Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-09-17
In Loco PARENTS.
IcoNCLuDEp.l

you'll excuse familiarity; but as il IL so-great-
ly hattered by your proposal, am sure; il
was for that 1 came on at once, and left him
there. You're a widower; but that's no diff
ference-of course, If you had killed your wife,
one wouldn't have liked ii; but never heard
you did. And she can look after your son for
you; boys like that ought to have some mater
nal bringing-up as wen as paternal; it human
i1es men more. l attribute all my advantages
that way to my mother living till was forty,
and keeping me virtually ut home ell the time
i was at school, as they say at Hannibal's''-
4" Excuse my interrupting you, Doctor. Did
my son speak to your daughter before you left
them ?"
"Yes, yes, of course He conveyed your
offer Of marriage
"While you were there?"
eyes. He said, Il wish to speak to Miss
Bibber on business said, Speak to her, il
you like, my dear Tom'-no, didn't say that
though; I called him Mr. Thomas Carter not
esquire, you know, till you die or settle an
estate on him, which is the same thing. you
don't want to speak TO her alone, do you? be-
cause in anything else but business I shouldn't
mind it, Then he interrupted me short, I
must say rather rudely, and said, Il don't
know that you shouldn't hear what have to
say, DIR. Bibber. I come on my fathers part
to AJAX your daughters hand in marriage
For yourself?' asked /; and would you be-
lieve it? both Of them blushed-as if they had
thought Of it! No, for him, said he. And
90 came here"
"Msy l ask you the result ?"
Did she accept you, you mean"
'IYes-what your daughter said"
"Why, she didn't say q word. NJ once
said felt greatly honored and fattered, and
that should leave him with her while / took
you her acceptance"
% But you say she said nothing"
No; why should she told her, of course
she must accept you, and should do 30 in her
name But, said, 'as women like to say
No several times before saying Yes, shall
leave this boy with you for half an hour
during which time you may shily -shally to
your hearts content, and then accept him.
II is now half-past ten; you will say Yes pre-
cisely at eleven o'clock, and shall be back
i've minutes after with Carter no, said
Mr.. Carter-but that was only to her, and
your son was standing by, too
" Then may take il for granted my pro-
posal is accepted ?"
Certainly you may, most certainly; and
now let rs proceed to business When should
the wedding come of, is the important ques-
ton. 1 don't think it matters to her in the
least-it is merely between ourselves; but pos
sibly you may have a choice in the matter. /
tell you fairly, / have mono whatever, only
think the sooner the better; never like these
long delays: When do you say, then?''
Would it not be better to wait before FIX
ing anything till have her consent also ?"
What's the good Of that what's the good
of that2 She will accept at eleven; it will
merely delay US an hour in settling Come,
come, let Us set to at once; what do you say ?''
Have your strawberries suffered at all by
"No, thank you, very fourishing, fresh
as roses. When saw it was going to rain,
you see, sent out Bill the gardener at once
to push them under their leaves if they were
at all outside, and owe their safety to that,
believe. You shall taste some at the we'd
ding breakfast. Shall we have il next week?"
81 think that would be rather hurrying it,
What do you think Of the ministry?'
Ladies and gentlemen, ! will not inflict
upon you patchwork Of opinions, taken sec
ond-hand from the local paper, which took its
opinions from the paper of the capital of the
county, which took its opinions from London
weekly paper, which took its opinions from o
daily paper, which took its opinions from-the
deEil said its opponents, the ministry said its
supporters. Anyhow, these opinions had been
filtered through so many fltering machines by
the time they reached DR.. BiBber that the
ministry would have disowned them, and the
other high parsonage would not have recog-
niIed them. After this discharge he returned
to the marriage.
But come, Carter, let US have an arrange
ment; when shall il be ?''
Mr.. Carter felt driven up into corner
"PerhaPs, DR.. Bibber, my sending to-day
was somewhat premature, for had not CON-
templated 90 speedy a marriage, and, in fact,
was desirous OF sounding to some extent, the
been too hasty in sending-you have, perhaps
been too hasty in accepting. I should like, il
possible, to let the matter develop itself some
what more naturally; and, till then, shall we
let it rest here? Perhaps your daughters
feelings may be outraged; perhaps she has
some other lover; perhaps she deesn't care for
me-"
If there was one thing DIR. Bibber hated il
was ''three courses" and the reader may have
perceived Mr.. Carter's fondness for them.
There is q class Of people who, not content with
dividing the chances into yes or no, add third
chance, neither yes or no, thoughsthey may
say both together.
Ny dear SIR" said the Doctor; "when I
was made d. O. L."
How was DIR. Bibber made D. CL.? On
OF the UnlSersltle: wanted to make batch
during stsgnant time There were no heroes
at hand to be snapped up, so they took the
most brilliant man Of letters of the age and
set him in frame Of retired rear admiral,
sixth-clsss diplomstist, and three nobodies
ON one @D, sS whom % was DR.: (then Mr) Bibber. And
alternately taken to be q retired London phy-
sicisR whose sands Of life had nearly run out,
Q bishop on pension. or q deaf Mus. Doc
To resume.
when was made D. G. L., was taught
that an eyasive answer means more than il
ceayeys l. there anything behind this de-
sire Of delay2 Is there desire of rupture? III
90, your repentance has been very speedy
out ma IL oeen speeuier sui, could not nave
listened to II II is my duty to my daughter
to hold you to your promise" -
TOa consider promises sacred. then, DR..
Bihber2p
Mr.. Carter, / do" ...
"Then pray listen for one moment. had
scarcely sent my SON of to you when my eye
fell on this picture. That was my wife. And
I then remembered that on her death-bed'
(no Invention here, reader,) "shs had exacted
promise from me that i would never take
another In her place"
well, Mr.. Carter, death-be promises are
doubly sacred, and there Is no doubt you
should keep that"
/ knew you would say 30, my dear DR..
Bibbsr, and thank you for your"
" But as don't see how yeu can keep that
promise 70 her and this to my daughter at the
same tims-uhether you keep your promise 10
your wife or not, you must keep your promise
TO my daughter. II you break It TO your wife,
that Is between you and her; but if you do 70
my daughter, there are legal rem edies To which