The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1859-05-19

day. 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 90 just at dark to.
morrow night. She won't suspect
anything until the knot is tied, and
then what laugh we shall have"
Squire Markham did not consider
that it might make n little difference
with the bride eXpectant. lie consd.
credit capital joke on his son, and
looked no further. He accordingly
drew his writing materials towards
him and Indited the following cpistlc:
DEAREST FEoRG>cE:-l find the day
fixed for our cIoprmcnt on some ac.
counts objectionable, and would like,
with your permission, TO substitute TO.
morrow evening. II | hear nothing
from you, shall infer that you assent
to this arrangement. | shall have a
carriage in readiness under the old
oak tree. at hallpaSt seven. You
can walk there without attracting
suspicion, and, there will be no moon,
we shall be able to carry out our
plans without fear of discovery. !
am happy to say that the governor
doesn't suspect in the least that a
daughtcr' in law is in store for him.
| Won't he be Shamed!
Your devoted CHARLEY.
"Egad!' said Squire Markham,
laughing heartily, "lhat isn't bad; cs-
peciaIIy about humbugging me. Char
ley couldn't have done it better him
self"
SO saying. he sealed it up and sent
| it over by II little Irish boy in his en-.
ploymcnt, having first marked "pri-
vate" in the corner.
"Be careful. Mike, to give it to Miss
Benson, and don't let any else see it,
was the parting injuction.
Mrs. Benson was sitting in her quict
parlor, casting her eyes over late
number Of IIarpcrs Magazine. Flor.
encc being absent on shopping cxcur.
sion, she was left alone. The ringing
of the bell brought her to the door.
With surprise; she saw that the person
who rang the bell WAS Mike, Squire
Mmkham's boy Of all work.
"PcaSc, ma'am," said hc, holding
out the mis,ivc," "a letter for Miss Ben.
son, ana itsvcry particular that nobody
else should SIC It,
The air OF my Stcry conveyed in this
characteristic address, aroused Mrs.
BcnSon's curiosity, especially when
| she observed that it was addressed to
her daughter, and not to herself AS she
first supposed. She returned to the
parIor--not to read llarpcr's Maga,
zine, that had lost i attractions.
"What in the world can it be-" she
thought, "that they should be 50 secret
about it! Can Florence be carrying
on II clandrsIinc correspondence! 1t
NAV be something that | ought ia
+ know"
Stimulated by her feminine curos.t,
Mrs. Benson speedily concluded that
she would be false to the responsible
ties Of IA parent if she did not unravc
the mystery.
Il Think said she, 81 will open it
and if it shouldn't be anything parric.
uar, | can easily reseal it, and Flor.
cncc will still be none the wiser"
This she accordingly did. What
was her astonishmcnt when the plan
Of rIopcmcnt was discovered to her!
"llcre's pretty doings!" she excIaim.
ed, as soon as she could recover breath
$50 Florence was going to run away
and get married to that Charles Mark.
ham, without SO much as limiting a
word to me-
She leaned her head upon her hand
and began to consider. She was nat.
urally led to think of her own marriage
with the late Mr.. Benson, and the hap.
pincss or her welded life, and she
could not help heaving Il sigh at the
recollection.
Am always to remain thus soil.
tary" she thought. "l've half a mind
not to show this letter to Florence
but to run away with Charley to-mor,
row night on my own account It's
odd if | can't persuade him that the
mothcris as good as the daughter" ant
she glanced complacently at the still
attractive face and form. reflected
from the mirror.
Just then she heard the door open
and Florence entered. She quickly
crumped up the letter and thrust it in
to her pocket.
Florence and Charles did not NEE
during the succeeding day; chiefly il
pursuance of the plan they ha'
agreed to, in order to avoid suspicion.
Squire Markham acted in an ex
ceedingly strange manner, to his sons
thinking. Occasionally he would