Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-08-28

ence entered. She quickly crumpled MP the
letter, and thrust 1t into her pocket Florence
ana Charles did not meet during the succeeding
DAY, chiefly in pursuance of the plan they had
agreed to, in order to avoid suspicion.
Squire Markham acted in an exceedingly
strange manner, to his sons thinking. Occa-
sionally he would burst into a hearty laupb
winch ne would endeayor to suppress, and pace
up ana down the room, as If to walk of some of
his superabundanth hilarity
what's in the wind ?'' thought Charles to
himself. 6 1t can't be the Governors getting
crazy" Something was the matter, beyond a
eouo' But what it really was, he had net the
faintest conjecture.
AT the hour specified, the Squire had his car
rage drawn up at the appointed rendezvous.
ne began to peer anxiously in the dark for
Florence. Atlength afemale form, we'll mufied
up, made Its appearance. Thanking her in q
very low whisper. lest it might be suspected
tnat ne was the wrong person, he helped her
into the carriage, and drove off
During the first part of the journey, nothing
was said. Both parties were desirous of con-
cealing their identity. At length, Squire Mark
ham, considering that after all he could not
marry the lady without her consent, and that
the discovery must be made before marriage,
decided to reveal himself, and then urge bis
own suit as well as he might.
My dear Miss Florence, he continued, in
Is natural voice.
Why" shrieksd the lady, "I thought it
was Charles"
"And 1, +" said Squire Markham, recognising
Mrs Benson g voice, Thought it was Florence. F"
:" Was 1T you, sir, who was arranging to elope
with my daughter"
No, but 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 knowledge,
l concluded to take her place secretly, in order
to frustrate her plans"
"Egad the very idea l had myself" said
the Squire, laughing; " but the fact is, ma am,
we've both of Us been confoundedly sold, and
the mischief of it is, I have left a letter for
Charles, letting him know it; so undou btedly
he will take the opportunity to run off with
FLORENCE during our absence, and plume him.
self, the rascal, on the way in which I was taken
in"
- L confess that 1 left a note for Florence to
the same purpOrt. How she will laugh ut me
what an embarrassment :"
- tell you what" said the Squire, after a
moments pause, 1--WE can carry out our plans,
after all. We each came out with the inten-
tlon OF getting married. Why not marry each
other, and then, you know, we can make them
believe we had 1t in view all along, and only
intended to frighten them"
Mrs. Benson assented with a little urging,
ana In the course of an hour the twain were
made one. They Immediately returned, but
found, as they had anticipated that Florence
and Charles, discovering their departure, had
themselves stepped off in different direction,
with similar intent
Ihey made their appearance the next morn
ing, prepared to laugh heartily ut the frustra-
ted plans OF their parents, but learned with no
little astonishment that they had struck up a
bargain for themselves Squire Markham and
his new wife had the address to convince them
that 1t was all a premeditated plan, and to this
day the younger pair are ignorant of the plot
and counter plot which led to this double union
Of the two households.