Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-12-01
A LOVE MATCH.

Yet it sometimes happens, however tor
tnous this current is generally, that the
persistent stream finds its way TO the
light through greener fields and more
pleasant places than this Wholesale sem
timent would seem to Indicate. r..
During the pecuniaty panic Of 81 1
recall to mind the incidents which form
the basis of the following narrative, the
romantic result of which is strictly truth
full. flo.. ls'
The father of Emily Walters was a
thriving merchant, and the family lived
in good style, up to and through the
melancholy days of the mercantile crash
mentioned, when so many hundreds OF
his class in the community found them
selves financially wrecked. The daugh-
ter had been carefully educated, and she
had never known a shadow yet 10 fall
upon her path until the occurrences
took place which are here narrated. {.
Charles Hemmenway, young bank
clerk in Lombard street, had met Miss
Emily in society year previously, and
became her suitor. The young lady was
pleased with him, and came to love. him.
He proposed for ker hand. With the
consent of father and mother-the latter
given somewhat reluctantly, by the way
they we're engaged. And young Hem
menway looked forward with high hopes
to the time when he should be able to
make the sweet girl his wife, and be able
to support her in manner equal to the
social condition she had thus far enjoyed
in society lTNtN sac
But the disaster came. Hemmenway's,
employers, like hundreds of other
hitherto prosperous bankers, were
ruined. He was thrown out of employ
ment, and found it impossible to obtain
any for the time. " BiNi d
Six months after the crisis was past
Charles Hemmenway was still out of
employment. His small store of ready
means had been almost absorbed. He
had hoped long before to have been able
to get another start. But no opening
offered, and he began to get uneasy and
disheartened. =
Old Walters had escaped from the dis
aster which had overtaken so many Of
his neghbors. His establishment was
an old house; the firm was both rich and
strong; and they had weathered the
storm amid which so many others went
down. But his business had been neces-
sarily curtailed. He didn't want any
new clerks. Indeed, he had, perforce,
discharged several old ones. But young
Hemmenway was too proud-spirited to
ask any business favors at the hands Of
Emlys father. So he remained out Of
employment, expended his means, failed
to find occupation, and finally began to
get into debt. ~ ~ ~ IN
Mrs. Walters watched him narrowly;
for she not only did not particularly fancy
the handsome young clerk, but she had
in view another party whom she pre-
ferred to acknowledge as her future SON
in-law. At an appropriate opportunity
she questioned Hemmenway as to his
prospects. They certainly were anything
but promising, in, pecuniary point of
view. But of this Mrs. Walters had long
since we'll Informed herself of course.
John Warton was widower. But
John Warton was rich he was a mem
Der of the same church to which Mrs.
Walters belonged, and was a favorite
with the mother, though he was not quite
old enough to be Emily's father But
John was not bad "catch, except for
the disparity of age between him and
Miss Walters.
This last mentioned fact was rather
recommendation in his favor with Mrs
Walters, for hadn't John sowed his
wild oats?' Was he not, from his age
and experience, partner better suited
for young girl than man premature
in years, without an established charac-
ter, and poor besides2 OF course he was.
At any rate he was so in the opinion of
Mrs. Walters And she was Emilys
mother.
Now, who should know better what is
right and proper, 'and beneficial to a
daughters veal, than her own mother2
Surely, as a general rule, no one on
earth. eIuaI
But Emily was affianced She had
been engaged for months to Charles
Hemmenway. Well, what of that? Cir
cumstances alter cases, No one could
forsee the disaster which had fallen with
such crushing weight upon the mercan-
tile community, and no one could answer
for its consequences. The times had
changed Emily was growing older.
Hemmenway was not getting richer.
John Warton had solicited the hand OF
Emily in marriage-and of her mother.
As yet, Mss Emily had not been con-
suited in this, to her, rather important
negotiations When il was proposed, she
most strenuously opposed the arrange,
ment for many reasons. She loved
Charles Hemmenway; she did not like
Wharton. She was bound to Charles in
honor, for she was pledged to marry
him. He was but three years her senior;
John Marion was twenty-three. Charles
was young, handsome and agreeable;
the other had already begun to approach
the "sere and yellow leaf" of age, and
was not attractive in person at all. She
did not fancy John Warton, any way;
and she utterly refused to listen to any
suggestion of the kind, in connection
with him. trr adr
STILL Emily Walters was very sensl-
BILE as well as an obedient, good girl.
Charles, unluckily, had no present means
with which to support himself, TO say
nothing Of wife and family. And
while his business prospects grew no
better, very rapidly time flew by, and her
father joined her mother in the crusade
against Charles, and in favor of John s.
pretensions. az
In the meantime, John Warton, max
ing the most of his clear vantage ground,
became very constant visitor at Mr.,
Walters residence, and to the best of
his awkward ability he made himself
agreeable to Emily, in so far as she
would permit it or accept his importun-
ing attentions. fus1 q ntfffl
Charles Hemmenways visits became
less frequent than formerly. He could
not but discern that his prospects Of a
union with the girl he devotedly loved,
at length we're rapidly waning. Emily
might have been tempted possibly TO
have fed from her father protection,
and married Charles, had he hinted such
proposal 70 her; and, for good or i'll, she
might, with him, have accepted the
chances for Aer future. But her lover
dare not propose this; and she saw, at
last, that the match must inevitably be
broken of.
While this thought was being forced
upon her, and while the attentions Of
John Warton we're getting TO be daily
more jealous, more importunate, and,
for him more hopeful in prospect. the