The evening times., 1895-08-05
One Cent 4s', s5s
No advertisemsnt less than Zoe.
Nom and Then.
BY n. b.
ear her aud beat.

resting lovingly on Tue DrOWu nedu VI
young girl, whose great wondering
eyes were eagerly scanning the faded
lines OF an old letter, yellow with age.
As the last feeble rays gave way to the
dun gray of twilight, she arose with a
sigh, her eyes full of unshed tears, and.
tenderly folding the letter, laid it with
others in q great cedar chest.
Poor Aunt virginiai" she murmured
softly to herself as she felt her way through
the now darkeDed attic, stumbling over
the old audiroDs and quaint spindlelegged
chairs were strewD about.
Poor. Auut Virginia, such sad, sad
fatsl"
The sweetly serious face reflected In
the mirror as virsie Carter completed
her preparations FOR her appearance at
the dinner table below was that OF a
young girl of eighteen over whose head
the summers had danced lightly, leay-
ing a CLINT OF gold here and there in
the curly locks; a face as pure as the
heart which beat beneath the soft wool
OF her white gown.
The Carriers came OF an old line of an
cestry; many generations having been born
In the old mansion in which the family
still lived, the whole aspect OF which
gave evidence OF the architectural tastes
of Puritanical days, with its funny gables
aud dormer windows.
The interior was no less picturesque,
and retained many of the old-tiIne COM
forts.
In the long narrow dining room. lighted
by soft waxen tapers in their MA ssiye can
delabra, their mellow glare lighting up
the portraits OF ancestors which lined the
walls, there WIS one upon which the soft
light seemed to fall almost rererently; that
or a young girl dressed in the quaintness of
seyenty-fJve years ago.
The old-fashioned soft white gown, with
up and down stripes of dull pink roses,
the loosely flowing brown hair caught by
a snood OF pink ribbon. One almost felt
certain they could detect an odor of sweet
lavender waited toward one.
As firgie Carter poured tea from a d old
fGsufeii-,- Tea urn INTO cups of CSg-sie.l
china, her eyes, which had not lost their
dreamy look, rested often Oh this young
girls picture.
Nor could she cast off the glainor which
SEEMED 10 enveiop her until her brother
1on opened up fire OF raiIiery at her
preOccupied manner
She had been familiar from babyhood
Win The sad sweet story of her great
Aunt Virginia's young life, whose name she
perpetuated.
But never until the afternoon spent in
the cobwebby attic among the faded see nted
letters had she realized the story she had
30 often begged to hear had been lived and
suffered aiid ended right in the very house
which now sheltered her
The fair young face smiling down from
the massive gold frame assumed a new
interest for tier
The pictured face was 30 fair-so fair!
"MoiEsey dear, am / so very like nv
rA nj " Int.
evening, smuggling herself into low
cushioned seat beside her mother
Very like her, my dear" assured good
natured Mrs. Garter. changing for the
tenth time the position of her slippered
feet on the fender.
''Momsey, would you mind telling me
all about her again? This is just the hour
for a pathetic story like hers"
We'll. well, such a child as YOU arel
But they do say you are very like her.
Certainly her picture is your second self"
Hers was a sad fate, my dear; so young
just your age-and SO fresh and sweet
she was the belle of all The country
side. and could have chosen a lover from
among the first in the land
Her father, q proud, stern man, they
say. arranged for her to become the wife
or man proud and stern and almost as
old as himself. But Mistress Virginia had
a will OF her own. with all her sweetness,
and flatiy refused TO fill the contract
stormy scenes followed, but the young
girl remained firm. and further enraged
her father by announcing her engagement
TO Royal Stanton, the son of her fathers
chosen friend. who, thosgh s1f quite as
good lineage as their own, and exceed
ingly proud. Were quite poor
Royal stanton was Il son of whom any
father might well be proud-handsume ard
0rHve-but that he should have dared to
raise his eyes to Virginia Carter was an
unheard-of audacity and not to be forgiven.
However, instead of influencing the
young people, his unjust treatment but
strengthened them in their purpose With
the aid of her mother, the wedding prep
arations went on as IL there had been no
interference
las 1t was impossible for the lovers to
meet often, letters were exchanged almost
every day. There's a heap of them in the
old chest in the attic, although have never
read them.
We'll, my dear, the wedding frock was
finished aud laid on the cauopied bed in the
guest chamber; the travelling boxes were
packed and strapped, all ready for the tags
which should bear her new name
Late in the evening Mr.. Carter had an
other stormy interview with his daughter
At last, seeing her resolute as himself, he
ordered her from his sight, saying many
cruel things as she sadly moved away down
the length of the dim han.
His gentle wife's tears were of no avail;
be vowed he would not be witness of such
o marriage, and left her in despair
''The last seen of virginig was by one OF
lhe servants as she entered her room, her
sweet face white and her lips drawn as II in
pain.
upon inquiry whether she were III she
Answered in a broken voice: No, Stephen;
no, not i'll: only little troubled and
,losed the door,
"The wedding morning broke clear and
beautiful; the birds singing and the sweet
smelling flowers in the prim old garden
ent an air of festivity to the stately house.
Inside all was hustle and excitement;
servants running hither and thither: the
who had arrived an hour be-
ore. arranging masses of flowers in every
space. The bride-eleot had not
ret appeared, and although it was nearly
O'Clock, her mother refused to allow her to
Ne disturbed. saying. There was plenty of
line, as the ceremony would not take place
lntil high noon.'
ITO her intense surprise. her husband an
his intention Of being present,
n spite Of oil his raiing.
I don't know but I am an old fool,
Nancy he said; the boy is a good fellow, |
md. dash 1t, can't stand the look in my |
little girls eyes saw last night when she |
eft me-
IAN hour later he met young Royal |
'tanton on the porch as he alighted from |
ljs horse, welcoming him to his home as his |
on, for the little girls sake he said.
How gallant and noble the young man |
ooked: his face was not one to be ca silly |
Open and true as the sun, with |
IN intense amount of pride in the naughty |
urve of the lips. This glorious physique
vas well set off by his dress of black /
'efvet.
1.-THE bridesmaids gathered in the cor. |
ers fell to chatting of his beauty, and |
vhat a fIne couple they would make.