The Oxford intelligencer. (Oxford, Miss.) 1860-18??, 1860-10-10
OK ORD MSS. wEpEEspkYs sDcToBER1o 1860 ss

T1s9vere esercisd Mich ID Va sDl' non 4 Is
.tthe first time a pattieip ipatof, had moi. 0nl.
recruited his fAne, pps had given impetul
before uPfelt 4, his constitution, .l4ad it wa
with rathera degree efsstisfAntioa sl,aa 9th
Iiersise. that he obeysd the matutinAl man
\ dates Of the Squire.sls y no''ssHf siis aaIs
! saIt is true there were several particular
Eliege aiunseincnts, not aitogefher9 recognihed
iHby the 'totarcs' Of fashion,, which Iannd he
huggcd himself ID tll,es Ic9hsiictioa) We're w per
feetly uhkp0Yn TO his aristQsraiiso friends
and i he did occasionally hear eOrks drawn
|. Y Incredibly short Intervals, aud cheenally
I assist in theBbspptiea'ef fluid at such
times libenteds who wasb thedMiserf oNot
lshe, eertainlyism iia % zsaidi IT, eH'eeet
sBut ii Sassleetned iiigh fine by clldies
that these ndeiights Hshodla have an { end
They thought, sapd yiiL reason, Sa;t that ths too
Implicit adherence to the sqpircs. whins
and fantasies would not enly. furnish forth a
lbpd precedent but supcrinduce a fatal habit
in the young man himself The elder lady
knew full well that sif vice by custom grow
not into nature" il is an unsightly graft,
nevertheless. And Mabel said, half upbIaid-
ingly, that "Hcnry was grown strangely par
'tiaI TO papa" And she began to believe
quite Seriously that he was likely,to grow
strangely inattentiye to herself But the old
gentleman would hear of no terms Of accom-
mediation. lie ayerrod that he had not half
done with the boy yet. lie protested that
his marriage would be his ruin, and declared
that slle would not hear word about IL un-
derpenaity'o of breaking OFF the match alto,
getlier 's7'i y '.'. ''''' '''' % "''''
a'"what is to be done ~ urged Merton, ex-
.postulating with the ladies in q private oon-
ference. 'I solcmnly aver that have done
everything in my power to conciliatc the
Squires esteem, and to deserve his friend.
ship. . have tanned his most mruly horses.
! j have, moro than once during our sparring
exercises, caused him to adopt an invelunta-
rpy horizontal position, aud l,hayeIseen him
descend under the,horizon of the table in all
stl'co.tg The gl9ry Of setting SUM- Can ! do
more p u 1900, ..l..., ,.-I "A .,,..ffrg D
All this, it must bc confessed, appeared
reasonable and consolatory enough, at least
so far as they afforded evidence of our low
er's unchmging affection and each party
was fain to wait patiently for few weeks
longer, till some auspicious opportunity of
compelling the Squire to the spirit and let
ter of his agreement should occur. But the
Squire grew more inaexiblc daily. lie had
become attached to bis young friend, and
foresaw plainly that his union would cause
an instant and final cessation of tho agree
able course Of amuseincnts and companion
ship, without which he verify believed he
should not I've able to exist. lie sought
therefore, to put off the evil day to an indef-
mite period, and was impracticably impa-
tient of any alIusion to the subject. .,r.,s.
1t became at length too evident to Merton
that steps must be taken forthwith to check
the oyer-weening selfwill of the Squire, and
that such remonstrance should be made as
would effectually conduce to the end he had
originally proposed to himself in his visit to
Harbottlc Court. Preparatory, however, to
the discussion of the matter, he took the op-
portupity one morning, wheu they were ex-
crcising themselves in sparring, to deliver
such blow at the old gentleman's ribs as
could by no ingenuity be likenedto anything
more nearly, than to the effort Of giant fur
nished with a slcdgc-hammcr and having
enjoyed fora few moments a birds eye view
of his PROSTATE antagonist, our gratified box
or bctook himself leisurely to the breakfast
table. Immediately after the conclusion of
the meal, propitious silence having present.
cd itself, the youth lifted up. his heart and
voice, and with much gravity delivered him
self as follows :all a7t ia.Hbatiri ssH aa.i
i esquire Harbottle, beg you to bear IN
iuluu lfc uiposo lof WHICH NofiiO NO""'
3 a"What do you mean, my dear fellow
what are yo aiming at :" said Harbottle, in
surprise. ...f.
"My meaning, Squire, ought to be instan-
tancously obyious-your daughter, sir
"No, no, my good lad, not word about
it, insist--a lad of your spirit--I am sur
prised."fi -ss-sl.s ssataai-s- dr.'l i7-F-
'AIr. Harbettlcn said Merton, solemnly,
''the institution Of marriage needs no de-
fence from me; all civilized nations have
consented that such an institution is indis
pensable. l am candidate, for admission
into that community f.-.,'.I .-.,, h
"Pshaw l-stuff-yile can't shouted the
Squire. at mustn't bel wont permit it"
"Lct me refresh yous memory by recital
of your own conditions resumed Merton,
in gradually cnlarging voice. 'Sdeath,
sir, am not to be trihed with ! Am | not
a Milo in strcngthF' aa'a ss2 ''f'- '''1
.0a you are, indeed groaned the Squire,
embracing his ribs with much Tenderness.
y Am not perfect Nnnrod in hunting
Was there ever such a daredevil in the
county z s.I 81 ,-.asas zsi IS yf'ratn