Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-07-13


self since yeur school days, that my sister and
myself consented to render Emily rich and
happy. You know the rest my dear Smith
Charles sought you-hs offered you the hand
and heart, which you accepted-snd in a few
hours you come here to become my nephew,
and the husband of our dear Emily. Your.
self, Emily, her mother, Charles, and myself
are all to whom the secret of this impromptu
marriage is yet known. In order to keep ur
appearances, We have told every one that you
and Emily have known each other since the
time Of her spending some months in London
year since; and that for length of time YOU
have been soliciting her hand. Hence you see
why my sister and myself pretended to hail
you as an old acquaintance from the first mo-
ment Of your entering this house. That is my
story, my dear nephew"
At the instant when the Major had conclu.
ded his speech, and when the artist was about
10 aVow, with exemplary frankness and homes.
ty, that he was not the real and expected
Smith, there arose great commotioA in the
drawing room
"Hasten, my dear friend" cried the major
hasten to give your hand to your future wife
at the altar. The carriages are at the door,
Rafselle reflected moment. If speak
out now" he said to himself, 81 bring trouble
scandal, despair upon this excellent family.
must tell the truth to the major when we ente,
the the earrlage-feign illness-anything to save
The major, little suspecting what was passing
through the mind of the young man whose arm
was In his own, conducted him to a seat in an
elegant brougham, which was drawn up with
several other vehicles before the door of the
villa. Raffaelle Smith was an honest man, and
his conscience revolted at the act he was about
to perform He leaned forward and clutched
the hand of the major, who sat opposite to him
with cold and cOnvulsive grasp. Ho could
nr.t 1Ar-
must speak out before We proceed step
further,'
The pallid features and trembling voice Of
the young artist alarmed the olo man
What is the matter?" he cried; what can
you have to say at such a moment as this?'
:" Sir, said the artist, " am not the mar
whom you expected
The major fell back on his seat as if struck
"You are not Mr.. Smith?' he cried in a
choking voice
HereupOn the painter related, with loyal
frankness, the incidents which had conducted
him to the home Of Emily's mother; the error
which had kept him there up to the moment OF
MS introduction to the guests in the drawing
room, and the real, though apparently trivial
motives which had prevented him from pro-
claiming the truth.
All, sir, cried the major in despair, :" what
shall We do now!--what step can we take? My
niece is ruined And that ia not the worst, her
reputation is compronised-lost--as well as
her mothers and my own. Before more than
twenty persons we have all three declared tha,
we knew you some time. How can we retract
those words without drawing upon ourselves
the most terrible ridicule and scandal? This
will kill my niece, sir"
q am ready to do nything, ;" said Rafaelle
"How can repair the misfortune Of this fatal
mistake?"
tits too late" cried the major. "There
is no way of saviD ourselves
at this moment the coach pulled up at tho
church door,
"What is to be done?" inquired the artist,
as he alighted at the door of the sacred edifcs
My dear sir, answered the major, whose
military decision seemed to be restored, 'this
Is to be done-you must marry my niece. 1t
is true you are stranger to me, but so is my
nephew's friend. The manner in which you
have just spoken the truth to me, tells me that
you are man Of honor. Hasten, sir take
Emily's hand! but remember not a word of
this to any one it is q secret between US both "
With these words, the major hastily pushed
Rafaele into the church. In few moments
the artist stood before the altar, beside young
and charming girl of twenty, whose face wore
an expression as tender and pure as that of
Madonna painted by one of the old masters of
Italy. She was indeed, exquisitely beautiful.
She raised her eyes at the approach of the art
ist; her glance, at first timid, became more re-
assured as she saw what handsome, and more
than all what an open, honest face looked upon
her own. As the major afterwsrd declared, it
might have been seen by any one that the emo
tion and bushes of both Raffselle and Emily
clearly betOkened affair of love at first sight
The marriage was celebrated, and the cere-
mony was followed, to the great joy of the
bridegroom, by a splendid repast The major
took advantage Of favorable moment to slip
out, so as to intercept his nephew Charles, with
his friend, the other and original Mr. Smith
He met them ia q hotel in the neighboring
town to CokehamptOn. Helearnt that both had
been passengers on the train which had been
run into. Charles had escaped unhurt; but his
friend had received q severe injury.
The major told all to his nephew. Poor Smith
No. l, after lying for some time in dangerous
condition, at length recovered, and was in
duced to 60 back to London, without making
any protest against the marriage, to which a
common form Of surname and the accidents of
steam had given rise. Charles at first wanted
to lodge the contents Of a fve-barreled Colt 8
revolver in the breast Of his improvised broth
er-in-law; but after few months he shook
hands warmly with the man whom he found to
be dearly loved by bis sister, and soon became
as devotedly attached to him as to the Smith
OF his school days.
Raffaelle is an excellent husband. Chance
has made this pair more happy than thousands
who have spent time and thought in choosing
Emily loves her husband; Raffaelle Smith
adOres his wife, but be is very careful never to
tell her that he was ''married for q dinner"
FOREIGN IrKMs.-In the House Of Lords on the
2Sth Of June, Lord Wodehouse, in reply to q
question, stated that the Turkish ambassador had
announced that the foreign policy Of Turkey will
1 be unchanged, and the new Sultan intends In