Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-04-23
THE DISENCHANTED
LOVER.

~S S@@
"And so he is coming tonight,
Clara" Lyman Palmer asked,
standing, just at sunset, in the
porch Of MIR. Townley's fine, broad
lronted residence in l.. Clara
Townley stood beside him, and a
very fearful look stole into her
d%eep.blue, lustrous eyes, as she
answered the question:
"Yea, Lyman. Papa received his
note this morning, saying that he
would surely be here in the eight
o'clock train
"Your father is as determined rs
ever, | supposed, about this affair
oC-of the marriage?' Lyman Pal
mer's look was avCrted from Clara
while he pronounced the words.
One OF his white, slender hands
played rather nervously with a
seal.ring on the finger OF the other.
they were delicate enough, both in
shape and hue, those hands OF Ly-
man Palmer's, 70 have belonged to
a woman ; his face, also, devoid of
beard or mustachc, and glowing
with the fulness of healthful beau
ty, entirely lacked Che was only
twcnty-two) the element of manli.
ness. 1t was q face that Lyman
Palmer's enemies-had he really
possessed any-wOuld have been
very likely TO call insipid and girl
ish. But they could not t~ruthfully
have said the same. OF the man him-
self. He was every inch what bis
youthful appearance failed 10 show
"a high-bred, honorable, courage
Gus gentleman.
Determined !" Clara Townley,
exclaimed, in answer to her lovers
last remark. "Why, papa is so
bent upon my becoming Mrs. Liv-
ermore, that he would die Of rage,
| think, were my resolution known
TO him.
"And that resolution is, Clara
40 give Mr.. Livermore plainly
TO understand that the times We
live in are not those which tolerate
the atllsncing of two children in
their cradles, merely because their
parents happen to be frieuds. Aud
then this creature, Richard Liver
more, is q perfect tiend of homcli-
ness, if you will pardon my intense
style Of rhetoric, Lyman. The
Photograph which he sent me,
through papa, is justabout the most
Grightiul thing | have ever bcheld,
lie has passed his whole life, you
know, IN some obscure place out
West-all places out West are oh.
scure, in my opiniOn-and to ap.
pearances, he has the manners of O
regular clod. lie actually had the i'm
pudence to speak OF me, in his last
letter TO papa, as the sweet Clara.
whom he ionged passionately to be,
hold, and whom he fondly believed
TO be "A picture Of womanly grace
aud loneliness I've never told YOU
this before, Lyman for fear Of max.
ing YOU ungoyernly angry ut YOU
unseen rival
We ought not to be called rivals
l.! man Palmer in a voice
wherein there was much more OF
dependency than anger-"his
chances are 30 far, far above NINE
Nonsense, Lyman
allow nonsense Clarl?'
"DO you believe in proverb, y
why do YOU ask y
because Ido.' Clara Townley's
face were a look of very firm dc
termination as she spoke.
"To what particular proverb do
you have reference just now r Ly.
man asked.
ITO Que which says, where
there's q will, there's q way |
think that adage a remarkably true
one. And | think, Lyman, that YOU
and l may test its truth. If We are
so inclined"
"You don't mean By au elopment,
Clara, do you: Often and often i
have pleaded
"And often and often | have re.
fused" was the prompt Interrupt.
ton. "Of course, | won't elope
with you Lyman. don't consider
eIopements respectable. / shall
never marry ii | have 10 do it
there y And she looked quite Sc
rious enough TO keep the rcsolu-
ton II called upon to do So.
"Nou mean, then, Clara, by COM
lug the nightly eloquent over your
papa Lyman questioned.
Aud get po%oh-poohcd for our
pains" said Clara, with a slight
laugh. mo, Lyman, l mean some
thing else. Papa is still asleep, and
likely to remain so for an hour
Besides, he is too feeble to leave
his room this evening, let us take a
stroll through the garden, and
while we stroll, l shall disburden
myself of u weighty secret"
is Mr.. Townley at home 7"
"Mr. Liyermorc asked the above
question of Mr. Townley's servant,
and receiving an affirmative reply,
was shown into q small sitting room
on the ground floor of tho house.
While the man is seated, await
ing disappearance of his host, we
have time to observe that his face
and figure are scarcely the face and
figure of q ntieman. "The eb.
scure place out West" has evident
ly left its impress upon the general
bearing OfMr. Richard Livermore.
Presently the door of the sitting
room opened, and a servant-Clara
private maid. as it hap
pened-entered the room.
"Mr. John Townley has been un-
well for several days, SIR, and as he
has lately fallen into a doze, his
daughter, Miss Clara, does not con-
ID advisable TO awnke him