South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1871-08-04
Bessie's Country Lover.
BY MAGGIE LYNN.

Bessie Smith, would accept the attention of
I Horace White, country greenhorn and
farmer. y, dear me, what will papa and
mamma say when they fnd out that have
accepted him as my partner through life.
and rejected DR.. Howe But they must not
know it. 1t shall be my secret and not
theirs 10 comment upon Horace and |
will keep our engagement quiet for awhile.
and then, let me see I'll think of ri m
that will Just suit the ears of my dotino
and atfectionate parents. They love me.
they say, but they want me to marry n man
old enough to be my great grandfather
No, father and mother, | love you, but |
must disobey you. But you will forgive
mo after you become acquainted with nv
love aud beau ideal
These were the words carelossly. but earn
cstly spoken by Bessie Smith, who. as she
sat under large spreading elm, thought it
an appropriate place to think out loud.
| She knew she had no listners but the birds
and flowers, so why should she not tell her
secrets in words as we'll as in thoughts.
! How beautiful she looked as she recIined
/ upon that bank with her long curls droop
/ ing carelessly about her oval face. and her
head resting upon one dainty hand, wLila
/ the other had held a carefully selected vol
ume of poems which she had flung aside Mt
/ the commencement of her dreaming. But
/ here We will leave her to idle away the
/ time while we take peep into her home
In an elegantly furnished room used as a
/ library, were seated Mr. aud Mrs. Smith
engaged in on earnest conversation. The
| persons of their discussion were Bessie and
] IN
| speaking.
'Of course Bessie will marry him, she
cannot help herself for | say she must, and
/ she must without any words about it. ANY
/ girl would be an idiot to throw away such
a chance at becoming the wife of Meredith
Howe, and the pnsSessor of million. Yes
/ Miss Bessie, you shall be his wife or not
my daughter, you may take your choice,
/ don't you say so, Fannie, NY wife p
Yes, Harry, | agree with you exactly.
/ Bessie shall marry Meredith Howe. or live
an oil maid. For if she does not receive
attentions from him, she shall receive ct
ten ions from no gentleman, and shall
! therefore remain ot home. But, Harry
Bessie is our only child and 10 not think
she will 80 contrary to our wishes we have
chosen an honest and upright man for our
/ daughter, and hope she will live with him
happily
la, ha,' came from tho red lips Of Bes-
sic, who, having exhausted her train Of
/ thoughts of her lover, had returned to the
house, and hidden by the creeping vines of
/ jasmine, had been an unobservcd but at
tenlve listner to the above conversation.
fla, ha, said she, $50 it is tho money
they arc after, they think more of that than
. Of him self but dear me, what did all those
words amount to- not that much she said
with long suapof her dainty fingers 'You
have planned it all out, but your plans will
vanish like vapor'
well, as their conversation has ceased
guess | will 60 in. | am not sorry that
listened by listening, | have heard their
/ opinion Of me. Wei, now is the time for
me to make my pan. | will first 90 to lunch
and then be excused OF the plea of head
ache, SO as to retire to my dear old room
Little do my parents think that their on
" daughter IS making a plan to outwit
them
Bessie went to the diuing-room, where
she found her father and mother They
met her OF tho door, when both kissed her
and then led her to her place at the tobIa'
Bessie did not liGgor long at the table. but
rising gave her excuse for not having an
appetite (Which was headache
Bessie, my dear said Mrs Smith. 'you
must take care Of yourself aud not be sick.
for wo arc invited to spend the evening At
DIR. llowe's tomorrow, and I would not
have him disappointed by our not coming.
SO, dear, 60 to your room and rest Yourself
so as to be well in the morning.
Yes, mamma, / will DO as YOU wish.
Good night, and please don disturb me. as
shall 20 right to sleep
Well, my excuse answered well, did II
not, master kitty exclaimed Bessie, az she
entered her room, with n white kitten I'm
Der arms, which Moved as she talked TO d..
as though % answer her questions
NOW Tor work. viii so down Ly This
window and write my plans on paper. for
fear ! shall forget. First, Horace White
shall change bis name to Monsieur De ia
Grau, a foreigner, just arrived from Europc.
Next he shall be dressed in an clerant and
very expensive suit Of broadclotb, with
white beaver, kid gloves to match, and
French shoes, buckled on the sides / will
make him ncc6tie that shall quite con.
coal his ruiiicd linen shirt, buttoncd with
gold studs. Tie shall wear cyo glasses, and
carry a slender cane, covered with uotchos
OF silver And to sum IL al mp, be shall
r"hF and act ike a gentleman. I wiIlllcarn
him French phrases which ho will use only
10 the presence of his future father and
mothcr-in-law. Now my plans are made,
and will soon be executed ] will 20 out
shopping tomorrow, and oi9ae, so as % 5b-
iaia o few momcnts conversation with my
future husband and Ercnch fnreirncr