Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-08-25

ing"
The parlor was but across the passage
Six steps brought us into the presence Of
my venerable uncle, of whom did not Sc
much as know the name. All knew ol
it was the initials, T. B., as inscribed in
the letter. He started up from his nap,
giving me a grim look of inquiry.
Cousin James, father" said Ellen,
with blush.
"Dear sir" said /, dashing in, 4" am
rejoiced to see you. Looking at my hair,
see not so red as in old times, sir -
Did not arrive till late this afternoon
hence my misfortune in Just getting your
last letter." flung it on the table. Gam
delighted with Ellen, and she, l hope with
me. Beg your fatherly blessing"
And down we popped at his feet.
The old gentleman stared at us with
establishment and delight.
"Bless my heart p he cried. "Why,
where did you stumble on her, and how
did you bring her into such good humor?"
I" Oh, sir, have been sitting with her
this half hour, in her boudoir, and"
"Ah, you dog, like your spirit
daughter first, and dad afterwards"
"And, sir, she finds my hair not quite
so red as she thought it was"
z" Bravo, lad And she'll have you 2"
"This very night, sir. if you insist up
on it, as hope you will"
"Ln triunsphI l dol will. Do you
hear me, Nell? insist upon your mar
rying him Immediately"
4" Yes, sir" said Ellen.
Ring the bell for parson. How we
shall nick that rascally Harry, Was try
ing to stop the match /; had some yillai-
nous plan of his own and was quite
afraid of him abused you like pick
pocket. Shall chouse him Handsomely
a parson-a kingdom for parson !''
And my venerable father-in-law skip
ped across the floor. rang the bell, squee-
zed my hand, kissed his daughter, and
rang the bell again. and performed vari-
GUS feats, which were. in their effects, of
a truly legerdemain character; for, with
in ten minutes, as if by trick of magic.
l, who, thirty minutes before, was heart,
free bachelor-free from the world and
women, was standingi in a wedding group,
composed of persons, all of them entire
strangers, my bride. my father-in-law,
the clergyman with his book, the lady of
the house, and some other persons, ad-
mitted as witnesses Of the ceremony, about
to be married to lady whose name did
not actually know. The haste, the bus
tie, the extraordinary transaction, my
hopes, my apprehension, my ignorance,
all combined to throw me into a whirl of
confusion, during which the ceremony
was begun, and conducted very little to
my ediication for cannot say that
distinguished one word, until my ears
were suddenly struck with the important
question" Do you, James J. Smith,
take this woman to be your welded wife?"
DC. AT that moment was struck with the
enormous absurdity of taking such leap
in the dark-of marrying woman, who,
for all could tell, might be - But
as was goin to bolt for truly that was
the impulse then upon me, caught a
view of the BRIDES face stealing to me an
upturned glance, so full of goodness. pSri-
ty, affection, and heaven knows what 9TH
er divine qualities, that fear changed to
rapture, and UTTERED the important Y es,
with all the emphasis of resolution.
How / quickened into life now, and
pricked up my ears, to hear my wife's
name.
Do you, Ellen Brown"
1 felt as if struck by forty jar charge
of electricity. The name COMPOUNDED,
without Illuminating me. In truth, 1 had
no time for comparing facts and making
differences for just as the clergyman
breathed the expected name of my char
mer, the door few open, and man rush
ed in, hastily exclaiming-
"Hold hold l forbid the bans -
Conceive the surprise of all present, at
this extraordinary interruption and con-
ceiye my surprise, when snatching Ellen
in my arms, determined to maintain my
right to her, against all mankind, but par
ticularly against James j. Jmith, the gen
lIite, who doubted not was the cause Of
the erruption-eoneeive my surprise, /
say, when turning to this detested perso-
mage, my eyes fell, not upon my red-hea-
ded name-sake. but my old friend and
college-mate, Harry Brown, Of Virginia.
That he should cause such dangerous
interruption-that he should turn against
me, his old friend, and ruin me. ! raj
sed my hand in furious menace, and If
there had been pistol in it, should
certainly have blown his brains out.
Hou forbid the bans, you seoundrel7 2"
said my father-in-law. in rage equal TO
my own. You dog, goa forbid the
bans 2" ri.
He was approaching my friend ireful.
". But Harry was looking at me. His
face lighted up with wonder. followed by
an air of recognition and delights and
smothering. or trying 10 smother laugh,
and laying his finger Significantly along
his nose, he looked at me, as he repeated,
though in very altered aecents-fn fact,
he could scarcely speak from laugh
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