Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-06-15


"1'm a dolt. and | know it! What
right have I to be in rage because Mary
chooses to like the clerk, and he loves
her back? l verify believe I'm in love
with her myself, and she can never care
for such bear rs I am. Oh, dear, she
could not like me. when I have almost
broken her dear little heart with my
cruelty. Twill show my devotion, and
make martyr of myself by way Of
atonement; though I know shall hang
myself, or throw myself into the first
duck-pond come across. Perhaps it
will be better to endure in silence, and
death will soon terminate my sufferings,
for am :eglnning to pine away already"
f1e glanced at the almost a1dermanic pro-
portions reflected in the glass, and at his
round red face: and sie iehing like north
east hurricane, he added, "Its all inward,
and the fever burns there" and he struck
his hand on that portion of his expansive
chest supposed to contain the heart.
He rang for Mary again, and she came
down. but looked pale, and her eyes were
slightly swollen with weeping, and he
felt more than ever indignant at himself
for making her unhappy. He kindly
took her hand, and leading her to seat
on the sofa, said, in very gentle, humble
tones
"Forgive me, Mary, for my rudeness
Just now and to show how sorry feel,
freely and fully give my consent for you
to marry as many clerks as you please,
only don't break my heart by bringing
him here, for don't know what l might
do-perhaps something desperate: and
you could not blame me for annihilating
an army of them when they come to see
you, and you welcome them, and leave
me to waste away and die in hopeless des-
pair for know l shall 4; and 7 mean to
purchase an interest in some cemetery,
preparatory to your wedding, for / am
convinced that [ shall not survive it.
Don't mock at my misery" he added as
she laughed merrily, "I know you hate
me, and despise me, and laugh at me for
a silly old heathen, as am, for thinking
that dear, sweet, beautiful maiden like
you would be content to linger out her
days with an antiquated bachelor like me,
though | am only thirtysix, but l feel as
if [ was venerable grandfather ever since
you thought Of marrying that whiskerless
young clerk"
Here he was obliged to pause for want
of breath, and Mary, looking roguishly
out OF the corner of her now saucy eye,
said:
"What if | do not think of marrying
that whiskcllcss YoLng clerk! | never
said | did,
"You don'ta Then I shall conclude
not to get that interest in cemetery just
yet, and perhaps some time but no, you
won't, know you will not. SO [ might
as we'll do it now as byand-by, for you
will never have me, and some one else
will come, and [ shall have to come to it
eventually;' and he sank back into his
former collapsed state, like balloon with
hole in it.
Mary looked very wicked as she sat
contemplating him, and at last turning
away her head to hide deep blush, she
said:
"Why, Ned, you do not know whether
[ would have you or not, for you never
asked me-"
Ned started briskly up, and holding
out his hand viii trag-comic look, said:
"Well, Mary. will you take me? |
can't pop the question in the latest style.
the way dandy clerks do, for am not
accustomed to the thing. but will you
take me! Don't say no; for if you do,
you must answer for the consequences ::
and if you say yes, shall 60 crazy with
joy"
Mary hesitatcd, not wishing probably
to make him desperate, or drive him crazy:
but she chose the latter alternative, for
she slid her soft little hand into his and
said, smiling archly:
" You do not Deserve it, but am afraid
Of the consequences.
We do not know what happened after
that, for history does not make any men
ton of what passed during the rest Of
the interview, and we do not think Ned
could tell, for his conduct was not very
sensible for some time. The next seen of
him, he was cordially embracing the
clerk, and begging his pardon, while that
astonished functionary thought seriously
of sending word to his friends that he did
not consider it proper that he should be
allowed to go at large.
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