Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-02-17

L his is Utr,lillluH-a W ReJ dShWuTu,
thought the peftubc,k Major, .wiping the
should be obliged f@sspend the night out
here, trying to get id Besides, if I'm not
careful, l shall be- afrested, and spend my
first night for thirtysyears in my native
land in the Station >house. III try one
more door, and aiftl,at doesn't prove TO be
the right one; l I'll 90 To the hotel' 80
He slipped Gle Key into the kcyhcle il
revolved nuiselessIy, and the door swung
softly open upon its polished hinges
The right one at last. MS l live J. chuck
led the Major. Furnished like the Cover
nor Generals, and all lighted up, by Jovc.
That good-hearted rascal, Smith, means to
give me surprise. l sec through it all
now but don't intend TO be surprised
at anything after this
He looked around. The gaslghts were
burning brightly in hall, reccption-room
and parlors tho soft summee-like atmos-
phere ofa furnace dispeled any lingering
idea of cold o. wet; and there were groans
Of merry guests moving to and fro to the
inspiring notes Of a grand piano.
Smith never told me n word of the
place. thought Major Parkinson but its
a good idea-a capital idea. Called unex-
pcctedly into the country, eh ? Ah he's n
sly dog, is Smith j
He placed his dripping umbrella in the
stand, and deliberately hung up his hat
| and overcoat on the elegant black walnut
hall rack, and then he came and stood in
the doorway, both hands sereDely joined
under his coat-tails, and beaming smile
upon his countenance, which showed all
the white teeth to very good advantage.
Goodness gracious i exclaimed portly
lady, in black velvet-'Who is that in the
doorway =
Aha laughed Major Parkinson, COM
placently rubbing his hands you intend-
ed to surprise me, but you didn't after all.
! My dear madam, how do you do p sir,
l don't know who you are said the lady
Of black velvet, rather grimly, failing to Ic-
cognize the Majors prollered hand.
Dear me, Aunt Rosa, chirped young
er lady she certainly could not have been
more Than eighteen, and was as fresh and
blooming as rosebud-tripping forward,
| Don't you see it's cousin JohnY'
The Major looked puzzled /; but it would
| have been rude for him to back churlishly
out, when such n ripe pair of cherry lips
were put up for him to kiss, and such a
dimpled pair of arms were around his capa-
| cious waist.
i never knew that 1 had such pretty
COUSIN was the Majors internal reflection, !,
but dare say it's all right. Smith knows. )
| And here's cousin George and Stephen,
and Margeret, and her girls p cried the
cherry-ipped dainsel, eagerly pulling him
| forward. -..
Major Parkinson shook hands with them
all around, feeling that he had just come
into large and unexpected Inheritance of
relations.
| Il knew the Ghundarce would be in to-
night cried one of the girls, clapping her
| her hands. we have been counting the
days, cousin john
The Ghuudarce Then I'm all right,
| after ALL thought the perplexed Major.
i vas beginning to think that there might
be some ackward mistake here, but the
! Ghundaree settles Matters
oh here's mamma = exclaimed the ir-
resistable cherry lips, dancing backward
land forward like pretty little Deryish.
| 'Grauma, he's come l knew he would
be here tO.night. Come and speak To
grandma, quick, john
And the Major was pulled along by the
| sleeve Of his coat toward n sllHer-haired
old lady, with white lace cap, and n
string of enormous gold beads around her
! shriveled throat.
We'll, John, do declare y cried grand
ma. who would have thought tue eli
mate Of India would have changed you sol
! Why, you used to be SO tall and slim like a
bean pole but | suppose it's hurricanes
and earthquakes, and all that sort Of things
that has settled you down 30 short and
stout.
Major Parkinson did not know exactly
what to say 10 this, so he shook the Old
lady's hand. saying:
How do you find yourself this evening
ma'am =
And you haven't even asked after Clara,
! oh in, hn III
old girl.
oh, ah, pardon me p stammered our
hero. i was just going to inquire after
! Cara
The lass with the cherry lips bcckoned
to a tall, and graceful girl in the bay win
dow, not exactly young but still passing
! pleasant to look upon, with large gray
eyes, and soft dropping curls OF glossy
| brown.
Clara T. she cried, come, hayn't you a
word of welcome for cousin John p
But the graceful girl shrauk back, blush
! ing and confused.
Don't mind her i said the other one, in
an undertOnc.
No, won't, said the Major
she'll be all right presently
Il dare say she will, answered our hero.
But it's such nonsense = went on the
/
! Grace
Now, Clara, you know It is. when you
are to be married to him in less than Il
week y
Ohio! This was beginning to grow a
! little serious.
Married | In less than week He,
| Major John Parkinson, who had lived n
life of contented ceiibacy for fiveiand-forty
years
In spite of his resolution not 70 allow
| himself to be surprised, the Major felt the
sensation rapidly creeping over him, not
| only of surprise, but also species of dis
may Married lie blushed more vivid
| ly than Clara's self.
Surely it was time for an explanation
now and he was just opening his lips,
when Grace whirled him round, standing
on tiptoe 20 whisper knowingly in his ear
Don't you want 10 see the wedding
cake, Cousin John and the wreath and
| the veil p
Without waiting for an answer, she tip
/ toed him into another room, pulling him
/ along by the coat tail.
1t was very embarrassing, TO be sure !;
/ but tnen how pleasant is was