Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-03-10
him because he was kindly.natnred
and altogether harmless.

tnlnRS pdTtlCulallN hilOuo . t0h
thousand a year, and wondered If
the latter consideration would
weigh with Mss Dormer. He be-
lleved it would not, and wrote her
a note accordingly. He asked for
an engagement during the week,
adding that he had under con.
sideration au offer to 60 abroad as
foreign correspondent for daily
paper, and that in case of accept
ing he would leaYe it for her to
decide whether he woold go or
stay. 1t was his last resource, and
he felt that it would bring things
10 Crisis. If she refused him, he
could 90 oaway-and forget. II She
but the other possibility plunged
him into such delirium of de-
lightful dreams that he destroyed
the missiNe and resolved he would
see her that evening and set his
mind at rest.
There is n popular fallacy that
vanity is the prerogatlye o! woman
exclusively. Many hold that the
soul OF man is above such petty CON
SideratlOns as dress ana persona
adornment. Go TOT Vanity hath
no limitations of sex AS Mr.
Richard HOtallng carefully ac.
complished his toilet that evening,
with frequent Suggestions from his
valet. and more frequent glances
toward the mirror, he thOIoughlS
appreciated his good points, and
yaliantly strOve to make the most,
OF them,in order to look well in the
eyes of her he loved.
After donning his dress suit,
which he lOathed, as most men Il o
1t occurred to him that he would
feel easier and cOnst quently ap-
pear TO better advantage in biz
Tuxedo. AT length, atllred tC his
satisfaction, lie felt that he wa~
not such a bad figure of a man
after all, and that a girl might well
~ pleased-but, of cOurse. no one
ever really knows what a fellow
thiuks under such circumstances,
and, all things considered, it wele
uDkind to speculate. However, it
was with q feeling akin TO hope
that he closed the street door and
went out into the night.
He was ushered into the music
room, where he found her playing
a dreamy melody of Chopin. Sh'
was alone, and very lovely in soft
tarqnose Grape, hich brought out
the ruddy gold of her hair AID lht
fairness OF her skin to exQuisi''
perfection. She heard him, end
turned quickly, with bright smile
saying:
, How good of you to coma to
night7 Mother and the boys have
gone to the opera, and an alone
tor the evening"
"I did not dream OF being so for
/ tunate," he mnrmured, as be took
: her hand.
r In some way 1t did not sonh'
exactly right, but he was fas
t losing courage, and hardly kneV
a what be said. she sank on a loY
T divan, and as he took the place a
her side he ODveTVed that she Wa
t. tsntallxlugly near to him. y
Il course, lie would have given world
l. to take her IN his arms at once ant
i tell her all that was IN his heart
s and have done with SUSPENSE.
d He felt it would be triBe lrregu
d lar, however, and dismissed tn
1. thonsht az he became more a
q ease under the influence of he
= smiling eyes. He endeayored re
u peatedIS to lead up to the point i
Is question, but IN vain, for she wa
altogether oOlivlOus to the trend {
Is his thoughts. AT length the
re spoke Of The opera the night bt
10 fore.
s "To my mind" she said, "ther
'r Is nothing more exquisite tina
d Romeo and J llet.' The music
heavenly, and the story beautiI
OF -wournfully beautiful"
ID "Eyery story of love is beaut
IT. full" he said, quickly.
t. ayes, love is best of all. 1t
OF perfect" she returned, with ia
III away look In her eyes.
er 81 hayeA chance TO go to Vlenn
s' as foreign correspondent" he b
'd gan, precipitately, "Gut before
DO decide there Isa story | want
an tell you.
ld She was still smiling dreamil
ed but turned TO him with look
ne interest. Her silence gave hi
st. courage; she seemed to await Ii
20 next words.
he at is a story of love, OF my lOV