The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-02-20
CoUDERsPoRT, COUNTY 1866

| AalehSI IlOuUIS dbOuG ilJ lUE ii give JOu
my answer now. You can't have her."
II rose to my feet in establishment"
II suspected your motives" continued
Maj. Shorter, sand l thought it best to
come here and let you understand the
matter before 1t is to late. J. love my
daughter, Mr.. Sturgis, and have no idea
of seeing her ruin her happiness by mar
rying dissipated man."
II assured him that | had abandoned
my old habits and was leading a new life
but it was in vain; the old man would
not believe me, and our interview ended
in quarrel, and my being forbidden his
house. | certainly made Dad beginning
but [ was by DO means discouraged. |
had not said anything to Jenny abont the
state of my feelings, and [ determined to
do so at once. l had an engagement to
meet her at a friends and accompany her
home that evening. During the walk
addressed her and was accepted. [ told
her all that had passed between her father
and myself, and she, dear girl, was indig-
nant at her fathers course 1t was plain
that [ could not visit her at home as usual
and we set to work to devise plan for
our future meetings. The Major was a
regular attendant upon the Wednesday
night prayer meetings of his church. and
was generally absent about two hours, be
sides meeting at the houses of our friends
we agreed that [ should visit her home
while her father was absent at PRAYER
meeting.
"This plan worked admirably for while
but, like everything human, broke down
at last. One night Jenny and l were
costly chatting in the parlor, when we
heard the rattle of latch key in the front
door. Jenny sprang up in alarm.
"There's papa" she exclaimed, "what
shall We do?,. You can't get through the
back way, aud he is at the front door"
"My first impulse was to rush by the
Major, and upset him if be got in the way
bat moments reflection convinced me
that this would never do, and just then /
heard the front door closed and locked.
My resolution was taken in moment.
"Open the parlor door," I said to Jen-
ny, in a whisper, "and do nothing to
arouse his suspicion"
Jenny opened the door, and I placed
myself behind it. | trembIed in every
joint if he should shut the door should
be discovered | had not thought of this
when | selected the place.
"Shut the door, Jenny" said the Ma
jor, as he came in.
80, no papa" she exclaimed, hurriedly
''it is so warm that [ want the air." and
she pushed the door so far that she nearly
crushed me.
"Warm | said the old man, sharply,
"warm you must be dreaming. 1t is
freezing out of doors "
I'm gone. | thought, and I prepared
myself for a scufie.
"However," said the Major, sit may be
warm here, for you have terrible fire in
the stove l guess you may leave the
door open"
"a load was taken from my mind. The
old man sat in the parlor for at least half
an hour, and that time he devoted to abusing
me, and telling Jennie about my impu-
dence IN wanting to marry her. Some
times I was indignant at the injustice of
his remarks, but as a general thing |
could scarcely restrain my laughter My
position was trying one. | was com
PEELED to get up as close to the wall as
possible in order to avoid attracting the
Majors attention, and to breath as lightly
as | could.
"The cold draught which .carne in
through the crack of the door producing
a constant inclination to cough, and [ was
in mortal dread lest should yield to it
and betray myself.
''The half hour seemed to me like thirty
years instead of so many minut es, and
was elated beyond description when [ at
last saw the old man get up and leave the
room.
Gas he went out he closed the door
after him, and as we heard him ascending
the stairs to his chamber, Jenny and |
broke into hearty laugh.
"You are safe for the present." she said
"but you must 60 away at once. 1t will
not be prudent to let you out at the front
door, as papa will hear US, SO you must
90 out at the window"
"The window was raised softly, and
giving Jenny kiss, sprang out of it. l
had scarcely touched the ground when |
was seized by the coIlar,aud rough voice
demanded to know why I had left the
house iu that way r
Looking up [ found myself in the
hands of a watchman
While I was hesitating what to say,
Jenny, who had heard the question said
to the watchman:
dts all right, policeman the front
door key has been misplaced, and the