Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-11-14
from oleason's Literary Companion.
THE MOCK MARRIAGF.
By CAROLINE F. PRESTON
The best laid plan of mice and men
vii often gang aoree !.

VIII often gang agree"
The Parkhurst family consisted
persons, namely-Mrs. Parkhnrst and ~.
daughter Susan. Susan had NOT vat 49,
ca the right to write Mrs. before her 49,
ailh0ugn 1t must be confessed that tb;e wy,
no ~, ner lault, nor indeed that of her motbaa
L Inc iatter' by way of keeping up the idea ~
ner daughters juvenility, used constantlu -
speak Oh nef as a child but if the truth be
IpoAei' her age would place her about as naar
= second childhood as her first. Tt wae =
lnS1ol surprise, certainly, that a vonng
lauy VI ousans personal attractions iwb;c6
consisted principally of a pair of lack s.da;s;
cai eyes, and about a dozen straw-eo1oro5
Iihgletsl should not have welded before =
Dut without wasting time in such reaectionS
we must take things as we find them
At last Mrs. Parkhurst conceived . brill.
time. peu III oue
ner nrst step was to put an advertisement
u the following purport in the daily paper .
RARE OPPoRrUNITY.-A young man. who
can present unquestionable references. will
De admitted to the companionship ola refined
ana cultivated family, who are Influenced in
aumitting a boarder, only by the desire of oh
tanning the presence and protection of a een-
ueman inmate. Application may be made
70 Mrs. P%arkhurst, Honeysuckle Cottage
may as well say that the Honeysuckle
cottage was a happy thought, and was en-
ureiy 10 DC attributed to the brilliant imag-
inauon OF the authorizes ofthe advertisement
the fact being that there was not a honey.
Suekie within half a mile of the cottage.
About a week after the insertion of the
advertisement, it attracted the attention of a
young artist, who was desirous of nass;nn
the summer in the country.
"a family of refinement and cultivation y,
ne s~oilioquised- Certainly that will ho
nucn pleasanter than one ill-educated and
coarse think that will be Just the nlace
HOT me- l am only afraid that somebody has
got the start ot me. However, there IS no
narm IN presenting my claims. I will write
on the instant. "ino
ne accord lngly sat down and penped q
noIe 10 Mrs Parkhurst. The widow showed
II 70 her daughter as soon as received.
Shall we take him Susie y she said
l "lsn1 knew whether he was yonno
ana good-iooiling,' said Susan.
lie must be the artist that T have hoard
the hendrics speak Of said her mother
ne was down here for a day last summer
II Is he, he is both young and handsome
AT any rate we may not get another an.
phcatlon, and [ think we had better saw
yes, unless indeed we ask for a personal in
teryiew first -
NO mother said Susan, hastily, for then
he might not find things exactlv ~ ba nn
poets ga
You are right, child, said hermother, who
Was SO much IN the habit of calling her
chho ID company, that the habit chung to
'Her Wnen they We're alone. You are RIGHT.
~ Mlli De decidedly the most polite thing to
"rlIe a note OF unconditional acceptance
In pursuance of these wild plans, Charles
Hammond was g~ratiffed by an assent to bic
proposal and at once took mes s1res to have
traps forwarded to Honeys uckle Cottao e
Nhen the young man arrived at the two
story house, without a tree or shrub near
at, Whach was dignified by that appellation-
nay, when ne was introduced to the portlv
Mrs. P~arkhurst and the child he looked a
little disappointed, although of c. purse he did
not see Mt TO express any such fe, cling. How
ever, after a few days residence, hiding that
although his hostess and her dau ghter were
not all ne desired, yet that the v illage was
pretty and well adapted to his pu rpose, and
contained q number of agreeable peaple-- he
eonallRvd1edd- tkeff- a'e
Certainly, Mrs. Parkhurst q, I'd Snsan
were attentive to him, indeed some times too
ATTENTIVE, as when Susan would volunteer 70
accompany him IN his walks and chat and
slmper IN a very girlish style, and rot a lit
tie to his disgust.
probably Susan might have felt INDIGNANT
lishe had known the secret opinion Which
the young artist formed of her as a s,rlv and
weak minded old maid. However. She knew
nothing OF this, and thought she was fast Sc
curing the young mans favor, although he
yond the common politeness whseh hn
shouio show to any acquaintance, he erS,ld
not be said to have ventured.
30 week after week passed without anna
'fently bringing the young man any neagar to-
"a observation-disclosures Susan had. ON xari-
Gus occasions, given him an opportumatv to-
declare his sentiments.
At lehgth 1t only wanted two weeks 10 tire.
'u[sC oi october, the time at which Charles.
hammond had announced his intention Of go.
ing BACK to the city. In that short time.
s0lnethilg must be Gone. Brief as was the
opportunity afforded. Mrs. parkhurst ard ST.
san resolved that If it was in tkeir power M
Hammond should go back a married nam
and that Susan should go ba OK with bim
Nr. Hammond said Mrs. Parkbnrst 40
she was pouring out his tea one mor7fmo
shah You be at leisure next Thursdar eve,
ningg sss@
Yes, ma'am,' was the reply
Then you will do us the pleasure to AFT
teno a party which my daughter intends to
give to some of her young friends on that
OCCASION We shall try to have a pleasant
1 VIII accept your invitation with a great
deal OF pleasure, and have no doubt I shall
ENJOY myself on the OCCASION
4 hope you will, Mr.. Hammond for +oS.v
the truth, | have got it up chiefly on your
account ""
Indeed, madam, I am greatly indebted to
you "
Not at all. You have been with us 8.
long that We expect to miss you a great deal
wnen you go, and hope to make the remain.
der OF your stay as pleasant as possible
VI course our hero made a suitable ren]u
ana really looked forward to the party with
considerable anticipation, as no doubt many
OF the agreeable people he had met in the
village would be present. He felt quite in
deoted to Mrs. Parkhurst, and concluded that
although she was not a liberal hostess vet
that she was a very good sort of a woman al.
ter all.
The time slid by, and the time of the par
ty came.
The rooms were well filled, and all seemed
Susan had got a blue dress expressly for
the occasion, which served as rather a singu-
lar contrast to her yellowish hair. However
sne seemed to be in the best of spirits, and
was in a constant oirpIa