New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-11-14

civil, and to relieve the modest mans EN-
barrassmcnt. she added: but few men
have, ike you, sufficient discrimination 10
discern and appreciate attractions when ne
hidden from the merely superficial observer.
Poor Simpson .aspedfor breath. He was
literally tlumbfounded! Here was modest
gratitude, 10 say nothing of tears and ten
derness," with vengeance! Miss For
tescue, with q precarlous salary OF some
twenty pounds per annum, exclusive OF bread
and butter. was, in her own opinion, con-
ferrinc a tremendous Obligation on a civic
dicnitavy worth, at least, twenty thou-
sand pounds, by accepting him for hus-
band. That WAS quite clear; and although
Mr.. simpson WAS 100 much i'll love to deny
such proposition in the abstract, still 1t
was, he thought, scarcely consistent with
maiden modcsty to state it so very broadly.
Notwithstanding his amazement, Mr.. Simp-
son, as soon as he recovered his breath, con-
tinuct, so well had he studied for the occa-
sion to Get out Il sentence or two about the
superiority of connubial to single blessed
ness. THIS sentiment also met with ready
acquiescence.
'Oh, dear, ves,' said Mrs. Frazier; Il
would not have been an OLD maid for the
wor.lr'
well" thought the astonished admirer
of feminine reserve, almost doubling the
frankest maiden ever convcrscd with!'
A considerable pause followed Mrs.
Frazier, seated upon a sofa, played with
the llXuriant automatically auburn -tresses
of her nephew Alfred.
"a handsome boy" at length remarked
Mr.. Simpson; cts a pity that he hasn't
different colored hair
81 PITY" exclaimed the lady; 81 think
it beautiful. And" added she, looking the
astonished man somewhat sternly in the
face. II should be well pleased if all our
children had hair of the same color"
This was a climax! Simpson leapel to his
battery. "Our children. We'll, after that
But must be dreaming" thought the IRON
monger, as he wiped the rerspiration from
his teeming forehead; "lahorng under some
horrid enchantnen:.'
Dreaming indeed, and to nc swiftly and
rudely awakened. The door opened, and a
gentleman entered, whom Mrs. Frazier inn
mediatelv introduced WITH Mr. Simpson,
my husband, Mr.. Frazier.
The blow was terrific. Simpson staggered
back rs if he had been shot. He gazed alter
nately at the husband and wife for few sec
onds; then, pale as his shirt collar, tottered
to a chair, and sinking into it, calculated
| with white lips, "Ohn
| said Mr.. Frazier.
| The bewidcred man made no reply. His
brain was whrlins. ''Who on earth, then,
had he been courting?"
| n loud knock at the street door somewhat
aroused him. "My sister," l dare say, ex-
claimed Mrs. Frazier.
Her sister! Possibly his Mary might be
the brunette; and yet. There were but
three females present on that fatal evening,
besides Mrs. Puckford, that he distinctly re.
membered, and perhaps. Vain hope
the door opened; and the brunette and two
gentlemen entered-''Nfr. and Mrs. Holland
and Mr.. Alfred Gray"
An illusion was now over. He, Robert
Simpson, wealthy tradesman, respected fish
monger, and common councilman, was the
| betrothcd husband of a red-haired damsel,
with decided cast, with whom, moreover, he
had never exchanged sentence. His first
! impulse. as the certainty of his miserable fate
! flashed upon him was to strangle Alfred
Gray, out Of hand, as the author of his de-
struction. when fortunately another rap-tap
arrested his fell intent.
Miss Fortescue at FAST" cried Mrs. Fra
zier, as if announcing glad tidings.
"Oh!" calculated the accepted sutton,
| dropping nervelessly back into the seat from
which he had Just risen-"Oh."
what occurred, or how he behaved for Il cen
siderable interval, he never distinctly remem-
| bercd. He was, however, soon seated at the
| table by the side Of his afanced BRIDE Mr..
| Puckiord saying grace. This was the actual
state Of affairs but poor simpsons impress
sion at that moment was, that he had been
led ont to a sudden execution by an enorm-
Gus Jack Ketch, with red hair and a frightful
squint, and that his friend Puckford was the
chaplain reading the funeral service Grad
ually, however, his brain cleared, he grew
more collected, and considering the sudden
ness of the shock he had endured, rallied
wonderfully, ard he was enabled to address
Il few words of course to Miss Fortescue in
almost cheerful voice and manner. The
lady's answer was uttered in the gentlest,
sweetest tones he had ever listened to, and
| Mr.. simpson was a connoisseur in voices
The conversation continued became general;
and the dinner, commenced so inauspiciOusly,
passed of, considering all things, remarka-
bly, WELL After dinner. Miss FOrtescue-
her friends, who greatly esteemed her, gen
eronsly drawing forth her POWERS appeared
to great advantage. Her mind of a superior
order, had been well cultivated, and her con-
versation which was at once refined. shark
ling, and sensible. Mr.. Simpson was sur
| prised, pleased, almost charmed. Music was
proposed, and she sung several songs, admi-
rabiy. Mr.. simpson determined to POSTPONE
bis planation-necessariix an unpleasan4
one--till the next day, when he would do it
by letter. The party departed about nine
O'Clock, long before which, it had several
times glanced across the ironmonger's mind
that dislike of any particular cOloresi hair
1 was, after all, a very absurd prejudice; as to
the cast, that, he was satisfied, was so sl,uht
as to scarcely deserve the name. 1t had
been arranged that they should all dine, with
the Fraziers the day after the next; and as
Mr. Simpson handed Mary into the cab, in
i'll which Mr.. and Mrs. Frazier were already
seated, she whispered, "Oblige me by COM
, ing on Sunday half an hour before the tine
appointed; have something .ef Importance
| to say to YOU" Mr.. Simpson bowed, and
how could he do ess?--raised the iady's
! hand to his lips. The carriage drove oil. and
the worthy man was left in the most pen
| picking state Of dubiety and irresolution i'm
aginable. He began to think he had gone
| too far to recede with honor; and what was
very extraordinary, he felt scarcely sorry for
it. At all events he would hOt act rashly.
Sunday was not far OFF; he would defer his
explanation till then.
Mr.. Simpson, punctual to his engagement,
found Miss Fortescue awaiting him alone,
lie felt, on this occasion, none Of the violent