Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1896-08-14
IN POSSESSION.

"What outrageous conduct exclaim-
ed Mrs. Fielding, gazing at her daugh-
ter with wide open eyes.
every extraordinary" agreed Ethel
az never heard of such thing in my
lifer'
81 should hope not!' returned Mrs.
Fielding "What would your poor, dear
father have said if, during his lifetime,
a Young man had come to propose for
your hand, and, on being refused by
you, had expressed his intention Of stay
ing in the house until you accepted
him? I've not even read in novels
with fine touch of scorn) "of such
preposterous notion. Did he-did-dld
he seem firm about it, my dear?"
"Frightfully," Ethel assured her
''frightfully firm, and you should just
see what chin he has. 1t would make
three of mine.
"What did you say?" asked Mrs.
Fielding.
"What could I say? I've already told
you everything. l met him, as you
know, at the Marchant- Mainwarings,
and after our first Introduction saw
him almost every day during the fol-
lowing month. The night before [ came
home he proposed to me, and I-well,
you know what said. He then declared
his intention of asking me again every
six months and didn't seem to care in
the least when I assured him that my
answer would be just the same, however
many times he asked me. Well, it is
exactly six months today since the-the
first time I told him that I couldn't
think Of marrying him.
"And he expressed his intention of
staying herein this house-till you
said, 'Yes?'' put in Mrs. Fielding.
Ethel nodded.
"Then," was Mrs. Fielding's deci-
sion, "we must send for the police. -
ooh, no-no-no-nor' calculated
Ethel springing up. please don't do
that He's sure to go. He-he's very
gentlemanly, mother, and I'm sure he'l II
if he fought the policemen-and I'm
sure he would fght-there'd be such a
scandaln'
Yes, Mrs. Fielding agreed that the
affair would give Market Norbury
months food for title tattle if the
strong arm of the law were to intervene.
81 will see the young person myself"
exclaimed the elder lady majestically.
Don't be harsh, mother" SAID Ethel
blushing little, because, after all,
you know he's'.-
''Head over heels in love with you?
OF course rejoined Mrs. Fielding.
"Of course he is If he weren't, 1
should suspect him Of having evil de-
signs on the plate. Leave him to me,
Ethel"
So saying, Mrs. Fielding swept mag
nifcently into the drawing room.
But severe as was her tone and stern
her mien Dick Waterbury declined to
bulge He apologized for the gross rude
ness of his decision, but nevertheless re-
fused to spike his guns and retire. Dur
ing the alteration Mrs Fielding dis
covered that he was a young gentleman
of 20, with an ample income and a
small country seat that stood sadly in
need of some one to look after it.
Twenty minutes later Mrs. Fielding
returned TO her daughter.
my reasoning had no effect on him
whatever" she informed Ethel; ''none
whatever. 1 suppose he must remain.
He may be in more sensible frame of
mind III the morning. Don't let the
servants know anything about the real
state of things. but pretend that we
have invited him to stay here and say
his luggage will arrive in due course. J"
The result was: % That Mr. Rich
ard Waterbury gained his point and
staid at Pleasant View. (2) That only
his fixed determination to win Ethel
Fielding would have led him TO take
such a desperate step. 49, That Ethel by
no means deceived tle maternal juGg-
E4ent when zhe expressed herself indig-
naa4tly abOGr Dick and his resolution.
lShe lei slip his name--Dick-sev-
erYl times tsf}thinkingly.) az That il
was tbe general opinion i'll the kitchen
that the se..::ssaaassssss:es2l y l.n mad come 81
authorization any luggage--was &
''nsa4 ~ possession. (5} That he eeell
ed TO the Kitchen 3 very we'll dressed
man IN possession. 80 That the gentle
gnan Immediately sat down and wrote Z
long letter, which was given to til,
]aousesnaid 70 post ~ That NJ wired te
another a1dyess For some clothes, -
Thar sle Iettar WA addressed 10 Nj
JoaG B.euG triaT' s Court 4e4p4s,
Eyoueva (9j IAa., lii me opinion ct the
aitcnen, "Friar's Court sounded like a
low place for any gentlemap's friends
to live in.
\
Dick Waterbury had been with the
Fieldings a week and still showed no
signs of departing from his resolution.
He had soon made himself at home he
had broken the ice over the dinner table
during the first night of his stay. Mrs.
Fielding and her daughter had opened
the ball by treating him with frigid po'
likeness; but Dick had pretended not to
notice their manner, and ratified On sc
gayly that he effectually dispersed tie
cold barrier which the ladies had al:
tempted to place between themselves
sna their self invited guest.
After dinner he RECALLED them with
comic songs, anecdotes and news OF the
day which had failed to penetrate t.
the fastnesses of Market Norbury. Sc
very agreeable did he make himself, in
deed, that by bedtime he had quite woI
Mrs. Fielding over to his side Ethei
kept very close TO her mother all the
evening. he noticed, and would neither
play nor sing. although she could dc
both very nicely. On the following day
his clothes arrived, and on the thirQ
day letter, addressed to him in a bold
masculine hand. He appeared to perHse
this letter with much interest. and tht
one he wrote in reply he delivered t.
the housemaid with special instruction,
that it was to be posted before p. III.
at which hour the Market Norbury mai
cart was dispatched. The housem0if
told the cook that for a man in posses
sion the newcomer wrote very elegan
hand. This letter, too, was addressed t(
chat low place, Friar's Court, Temple.
So nv the time Dick had been lOca tee