The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-01-09
SIX LOVE-LETTERs.

"Are there any moro Of these let.
ters?"
When her father asked this qnes.
ton, 10 an awful tone, Lucilla
Richmond could not sag "No,' and
dared not say "Yes." bat as an in. d.
termediate course burst into tearS.
and sobbed behind her handker.
chief.
bring them 10 me, Lucilla," "
said her father, as if she had an
swered him. as, indeed, she had 4,
and the girl, trembling and weep
ing, arose to obey him.
Then Mrs Richmond, her daugb
ter's very solfgrown old. came be.
hind her husbands chair and pat.
ted him on the shoulder.
please don't be hard with her,
my dear" she said coaxingly.
"He's nice Young man, and it is
our fault after all as much as hers,
and yon wont break her young
heart I'm sure"
perhaps you approve Of the
whole affair, ma am, said Mr. Rich.
mond.
w-no-that is, I onIy'-gasp-
ed the little woman; and, hearing
LucfIIa coming, she sank into u
chair, blaming herself dreadfully
for not having been present at all
her daughters music lessons dur
ing the past year.
For all this disturbance arose
from a music teacher who had given
lessons to Miss Lucilla for twelve
months, and who had taken the
liberty Of falling in love with her,
knowing we'll that she was the
daughter OF ore Of the richest men
in Yorkshire.
1T was inexcusable in a poor IN
sic teacher, who should have
known his place. Mr.. Richmond
declared, and he cIutched the little
perfumed billet which had fallen
into his hands as he night q scor
pion, and waited for tho others
with q look upon his face which
told of no s0itening. They came
at last, six littIe white envelopes
tied together with blue ribbon, and
were laid at his elbow by his des
pairing daughter.
"Lock these up until | return
home this evening"" he said to his
wife; 81 will read them then
Mean while, Lucilla is not 10 soc
this music master on any pre-
tense" g..
And then Miss Lucila went
down upon her knees:
"Oh, dear papa = she cried
dearest papa, please don't say
must never see him again. J
couldn't bear it. Indeed couit
not. He's poor, I know, but he i:
gentleman, and IL like him sc
much, papa" lu
mo more Of this absordity, my
dear" said Mr.. Richmond. H,
has been artful enough 10 make
YOU think him perfection, | SUP
pose. Your parents know what i,
best for your happiness. A music
teacher is not a match for Misi
Richmond"
With which remark Mr.. Rich
mond put on his hat and overcoat
and departed.
Then LucilIa and her mother
took the opportunity of falling in
to each others arms.
It's so naughty of you," saiC
Mrs. Richmond. "But oh dear,
cant blame you. 1t was exactly
so with me. Iran away with Joul
papa, you know, and my parent
objected because of his poverty
feel tho greatest sympathy io'
you, and Frederick has such An,
oyes, and is so pleasing. wish
could soften your papa
"When he sees the letters there!
be no hope, I am very much n
fraid, sobbed Miss Lucilla Free
is So romantic, and papa hates ro
nance"
"Ile used to be very romanti,
himself in those old times" sale
Mrs. Richmond. Such letters n
he wrote me. l have them in, my
desk yet. He said he should di,
if | refused him. ..
$50 does Fred" said Lucills.
"And that life would be worth
less without mo; and about my be
ing beautiful, (ho thought 50, yor
know I'm sure he ought TO sym
pathize a little" said Mrs. Rich
mond. .. ..... a
But she, dared not promise tha'
he would. .
She coaxcd her darling TO stoI
crying, and made her lie down
then went up int oher own room L
put the letters into her desk anC
as she placed them in one pigeon
hole, she saw in another bundle
tied exactly as those were, anc
drew them out. .
These letters were to q Lucills
also. One who had received them
twenty years beforehand she wa'
now n matron, old enough to have
n daughter who had heart trou bic.
-unfolded them one by one. won
dering how it came to pass that
lovers' letters were all so mucl
alike. t.....-, ..a
Half a dozcn--just the same
number, and much more romantic
than those the music master hac
written to her daughter Lucilla, A
strange idea came into Mrs. Rich
mond's mind. She dared not op
pose her husband; by look or wore
she had never attempted such
thing. a- ra. ~ l ~.