Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1869-02-25
Smiths Good Luck.

| / was always lucky fellow, and
1.-THE most fortunate thing that ever
happened to me was being born a
Smith. Listen.
/ Three years ago / had just been
| tilted, and was out of money.
THAT doesn't sound lucky. | con-
cluded to go into the country, down
at Plymouth, that the murmurs of
the sea might soothe my inward
perturbation, and partly to save a
months board.
/ stepped on board the early
down train. 1t was full of silly
six o'clock passengers, mostly men.
The sun was shining on the water,
but the fog was hugging the banks,
and clinging to the FURNISHED sur
face of the tide. Isuppose a poet
could have made something pretty
out of the sight, but only wrap
ped myself closer in my overcoat
and looked at it sulkily. After
awhile / got to listening to two
men who sat behind me.
"a pretty girl with a fortune
isn't always to be had for the ask
ing"
"Oh, but the girl isn't asked, !
take it. It's all arranged by her
aunts. She's Shining pretty, but
a mere child-not sixteen, l be-
lieve. They had another fellow
booked for her but he died down
in New Orleans last tall"
"And she's never seen this
Smith,"
"No, nor they either. The
aunts plotted with Mr.. Dunbar,
the guardian, and he picked Smith
up for them, opened a correspon-
dence, aud got Rose to write let
ter or two. Smith processes to
be in love with. her letters and
her picture; but of course it's the
money--forty thousand if she
marries before she's seventeen"
"If the girl amounts to. any
thing it's a deuced shame"
-"She does amount to something.
IShe has the making of a splendid
woman in her, but nobody knows
it, or cares. They are bent only
on saving the money for her. IF
she torfeits it it goes to some pet
charity of her crazy old grandfath-
er's. He was always an old ty-
rant and as eccentric as the ID"
"You know Smith,"
'eOnly by sight, but l know a
.chum of his, Burton, and got the
story, with copy of a letter of.
the girls. I've seen her many a
time down on the shore, always
with her dragon aunts."
"Where's the letter."
''Ive got it here in my wallet.
Now you know the right sort of
a man won't have his girls letters
hawked among his associates
He let Burton take his copy, and
Burton gave it to me. Let me see
this is it. Listen:
DEAR Mr.. SMITH.--My aunts
wish me toreply TO your kind let
ter. / do not know what to say.
l am not accustomed to writing
to gentlemen; but l must tell
you that | was sorry to have aunt
Sophy send you that picture, / am
not near SO pretty; it flatters me
very much. You are SO hand
some that you viii want hand
some wife; SO don't think you
ought to marry me; but my annts
say must on account of the mon
ey; and perhaps it may turn out
right. Lam lonely here. would
like to live in large city, and
aunt Sophy says you would do
everything to Iliease me.
"Have you any sisters? Will
your mother like me? ! always
wanted sisters and a mother of
my own. / don't know what else
to tell you, except that if you love
me / will do whatever you want
me to. Very truly yours,
/ "RoSE ROGERS" I"
t There were comments upon and
laughing discussion of the let.
ter, which was certainly very uni.
que. But as we ratified along
there was a dump, a shock, the
cars stood still, and everybody
was in CONSERVATION.
awe are off the track-be pa
tient very little while" said tht