The Feliciana Democrat., 1858-10-23
Gbt ftlitima ltmotrat.
A MATRIMONIAL STRATAGEM.


circumstance. wns called from his life task OF
contributing to the general publication Of man.
kind Mrs. Benoni took refuge from her grlrt
in q pretty cottage situated on the principal
street in c..
At 6rst she was inconsolable and she used
to say, with a solemn emphasis which carried
conviction to the heart of her hearers that no
thing but the thoughts of her daughter Flor.
ence would have prevented her from termina.
ting her existence by taking Of poison
Mrs Benson was in no small degree ndebt-
cd to her daughter-since, in less than three
months she threw inside her mourning and be.
came as lively as ever.
Touching Florence she hsd now reached the
mature age Of nnetee, and began to think her,
self marriageable. She was quite pretty, aud
tolerably well accomplished so that her wish
es in that respect were likely to be fulfilled.
just over the way lived Squire Markham.
the village lawyer, just verging upon fifty with
his son Charles, who was abont half his are
Being young man of agreeable exterior. the
latter was quite favnrite with the young Ia
dies in the neghborhood, and conidered in com.
mon parlance quite ''catch.'
As yet, however, his affection had never been
seriously entangled, and might have remained
SO, had it not been for the sudden appariton.
one morning, of Florence Benson, riding on
horseback
1t struck him at once that she was remark
ably graceful and really quite pretty. There.
upon, he cultivated her acquaintance with in
creased assiduity, and after while asked the
fatal question
Florence answered in the affirmative, and
instead Of referring dutifnlly to her mother,
limited (beng of romantic turn Of young H.
dy) how charming it would be to steal away
to the next town and get married, without any
body being the wiser.
Charles Markham caught at the hint. which
chimed with his own temperament and he re.
selved to adopt it.
In order that it might he carried out with
perfect success, it was resolved to seem indif-
ferent to each other until the day fixed. in or.
der to ward off any suspicion which might 9TH
erwise be ronsed
So we'll were these arrangements carried ont
that Mrs. Benson had no suspecion of what
was going on.
Not so with Squire Markham. He had oh.
tanned a clue to the affair in some manner so
that he not only discovered the fact Of the elopc
ment. but even the very day on which il was
to occur.
sly dog, that Charles" thought he to him
self, as he sat down before the fire in his dress.
ing gown and smoking cap, leisnrcly pnfing
away at choice Havana. "Bu' don't won
der at it he only takes after me. Still. I owe
him something for keeping it so secretly from
me- 1t would be a good Joke, If were lit
tie younger, to cut him out and marry her in
spite of him"
S~rtwa nrlyh rhn 49, 10
vial widowers who take life as it comes, mus
cd more and more on this idea struck ont by
chance as it were till he really began to think
it worth something.
"After ALL" shonted he, II am not so old
either, or at least the ladies say so, and they
ought to be good judges in such matters.
have been bachelor n good WHILE and ought
to have found ont before this how much more
comfortable it would be to have pretty wife
to welcome me home and to do the honors o
my table, and to help me keep that rasca
Chnrlee in order Egad I've half n mind tc
do it,"
Squire Markham took two more whiffs, nni
exclaimed Il vow I'll do it."
What this mysterious IT was, we will leave
the readers to infer from his very next move
ment Ringing the bell, he inquired Of thu
servant
"Is Charles at home 2"
mo sir" was the reply, 'he went on. this
morning, and will be gone MI day"
"Hnmph thatll do So much the better
for my purpose" thought he when alone.
"Now I shall have the ground left to myself
Let me see the rascal intends running away
next Thursday evening, and today is Monday
Nothing like striking while the iron is hot
I'll. write to her in his name. telling her that
have altered my mind, and will inst at dark
tomorrow nigt. She won't suspect anything
until the knot is tied and then what a hearty
laugh we shall have"
Squire Markham did not consider that il
might make little difference with the bride
expectant. He considered it canital Joke OF
his son, hut looked no further. He according
ly drew his writing materials towards him, anG
indted the following epistle
"DEAREsr FLoRENcE-I find the day fixed
for our elopement on some accounts objection
able, and would like, with your permission, tc
substitute tomorrow evening II hear moth
ing from you, shall infer that you assent tc
this arrangement shall have carriage IL
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