Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-11-03
e fair girls arm, and arrested her progress from

the fair girls arm, and arrested her progress from
the room.
eyes," family stammered the merchant.
( "We give her home here to protect her from
poverty added Mrs. Perkins
Heavens what mistake have made," saie
the young man, as he gazed first upon the thing
of paint, jewels, and satin, and then turned his
eyes upon the trembling, frightened being who had
| stopped beneath his touch.
| 'Yes, yes," murmured Maria "It was all 9
! mistake. Let me CO."
"No, indeed |! it was happy mistake No, no,
you must not, shall not go from me ~
'sMr. Mllburn, what is the meaning of all this?'
at length asked Perkins, as he found tongue to
| articulate. '''
ssIt means simply this,'' returned the young man,
without hesitation, as he drew Maria nearer to
him. 81 came here with slight expectation OF
finding one whom I might make my wife. A
few evenings sinceI spent two hours here with this
young lady, and until now thought she was your
daughter. found in her one who was imaged in
the love of my childhood, and loved her again,
not as a child of yours, but for what found her
to be-" es "a 72o'5' '-'N aeE %
"You deceitfal huzzy % gasped Mrs. Perkins,
as Arabella,with an excellently modulated scream
tainted upon the sofa.
Maria. 4'7i tf5'' 4t''''' -22'-- -''-- '- L'''-57
ssThis is is strange piece of business, sir"
pronounced Mr.. Perkins, with a flush Of anger
and disappointed hopes. 'sOf course, sir, you
will, now that you see your error, make re-
paration to my daughter, and allow that girl to
go about her business
GAS for your daughter, SIR returned Lucien,
ri have no reparation to make. That belongs to
you but as for this fair being, if she will but
cept the hand now offer, together with the heart
that is already hers, this strange business may
be easily settled. Speak, Maria; will you be
mine ,'' r-@ "5F- ~ '''+
ayes % trembled upon the poor cousins lips,
and as she spoke, her head sank upon the bosom
of him to whom her answer was directed.
Mrs. Perkins knew not what to do, so she hap
PLY tainted by the side of her daughter and while
the husband was gone for the smelling-salts, Lu-
Glen drew Maria aside, and whispered few hur-
ried words in her ear. A beam of happiness
sprang to her cheek as she consented to the prop
"a, ; z
osition she had heard, and shortly afterwards Lu-
Glen Milburn left the house,, He now understood
the strange remarks of Harry Forrest, and he
knew that Perkins had been aiming at his money;
and in his heart he thanked God for the turn af-
fairs had taken.
On the next morning, he called again at the
merchants dwelling, but no one was sat home'
to see him, excepting Maria; but seeing that she
was the only one he wished to see, the disappoint-
ment was bearable.
In less than week, the "Poor Cousin" had be-
come Mrs. Millburn. Her dream had not been
cruel, for earth had not happier realization than
was hers.
Before Lucien took his beautiful wife away with
him to his sunny home in the South, he heard of
the failure of Fir. Lot Perkins, and though he
would gladly have helped friend in distress, yet
he felt that Mr. Perkins and his family needed the
lesson they would thus receive, and he left them
to profit by it. - -5. a.r.7-f...,....-