The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-04-08
disgracing either him or herself by such

| knew my head went up an inch or |
two, and that my eyes flashed, for he said,
kindly, "You have just his look-a little
naughty at times, for he was thorough |
bred old aristocrat [ was troubled the
first moment | saw you to decide whom
you resembled SO strongly. And now, my
dear young lady, you will, [ hope, allow
US to lock upon you friend. My wife
will call at once, and hope very soon to
welcome you at our house, as [ have been
SO often welcomed at your grandfathers.
"Well, Bernice Mapleton,' said |, when
found myself alone with that individual,
what do you think of yourself now p
Are you really yourself, or somebody else?
Or have you been dreaming these bewil-
dering things p
Mr.. Portman congratulated me on my
good fortune, laughing heartily at my ac-
count of the interview with Mr.. Helm
wood and by the next morning, [ was so
fully persuaded that things were what they
seemed that | bought pound of French
candy to celebrate the event, and tried to
inveigle Miss Plidget into sharing the
feast with me. But that wary female,
who was given to dyspepsia and other alb
surdities, solemnly worked her way thro'
one sugar plum, analyzing it al the while
as though it had been a piece of quartz.
or something else equally indigestible and
then absolutely refused to touch any more
l was engaged in exploring the recesses
of the neat little bonbon bag, when Mrs
Helmwood was announced and [ went to
receive warm embrace from the most ell
egant looking not old, but middle aged;
lady | had ever seen. Her features were
regular and beautiful, she was perfectly
dressed, and had the air of dowager
duchess. She insisted on my going home
with her at once on visit, declared, in
answer to my objections, that | was not a
stranger, as she had known my grandfath-
er well, and finally, 1 was deposited in a
lovely square room, surrounded by every
luxury, and expected to remain for an in
degnite period.
There were no daughters, and only that
one son; SO Mrs. Helmwood declared that
it was a real charity for young lady to
enliven their duilness 1t was certainly q
very pleasant task, as [ enlivened my own
at the same time; and | felt very thank
full for the advantage of having had a grand
mother.
Master George and [ were rather shy of
HaaA @Sla 6heg st sdst Bst .oRR but this gradually
ourselves alone together very NJ "T Iounu
[ tried to avoid this, for [ had no desire
to repay these peoples kindness to me by
taking their son from them, for whom,
they probably had some grander match in
store. But one day the young gentleman
made some exceedingly incoherent remarks
to me, and drew "a highly-colored picture
of our first meeting-in which my care
less hair and ''coquettish little apron"
| (iG had a great blot of ink in one corner,
| but fortunately he did not see that figured
largely, and the exquisite picture" in
Miss Plidget's album came in for share
of the general enthusiasm, and [ conduct
ed myself in consequence very much like
an idiot, and came very near forgetting
everything, until suddenly remembered to
assure him that his father and mother
would probably be anything but pleased at
such arrangement, and that [ could never
consent to enter family that was not de
oirous Of receiving me.
My lover suddenly disappeared, and re-
turned with his father.
at seems to me. young lady" said the
older gentlemen with very quizzical look.
| that in all Georges transactions with you
am brought in to finish the business.
[ would have nothing to do with such a
stupid fellow. Your very honorable con-
duct, my dear little girl, only makes me
more anxious than ever to welcome you as
daughter; and if | had entertained any
objections to such finale, do you think
would have been weak enough to expose
my son to the peril of daily contact with
a girl ike your"
had nothing to say to this; and Mr.
Helmwood took me in his arms and kissed
me, and then led me to his wife, from
whom | received an equally warm vel
come.
1t is needless to say that those five in
fants on whom | had expended SO much
surplus energy were turned out to pasture
without any compunctions of conscience
and the young couple from Maine were
provided with larger domicile, and some
very nice furniture to put in it.
Mr. Portman would not allow me to
pay my debt to him, bat insisted upon its
being appropriated to my trousseau; and
my identical gold bonds were returned 70
me Just as l had given them to him. He
had the pleasure of giving me away; but
he said that the fact of my never having
belonged to him made this considerable
easier
My father-in-law declared that he rather
outwitted me, after all, as the money was
all in the family.
A coffn-maker was asked whom he was
making for, and mentioned the intended.
''Why, he IS not dead, man - said the