Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1872-07-11

w hat are you worm, young lhdh, ano
where are you from 2"
/ named my lineage and status.
"No man marries nv daughter, sir"
bowed and left the room.
That afternoon | met Mamie, and tolC
her that l loved her, and received one q
the sweetest smiles that fair girl eVel
smiled upon man.
told her of my interview.
"Let me manage that" said she. 81
have way; let me try mine, or we will
both try"
formed a resolution to go every morn
ing to the old gentleman's office. per IS
tently followed it up. Sometimes | wouc
stand fifteen minutes without a response
Several times / was ordered out of the
office. kept my ground and looked him
square in the face, with my plea upon my
liss and in my eyes. This went on fol
months. The afternoon meeting also went
on, with an occasioned meeting at Sarah
Byers', who sedulously favored our love.
One evening l went boldly up to Miller:
house and rang the bell. Who shoulo
come bu. Mr.. Miller himself.
"Young man, you must be insane; yor
have pestered my life. What do you
want %
"To marry your daughter"
"But | bave told YOU"
II know you have, but you have never
given a good reason, and | must marry
her,"
II will not be bothered in this way any
longer. will talk with you tomorrow
evening. | will invite YOU to take tea
with me. You are the first young fellow
who has ever been in the house. You
cannot see my daughter, however. You
said you wanted to see me"
"I do, most emphatically."
was Oh hard at seven O'Clock the next
evening. As passed from the hall to the
parlor, | heard the rustic Of dress, and
the quick patter of little feet in the bal
above, and wee little fairy laug b over
the bannisters.
"Courage n whispered well-known
voice from the invisible height. 1t was
stately old parlor, but the most meagerly
furnished room | ever beheld. had pic
tured my darling in gilded cage! One
burner in the chandelier was lit and turned
to its lowest ebb.
The old gentleman met me.
eve will not talk till after tea. You
must eat some thing"
Presently the bell rang aud we descend
ed to the basement. The dining room was
large and sparsely furnished. A very large
table stood IN the centre of the room.
Upon entering l beheld -an elderly lady
seated at the end of the table, and on one
side my beloved, looking very demure and
pretty.
mamie, did l not tell you to stay up
stairs 2" said her father.
eyes, papa, but I didn't believe you
meant it,"
Let her stay now, that she is here, D
said the elderly lady, who was introduced
as her mother The table was almost en-
tirely bare-a perfect Sahara. A small
teapot before Mrs. Miller contained about
as much tea as l ordinarily drank myself
at home. Two plates of bread, cut so thin
that you could read fine print through it,
occunied either end of the table. A small
plate of butter in the centre contained
about one liberal heap.
After we had all seated ourselves, and
had cast lavishiDg look at the girl oppo-
site me, a dead silence brooded down,
during which the old gentleman bowed
bis head into his plate, and asked bless
ing upon the Eountiful repast spread for
the use of our bodies, and that we may be
temperate in the use of it,
Upon the elevation of the venerable
head, Mrs. Miller poured out libation to
Confucius in a thimblebleful of tea, and
handed it to me. Mamie administered to
me a slice of the attenuated bread, and put
one between her own pearly teeth. The
old gentleman nibbled at his share, and
the starvation meal concluded in deathly
silence.
The ladies withdrew, and, clearing his
throat, Mr.. Miller remarked:
"My daughter has been luXuriously and
delicately raised, young man. have
made inquiries concerning you, and find
that you are apt in business matters, and
will in time, make a business man.
offer you situation in my store at 5000
per annum. If you prove worthy of the
trust | will increase the amount $500 the
second year, and so on in proportion for
four wears. At the expiration Of that time
| will decide. | have a parents tender
ness for my daughter, sir. You are young
and arduous, and you have much to learn. "
81 can do better than that, Mr.. Miller
said I. elf your daughter loves me,
can provide for her; what is the use OF
deferring our marriage"
81 Will it." said the solemn old Shy lock.
| arose from the table, and, quietly bid
ding him good night, went up stairs and
found Mamie lettering in the hall.
"Can't do anything with him, darling
| said. "If I can get money enough to
support you, will you marry me 2"
"Of course will
Four years under the thumb of miser
who stinted his own daughter! No, in
deed! l took "short cut" continued
nv visits to the old gentleman's office.
met him at his door and walked down
town with him, conversing atfably and
volublv, constantly edging in my claim.
| stuck to him like a haunting shadow.
He grew irascible, nervous, he writhed
under it, clung tenaciously TO him from
his house to his office. He could not get
rid of me. He left word with his porters
that he was out. pushed past and faced
him. He c,ased going to his Office in the
morning. | went to his house, and, walk
ing past the servant, proceeded to the
parlor, and waited till heard his step in
the hall.
1t was an awful strain on my system,
but l persevered. The old gentleman
finally did no. 90 to his business at all.
waited upon him at home. He regarded