Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-01-30
From the N. Y. Commercial Advertiser.l
Affection Crushed.
THE LOVERS OF LUCAS PLACE-'So SEEM
ING FAIR, AND YET so FALSE.


following roman, Charles G., was
poor, but not proud, and early developed
considerable genius as a dry goods clerk
in St. Louis. His person was handsome,
his clothes fitted him well, and he had
his shoes made in Chicago. But he fell
in love with the niece of rich widow
lady of Lucas place, in the aforemen-
toned city, and thus his woes began.
The widow, having higher aspirations
than ga Clark's best spool of thread
500 yards" artilleryman for her niece,
peremptorily forbade that young ladys
holding intercourse with Charley.
AS Clara is dependent upon her aunt,
she, of course, appeared to acquiesce IN
these ambitious designs, but at the same
time registered VOW to her looking
glass that no one in the world should
ever supplant the dapper yard-stick man
in her maiden heart.
One afternoon, recently, Charley re-
| ceived a note from his Clara, stating
that her relative would that evening at
tend prayer meeting.
The intimation was enough, and eight
| o'clock saw the young couple seatedupon
the sofa in her aunt's library. billing and
| cooling in the regular orthodox, turtle
dove style. Little Charley, lured on by
! the witcheries of love, became perfectly
Immense" He wound an arm around
| her waist and vowed that her form was
''sylph-like" He loved her long golden
ringlets, and likened them to ''truant
sunbeams, with few other remarks to
the effect that Heavens dearest gift to
her sex was "a wealth of bright golden
hair" Then when she blushed he swOre
the roses had been robbed, and when she
smiled, that her lips were ruby portals
to a casket of pearls.
Indeed, he talked so nice, and she fed
upon his glowing words with such a
relish, that the old lady was rattling
away at the door-bell as though the
house next door was on fire full five
minutes before the absorbed lovers heard
/ her.
"Great heavens! my aunt" exclaim-
ed Clara
Charley grew trife pale and NUT
tered an interjection or two pertaining
to the front end of a mill pond.
1t appears the old lady, having reached
the place of prayer, found the meeting
| epizOotic'd or postponed, and cOnse-
| quently after some little chat with a
neighbOr or two had returned home at
this inopportune moment.
What was to be done Not a closet
or nook invited a retreat, and there
| Charley stood and wished that he was a
mileage or stationery bill, so that he
could pass the house, or a member Of
the Louisiana Legislature, or some other
dreadful feature of modern civilization.
At last brilliant idea occurred to his
lady-love. In the corner of the library
/ lay bundle Of carpet that had been
| brought to the house that day to rcfur-
nish the sitting-room, aud having been
duly inspected by the ladies, was tempo
rarily left in tumbled heap in one cor
ner.
A hasry explanation took place, and
/ then Charley entombed himself beneath
/ the mass, with a fervid vow that he
would die for her sake were it necessary.
and Clara then admitted her aunt.
The relative was not well pleased at
/ being kept so long on the doorstep. and
/ sharply demanded what had become of
/ the servants.
q sent them to bed, dear aunt. so that
/ | might have the pleasure of remaining
I up for your return-but | fell asleep, 5"
/ innOCently remarked the ingenious girl.
| Ghis loving explanation somewhat ap-
/ peased the old lady, who, after warming
/ carpet. and picking up a corner won
dered how it would look by gaslight
| Clara FASTENED to assure her that il
would not look nice at all-in fact, she
was so confident of it that her aunt
need not 20 to the trouble of an investi-
CATION.
The old lady ponder9d over the stuff
for a few moments, while her niece sat
trembling upon the sofa. and little
Charley felt that the world might come
| to an immediate end and not annoy him
a particle by the suddenness of the
change.
At last, however, the crisis passed. for
with some new idea entering her head
the old lady turned, and remarking that
she was tired to death" pumped her
$50 pounds ayoirdupois upon the heap.
| and little Charley assumed the shape of
a human pancake. He would have grOar-
ed, but did not have wind enough left
for the purpose.
A little shrek from Clara attracted
the old lady's attention to her niece
"Why, you're all dressed up tonight.
Yes, aunt dear" replied Clara. men-
tally cOnjecturing how Charles felt in
his pressed-out condition.
YES" returned the other. you look
| very well, only rather pale. Are YOU
sick ?"
II don't feel very well. " answered
her niece. silently consigning her rela-
| tions to Chicago, or some other wicked
place.
I'm sure you can't, when you lace
up so tight, my dear, affectionateIy re-
marked the incorrigible old lady.
i DON'T" family repudiated Clara.
while little Charley rasped the skin off
one of his ears trying to quietly twist
his head in position where he could dis
tinctly hear anything of interest.
You don't. Yes, you do; and at
your time of life it is prepOsterous. If
you were young, giddy Girl, it would
be different, but for a person of your
age"
"Oh, aunt"
Charley barked some more skin off.
and became decidedly interested.
No, there's no oh. aunt = about Il. -"
continued the "incorrigible. eagerly
Oscillating her head. "You sometimes
act more like silly schoolgirl than
woman who has seen twcnty-six years Of
her life"
Il haven't" exclaimed Clara. and
Charley put his mouth in shape for
whistle, but was Immediately fiattened
out by a FESTIVE bounce of the old ladv's.
You haven't! Why. yes you have
and nearly twenty-seven! Why. what
in the world ais the girl What are You
whimpering about, Clara ?"
''My-my head aches. Please don't
talk, begged her niece, not quite posi-
tive as to the effect her dissection might
have on the young martyr under her
aunt.
''Your head aches, does it? Well. no
wonder, wearing all that mass of hair on
your head is enought to make it ache.
What nonsense it is, when there is no
one here to see you; besides it Is posi-
lively making you baldheadod :"
I'm mott" vigorously responded the
young lady, burying her face in her
hands as She thought of all the nice
things the fellow under the carpet had
been saying.