Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-10-16

lug. Will D0 u6T0 UOIuOTTOW.
The door closed behind her. Raymond
Rose tried to settle down to work again,
but he failed-miserably. Thoughts
would not come. The pen scratched and
spluttered like thing in bad temper.
Each story, as he tackled it, grew worse
under his alterations. However, he
made desperate effort and completed
one ready for the morrow s typewriting.
Then he got up and went for a walk,
wondering what had come to him. The
visit of the morning would recur to his
mind. Nevertheless, as became a bach
elor Of 80, he refused to acknowledge
that his comfortableness had been in
any way disturbed by it.
"Absurd!' muttered he. "The fact
is, want little change-change of
air, change of scenery, change of peo-
pie, change of life. " The last was quite
an afterthought.
The next morning Miss G. Ramsay
arrived, typewriter and all. Raymond
gave her the story. She read it through
and prepared to set to work.
"What do you think of its' asked
Raymond.
She laughed-very pleasantly.
cat any rate, it is not sex maniac
al, {" she said.
'No," replied he. Il am glad it is
not" and began his own work.
He thought that she dill her type
writing very we'll. When the story was
finished, he took the liberty Of telling
her that the work was more than salts
factory.
She only replied that she was pleased
to hear him say SO. After her departure
he found himself wondering whether
the G before her surname stood for
Grace Or Georgina.
In the days which followed be learned
a good deal Of her history. She had
come to London with her brother, who
was clerk in brokers' office and re-
ceived an annual stipend of $50. On
this and on what she could earn they
were dependent for their living, for the
parents had died, leaving chem penni-
less. 1t was common enough tale, yet
Raymond Rose considered it remarkably
interesting
He always asked her what she thought
about a story. "Miss Ramsay often
gave him valuable suggestions" SO he
told his friends
"I think that your stories improve"
observed Miss Ramsay one morning.
"You seem to probe human nature more
than you did, and your sentiment is not
SO artificial"
"That is due to your influence" he
replied gallantly and sincerely
The dark, lustrous eyes looked up at
him and her face assumed half fright
ened expression. Perhaps she caught the
true inwardness Of his words. At any
rate that glance threw Raymond Rose
into ecstasy. No longer did he doubt his
own feelings
The same evening he pondered deep
ly. Here was man, with everything to
recommend him-a large income, an un-
impeachable character, a kindly DISPOSE
tion, heart filled to the brim with
love. And shea typist in straitened
circumstances, of quite unknown origin,
so far as the world was concerned True,
her brother presented rather an obstacle,
but them
The picture of the brother faded from
his mind. He saw himself welded to a
pretty wife. his old rooms cheered and
frightened by l>er presence, the stale
order Of things abolished, the opening
of new pastures warmed by the dual
warmth of kindred souls. Then, moved
by sudden impulse, he sat down and
wrote a story.
He wrote of a man, noble and good,
to whom honor, fame, riches came like
the sweet rain from heaven. The man
lived, prospered and was comfortable.
He felt, however, that void existed in
his life. He knew not its nature, nor
how to fill it, Then came a woman,
pure and beautiful as the dawn, and he
knew that it was she who was to fill
that void. So he married her and lived
happily ever after.
By in the morning he had finished
the story. He went to rest, feeling that
it was the best and the noblest work he
had ever done, although it was the un-
vanished tale of an ordinary mans life.
When Miss Ramsay next appeared,
her pretty eyes were red and swollen
with weeping. Raymond was horror
struck. Tenderly he bade her be seated
and inquired the cause of her grief.
The tale was soon told. "Brother"
had suddenly and unexpectedly lost his
employment, through no fault of his
own. His "firm" had coalesced with
another and his services would be no
longer required He was to be paid ESQ
for his compensation and sent about his
business.
"You must let me help you,' ex-
claimed Raymond Rose sympathetically.
Then, on sudden, an idea flashed into
his mind, flooding it with joy. For the
first time in his life he blessed that
brother. Would not the catastrophe
make that task easier? The girl was at
this moment threatened with destitu-
ton. He gave not a thought to the un-
generous side Of the question.
"No,' said he eagerly as Miss Ram
say wearily began her typewriting. 81
don't wish you to do that today. You
are in trouble. Here is a new story. I
wrote it last night. want you to read
it and give me your opinion as you al
ways do. I want to know whether you
consider the ending is good"
| Mechanically she took the manuscript
from his hand. She read it at first
| vaguely and without understanding its
! particular import. Then she suddenly
became aware that his eyes were fixed
/ L E
ate gaze.