Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-02-14
QUAsQUEToN BUCHANAN COUNTY IOWA SATURDAY FEB H. 1857

started and stared at me, saying, "Don't
talk to me, now, little sister, don't"
Mammals low voice floated to my ear,
and so did the gentleman's more distinct
ly, for the parlor was not very far off !;
and,- at last, | heard him say, in low,
emphatic voice, replying to some remarks
of hers" AS if wealth, or social eleva-
ton, Mrs. Graham, were TO be brought
in comparison with your peerless child.
She is, in herself, jewel above all price.
l care not for her antecedents. | ask, l
desire, no dowry but her matchless self.
No false ideas of social rank or equality
can influence me in this matter. Your
daughter is all l solicit. DO not, my
dear madam, darken my entire life by a
refusal"
There was pause, and, when MAN.
mas reply came, it was spoken SO low
that could not catch the words but, in
short time,. she returned to the bed
room, saying to Nellie, " My child, you
have my consent to answer the question
he will ask you on your return as You
like"
How solemnly mamma spake.
"And papa ?'' asked Nellie, eagerly,
though she blushed very red.
q will talk the matter over with him
this evening"" said mamma, smiling qui-
etly.
Nellie knew it was settled then. Papa
generally thought as mamma did.
Goodness alive What do l hear |!
Is the boy mad ? Going to marry John
Graham's daughter, who couldn't raise
three thousand pounds !" and in the ex-
treme horror which the bare contempla-
ton Of so monstrous fact elected, old
Squire Preston sprang from his easy
chair, utterly oblivious of gout, rheuma-
tism, and formidable array of other all
ments which found permanent localiza-
ton in his corpulent self, and commenced
pacing rapidly his wife's apartment.
9" know it, John the news has rsal-
ly overcome me. / doubt whether my
nerves will ever recover from the shock
they have this morning received T. and
the lady leaned back on the lounge with
an air and sigh, expressive Of such en-
tire physical and mental prostration that
it was really quite affecting to behold
her.
"Well, well, wife p CALCULATED the
squire-who, it must be confessed, did
not seem so deeply impressed by his wife S
melancholy situation as the the circum-
stances seemed to require" the fact is,
it won't do to be talking about nerves
now. The boys of age, and unfortu-
nately be can act as he likes, and all / can
do or say won't make this confounded
matter a whit better | can cut him off
with shilling, but" here the Squire's
voice was not SO emphatically belliger-
ent, you know he's all we've got, Au-
relia, and it would be tough thing to do
that But we must circumvent him some
way. BY fair means org foul, we must
prevent his marrying that girl. Ugh
it makes me sick to think of it,"
+" Yes, We must prevent it," said the
lady on the lounge, with more animation
than her recent exhaustion would have
seemed to warrant. :" 1t would certainly
prove the death of me to be brought into
intimate contactwith such people. What
a shocking plebian taste Edward must
possess, aud he can have his choice
among the wealthiest of the land and
just returned from college, too, where his
career has been so brilliant, to throw him.
self away on John Graham's daughterl
She is a little beauty though, that Nellie
Graham-there's no denying it. Pve
seen her at church sometimes, and al
ways wondered at Natures making such
mistake as to lavish that world of love-
illness where it would stay hidden under
a cottage"
"We must get him out of her way
without letting him know our object in
doing so. That'll be the first stroke to-
ward accomplishing our end," interrupt
ed the squire, whose gouty extremity was
perretating astonishing pedestrian feats
that morning. And" here the squire
tone sank significantly, "didn't you,
wife, initiate handwriting remarkably
well when | first knew you ?"
Yes" said the lady, as dim per-
ception of her husbands meaning broke
into her mind, :" i was always peculiarly
dexterous at executing fac SMILES. Be-
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