Weekly Calaveras chronicle. (Mokelumne Hill, Calaveras County, Cal.) 18??-1874, 1867-12-07

believe I have them, and gave him a
white pile of envelopes, encircled with
blue ribbon, with hand thai trembled
like an aspen leaf.
As for Lucilla, she began to weep as
though the end of all things had come
at last, and felt sure that if papa should
prove cruel she should die.
six letters-six shameful pieces of
deception, Lucilla, said the indignant
parent. Il am shocked that a child of
niue could practice such duplicity.
Hem let me see number one, believe
June, and this is December. Half a
year you have deceived US then, Lu-
ella. Let me see-ah. From the
first moment he adored you,' eh p
Nonsense. People don't fall in love in
that absurd manner. 1t takes years of
acquaintance and respect and attach
ment. with your smiles for his goal,
he would win both fame and fortune,
poor as he is Fiddlesticks, Lucilla
A man who has common sense would
always wait until he had fair COM
mencement before be proposed to any
girl. Praise of your beauty. The
loveliest creature he ever saw Ex-
aggeration, my dear You are not plain,
but such fattery is absurd. Must hear
from you or die! Dear, dear-how
absurd =
And Mr.. Richmond dropped the first
lottor ,p1 tool, ~, opotbor
'The same stuff he commented. Il
hope you don't believe a word he says.
A plain, earnest, upright sort of man
would never go into such rhapsodies, I
am sure All now In number three
he calls you IAN angel!' He is roman
tic, upon my word. And what is all
this?
''Those who would forbid me to see
you can find no fault with me but my
poverty am honest-I am earnest
in MY efforts. l am by birth gentle
man, and l love you from my soul.
Do not let them sell you for gold, Lu-
cilla.'
Great heavens, what impertinence
to your parents
Il don't remember Fred's saying any
thing of that kind said Lucilla. He
never knew you would object
Mr.. Richmond shook his head, frown-
ed, and read on in silence until the last
sheet lay under his hand. Then with
an ejaculation of rage, he started to his
feet
Infamous he cried; 'I'll horse
whip him !-I'll-murder him As
for you, by Jove, III send you to
convent. Elope, elope with music
teacher I'm ashamed to call you my
daughter. Where's my hat? Give
me my boots. Here, John, call cab
j.
But here Lucilla caught one arm and
Mrs. Richmond the other.
oh, papa, are you crazy?' said Lu-
ella. Frederick never proposed such
a thing Let me see the letter. Oh,
papa, this is not Fred's-upon my word
| it is not. Do look, papa it is dated
twenty years back, and Frederick's
name is not Charles? Papa, they are
your love-letters to mamma, written
long ago. Her name is Lucilla, you
know
Mr.. Richmond sat down in bis arm
chair in silence, very red in the face.
How did this occur p he said stern
y; and little Mrs. Richmond, retreat
ing into corner, with her handker-
chief to her eyes, sobbed:
Il did it on purpose y and paused,
as though she expected sudden judy
ment. But, hearing nothing, she dared
at last to rise and creep up to her hus-
band timidly.
You know Charles she said, 'it's SO
long since, and I thought you might
not exactly remember-how you fell in
love with me at first sight; how papa
and mama objected, and how at last we
ran away together; and it seemed to
me that if we could bring it all back
plainly to you as it was then, we might
let dear Lucilla marry the man she
likes, who is good, if he is not rich. 1
did not need it to be brought back any
palmer myself; women have more time
to remember, you know, and we've
been very happy-have we not?'
And certainly Mr. Richmond could
not deny that. So Lucilla, feeling that
her interests might safely be left in her
mothers keeping, slipped out of the
room, and heard the result of the little
ruse next morning. 1t was favorable
to the young music teacher, who had
really been sentimental, and had not
gone half so far as an elopement and,
in the course of time the two were mar
ried with all the pomp and grandeur
beftting the nuptials of wealthy mer-
chants daughter, with the perfect ap-
probation of Lucilla's father, and to the
great joy of Lucilla's mamma, who justly
believed that her little ruse had brought
about all her daughters happiness.