Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1919-12-23
His Good
Angel
By NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.


Marcella went soberly down the
garden walk, although she wanted to
dance. Her feet seemed made Tor
dancing, they were so small and light
stepping. Notwithstanding, she was
tall and straight and slight as a lily
stalk. Her clinging white gown made
her seem indeed living lily, near
akin to the white-blossomed ranks
swaying lightly in the sunset breeze.
She was all ready for the Elbridge
party-in q little while the Ander-
sons would call for her. 1t was like
fairy tale-this going In state-when
she had no more than hoped to creep
in modestly by the side door.
Indeed, at first she had not dared to
think Of going at all. Aunt Bah, who
had brought her up. had scruples
against dancing, and parties in gen.
eral. Then there had been the matter
Of a frock. Marcella had nothing
save skinny blue rag, worn for so
long the whole village knew it.
Then all unaccountably a far-off
city cousin had sent Aunt Bah a
check with a note that ran:
"Spend this for Amy's little girl
On top of that the Andersons had
opened their summer home a month
earlier. Marcella had been kind to
their little lad the year, before and
they did not forget it. So she was
going under Mrs. Anderson's wing to
the Elbridge's grand entertainment.
The town had been agog over 1t
since before the cards were out. 1t
marked the homecoming of Elbridge
Gray, heir and grandson. The would
be wise said it would also signalize
the announcement of his betrothal to
Sidney Cleve.
Marcella had not gainsaid these wise
ones, albeit very certain that she and
her heart knew differently. Back in
the days when Aunty Bah had kept 8
school for the very small children of
Lithgow first families Elbridge Gray
had been among her worst and clever
est pupils, manageable unless al
lowed to sit beside Marcella and study
her lessons instead of his own.
He had been jealous of her as any
small Turk, even after he had out
grown Miss Weir's school. Indeed,
until he came to the age of jackets
and shyness he had not hesitated to
claim her anywhere and everywhere,
to frown sulkily If she smiled at an
other lad, even to take her to task for
preferring girl friends. Then had
come the Christmas pantom,me, in
which he had been fairy bridegroom,
she fairy bride. After the wedding on
the stage everybody had laughed and
leased them so he turned on her as
though it were her fault and rudely
cast her off.
That had lasted for a year-then he
had secretly made friends with her.
you know you belong to me just the
same, but folks mustn't know" he had
cautioned. 'The idiots laugh so-and
look so sly and-hateful. OF course
I'll marry you when we are grown
up-but don't you tell, no matter what
anybody says"
She had not told. She would never
tell. Elbridge had not written all
through his five years absence, but
neither had he forgotten-he had sent
her delicate remembrances at Christ
mas, st. Valentines, Easter and on
her birthday.
And when Grandmother Elbridge
paid her yearly call at the cottage she
never forgot to say: "Elbridge asked
me to make you two his compliments
when l saw you"
After that she usually launched into
eloquent accounts of her grandson
how he was an honor man, or chosen
to the most exclusive secret societies !;
how his classmates all but fought for
the privilege of entertaining him in
their fine homes-after a while what
a figure he cut in the promenades and
at commandments. Then he had
gone abroad, and it was the same
thing-London had welcomed him,
Grandmother had let Lithgow folk
know of Sidney Cleve. Il was at
school with her grandmother at Miss
Hale's. Elbridge met her in Paris,
and they are the greatest friends. An
heiress?
"Of course. You must have heard
of the great Cleve iron works. A
beauty, too. / hear the artists almost
fight for the chance of painting her.
You will see her, maybe, little later"
this with a significant smile. "Of
course she is greatly run after, but
from all / can hear she does not lack
respect for age and family, and all
that"
Marcella had listened with a beat
ing heart, yet somehow her faith had
not grown weak. Judge, then, what
came to her of ruth and blackness
when at last she found herself facing
Elbridge with Miss Cleve upon his
arm, and heard him say: Sidney, l
want you to know my good angel. But
for Marcella l should have grown up
a savage-if my wickedness had per-