The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-08-24
BIG STAKES.

BIG STAKES.
A huge fire Of hickory logs cracked
and spluttered In the old time fireplace
Of Kenilworth INN. A group Of gentle
men sat enjoying It's genial warmth,
while the fierce gale raging without
roared through vale and ravine, encir-
cled the mountain in its fury and rat
tied the panes Of the dripping windows.
Every one who has visited the wilds Of
western North Carolina appreciates the
sublimity and grandeur of storm amid
the mountains. Even In the dreamy
haze OF Indian summer these grim old
sentinels are moody and solemn, but
when the clouds lower, the skies darken
and echoing peals Of thunder reverber-
ate through the cavernous sides of in
Vulnerable peaks and headlands the eff
feet becomes w inspiring to q degree.
Fragments Of clouds are blown hither
and thither by the fury Of the wind
rushing through tall forests Of mighty
trees which bend and snap before its
resistless force like tender twigs.
The storm comes bowling along with
the deafening roar Of q charge Of myriad
artillery. Such was the equinoctial gale
which enveloped the mountains in its
fury. The immense oaken timbers of
Kenilworth inn trembled and shook in
the grasp of the wind like the fiutter OF O
fugitive bird. Although. it was early in
the afternoon, the darkness Of the storm
was almost Egyptian in its intensity,
and the faces of the smokers around the
h~ospitable hearth were only lighted by
the glare of its glowing embers. It was
late in October, and but few guests re-
manned at the INN, they being a party
Of sportsmen on their return from o
hunting trip over to the valley of the
French Broad.
The most conspicuous figure i'm this
little group Of we'll groomed but brawny
gentlemen, much tanned by their ex-
posure to the weather, was . large and
portly man OF middle age and distin-
guished mien. The doctor, for as such
was he addressed by his comrades, had
just removed his pipe from his lips and
was stroking his luxuriant auburn beard,
meantime gazing pensively in the fire,
as was his accustomed manner when he
thought The doctor wa quite . yscon-
teur, having travelled over the entire
globe, visited every known country nm
der the SUN and Of course met with
many remarkable experiences He had
inst been called upon for one OF his in
imitable yarns to while away the mo
notony Of the storm. His stories were
very ludicrous and amusing generally,
but from the expression of his benevo-
lent face his friends saw hat the COM
ing tale was of q more serious nature
than usual. The story teller relit his
pipe, and between long drawn puffs Of
aromatic Virginia began more in solilo-
guy than otherwise:
sour presence here near the scene Of
what ! ann about to relate recalls TO my
mind the memory Of one whose sad life
has made q deep impression upon me.
Poor Virginia Staunton! Her history Is
a singular and q romantic one. TIC is o
repetition of the old, old story of wom-
ans confiding trust and mans villain
Onb DCIluyS Az COutAA 6C01OO1y 10 tC&AAOA
a love story, for there was little love
lost ON either side. Yet there was In the
place of love a kind Of fascination-the
diabolical enchantment and mysterious
charm exercised by the serpent oyer the
hypnotized bird.
"Well, / first knew the Stauntons-
that is, the mother and daughter-in
Philadelphia when I was o medical stu
dent at the University Of Pennsylvania
Mrs. Staunton was then a handsome
widow of some 40 years, q most charm
ing woman. She had recently lost her
husband and was living q rather be-
cluded life with her daughter Virginia,
who was at that time o romping, frolic.
some creature In her teens
MRS. Staunton had been q fond and
devoted wife, and i'm her bereavement
evinced all the richness and sweetness
of q pure. good woman, along with o
softened mellow twilight sadness which
touched every heart and yet threw o
peculiar luster and beauty oven her
mmnners and entire character. She had
the refined familiarity Of the cultivated
woman without any undue boldness ON
the one hand or prudery on the other.
I was very fond of her society and ire
Quently called at her home.
"svirgie was o winsome and hand
some girl just budding into sweet
young womanhood, mischievous and
full Of pranks, a. ell healthful girls
ahould be, yet withal manifesting much
OF her mother sweetness Of temper and
amiability Of disposition.
"As ron all know, after my gradua-
tion / went abroad and did not return
for six years, and thus it was I lost
track of the Stauntons A year or two
after my return, however, together with
q party OF friends, / visited Asheyille,
and what was my surprise to find myself
i'm the same hotel with Mrs. Staunton and
daughter. I lost no time In making my
self known to my friend of former yeara
and met with q most cordial reception.
The gay and romping Virgie Of my old
time remembrance had developed into !
remarkably handsome woman Of digni-