The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1857-01-14

surprised that any lady should require
Time TO consider such a brilliant proposal.
However, rs he felt quite easy about the
ultimate answer, he merely bowed acau
escence, informing the lady be would
wait upon her that day week.
Mrs. Kent was not ignorant Of Marina.
dukes mper'oIs character. She could
not ne'p hearing Of what xas topic of
genera remark. She well knew that the
d"a'n OF the first Mrs. Melen was gene
rally at,tibG,,9 20 long course Of tyrra.
ny on the ps,t Of her husband.
Dd tot al, thi, lead her 20 reject his
u It suTmnrily
1t did not. Mrs Kent was aware that.
whatever might be Mr.. Mellen's PECULIAR
ties Of temper, he WAS man ot wealth
and position. OF course, AS his wife she
would snare in these advantages. AS to
the drawback, limited above, she was
woman Of strong will, aud did not feel
particularly dis!nayed. She anticipated
that Mr. M.len would atlempt TO domi
neer Over her, hut was quite prepared ioi
Such All emergency.
Having duiN weighed I'll The consi,lera
uuns atuve meutruncd. sh-it Marina luke
waited upon her gu the aay appointed,
size g'ar'"usiy acce'ed to his proposal,
and fixed upon nu -aI!y uIa,riasa dav -
Hrs WAS not ,OTg IA arriving. Four
weeks from ,h. date of her acceptsncv,
Ms. hent bad" farewell 10 the name be
qu"atsied h"r hv Ser first husband, and
rscame Mr.. MArmsduke MeI'cn the
second.
For brief period all went smoothly.
Mr.. M"rIen thought it hes, to walt untiI the
close Of The h"neymoon befor" he made
known 10 his vie To" plan of government
"hmh he had adopted ior her benefit,
One day, after the usual dinner hour.
MIR. MriI.n returned, To find his mother
n law seated quietly at the dinner table
besid" his wife. Now.T u mothers in law,
Mr.. Mel!en had a special adherence. II.
would have been very glad never TO have
had one to enter his boue. As, however,
a regard to appearances would not quite
SANCTION their utter exclusion, he WAS dis
posed to have their visits ike those Of
angels (Which lie was far enough from
considering them,) te" and far between.
Accordingly, the look which he directed
towards the hapIess lady sustaining that
character wGs by no means a welcome
one.
This was not all. Actually, his wife
had had the audscity to order up dinner
before he arrived To he sure he was
nearly an hour late, but what OF that -
Wasn't it Ills wite's duly 10 wait for him.
even II he wer. three or four hours late
"Ealing dinner !" he exclaimed, with
mingled surprise and asperity, rs he en-
tered the room.
"Yes," said Mrs. Mellen, carelessly, "you
are rather late to-day, and rs mother had
quite long walk, and ! fel, hungry, we
decided To have dinner Immediately.
"And suppose" said Mr.. Meilen has
tily,"l am expected to eat cold. dinner Z"
Really, Mr.. Melen,'' said his wife, Iift
ing her eyebrows in some surprise, zone
would think you were angry"
80 I am, madam. am accustomed
to have dinner wait for me-"
However late you return 7"
"Yes, however late return"
"There is no lection to that, am
sure. You will have your dinner when
ever you choose, Of course, and suppose
may exercise the same privilege"
"We shall see, madam"
"Certainly, we shall see"
Really, Maria, aud Mr.. Mellen, you
should not differ" expos,ulated the moth
erin law.
'Oh. don't be troubled, mother said
her daughter, cooIly, "it is only a little
difference which will be speedily arranged.
We shall understand each other better by
and by
"Yes, madam said Mr.. MelIep, srgnif.
eanliy ; .'your daughter is quite right
We shall understand each other better
by.and by"
"You see, mother, there is no cause for
apprehension"
But | am nfraid--"
"Will you have another potatoe : Yours
must be quite cold" interrupted Mrs. Mel.
len.
Finding further remonstrance useless,
the mother mi ~ WAS silent.
Nr. Mellen was somewhat disturbed by
tI,is occurrence. He could not conceal
from himself 'ha, hs wife, as yet, was far
from being 10 that state of subordlna,ion
which he considered proper and becoming.
However, time wtl remedy that"
thought he t0 himself
The next day. although his business ar.
tg gemeuts were by no means urgent, he
purposely delayed half an hour. When
he returned, he found his wlfs and mother
in,law just rising from the dinner-table.
"What does this mean !" he exclaimed,
angrIiy
a0uly tLat two is our regular dinner
hour" answered the wife, composedly,
"and that dinner is always served pune
,usily az that hour"
'And you expect me to eat . cold din
ner wh encver my engagements detain me
lster e. t s+'i 80 sis
"Nct Mt aIl.gI directed Bridget 70 keep
portion Of the dinner hot for you. She