Miss Ayr of Virginia & Other Stories Miss Ayr of Virginia & Other Stories BY Julia Magruder AUTHOR OF “THE VIOLET” “THE PRINCESS SONIA” [Illustration] CHICAGO HERBERT S. STONE & CO. MDCCCXCVI CONTENTS Miss Ayr of Virginia 1 A New Thing Under the Sun 63 The Thirst and the Draught 127 A Bartered Birthright 189 His Heart’s Desire 225 The Masked Singer 289 The Story of an Old Soul 349 Once More 385 Miss Ayr of Virginia Miss Ayr of Virginia When Miss Ayr of Virginia came down to take her place on the coach for the races, in company with her cousins, the Miss Ayrs of New York, there was a discrepancy between the former and the latter which could scarcely have failed to attract attention. It could not be denied that the advantage was on the side of the last-named ladies, though Miss Ayr of Virginia was exquisite, and they were plain. Compared with such costumes as they wore, however, such _chic_, such height, such distinguished bearing, what was mere beauty? The little country girl, with her village-made costume, just saved from absolute dowdiness by a few touches from her cousins’ maid (which she had inwardly resented), was certainly a fish out of water in that jaunty party; and in her wretched little soul she felt it. Moreover, her dress was not only countrified, it was unbecoming. Its style of construction quite disguised her slight and charming figure, and her hat was as complete a handicap for a beautiful face as could well have been invented. She did not realize this, not having as yet entirely lost her buoyant belief in herself, which was one result of her being an only child and the spoiled darling of her father, besides being the recognized belle of her county. What she did realize, however, was that these fashionable cousins of hers found her a nuisance, and that the invitation which she had received from their father would never have come from themselves.