Smyrna times., 1858-01-28

Clavers make his furtive entrance into the
kitchen where Mary was busily at work, but
not singing as usual, for she was brooding over
the parental cruelty.
Farmer Millerldid nos permit many minutes
to elapse before he had placed himself in The
wash-house, which adjoined the kitchen, so that
ne might hear all that passed between the dis
eomhtted lovers. He did hear the dialogue
with which Ihase commenced this historiette.
| He possessed himself of the plan of the con-
temPlated eIopeunent, and he was satisfied.
"She is gsingl to run away, is she !" he said
to himself "Pll teach him lesson, warrant
me; and as for the little gypsy, I'll settle her
business very speedily" ,r.-...
After tea; that evening, Mary retired to her
little room, her heart beating with anxiety for
the approach of midnight. Her surprise may
be imagined when, half an hour afterwards,
she found herself prisoner! She tried the
handle of the lock. 1t would not move What
was 10 be done! She called for her father, and
he came. t-i t..--..-
What's the matter, Mary l",was the excla-
nation, without, however, opening the chamber
door. -. " .'.. : .-.' s.. .. ~ .-
"My door is fast, and can't get OUT" '.
"Very well, DEAR" was his reply; "go to
bed, like good girl, and Ill-open it in the
morning" "1 ..t-
She knew il was not of the slightest use to re.
monstrate. lie must by some means have dis
covered her design. She could do nothing but
weep and tite her lips with vexation.
The next tTng the,farmer did was to visit
the barn. l,asusual,tit had a large wagon door,
10 which was cut for common use a smaller en-
trance. The latter was only secured by the
ordinary latch inside, which was lifted in the
customary way, by thrusting finger in through
small hole made in the door beneath the latch
| orthe purpose. .,aso = = .sta5ala.,..t. -
Farmer Miller remained in the barn long
enough to arrange matters 10 suit his private
lurI ose, and then, coming out through the sta
alelLat adjoined, ,ior rather lay partly beneath
II, he walked quietly home, laughing heartily
TO himself, He first listened at his daughters
dsor, and finding all quiet, retired TO his own
room and went to sleep. s.,r.-.... ~ ... II.
Just before midnight. "a horse and wagon drew
silently up, on tile road, behind farmer NIiller's
barn. Joe Clavers got stealthily out of the
veh Gle, jumped the fences, and cfept cautiously
around to the door of the building in question
How happy he felt In another moment Mary
would be his own-n the morning she would
be the darling wife. Farmer Miller would
storm, of course but the farmer loved his
daughter denrly. He was proud, of her. lie
WOO d, therefore, relent, forgive aUd bless th EN-
Full of these delightful ahtfcpations, Joe thrust
his finger in the hole Of the barn-door to reach
the latch, bvt-ab !! how he yelled with pain.-
A steel-irap, adroity placed on the inside, SO as
to catch any obtruding articles, had snapped,
and his biceding finger was held fast within its
iron teeth. =, .,.,,t...
IL was cold night, and Joe's feelings may
be conjectured as he stood there, shiverlng and
shaking, hour after hour, unable TO move from
the, spot; held prisoner by the savage instru.
meht, his lacerated finger occasioning him ex-
quisite agooy, and his heart fairly sinking into
his boots with the conviction that, da ybreak K
would only expose him to the farmefsihdigna-
tion and the village ridicuIe. '"' ""' -.
J1st at dawn, farmer Miller, chuckling over
iheisuccess of his ruse, went down 10 The barn.
There still stood Joe, and not far off the horse
and wagon. I need not say how Joe 'imploted
pardon, Pnd promised everything that could be
desired TO. purchase eit@and silence. Farmer
MilleeF :apd he finally closed a bargain. Joe
wqsereleased. Nay, more farmer Miller gave
him one huadred dollars, aud Joe was in New
York before noon, en- route for Iowa.
AS bfl Mary ibis Iincldept occurred two
Years ago, andI have Just kissed her FIRST baby.
She pleaseduher father, and seems. 10 have
pleased herself in consequence, quite as mucH