log
church in the country. I went TO a
log church when I was little girl.
We viii go to-day in carriage"
So the Chalmerses went to church,
not to the little white church in the
valley below them, but over miles and
miles of gravelly ridge road, down a
long, steep hill and into another and
a larger valley, where there was q
pellucid stream, shaded with syca-
mores and festooned with bewilder-
ing tangle of vine.
The country church was built Of
rough hevn logs and was not large.
Mrs. Chalmers and her daughter found
that the house was crowded, and as
there was no usher obtained seats with
some difficulty.
Miss Chalmers was on the right of
the centre aisle. She soon discovered
that the aisle separated the two sexes
that she, alone of all the women there,
was seated among the men. This
breach Of local etiquette amused her
at first
Miss Chalmers soon discovered that
the younger boys were nudging each
other with their elbows and laughing
at her. The young men looked at her
curiously; the old men seriously; she
began to feel nervous, and the feeling
annoved her more than the attention
she was receiving. Then she noticed
that the girls across the aisle were
giggling and whispering maliciously
and, yes, actually pointing their fin
gers at her.
How dared they Her face began to
flame. The young men looked sym
pathetic, now; she felt that their pity
was an outrage. The preacher could
no longer hide his annoyance, for no.
body needed the sermon now, and
everybody was intent upon that young
lady. who knew no better than to SIT
among men.
Mrs. Chalmers, who had fortunately
found q seat on the upper side, was
the only person in the house ignorant
of her daughters embarrassment.
The long ride had weGried her. She
was resting, as elderly persons some
times do. She listened earnestly al
the sermon, without hearing a word
she gazed at the preacher and did not
see him.
Miss Chalmers tried to call mp her
pride, but was helpless before the nd
icule, which constantly became more
unmerciful. The benches on the other
side all seemed to be full. She saw no
escape but to leave the room. She had
inst decided to bolt ANONYMOUSLY for
the door when there was diversion IN
her favor.
Immediately in front of Miss Chal-
mers sat a young man. he had
aroused her interest, because he wore
what she called respectable coat, and
because he had fine head which he
carried on his magnificent shoulders
like Roman hero, and because-well,
there is no stronger word than be-
cause. 1t can mean great many in
expressible things
This young man arose, and the girl
noticed, even in her unhappiness, that
he was very tall, as most mountaineers
are. He stepped across the aisle and
took little girl in his arms. whisper
ing a word to the child's mother before
he returned to his seat He did not