Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-05-12
pHYLLIS'S ENGAGEMENT.

cred Phyllis's mother to our mother,
as she came into the church alone.
phyllis is staying with an aunt ir
Australia.) Il lad five letters from
Australia, and l simply had to read
them all before l could start
Really" whispered our mother
with unfeigned interest.
Eyes, fve," said Phylliss mother,
beaming. "And l do hope your rheu-
matism is better"
phyllis is engaged said our
mother to us at lunch.
AT last" said Sister Amy. How
relieved Phyllis's neither will be-
said Sister Marcy. How do you
know" said l.
"Phylliss mother told me that she
had five letters from Australia this
morning." said our mother, as if nc
further evidence was required.
But said I.
Il could see by the way she said
it. OF course she is engaged.
"Of course she is" said Amy.
"Of course" said Marcy. There
upon l withdrew, as l was clearly in
tended to withdraw from active part
in the conversation.
"One of the letters would be from
Phyllis" said Amy, written before
he proposed She would say that it
was still raining and she was enjoy
ing herself frightfully and didn't
want to come home a bit. She would
write that in the afternoon, and they
would go out and post it together.
On the way back he would propose,
and she would write another letter
to catch the same mail. They would
go out and post that together. She
would be so pleased that she would
MT mind the extra stamp bit, and
he would think it was the incest pill
lar-box he had ever seem"
"Two," said Marcy. THE third
would be from him, saying what a
lucky man he was, and what a sweet
girl Phyllis was, and might he come
to England to see Pyllis's mother,
and Phyllis said if he did he would
fall more in love with her than he
was with her, and what sweet girl
Phyllis was, and what a lucky man
he was"
"The fourth would be from the
aunt, telling Phyllis's mother all
about his family, with just post
script to say how glad Phyllis's moth
er will be and what blow it will be
to lose her daughter"
'The fifth would be from the uncle,
with Just a few words about the fin
ancial position and all the rest about
his cold"
Whose cold?" l asked.
"The uncle's of course. l suppose
Phylliss mother will write to Phyl-
lis, saying she cannot bear the idea
of losing her."
Having sent her out for no other
purpose!"
60. and though she doesn't
want to spoil Phyllis's happiness she
cannot promise anything yet. Then
she will write to him a letter, more
kind than enthusiastic, saying what
a treasure Phyllis is, and that she
does not know whether she can see
her way to parting with her daugh-
ter"
isn't it possible 2" said /.
boldly.
mo, it isn't" snapped Amy
Leave him alone; he is only man.
l wish he would 60 on overeating
himself, and not interfere in things
he doesn't understand. What shall
we W Ear.
MY sisters went to tea with the
De Wintons in the afternoon with
INTENT and the De Wintons always
sup with the Priestleys on Sunday
nights. Violet Priestley is engaged
to Jack Hammond, and 1 met Grace
Hammond in town on Monday after
noon.
Il have some news for you," she
said, eff you will promise not to tell
a soul. l oughtn't really to tell any
one, but you are different. l did
not promise anything, but that did
not seem to make any difference.
phyllis is engaged. Isn't is good
thing? Fancy, if she had been sont
out all the way to Austria for moth
ing"
COR worse still, to Australia" said
"He is a tall dark man with a
black moustache. His father is a
Judge, and his family is the oldest
in the colony. Phyllis had written
to her mother about coming home.
and he went with her to post the
letter. On the way back she told
him what the letter was about
(wasn't it clever of her?) and he
proposed then and there. He has
written to Phyllis's mother, and
promised to settle on Phyllis
but l mustn't say how much. Phyl-
lis is coming home at once, and he
is going to put his farm straight and
follow by the next boat. The we'd
ding will be early in January, and
Immediately afte1ward they are 60
ing back to America"
"Why don't they try Australian" ]
suggested.
Same thing" she said. what do
you think of it all, and what am
to wear?"
Later I met Phyllis's mother.
'They tell me- said, that you
had five letters from Australia yes
terday. Let me congratulate you
heartily"
Thank you very much" she said.
Il love letters from a distance, and
it is nice to hear from ones little
nephews and nieces. Five separate
Was in Tight Place.
For many years old Colonel Lee re-
sided in Ninth street New Work. near