The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1868-05-07


ing her little Of my spare time. The
marriage was talked of tor an early
day in the next month. Mr.. Raven
said he had long wished to visit Ma.
deira, and he really thought it would
be good plan to go there for the hon
ey-moon, and spend the winter months
Still, he intended to take his London
house as he at first proposed. He had
not seen one he liked. So, as time was
wearing away, it would be best to look
out for ready furnishes one. After
all, it saved trouble, and Fanny could
always add anything she fancied when
they returned to England. Mrs. Green
had suffered so much from bronchitis
that, if the winter was severe, he hoped
she would join them at Madeira, and
thus avoid the March winds. The old
lady shook her head, but did not object
to the suggestion. What, l thought,
if these plans are carried out, is to be-
come of met Mr.. RaveIi did not take
my future at all into consideration. I
told him so one day. "My dear Miss
Linley," he said, 1--WE all look on you
as one of us. Of course you will either
remain in my house with Miss Green,
or--stay-why should you not come
out to Madeira with Mrs. Green! She
will be very glad to have your company
for the voyage, and l am sure Fanny
and myself will be delighted to give
you a warm welcome for SO long as
we are there, and then, you know,
sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof have my own ideas that
Miss Linley will not be Miss Linley
long, il thrown into that society which
l hope soon to introduce her, and in
which her talents and requirements
will make her an ornament"
One thing struck my cousin Waters
as very strange, and he confded his
ideas to me. He owned he did not
quite understand Mr.. Ravens closeness
about his personal friends "You will
hardly believe" he said, "that Mr.. Ra-
ven this morning actually asked me to
perform the marriage ceremony. Now,
Of course, he must have many old
friends who would be more entitled to
do him this service than any acquaint-
ance of few weeks. AS to his fattery,
that he has seldom seen clergyman in
whom he had such confidence, or to
whom he has taken such fancy, really
it looks like CANNON, think. A very
pleasant fellow he is, ] do not deny, and
as clever hand at telling a story as l
know anywherej but to ask me to
marry him on few weeks intimacy
looks as if he was harder up for friends
than thought for By the by, too,
what books has he wirtten3 He seemed
very modest on the subject when |
asked him, and said he wrote under a
feigned name; but think, when we
first came, you told me he had been
reading one of his books to you ?"
Now, it is laid at our sex's door that
we can none of us keep secret. True,
that Mr.. Raven had begged us to pre-
serve his literary cognito, and until now
we had all religiously complied with
his request. There was that, however,
in my cousins tone which so much, |
thought implied disparagement of Mr..
Ravens position in the literary world,
that, though | could not help owning
to myself that my lion had somewhat
fallen in my own estimation since I had
seen him in every day life, I say these
doubts, with anxiety to maintain the
reputation of our hero, strongly urged
me to let the cat out of the bag. The
impulse was irresistible when his repu-
tatlon was thus called into question;
and having first gone through the form
Of exacting promise of secrecy from
Mr.. Waters, / prepared to reveal to
him who Mr.. Raven really was. "Have
you ever read adam Bede'i" ! eau
tiously asked. "Adam Bede!" he ex-
claimed, with a start of surprise, II
should think have! Why the Athe-
neum reviewed it as the Cleverest work
of fiction that had come ont for the last
twenty years. Raven never wrote that.
You won't make me believe it," "Did
he not?" I replied, and crossed the
room to fetch the first volume of that
book. l opened the cover and tri-
umphantly pointed out to my cousins
wondering gaze, "To dearest Fanny,
with the authors affectionate regards"
"There" / exclaimed, "wiIl that satisfy
you 7" "And is that Mr.. Ravens hand
writing 7" asked Mr.. Waters. eyes"
"And he gave it to Fanny Green !"
eyes," l replied. "And l am bound, !"
he continued, "by my promise to you,
not to congratulate him on his extraor-
dinary and highly gifted writings as the
author of that book 7" ayes, again.
But how strangely you take the COM
munication, Cousin john Does not
Mr.. Raven rise immeasurably in your
esteem!" "Humph! !" he replied, 81
shall buy copy next time | am in town
Let me see where it is published" He
took down the address. There was
something in Johns whole manner of
receiving the intelligence I had just
impaired which puzzled me- I could
not understand why be looked SO grave
about it; but before | could demand
any explanation, some one came in, and
l only had time once again to enjoin
silence. / felt rather guilty, for l
would not for the world have Mr.. Ra-
ven think woman could keep secret,