The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-11-09
EaTT@ @SE3x-xEaANX "
BUs1LF ENGAGED
lCONTTNUED |

Lucy was engaged with u class of
little rushcs, and being unable, for
the present, to come out and be
engaged to me, we went In and joined
the class. Lucy was correcting on
the slate what she had been previous
ly debating. Miss Lucy was rather
shorter than her sister, and possessed
aperfect cloud of rich golden hair.
Her manner was particularly frank
and sweet, and she had q sense of
humor which spoke intelligibly in
her laughing blue eye.
Papa is so funnyr' she said, as
we walked towards the house. ''Do
you know what he expected? Fla! ha!
Then L won't tell you. Come in
\ sudden resolution seized me-
Il do know what he expected, my
dear young lady" 1 said, firmly;
land, so far as it rests with me, lie
certainly shall not be disappointed.
You look disturbed. I entreat you
to hear me. was about to speak,
when-in short, you were to have
become my sister. OH let me have
the Joy of bestowing upon you a far
M G precious title. BE my wife!'
We forgot the lunch altogether.
When Mr. Crowdie returned we
were still lingering under the trees.
He walked up straight to us, looked
in Lucy's blushing face, and, placing
our hands together, simply remarked:
cat last. My best hopes are
realized''
My Lucy, o little agitated with all
that had happened, was dismissed to
lie down for an hour, while I, who
had been atfianced good deal more,
felt also that q little quiet meditation
would restore the tone of my nerves
accordingly sought ont q little moss
covered seat of which I knew, and
there fell into q train of thought
which-owing [ take it to the lulling
whisper of the trees-ended in
slumber. Merry voices aroused me.
The party had commenced croquet.
Half fearing that Lucy would miss
me, hastened to the lawn. She was
not there. Smothering my disap-
pointment, [ accepted a mallet and
g partner-Mattie-and was soon
hard at work. In one of the in
Vulnerable disgusting pauses of the
game asked where was Lucy?
''Lucy!'' exclaimed Matte, open
ing her brown eyes. Don't you
know? She's gone
Good bless me! Gone! Conc
whither?''
"To Aunt Mompesson's. For two
MONTHS
:'But, I-I-surely-.''
eve sent to look for you, my dear
Mr. Purkiss,'' said Mrs. Crowdie,
who had quietly approached, "but
the messenger found you SO comfort
ably asleep that he would not disturb
you. We make q practice of never
contradictinS Mrs. Mompesson. She
would run off with Lucy; so there's
an end"
"But your daughter. Did She
didn't she-'
"She would have liked to, o,say good
bye, but my aunt would wait no
longer, and Lucy begged me to say
that, if she might suggest, all that
passed this morning might as we'll be
considered as forming part of the
dreams in which she heard you were
indulging in the arbor. But here's
Crowdie, who can tell you more
My host hustled up and took me
by both hands, saying, with much
feeling:
''Purl1iss, my good friend, am at
loss to express the sense I feel of
your hattering and most persevering
efforts to ally yourself with my
family. Believe me, I shall never
forget them. But courge, my dear
boy. I have four girls yet; and if
among these -"
''The fact isl I answered, with a
smile, ''some fatality seems to attend
upon any exercise of choice on my
part. All your children are charming.
If it were not wholly out of the ques-
ton to submit such young ladies to
such an arbitrament, [ would always
venture to propose that those who
deem prize, like myself, worth the
pains, should-ahem!- !-forgive NC
draw lots for it. -
"Ha! ha! hap roared the squire.
GA capital idea! But they needn't
hnoac it, eh? Wife II write their
names-that is, Matte, Ethel, and
Lenora-my poor Alice is out of the
race-and We'll decide it where we
stand.'
Absurd as was the plan-fcr I had
only meant it in pleasantry-Mr.
Crowdie insisted on mailing me to
my own suggestion. The names
were written the lots drawn by NIr.
Crowdic himself. and Matte was the