The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1868-04-23
From the St. James Magazine.
NOTES
FROM AN OLD MAIDS DIARY.
PART II.-CoNTINUED.

The following day after breakfast, the
two gentlemen were Closeted together
for some time. Old Mrs. Green was
present at their colloquy, for, when she
would have retired, Mr.. Raven had
entreated her to remain. He was sure
neither Mr.. Green nor himself had any
secrets from dear mother. Elated at all
that TRANSFERRED, and which only raised
Mr. Raven in their eyes, Mrs. Green
soon after impaired to me as nearly as
possible what passed. Mr. Green had
opened the ball by saying his love for
his dear child made him feel how desir-
GUS it was, before her affections were
irrevOcably engaged, to request Mr..
Raven to inform him what were in
reality his prospects in life. Her son,
Mrs. Green said, grew little too pat.
ronizing, she thought, in his tone, say
ing he thought Green was one who
highly appreciated talent and literary
pursuits, but that he owned authorship
was somewhat better profession than
formerly, when men of the greatest
merit, wrote, lived, and died in garrets
Still, if Mr.. Raven depended alone
upon his brain for his bread, it was
most uncertain provision. Illness or
other casualties might intervene and
poverty ensue. Mr.. Green felt he
ought to have demanded the present
interview some weeks previously,-
when he was first made acquainted with
his addresses to Fanny. and should have
done SO, but being much engaged at a
distance he had trusted to his mothers
representation, and he had let things
take their course. Now. however, the
time was come for Mr.. Raven to state
what his income was; also to give some
account of his family connections, and
how soon he intended to marry. MIRA
ven replied in the mildest and most dig
nified tone. ''It was" he said, "most
natural that Mr. Green should desire to
satisfy himself as to his position, and
had he not been able in a straight
forward manner to meet all questions
relative to his family and prospects, he
should not have aspired to his daugh-
ter's hand When first he had been
received at Mrs. Green's hospitable
board merely as visitor, it required
little penetration to see that, though
that estimable lady's position in life
had, from unfortunate circumstances
been somewhat changed, and though
her establishment was reduced, yet abe
brought with her into narrower cir
cumstances a dignity and refinement
that bespoke her birth and education
while, curiously enough. the crest on
one or two pieces of family plate in use
proved that the Green family must have
been connected, during the last century,
with branch of his own.
He himself was a second son of the
Ravens, Of Raven Court, shire.
His elder brother had a peculiar taste
for exploring foreign parts, aud was
now, he believed, in central Africa.
He was very eccentric, and for years
the family had heard but little of him );
in fact, they should know of his exist
ence, save from the reports which
reached them from other travellers Of
his daring exploits,--explOits which,
however they might eventually add to
his fame or benefit the world, certainly
endangered his life. He (Mr. Raven)
would be most frank with Mr.. Green,
and tell him candidly he was not on
the best terms with his father, and had
not visited Raven Court for some years.
The nature of the misunderstanding
rested entirely with bis fathers second
WIFE Mrs, Raven had a violent tenn
per and was a woman of no education,
and on his last visit had rendered his
fathers house most unpleasant to him.
One scene be had with her---when, in
her anger at some trivial remark he
made, she had positively torn up val
liable MS. he was engaged in writing
had occasioned words, not only with
her, but with his father, and he had
resolved never to retagp home during
his step mother'sli life. He was entitled
at bis fathers death to &c, 900 from his
-''iAment. in which his