Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-12-01


to wipe away the blood from an in
jured leg.
The dog really had been a good deal
knocked about, although 1 have no
doubt he richly deserved it; he now,
feeling himself an object of sympa-
thet.c interest, sat down and refused
to move any further.
l knew something about dogs and
speedily bound n his paw with my
own handkerchief and that of his mis-
tress, which was simply marked
Ella"
Our faces were very close together
over the dogs leg, and one of her tears
splashod on to the back of my hand.
Ella blushed, laughed and apologized.
II r yer saw lovelier blush or heard
sweeter laugh in my life.
Seeing that the beast was resolved
not to walk. | carried him. He was
tremendous weight and tidgetted
abominably. But with Ella beside me ;.
and her sweet, white hand, from which
she had Withdrawn the glove, con-
stantly stroking the brute's neck, ]
trod on enchanted ground. The maid
bS?ught up the rear, gigglng a good
deal, but as she constantly dragged be-
hind to stare at soldiers, her presence
did not in any way hamper us.
The accident took place near the
White Lodge. and we had to pass ont
by the Star and Garter gates. Long
before we reached them was madly III
love with Ella, and had already in
formed her that this was the happiest
hour of my life, when to my dismay l
learned that she was Miss Ella Barr
ington. eldest daughter of Barring
toms Starch, as we called him at the
bank, where he lodged portion Of the
wealth he had acquired by the manu-
facture of that commodity.
Darlington Starch lived in brand
new stucco palace he had built for him
self near Richmond Hill; and, al
though he was not exactly Perkyn
Middlewick, ] could never understand
how he could be the father of 50 re
fined and lovely and fairy-like a be-
ing as Ella.
Before the gates of Darlington Hall,
as he called his bricks and mortar mon
strosity, we paused Wewere friends,
dear old friends, by this time. | knew
that she was nineteen, and that she loved
nothing in the world so much as her
bull terrier pup, except her fatherand
her brother Bob, and she knew every
detail of my uneventful life Of seven
and twenty summers.
She asked me to come in; papa
would want to thank me, she said.
I found papa genial enough, albeit
somewhat condescending "The young
man from the bank" | afterward
found he called me, although my name,
Ernest WINTER, was known to him,
and he himself had begun life as a mill
hand at six shillings week. Still !
was allowed to visit at Darlington Hall
and to play tennis with the girls, and
every day grew more abiectly IN love
with Ella. whose unaffected charm of
manner no parvenu surroundings could
impair.
OF course I dared not speak Of my
love to ler. in my position that was
out of the question. could only try
to kiss the dogs head Just after her
lovely lips had rested there, and to
detain her hand as long as possible IN
greeting and parting from her.
Yet she must have guessed something
of what felt for she took me one day
into the kitchen garden away from the
children, and there, looking at me
with lovely, tear-dimmed eyes, she
suddenly remarked
Il am so unhappy, Mr.. Wynter.
Papa wants me to marry Alderman Sir
+ John Westbury. He is nice old
thing, and papa says shall be Lady
Mayoress. But / think be is quite as
fond of my sister Bertha as he is ofme,
and-I am in love with some one else. u
The look with which she accom-
panied her last words was a revelation.
She grew very red the next moment,
and began rapidly talking of something
else, while / like fool, stood and
stared at her until her wretched young
brother Bob came bawling down the
garden after her, and so took my
{ chance Of speaking from me.
+ For the rest of the afternoon Ellis
avoided me, and, cursing my stupidity
, ! went home and wrote her the follow
ing letter
Ny DEAR MISS HARRINGTON don't know
whether you will think me the most con
o ceted ass alive for supposing that a few
words of yours to-day encouraged me to tel
you what l meant to keep secret-that eve
= since | first met you. three months ago,
have been so madly in love with you that
, can think Of nothing else. But as my entir'
income does not exceed $3.50 year have
thought it would be presumptuous to talk o
4 marriage to YOU even had felt hopeful o
gaining your love. will not venture int
your presence again until have heard from
you. Only, entreat Of you. for the sake o
our delightful friendship, if / have made
mistake, and it is some one else whom yol
to,a NOT to ,vrita IN feIl mo what n fool hay,