The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-09-27

don't know. Il will not pretend TO:
exculpate such q piece of mischief,
not L. I will only state facts:
DEAR MIR. EDWARD BART1NE: I
have thought of you great many
times since I wrote those few lines to
you, which you must have considered
very, strange. My father made me
write them, for he does not know
you, or / ann sure he never wonld
have done 80. You will forgive him,
won't you? If you would like to
come here during vacation, as you
said you would, shall be very happy
to see you, and I daresay my dear
father will Like you very much; 1
don't see how he can help it. If you
have wish to come, please take a
hint from the enclosed letter to nv
cousin, Reuben Richards.
'LUCY WILLIS.
'.P. S.-If you have no use for the
enclosed, please forward it to the
address"
Just think of Lucy Willis writing
such letter, but she did; and then
she neatly folded it, and enclosing
the one designed for Mr.. Reuben
Richards, with glowing cheek and
palpitating heart, she directed it to
Mr.. Edward Bartine, Yale College,
New Haven, and putting on her bon
net and shawl, tripped feetly to the
office and deposited it.
''Ah, she'll come round all right
yeti" said Mr.. Willis, few days
after, as t> overheard Lucy caroling
one of :. : lively songs.
In due time, allowing for the speed
of steamboats,, rail-cars, and stages
all the way from tho Ohio, q young
man, with ponderous leather trunk,
alighted at MIR. Willis gate. 1t was
after dinner. and the farmer was en-
joying his afternoon pipe while
Lucy, sitting very quietly at his side,
was reading the village news. But
all of sudden, as she saw the young
man approaching, she sprung up in
the strangest confusion, and ran into
tho house. Mr.. Willis rose up, put
down his pipe, and hastily advanced
to meet the youth.
'"This must be my dear nephew !"
he said, extending his hand, II know
the true Willis look; I am glad to see
you, my lad ?"
"Thank you. uncle how are you
how is Lucy ?" asked the stranger,
warmly shaking hands.
"She is well, Reuben, and will be
very glad to see you. Come into the
house; you must be tired after such
journey. Lucy Lucy! Why,
where has she flown to? Lucy! Oh,
here she comes Well, Lu, we have
got him at last; this is your cousin
Reuben-give her kiss-that's
right"
Lucy turned very pale when she
first cast her eyes upon her cousin,
who, with very red hair and some
what limping gait, advanced to salute
her, then rosy blush, and an arch
smile but half suppressed, stole over
her pretty face. But she blushed
still deeper, and drew back timidly
from the tender embrace her young
relative would fain have bestowed
upon her.
"My own dear Lucy p was softly
whispered in her ear.
$50. your mother would not ven
ture with you ?" said the farmer.
Well, I'm sorry, for it is many n long
year since we met; 1 hope she is
we'll ?"
"Not very; she is greatly troubled
with the rheumatism"
''That's bad. And how are all the
rest of the folks, Uncle Bill and Dea-
con Oracle ?"
"Dead p
"Bless me, dead You don't say
poor Uncle Bill is dead !' exclaimed
MIR. Willis, aghast at such news of an
only brother.
"Not exactly dead-half killed with
the rheumatism, 1 mean; and the
deacon-oh, the deacon has gone to
California.
"What Deacon Oracle gone to
California ? Well, that beats all !
I'll warrant old Mr.. Stnbbs is liv-
ing !"
dead, year ago."
'Dead, is he What killed him, I
should like to know, for 1 thought
him good for hundred years ?"
rheumatism, uncle"
"Kheumatism again ! What in the
world do you live in such climate
for? Well, Reuben, how do you like
your cousin Lucy's looks =? 1 think
she is some like your mother, who
resembles the Darlings more than the
Willisas" {"