Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1846-02-18

MARRYING A MECHANIC.
Tale Of Oluen Time.

Old ESQ. Philips sat in his great arm chair,
looking into the fire in.enily though the
white ashes that slowly gathered on the wood, and
occasionally slipped off, leaving some fantastic
figure traced the rcd ground Of the bright
coal, had some important meaning treasured in
the strange hieroglyphlc that was thus uncon-
sciously traced. Near him sat his on y daughter.
q fair girl Of eighteen. in her vol laced stays,
long bodice, and ample hooped skirt, employed on
some fine embroidery, designed to grace tho
cushion Of ono Of fine set of cherry framed
chairs, made after pattern very similar to those
now in vogue, that the Woodwork Of our
great grandmothors supplied tho place Of the
shining hairclolh. At her foot lay largo gray
ca, which sho occasionally stopped to caress, and
az sho did 30, she never failed TO steal glance
at the kind, but unusually serious visago of her
father.
The room in which they wcro seated wns fur
nshed plainly, but substantially, and tho uncar-
peted floor looked as whto hands could make
It, whero it had escaped tho sprinkling of sand
that Phillis, the coorod servant that presided over
overy department Of household labor. suro
to bestow in generous profIsion. A small! round
table stood in the centre Of tho room, which
set Of blue china tea cups, lttlc larger
than those which grace tho dolls cup
board" platter of cold boiled beef and vegeta-
bes. a plate Of brown broad. md n bowl of
smoking bean porridge. Phillis busy in
making the necessary arrangements. and had
taken down tho teapot from tho shelf. when Mr..
Philips turued round and insisted that Mrs. Phil
Ups would not DO hcine, tea should 90 omitted.
He seldom drank it, and he intended that Fanny
should herself of tho indulgence. Fan
nv looked up ut the emphatic g now" md a deep
crimson overshadowed her whole face as she
encountered the penetrating gaze Of her father.
Philiis' announcement that supper ready
relieved her embarrassment for a moment, rs she
busted herself in putting away her balls Of
we'll but when she seated herself at table oppo-
site her father, and still saw, or rather felt, tho
same earnest glance turned her, she found
herself, from some unaccountable cause, so en-
barrassed that she could not swallow mouthful
Of tho substantial supper that he was discussing
with such evident relish.
what !! no supper 10 night. Fanny. for want
of tea 2 quo,h the old man half seriously and
half pnyfully. I'm thinking, my child, that
you will do we'll TO take lessons in self denial
whilo they easier learned than when forced
by neccssity'
Fanny looked up with expression of child
ish wonder, and iunoccntly inquired why it should
DO necessary TO like such lessons. But she
added with unfeigncd sincerity, it nc: the
tea father, indeed. it was not that which took
away my appetite
Perhaps not, my dear girl said tho old gon-
tieman tcndcrly, but | had reason for insisting
that you should learn to practice self denial, and
thought this convenient opportunity TO ex-
plain
Fanny looked up tmdly. bu, did no. speak,
After long pause. hor father kindly said. i
suppose YOU give Charles permission to talk with
me upon certain subject. did you not = Fanny
colorod still deeper than before, and as she was
speechless, tho old man considered her silence /,
tact, acknowledgment.
'Woll, continued he do you think tina, could
give my consent TO such marriage Fanny y
And why not. doar father , family fa,ered
tho young girl. turning suddenly as pale as she
had been red a few minutes before. Is not
Charles as steady. Industrious and respectable as
any young man in the parish Indeed. dear
ia.her. thought you approved of him or
lou would not have loved him added ESQ
Philips. filing out the sentence that she lacked
words TO complete.
hardly meant TO say that quivered the
white lips of poor Fanny, for don't think |
could help loving him. but could no, bavo
thought OF marrying hum