Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-02-18
EVENING STAR.
A FIRsT-RATE LOVE STORY


Annie had arrived at the mature age Of do
not start, reader,) twenty-seven, and vet a
state of single bessedness. Somehow OF other
she had not fallen in love yet. " Ii ad she ~
ofersH' What simple question, Did you
ever know half million Of dollars to 60 bog
| ging Offers! Yes, scores of them. 1t may
be accounted as one Of your oddities, perhaps
But whenever the subject happen to be touch
ed upon by her father, Annie would say that
she wanted some one who could love her for
| herself and she must have assurance of this,
and how could she in her present position
| Thus matters stood, when Annie was led ID
form and execute what will appear a very
strange resolution; but she was a resolute girl.
We must now 60 back six years
One dark, rainy morning in November. as
our old friend was looking composedly at the
cheerful fire in the CRATE of his counting room
| really indulging in some serious reflections on
| the past and future, the far future, too q gen.
tleman presented himself and enquired for
Mr.. Brennan. The old gentleman uttered not
word but merely bowed. There was that in
| his looks which said. Il am he.''
| The stranger might have been some thirty
years or so Of age. He was dressed in black,
a mourning weed was on his hat, and there was
| something III his appearance which seemed to
indicate that his friend whose loss he deplored
had recently departed. The letter Of intro
duction which he presented to Mr.. B-was
| 1uiShiy, yot peIuseu, anu as IL las
somewhat unique, we shall take the liberty of
submitting it to the inspection of the reader:
| g., ii mo-,
"Friend Paul-This will introduce to thee
| friend Charles Copeland. He has come to thy
| city in pursuit Of business / have known
| him from youth up. Thou mayst depend
| upon him for sught that he can do, and shall
lot lean as on broken reed. If thou canst
| do anything for him thou mayst peraiventure
benefit thyself, and cause to rejoice,
81 Thy former and present friend,
MICAH LOOMS
Z" 1t is not every one who can get old Micah
Loomis's endorsement ON his character, said
Paul Brennan to himself, as he folded up the
letter of the well known associate of the form
er days.
"Old Micah is good for quarter Of a mil
lion, or anything else-it will dol want
him-gctting old, business increasing-must
have hclp-now as we'll as any time
The old gentleman looked all this as he
stood gazing in perfect silence on the man be-
fore him. AT length he opened his lips
" Mr.. Copeland, you know all about books?''
: / have had some year s experience"
Amy objections to place hero?-pretty
thousand year"
" None in the world
CHOW"
real smile shone upon the old mans face
1t fingered there like the rays of the setting
sun among the clouds of evening, lighting up
those seemingly hard, dark features.
A stool was pushed to the new conner, books
where opened, matters explained, directions
SIven, the pen was dipped In the ink, and in
short, before an hour had passed away, you
would have thought that the old man and the
young man had known each other for years
In reference to our new friend, it will be
sufficient to remark that he had been liberal
a M ho,,
he had entered business early, he had not
neglected the cultivation of his mind and
heart. He had found time to cherish a gen
eral acquaintance with the most noteworthy
authors Of the day, both literary and rsligi-
Gus, and with many Of past times After few
had devoted himself, miSfortunes came thick
and fast upon him. He found himself left
with scarcely any property, and alone in the
world, save his two lovely daughters.
As year after year passed away he grew
steadily in the confidence of his employer, who
felt, thong he said it not, that in him he pos
sessed a treasure.
Very little, indeed, was said by either of
not connected with the routine Of business, and
there had been no intercourse whatever be.
tween them, save In the counting room. Thus
six years went by, towards the close of which
period old Mr. Brennan was found looking with
much frequency and earnestness at the young
man before him. Something was evidently
brewing in that old head What could it be!
And then too, at home he looked so curiousy
The Irish servant WAS puzzled. ''Sure, +" said
James, something's a coming. Annie, too,
was somewhat perPlexed, for those looks dwelt
much on her
What is it, father ," she said to him one
morning at the breakfast table, as he sat ga
ziDg steadtashy in her face; what is it, Do
tell me-"
81 wish you d have him." burst forth like
an avalanche. Known him for elk years
true as a ledger-a gentlemsn-real sensible
man-dont talk much-regular as q clock
prime for business-worth his weight In gold -
g Have who, father! What are talking
about ?''
my head clerk, Copeland-you dom know
him-I do-haven't seen anybody else worth
An old quill"
Annie was puzzled. She laughed, however,
and said:
"Humbug, child, all humbug-worth forty
of your whiskored, lOunging, lazy gentry say
what they please; what do care what do
you care? what's money after all! got enough
of it-want sensible man-want somebody
to take care Of it all humDug."
whats all humbug, father!''
"Why, peoples notions on these matters |
Copeland is poor-so was L onoe-may be |
again worlds full of changes-seen great |
many Of them in my days-can't stay here |
long-got TO leave you, Annle-Wlshed you |
like him.
Serious, child !" And he looked so.
Annie was a chip Of the old blOck-a strong
minded, resOlute girl. A new idea seemed to |
strike her. |
Father, if you are really serious in this |
matter | II see this Copeland; Iii get acquein- |
ted with him. If he likes me and like him, |
I'll have him But he shall love me for my
self alone must know it. Will you leave
the matter to meN'
"Go ahead my child, and do as you like. |
Good morning"
"Stop moment, father. shall alter my |
name little; shall appear to be poor girl, |
q companion of our friend, Mrs. Richards, in \
H-s street. she shall know the whole affair, |
you shall call me by my middle name Peyton;
l shall be a relative of yours, you shall sug-
gest the business to Mr.. Copeland, as you call
him, and arrange for the first interview. The |
rest will take care of itself.
81 see, L see," and one of those rare smiles |
Illuminated his whole face. 1t actually got |