Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-04-15

| Florence anu CudTleS ulu uOI ueet uuIluS
the succeeding day, chiefly in pursuance Of
the plan they had agreed to, in order to a
void suspicion.
Squire Markham acted in an exceedingly
strange amer, to his sons thinking. Oc-
casionally he would burst intoa hearty laugh,
which he would endeavor to repress, and
pace up and down the room, as if to walk
off some of his superabundant hilarity.
"What's in the wind?" thought Charles
to himself. at can't be the governors get.
ting crazy" Something was the matter be-
yond doubt But what it was, he had not
the faintest conjecture.
At the hour specified, the Squire had his
carriage drawn up at the appointed rendez-
vous. He began to peer anziously in the
dark for Florence. Atlength female form
we'll mufled up, made its appearance
Thanking her in very low whisper, lest it
might be suspected that he was the wrong
person, be helped her into the carriage and
drove off. The destination was the house of
the Justice of the Peace, residing at the dis
tance of some eight miles.
During the first part of the journey moth
ing was said. Both parties were desirous Of
concealing their identity. Atlength Squire
Markham, considering that after all he could
not marry the lady without her consent, and
that the discovery must be made before the
marriage, decided to reveal himself, and then
urge his own suit as we'll as he might.
MY dear MISS Florence he continued in
his natural voice.
'WhyP shrieked the lady, Il thought 1t
was Charles
tAnd l. said Squire Markham, recogni-
zing Mrs. Benson's voice with astonishment,
Thought it was Florence
'Was it you, sir, who was arranging to e.
lope with my daughter?'
'No; but I conclude it was you ma'am,
who was meaning to elope with my son.
Indeed, Squire Markham, you are wrong
the affair coming incidentally to my knowl-
edge, I concluded to take her place secret
ly, in order to frustrate her plan
'Egad, the very idea I had myself said
the Squire, laughing; 'butthe fact is, we've
both of US been confoundedly sold, and the
mischief of it is, left letter for Charles,
letting him know it; SO, undoubtedly he will
take the opportunity, to run off with Flor
ence during our absence, and plume himself,
the rascal, on the way in which was taken
in
Il confess that left note for Florence to
the same purport How she will laugh at
me; what an embarrassment !!
I'll tell you what said the Squire, after
moments pause, we can carry out our plans
after all. We each came out with the in
tention of getting married. Why moi. mar
ry each other, and then you know, we can
make them believe we had it in view all a.
long, and only intended tofrighten Them
Mrs. Benson assented with little urging
and in the course of an hour, the twain were
made one. They Immediately returned, but
found, as they anticipated, that Florence and
Charles, on discovering their departure, had
themselves stepped off in different direc-
ton, with similar intent.
They made their appearance the next
morning prepared to laugh heartily at the
frustrated plans of their parents, but learned
with no little astonishment, that they had
struck up bargain for themselves. Squire
Markham and his new wife had the address
to convince them that it was all premedita-
ted plan; and to this day the younger pair
are ignorant of the plot and counterplot
which led to this double union of the two
households.