Middletown transcript., 1904-09-03
~ NARY cL1RKE HUNTINGTON

LUZ Dut wall q pit. ~ SHOW you
what good l can be-,
The squire leaned back in his chair
and listened to her singing as she ran
up the stairs. There was no other sound
so dear to him as Virginia's singing
for did not he hear her mothers voice
over again? Indeed, the one to whom
he gave her should be worthy, else he
would keep her his own-gout or no
gout But what fancy had she in her
head now, that she would show him
what good shescould be And so won.
dering he fell asleep, for the warm air
and the autumn odors and the pain he
had been bearing brought on drowsi-
ness.
He walked with start and rubbed his
eyes; only to stare and stare again at
the figure in the doorway-that Of a
slender STRIPPING, whose dark moustache
seemed too heavy for his evident youth.
Was. this another Of Virginia's lovers ?
The naughty maid Plague upon her
for an arrant firt But who could the
fellow be? Surely he had seen the face
before, although he could not name it.
Then the growing mischief of. the dark
eyes under gallant's hat brought him
half out of his chair.
''Zounds What trickery is this ?''
The answering laugh was in feminine
treble.
"You bewailed that you had no son,
sir. And do not make pretty son ?''
She doffed the plumed hat, and showed
powdered wig. 'These are cousin Lionel s
clothes, which he left when last here.
And the wig and moustache he used
as makeup in acting plays one winter.
But, sir, am l not charming? Where
is the women who could resist me ?'
Where was the man who could resist
her, the squire thought, with fathers
pride in the sparkling face-almost the
more beautiful for its disguise, SO did
the snowy ruffied shirt, the blue coat
with its wrist lace, the buff vest and
knee breeches become her. Thus her
dear mother might have looked had she
SO costumed herself-but, all her mother
never would have done half the things
which amused this madcap maid for
Virginia in place of one parents sweet
timidity, had inherited somewhat of the
others dare-devilness- and he, a white
haired man with equity foot bolstered
upon pillow, looked back along his
youth and realized this for the first time.
"Child," he said gravely, "yoH ever
look well when you do well. But get
you back to your chamber and don again
your pretty sky-blue taffeta with its lace
stomacher, that you may 90 mix for
your poor old father the posset which
he loves"
Virginia turned away laughing.
"And never a word about my legs,
sir? These long white stockings, these
paste buckles on my shoes-oh, say not
they unbecome me. 'Tis thus / shall
be dressed when take that hundred
pounds to Hartford city, sir. You'll
not say then that girl is no good"
The squire's face grew gray, as with
presentiment of calamity.
"Would you dress to your death, girl !?
Let me hear no more of this p
And startled for the once by his look,
his tone, Virginia sped upstairs, with
never word to answer. I'd
But she was not accustomed to being
thwarted, and with his expressed need
OF son had sprung the wish to serve
Of which this freak was the result.
What harm could come to her if so
dressed she made ON horseback the
fifteen miles to Hartford city, and paid
the hundred pounds? No one need
know save her father, whom she would
tell upon her return, and when all was
done he would be pleased surely he
would. The longer she dwelt upon the
plan the more feasible it seemed. She
had read Of maids who, in troubadour
days, donned male attire and lifted prom
Use OF deliverance beneath the window
Of imprisoned lover. There would be
no lover in this case, nor did she wish
any. A fig for the whole tribe of lovers
Enough for her the unusualness OF the
affair. She swelled her white throat
and sang clear as a meadow lark while
she mixed her fathers posset. And
such daughter it was who sat with him
in the library after dinner-a daughter
who chartered and laughed and sang
for him until be half forgot his aching
foot ; who danced gay little Spanish
dance by the glow of the hearth fire
(for these autumn evenings took on a
chilliness), who lighted candles, and
sitting down to the spinet, unasked,
rendered sweet old songs, as the other
Virginia had done in the days OF their
wooing-dayss which could never die,
for no true love ever yet was lost out
of the world. True love is Immortal |!
But as he listened now his eyes grew
moist with foreseeing the time when
someone else should love the daughter
as he had loved the mother and he
should have to give her, his cheer of
heart, to a closer love than his own
yet he would not have it otherwise, for
he was fain to hear the prattle of child
voices about the ample spaces of Faulk-
ner Place and to hold new heir to these
fine old acres upon his knee. And SO
in his -easychair lie dreamed an old
mans dreams, while Virginia, uncon-
sciously arrogant with youth and beauty,
sat and strummed on the spinet.
1t was late when he hobbled down.
stairs next morning, and instead of filiaI
kiss he found waiting for him note,
which read as follows:
"VERY RESPECTED SIR: am of wishe
to canter off Durham way (you minde
love that canter welD and if Cousin
Elsa asks me to luncheon | may stop
until nightfall. Nor will you miss me-.
being OF heart to exchange me for son.
"Yours, Most Honored Sir,
VIRGINIA. -