The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-02-14

1
no power on earth should take her from
him had actually condescended to the
common sense and conversational meth
cd of askin her fathers permission be-
fore speaking to her I. Nothing more
was necessary to prove to her that he
was not, to use her own language, "the
chosen arbiter of her destiny"
After tea Jennie slipped out of the
back way and ran over to a neighbor's,
for the two fold purpose of avoiding
what she was pleased to term the ''per-
secutions" OF the aforesaid Mr.. Edward
Wright, and pour her troubles--or rather
her want of any-into the sympathising
bosom of her dear friend, Arabella Eu-
genie Angelina Stubbs.
Jennie being firmly convinced that
''the course of true love never did run
smooth" and as in the event of her be-
coming Mrs. Edward Wright there
would be nothing lett for her to do but
to order her wedding tinery, and go
through with the requisite ceremony,
she eithei avoided the poor fellow alto
gether, or treated him with such an air
of lofty Indifference as to put him to his
wits end to discover the cause of this
singular change in her conduct.
"Jennie," said Mr.. Stacey, a few
weeks after, "who was that young man
that you were talking with at the gate
this morning?" ta.flsT.B -.I
"Edward Wright, papa, replied Jen-
ME, not little astonishedat this abrupt
inquiry, as well as the scowl that ac-
companied it.
swell, never let me see you with him
again ~ oss r lss5a as
Jennie opened her eyes wider. gos
"Why not? thought Edward was a
great favorite OF yours ~ d.
$50 he was until found him out. 1
did think great deal of the young man;
but after what has happened, he shall
never darken my door againP' sal go
"Dear me what in the world has he
done ?n Na 1s ~
eDone what ought to send him to
the penitentiary-what would send
him there if 1 had the law in my
hands ?' iiiEia1 Ag.itg uEtH FlE aal
The sudden pallor that swept over
Jennie's face would have betrayed to
the most Indifferent eye the true state
of her affections. aa 8Ell
..Do you mean that he has been steal
ing, papa?r fio iialml'
"Stealing, he has done worse than
that - -............-. II,
"Good heavens y faltered poor Jen-
ME, '.has he been killing anybody 7"
"Worse than that. A man that viii
sell his country is worse than "a murder
er ! and any one that will vote for that
lying, double faced traitor, Higgins, is
a worse scoundrel than he" rW
ais that all 2" said Jennie. drawing a
long sigh of relief. 81 thought it was
something dreadful.
ssAll?" echoed her father. 81 should
say that 1T was senough-quite enough to
sink him in the estimation ofevery hon.
est man. Once more, say don't let me
see you with him again -
Here Mr.. Stacey stamped out OF the
room banging the door after him.
s'Good gracious u exclaimed Jennie,
as she picked up the contents OF her
work basket, that her father had knock
ed over in his furious exit. 81 should
like to know what's got into pa, all at
once. To think of him forbidding me
to speak to Edward Just for that!'
And with flushed cheeks and flutter
of delight at her heart at the thought of
having something to tell" and that
something $50 strange and mysterious, =
she sought the presence of her usual
confdant, the fair Arabella Eugenie
Angelina Stubbs, to whom it was duly
unfolded with sundry embellishments,
the fruits of her fertile imagination, and
who quite agreed with her in thinking
it to be 'the strangest thing that ever
came to her knowledge"
"Jennie," said Mr.. Stacey, the next
day after dinner, as taking his hat he
turned to leave the house, s'young
Wright had the impudence to speak to
me again about you, and, intimates that
he did SO by your permission, you may
as we'll know, once for all, that it can
never be! would sooner see you in
your grave than the wife Of sucha mani
I've got a husband picked out for you.
Deacon Obidiah Pettigrew is a man
that will do you and the family credit "
"Deacon Pettigrew Why, pa, he's
more than twice my age J"
| 'sThat's the very reason why l have
selected him; you need some one to keep
| you steady. He will be here to morrow
evening, and / shall expect you to re-
ceive him with the respect and consider
alton due to your future husband
Before his daughter had time to re-
cover from the astonishment into which
this announcement threw her, Mr.. Sta
cey was some ways down the street.
swell know two things" cxclaim-
ed Jennie; putting down her foot with
a determined air, ~ won't have that
stupid Deacon Pettigrew, and 1 will
have-Edward Wright ~ a4 q.
AS she said this, she took from her
bosom letter from the last FAMED in
dividual, full of protestations of undy-
ing love, and imploring her to meet him
at O'Clock that evening, rereading it
for the fortieth time with flushed cheeks
and kindling eyes
That evening, as Jennie went to the