The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-11-09
Miscfllanp.
The Tyranmical Fat her.

that was belied by the vivid crimson that rose
from the checks to the temples. 81 suppose il
was to see about an order for some goods, oil
something"
Not exactly" replied her father, smiling
" He came 10 me about you; in Short to ask
my permission 30 address you
Jennie raddencd again. but the sudden Hash
that CLEANED ont from beneath the brown lashes
spoke more of scorn than satisfaction.
"Of cOurae, / gavemy consent" continued MI
Stacey, after waiting vainly for his daughter 10
reply. 80,
If you hadn't, suppose that would have
been the last of it, so far as he was concerned
retorted Jennie, with n sarcastic touch that was
quite lost upon her matter OF fact father
"Well. my dear, I don't know rs there is any
need Of raising that question. | could have no
reasonable objection to well principled, intel
ligent younr man like Mr.. Wright; and who is,
withal doing an excellent business. So 1t now
remains for YOU to say whether or no you will
be Mrs Edward Wright
Jennie pursed up her rosy lips with an air of
great dignity.
- I haven't been asked yet
"No, | suppose not. Rut should't wonder if
he was here 10 night for that express purpose"
Then as glimmer of the truth entered his
mind, Mr.. Stacey added
81 trust YOU are not so,foolish, my daughter, as
10 take otfence because he spoke to me about it
first In so doing he acted honorably, and as
every man should, and it ought to raise, rather
than lower him in your esteem Indeed, l fam
cied, from what he said, that he was quite sure
of the nature of your feelings for him, else he
had not spoken to me-"
Jennie's Indignation now reached its climax.
She elevated her naturally rather aspiring nose,
until it stood at right angles.
"QUite sure, was he: don't know why he
should be- then. | never gave him any reason to
feel so confident"
Mr. Stacey looked rather gravcy at his daugh-
ter.
~ don't know what you've said to him, but
know that hes been here good deal, and you We
ALWAYS seemed glad ITO see him. l hope YOU
haven't been triGing with the young man. Jen-
ME. Am I to understand that you don't intend
to marry him Z"
Jennies round and rosy face assumed as lofty
an expression as features could be expected to
wear, not formed exactly from the heroic mould.
Mr.. Wright is an excellent young man. papa
I've nothing to say against him. But l would
sooner perish than unite my fate with one whose
feelings are so antagoniStic to the hottest sym
pathes Of my nature
The concluding sentence was a quotation from
her fayorite novel, "Astrea or, The Stony
hearted Father" and was pronounced with no
little vehemence OF look and tone.
Mr.. Stacey stared at his daughter for moment
without speaking.
81 really do not see, my DEAR" he said dryly,
"any necessity for so much display of energy;
if You don't like Mr. Wright enough to marry
him, all that YOU, have got to do is to tell him
So"
Here was come down" to Jennies soaring
Imagination. Her father absolutely refused to
play the role OF the Stony-hearted Father, ruth
lessly destroying the secret hope that had risen
in her heart that some romantic incident, for
which she had so often longed, was about to
break the sameness of her dull and prosy life
And to her dissatisfaction. Edward Wright
whom she really liked, and whom she had in
vested with many OF the virtues and graces that
adorned her favorite heroes instead Of throwing
himself at her feet and declaring that no power
ON earth should take her from him. had actually
condescended to the commonsense and conven.
tional method of asking her fathers permission
before speaking to her! Nothing more was nec-
essary to convince her that he was not to use
her own language, 'the chosen arbter of her
destiny"
After tea Jennie slipped out of the back way,
and ran over to a neighbor's, for the two.foid
purpose of avoiding, what she was pleased to term
the ''pcrsecutions" of the Aforesaid Mr.. Edward
Wright, and to pour her troubels-or rather her
want Of any--into the sympathizing bosom of
her dear FRIEND Arabella Eugene Angelina
Stubs
Jennie being firmly convinced that "the course
of true love never did run smo.th," and as in the
event. OF her becoming Mrs. Edward Wright,
there would be nothing left for her to do but to
order her wedding fnery and 90 through with
the requisite ceremony. she either avoided the
poor fellow altogether, or else treated him with
an air Of such lofty indifference "a put him to his
wits end 20 discover the cause of this singular
change in her conduct
IT S., - 90 r