The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-12-05

J
Perfectly, major, perfectly
y Then let US go down at once
It Raffaelle Smith experienced considerable hes
d itation at this critical moment; but the singu-
5 larity of the adventure, the desire to see the
n conclusion. and, it must also be added. the de-
vonring appetite which tormented him, all uni
: ted in compelling him to follow in the majors
q footsteps The latter led the way down a vas:
and richly decorated staircase, and, opening a
e door, ushered him into magnificent drawing
room, where the bewlldered painter found him
Iself in the presence of brilliant and numerous
assembly The entrance of the majo and pain
ter produced general sensation.
Il have the honor said the major, ito intro
duce tc you Mr.. Smith-the future husband Of
Emily Shuttlewirth, my niece
, At this extraordinary announcement, RATA
ellie felt his knees giving away beneath him-all
the blood of his body seemed to be rushing into
his cheeks--he was victim to vertigo-he was
, fairly stunned-and if the major had not sup
ported him, he would certainly have fallen back
ward
Be COOL whispered the major; be selfpos-
sessed, Smith Master your emotionsP
To recover himself cost the young artist the
greatest effort he had ever made in his life The
major conducted him towards the Ia dy whom he
| had already seen, and who was intro duced to
, him as the mother of Emily In very short
time Raffaelle found himself surrounded by the
relatives and friends of the young lady, whom
he had no more idea of marrying than of allying
, himself, matrimonially, with squaw of the
: IChoctaw Indians. Raffaelle felt himself cul-
prit as he stood there receiving congratulations
and overloaded with marks of respect and friend
ship from the welbred people congregated in
a house where he had no better claim to be pres
ent than burglar. In an excess OF embarrass-
ment, Raffaee turned in search of his military
guide. He was resolved to put an end to an af-
fair which was rapidly becoming too serious for
any man of delicacy to prolong by his silence.
The major, taking him aside into recess ofone
of the spacions windows, cut short the first eff
forts of the artist to carry out his honorable in
ltention.
Il Tut, tut = said he with true military promp-
,itude not a word my dear Smith. repeat,
your safe arrival makes me the happiest man
!; alive !
But my dear-your niece
My niece thinks as DO, sir, and as her moth
er thinks. Mr.. Smith, just imagine what we
felt when we heard that train had been run
into only few miles from Cokehampton-sev-
oral carriages smashed, strand had you been
on that train, my niece would have lost fortune
of fifty thousand pounds
The perplexed Raffaelle could only repeat
the numerals in reply.
i yes, my dear Smith continued the major
date given in my old cousin Lucy,s will ex-
Ipires.'
u Tomorrow the date given in your old cousin
ILucy's viii expires ! was all that Raffalle
could repeat.
Tomorrow at twelve, sir But that stupid
dog. Charles should have told you all this. But
perhaps he has only very imperfectly explained
to VOW my cousins extraordinary will
Il Very impeifectly' replied Raff&elle.
Wall will furniSh Won wi FIJI all the details.
You must know that my cousin died year since.
leaving a sum of money amounting to hfy
thousand pounds. Now that sum was left to
my niece Emily. ON the express condition. that
size should be married woman year ana y
day after the date of the tesiators death hlilng
IN which all the property goes to charities: we
loved Emily too much 10 force her into haS'}
and disgraceful union. Emily has not reached
her twenty-trst year and she has never met enc
on whom she could bestow her loving heart -
Time went on and we on the point OF re-
signing the brilliant fortune when had been
! lett to her on such extraordinary conditions,
when few days since, her brother Charles
| suddenly wrote to US, Emily shall be married
be fore the appointed time! We at first recelV-
ed this intimation as a bit ofidle pleasantly but
Charles spoke of you with so much admiration
he drew such favorable picture of your dis
position, your principles-he spoke in such a
a touching manner of the brotherly love which
had united you and him since your school days.
that my sister and myself consented 10 render
Emily rich and happy You know the rest,my
dear Mr.. Smith. Charles sought you-he of1ei-
ed You her hand and heart, which you accepted
and in a few hours you came here TO be the
husband of my dear Emily and my dear nephew
Yourself, Emily, her mother Charles, and my
self, are ell to whom the secret OF this impromp-
tn ma rriage is yet known In order to keep up
appearances, we have told every one that you
/ and Emily have known each other since the
time of her spending some months III Lonoon,a
year since :; and that for a length OF time you
have been soliciting her hand Hence you see
why sister and myself pretended to hail you as
ACQUAINTANCE from the first moment OF your en-
terlug the house. That is the story, NY uear
nephew
At the instant when the major had concluded
his speech, and the artist was about to aVow,
with exemplary frankness and honesty, that he
was not the real and expected Smith, there arose
a great commotion in the drawing room.
Hasten my dear friend, cried the major, has
ten to give your hand to your future wife at the
altar The carriages are at the door,
Raffaelle reflected u moment. Ii speak
out now he said to himself / bring trouble,
scandal, despair upon this excellent family l
must tell the truth to the major when we enter
the carriage -feien lllness-anythlng to save
my honor
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 M
elegant brougham, which was drawn up, win
several other vehicles before the door OF the VII
la Raffaelle Smith was an honest man, ana
his conscience revolted at the act he was about
to uerfurm. He leaned forward and clutched
the hand of the major, who sat opposite hlm,
with "a cold and convulsive grasp. lie could
scarcely stammer out, in a low voice
must speak out before we proceed step
further
The pallid features of the young artist alarm
ed the Old man,
What is the matter he cried; what can
Won have TO saw at such moment as thisY
Sir said the artist am not the man whom
you expected
The major fell back on his seat as if struck
You are not Mr.. Smith 2 he cried in cho-
king voice.
Herenoon 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 till the moment oil MS
Introduction 10 the guests in the drawing room.
and the real though apparently trivial, motives
which had prevented HIM from proclaIming the
truth.
/ .Abi sir cried the major, in despair; what
sbaU we do now7 What step can we take :?
Nv niece is ruined And that is not the worst,
her equation is compromised lost as well
as her mothers and my own! Before morc
than twenty persons We have ali three declared
that Wa knew you some time. Ho" eau we
rerract those words without drawing upon our
selves the most terrible ridicule and scandal
This will kill my niece, sir!
/ l am ready to do anything, said Rafaelle
How can | repair the nsfortunes of this fatal
mistake 7
1t is too late said the major; there is no
way of saving ourselves
At this moment the coach pulled up at the
church door.
What is to be done ?? inquired the artist at
door of the sacred edltce.
sly dear Slr,' answered the major, whose
military precision seemed TO be restored; TINS
i. to be done 4; you mu,t marry my niece 1t Is
true YOU are a stranger to me, but so 70 ny
, E.:...A IL... -.anL.ar IN Mn!c. W.