The Van Buren press., 1873-07-08
MISCELLANY.
A Race With Death.

And you expect me TO give my
daughter to a man who, whatever may
be his other qualities, has not a copper
in the world to bless himself with -
Il know | have no money at present,
sir, but have hopes
A bretty thing to begin housekeeping
on Supposing you were married to
morrow, do you wish to live or die the
day afterf"
Live, sir of course
"Why Of course2 To live you want
feod if you want food, you want mon
ey; and as you havo no money, you
would get no food; and no food means
starvation! Do you see that, siri
"Yes sir, bnt--"
"But There's no but in the case
Now take a bit of advice from me, Nor
timer, as one of your fathers oldest
friends. Go and earn living and when
you can show me that you can support
my daughter if give her to you-mind
you, i'll shall be ready TO talk to you.
Good morning, Bah !" and the testy
but good-natured old gentleman stump
ed out of the room, leaving me speech.
less sitting on the edge Of the chair with
my hat in my hand All my hopes had
been ruthlessly Y dashed to the ground. |
had expected to argue the point with Mr..
Clavering, as Bessie, his daughter had
assured me that it would be all right if
only put the matter properly before him,
We had mutually agreed that he would
give his consent, and had laid no end OF
plans for the future, in which everything
but the question of money had been ex-
haustvely considered The abrupt man
nor in which this had now been brought
up disconnected me not little, and |
left the room not quite so certain that |
did not resemble that generally good ma
tured but otherwise unreliable quadruped
to which Mr.. Ciavering had likencned me
in the course Of our conversation.
At the door | met Bessie, with an ex-
preston of mingled anxiety and curosi
ty on her countenance.
Well, Jack, what did pGpa say -
That | was an ass, Bessie -
"Oh, hope you did not quarrel. !
was afraid there was something wrong,
as | heard him ordering deyied kidneys
for lunch, and he never does that with,
out he's in passion.
Bessie, the old gentleman asked me
how we were going to live.
"Well, did you not tell him in little
cottage, with garden in front, and n
piggery, and a kitchen.garden, and a
fowl house, and little dairy, and
Yes, yes but that's not what he
meant. He wanted to know where all
the money was to come from that was to
pay for all this.
Why, you were to provide the mon.
ey, Of conrse You were to earn it,
Certainly; butyoar father wanted to
know how. +"
How? Well, you would-thcre now,
you ought to know best, surely. Don't
your
"No, don't, Bessie, and I think we
ought to have thought of this before
Jack, don't wonder papa got in
passion with you, you're so stupid !
have a great mind to get angry with you
myself"
Butsweethcart, don't you really think
We ought to have considered how we
we're goidg to buy what We wanted ?"
That was your business, not mine
and Jack, if you look at me like that I'll
box your ears ~
"No, you won't! | think you're all
n very bad temper this morning" "
"Do you? Now tell you what it is,
Mr. Jack. Till you find out how we're
going to get money to live on | won't
lave any thing more to say or do with
Iou at all Don't come near me now.
lon't love you Bit | never shall, and
never did And, Jack, when you have
'eund out hotc, you'll come and tell me
lr.t won't yeu?" And away dashed
Bessie, leaving me at the garden gate, to
which we had walked during our conver.
,aton.
1t was lovely spring morning, All
nature seemed in ecstasy at the prospect
of approaching summer. ! alone was
'ad. | could not help feeling that l had
made miatake, and that ! must have
owered myself considerably in tho ssti-
nation Of old Mr.. Claverins by appear.
ng SO thoughtless and inconsiderate
True, | was but nineteen, and having lost
NY father early, had been brought up
md educated by my mother alone. and
80 perhaps had rather less knowledge OF
.he world than | should have acquired
,ad been sent to public school or to
he university. My position was by no
means bad one The only son of dis
insuished military officer who was not
Wealthy, but left what little he had to his
widow during her lifetime. might be
'aid to have possessed a good education
md what was perhaps better, fair pros
,ects. had been invited by Mr. Clav-
ring, who was an old military comrsde
If my fathers, to spend month with
,im at his residence at Morecombe Bay.
During my stay | had learned first to
ike and then to love his daughter Bessie,
md when my visit approached its ter
nnatisn had not only declared my love,
1ut had asked permission to marry, with
What result is known. Having been al
ways toleraby well supplied with money,
had never yet been brought face TO face
With the great educator Of humanity
he necessity Of earning ones bread
Ind was therefore, rather ignoran, of
,omo of the principal duties Of life than
of them. The bluff, common
,ense Of Bessie's fathe' had compelled
ne to consider matters from practical
point of view, and was new perhaps
more angry with myself than with any
,ne elso | walked OF, but finally re
,olyed TO return to the cottage and sad |