The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-03-09

never gavs offence 10 anybody. but always
Cotton . Msthss Royalstdhe was- -hem / |
We'll. tlaey said they were cousins, and !,
not being very well versed In their gene
alogy, am nos prepared 10 disproye III
Maybe they were cousins couBins sorde-
whore In the sixteenth degree. One thing
was very apparent: there was q great
affinity between the two, whether Of Heart
or blood Il matters not. Gotten was just
from college, and for the present was safely
domiciled in the neighborhood where
Ophelia resided. He generally escorted
her to parties;y and TWAS atone of these
reiini0rs that Ophelia protested to make
the astounding discovery that. Cotton was
In love--dreadfu1ly in love.
For days afterwards, Opheiis, true TO
her promise, did her best TO entertain him !;
but her sly railery was unceasing, and
perhaps nobody but Cotton Mather Royal
stone could patiently have endured 1T.
But endure 1t he did-endured it Wltn q
very good grace. And, gentle reader, was
not this another proof positive that. ne aoas
distressingly " in love r.
The weeks of Rosalie's absence had nearly
glided away; she was expected home in 9
few days; but, nevertheless, Ophelia came
lin one day and stood at her cousins SIDE,
with avery serious, .condoling air upon her
sober face. g Oh, Cousin, Cot,n she said !:
lM I'VE lust heard something so dreadful
I'm sure you'llcry when / tell you abontit.
Poor fellow! you have my sympathies-.
give them to you beforehand; 1t is really
too bad.'' le
aWhat is too bad ?" said the young
man, wonderingly. ST cannot imagine
what has happened. Nobody's dead, 1
hope.f
sob no! but old Mr.. Anderson-the
strange old mortal-he's thrown cold water
over all your matrimonial prospects, for
sure." ~
aWhy, what has he donew asked Cot
ton. in tone of surprise.
Why, he amt going to let you marry
Resale; he's going to object, prove obsh--
nate, as many an incorrigible papa has
done before him. Pm afraid you'll have
to make runaway match Of ityet."
To Ophelia's surprise, the grave young
man laughed short laugh over this piece
of information, and evinced no very great
lconcern. Buthe kept on questioning her,
nevertheless. ~
sit isn't possible that the old fellow OBJ
| iects to aclever young chap like myself,
| is it, Cousin Phele {? What does he say
against me pr
SWOh! he doesn't like you at all, Cot;
he never will consent to your marrying
her in the world"
The young man bit his lips, and said,
more grayely, while he looked into his
pretty cousins upturned face: She'll
wait until ask hina, suppose, before he
refuses me his daughters hand 2"
"Ask him! why, it was all settled that
you were to ask him as soon as he got
home, you know"
emo, /, don't know it, Phele; never
dreamed Of it, a.
"Why, Cousin Coil"
The Young man still looked gravely
down into the upturned face, and there
was truthful expression in the eyes that
surprised her.
aWhy, Cousin Cot" she began again,
chow did you expect to get the girl with,
out asking for herr You haven't intended
running away with her from the first, nave
you % -
"No, 1 don't intend mo,o to run away
with her. p.
"But you'll never get her without. You
are Freemason, and old Mr.. Anderson is
hostile toward the whole fraternity. He
declares that it is secret organization for
political purposes, and that its tendency is
the destruction of our Government. He
would as quickly let his daughter marry a
traitor as Freemason, he says"
Ali" said the young man, respond
ingly.
away with her, how are you going to
marry? p"
"I'm sure I don't know" he said,
stroking his chin thoughtfully. !" look
to you to enlighten me upon that point"
"Well, you'll have to run away. | see
no other chance for you"
a,With who, Phele?"
ssWhy, how provoking! With her you
have been so madly in love with all along.
" on't you do it, Cousin Cot?"
eyes, to be sure will run with her to
the ends of the earth, if need be-"
CT knew it, I knew it," cried the girl,
bringing her small white hands together.
g knew it, although you just now said
you wasn't going to marry Rosalie under
any such circumstances. A fig for cir
,cumstances when anybody is dreadfully in
love-" Is,
Dreadfully in love-" echoed Cotton.
aWell, it's all arranged. Pm to go along,
too. I always thought that it would be
fine fun to be in Q runaway scrape."
aCertainly you are to be there, Phele.
I couldn't get married If you were not pre-
sent"; and Cotton Mather stopped over and
took her hand. u
q Yes, I am to be bridesmaid. But
when are you going to see Rosalie about all
thisP"
"Neuer' % said the young man emphati-
cally. ss,
"Never, Cousin CotY How on earth
can you get married without letting Rosa
lie know it? lam curious to know"
Il ssVery easily, Pm thinking. It's little
matter to me whether she knows about it
or not"
"Well, if she don't know about it, who
must, then?' said the girl, beginning, for
the first time, to feel that she had ratified
on until she had, perhaps, placed herself
| in an awkward position. "Who is to know
about your wedding, Cousin CotS"
"You-you only, Cousin Phele. IF you
will only enter into my plans we can have
q quiet home wedding, in spite of old Mr..
Anderson's ill-will to the Freemasons.
Perhaps, after all, he will let his daughter
attend as guest. You must be the bride
instead of the bridesmaid, Cousin Phele |
That will obviate all difficulties. That is
the only important change care to sug-