The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-09-01

.
"WILLOUGHBY."
Back came the reply next morning:
"DEAR WILIOUGHBY Your reply
llIas made me feel very happy. IL is
very dull here-nO society here except
my father and mother. / hope for
more eOngenial cOmpaniOnship.
Thine. EVA"
In this delightful manner the days
flew on-haleyon days too they were.
for WillOughby, and sweetened 10y
the interchange Of this and similar
lOVeT-like confidence. On the fol-
lowing Monday morning Mrs. Vane
left town on q visit to some friends i'm
DevOnshfre, leaving her son to keep
house at ZONE. That same afternoon
one Of Captain Blacks servants
brought the following note for Viii
lOughby. f
"WIILIE! Have you any objection
to my telling my dear papa all Mat
tiers have now gone SO far that It will
be impossible for either OF US to retract
what we have written. Let US
! take uapz into our confidence. l
know his kind and generous nature
well, ana have no fear that he will
oppose our union. Pray send me a
line by bearer. Eva"
The answer was as follows:
0AfY OwN EVA: Do whatever YOU
consider best. My fate is in your
hands. Ifyour papa should refuse
! his consent. - But / will not
think of anything so dreadful Fear
not that / shall ever retract. Life
without you would be desert, with
no oasis to brighten it.
"WILLOUGHBY."
That evening, just as WillOughby
had finished dinner, he heard loud
double knock at the street door; and
on its being opened, a strange voice
inquired in a loud tone:
HIs Mr. WillOughby Vane at
homer
His heart beat violently as Jane en-
tering his, room, said:
ga gentleman wishes to speak to
you i'm the library, sir"
And she handed him card, in
eribed Captain Choker Black, G. B.
H. Ms 1,794th Foot"
"I will be with him in a moment"
said WilIoIghby; and he swallowed
couple Of glasses Of sherry, to nerve
him for the interview.
HCaptain ChOker Black, / believe 81
he said as he entered the library.
fYOuT servant, sir" said the gal
liant Captain-whO, glass in eye, was
busiIy engaged in scrutiniZing an en-
craving of the battle Of Navarino
"YOur servant, sir. Have ! the pleas
ure Of addressing Mr.. WillOughby %
WillOughby bowed.
f'Then, sir, of course, you know the
business that has brought me here?"
Terribly nervous, and scarcely
knowing what answer to make, our
hero bowed again.
"COme, come, sir, don't be afraid
to speak Outl My daughter has made
me her eOnfidant, SO let there be no
reserve between us. Eva has told me
allW
Here poor WiIlOughby blushed up
to the roots OF his hair.
"YOu see, / know all about il, you
have fallen desperately in love with
the poor girl and although you have
never exchanged three words tOgeth-
er, YOU are already engaged to be
Mighty expeditions, upon
my word, Ha ha ! ha Pray ex-
cuse me for laughingI but the idea is
cOmical-Ha! ha hap
As the Captain appeared to be in "A
very good hunOr WillOughby's eOur-
age began to rise.
HDOn't mention IL, sir. You are
her father, and have a right to do
what you please But / sincerely
trust that you have no objections TO
offer"
az! None! Believe me, I shall be
delighted TO see my Eva comfortably
settled. But bark ye, sir. Business
is business. am plain, blunt man,
and fifteen years sOjOurn with ones
in India doesn't help to pol
ish one. First of all, what are your
prospects?'t .. .tE II
Ard the Captain drew notebook
from his pocket, and proceeded to eX-
anime our hero, as if he were in court
Of justice.
dYou are an only son, 2 believer"
"I am"
"GOOd." And down went the note
in the pOeket-bOOk. es-t IL
"YOur-age T EEE Ii
"Twenty-eight next birthday"
tTwenty-eight! Good. Is your con- ,
stitutiOn healthy?"
"I believe so. l have had the
whoOping-cough, and
Disorders peculiar to infancy
Good" And the Captain scribbled !,
away again. 4,
"Are you engaged in any business
Or profession T'
dNone." t.
'pThen how on earth do you live?"
"On my private income, Captain"
teThen all can say is, you're an
lncOmmonly lucky fellow to be able
10 subsist on that. I only wish +
could. What is your income 81
"AbOut seven hundred year."
'fIs it in house property, shares in .!
limited companies, or the funds If
in public companies, should be sOr-
y to give two years purchase for the :
ain the new three per cents"
"GoOd. I think I may say very
rood What sort of temper are
you ?i
''WeD, that's rather a difficultques- /,
ion to answer" said Willoughby
smiling for the first time. 7
"Hang it, sir 3; not at all ~ return l
ID the Captain. 'If any one asked
ne nv temper, I should say 'hasty ! >
,ir-- confoundedly hasty p And ChO-
zer Blacks proud of it, sir-prOdd of
It :"
"Say about the average" answered
WillOughby, timidly.
Temper average" " said the Cap
ain, jotting il down. "I think those .
ire about all the questions I have to
Isk you. You know my daughter by
light ?p =
t'I have had the pleasure of seeing
ler frequently-frOm the window, =
Iir. y
"And you think you could be hap l
~ with her ?'
'''Think, Captain I am certain of I
tn ..rf. .......l.
WfllOughby Vane. Marry her, treat '
ler well, and be happy. Neglect her, q
blight her young affections 10y harsh =
less or cruelty, and hang me, sir, if ! 1
lon't riddle you with bullets! Cad, c
Sir, Pm man of my word, and I'll i
10 what / say, rs sure as my names o
JhOker Black :"
ar have no fear ON that score Cap
ain. Unite her TO me, and ifa life of
ievOtiOn-"
'I know all about that, /" said the v
captain. Give me your -hdnd, sir,
Pve taken a fancy to yOu? q
'You fiatter me, Captain lU
Hang it, sir, no! Choker Black :
never indUlges in banter. Don't be o
lfraid TO grasp my, hand, sir; it's s
yours as long as find you plain sail T
ng and straightforward. But if ever {
suspect you of any artifice or decep- e
ion, I'll knock you down with it. So b
low hope we perfectly understand v
.aeh other"
One word more" said WillOughby. Il
Am I to understand that you con- v
ent to our union ?" Z
"Certainly. You eau be married i
o-merow, If you please. Sir, the 8
happiness Of my dear child is my first !.
Cad, sir, / am not v
,rnte-not one of those unnatural a
,arents people read of in novels 4
yhoker Black may be fire-eater in
he field, but, at any rate, he knows
low to use his own flesh and blood"
Captain, you Overwhelm me with =
!
"Say no more about it. Clap on i
TOqr hat and come across the road q
ryff1, -, - I'M non 10 my