Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-11-03
CLEARFIELD PA, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER g. 1858.

and don't let any one else see it, was the part
ing injunction.
Mrs. Benson was sitting in her quiet parlor,
casting her eyes over late number of mag
aZIne. Florence being absent on shopping
excursion, she was left alone. The ringing of
the bell brought her to the door. With sur
prise she saw that the person who rung the
bell was Mike, Squire Markham's boy of all
work.
s'Flesse, ma'am," said he holding out the
missive, ''a letter for Miss Benson, an it's
very particular that nobody else should see it.''
The air of mystery conveyed in this charac-
terstic address, aroused Mrs. Benson's Gu
rioSity, especially when she observed that it
was addressed to her daughter and not herself,
as she supposed. She returned to the parlor
not to read the magazine, that had lost its
attraction.
ssWhat in the world can it be" she thought,
s.that they should be secret about it Can
Florence be carrying clandestine cores
pondence? 1t may be something that ought
to know
Stimulated by her feminine curiosity, Mrs.
Benson speedily concluded that she would he
false to the responsibilities of parent if she
did not unravel the mystery.
ssHere's pretty doings!'' she exclaimed, as
she could recover breath. $50 Flor
cnce was going to run away and get married
to that Charles Markham, without so much as
limiting a word to me.'
She leaned her head upon her hand and be-
gan to consider. She naturally led to
think of her own marriage with the late Mr..
Benson, and the happiness of her welded life,
and she could not help heavpg sigh at the
recollection.
cam | always to remain thus solitary ~ she
thought. s'I have half mind not to show this
letter to Florence. but to run away with Charles
tomorrow night on my own account. It's odd
if | can't persuade HIM that the mother is az
good as the daughter" and she glanced com
placcnty at the still attractive face and form
reflected from the mirror.
Just then she heard the door open, and
Florence entered. She quickly crumpled up
the letter and thrust it in her pocket. Flor
ence and Charles did not meet during the sue
ceeding day, chiefly in pursuance OF the plan
they had agreed to lin order TO avoid suspcion.
Squire Markham acted in exceedingly
strange manner, to his sons thinking. Occa-
sionally he would burst into a hearty laugh,
which he would endeavor TO suppress, and pace
up and down the room, as If to walk OF some
of his superabundant hiarity.
ssW hats in the wind ?'' thought Charles to
himself. sit can't be that the governors get
ting crazy" Something was the matter, be-
yond doubt. But what it really was, he had
not the faintest conjecture.
At the hour specified, the Squire had his
carriage drawn up at the appointed rendezvous.
He began to peer anxiOusly into the dark for
Florence. At length a female form, well muf-
fled up. made its appearance. Thanking her,
in a very low whisper, lest it might be suspect
ed that he 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 DESTROYS of con-
ccalIng their iden nifty. At lengthSquire Mark
ham, considering that, after all, he could not
marry the lady without her consent, and that
the discovery must be made before the
;l.l lii ,r,l-
his own suit as well as he might.
'.My dear Miss Florence" lie said, in his
natural voice.
sWhy!'' shricked the lady, 81 thought it
was Charles;
ssAnd !, - said Squire Markham, recognizing
Mrs. Benson's voice with astonishment, '.tho't
it was Floreuce.'
'sWas it you, sir, who was arranging to elope
with my daughter 20
oNo 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 knowl
edge, concluded TO take her place secretly,
in order to Illustrate her plans
"Egad the very idea / had myself,' said
the Squire, laughing 'but the fact is, ma am,
we've both of us been conioundedly sold, and
the mischief of it is, have LETT letter for
Charles, letting him know it so undoubtedly
he will take the opportunity to run OFT with
Florence during our absence, and plume him
self, the rascal, on the way in which | was
taken in.''
81 confess that left a note for Florence to
the same purport How she will laugh at me.
What an embarrassment 20
81 tell you what,' said the Squire, after a
moments pause, sswe can carry out our plans,
after all. We each came out with the inten-
tion of getting married. Why not marry each
other, and then you know can make them
believe We had it in view all along, and only
intended to frighten them"
Mrs. Benson assentcd with little urging,
and in the course of an hour the twain were
made one. They Immediately returned, but
fonnd, as they had anticipated, that Florence
and Charles discovering their departure, had
themselves stepped off in differenI direction
with similar intent.
They made their appearance the next morn
ing, prepared to laugh heartily at the frustra-
ted plans of their parents, but learned, with
no little astonishnent, that they had struck up
a bargain for themselves. Squire Markham
and his new wife had the address to convince
them that it was all prcmeditated plan, and
to this day the young pair are ignorant of the
plot and countcr-plot which led to this double
union of the two households.
The FEMALE SwINDLER.-The police are
making efforts to arrest a noted female swind-
Ter, known throughout the land. Rev. Mr..
Hutter of Philadelphia is among her victims
Judge Johnston of Texas, suffered a depletion
of S.. $50 at the hands of the adroit woman.
Forged drafts, forged title deeds, and smooth
tongue effected the pecuniary drain upon the
pletboric pockets of the usually sharp Judge.
From Texas she went to California, and prlac-
ticed several successful swindles in the god
en-gated city. VIM. Franklin, one of the