The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1873-03-06

retired g bed, and dreanl
Sarah. said Mr. pucsorl tbc next
morning to his wife. anei reading a let-
ter, lusi delivered, with aperplexcd ex-
prcssion of eonutenanoc -lid Mr.. simp-
son seem lo you parfcularly struck
with MARY Fortcseuc yestFday evening;
Win Mary fortescuo. surely notf
why do YOU ask
Only that here + a letta from Simpson
protesting violent love su her, and stat
ing bis determination should yen aud l
be sble TO assure him, which he scarcely
ventures 90 hope, that she is disengaged,
to Immediately solicit her hand IN mar
riage2
Read the letter yourself, Her beauty,
be observes is, he Is quite SIRE, her least
recommendation. Cemiealisn't it?
Woil, II is odd but she you know,
a most amlabIe creturc, and viii make.
am sure an admirable wife
Aud be, Too, that 50 especially detests
red hair, or the slightest twist in the or
eans of vision
Mary Forieseue's hair, Interrupted his
wife, can scarcely be called red; very
deep golden color, should say
Very deep indeed--remnkably. so IN.
teriectcd MIR. Puckford.
Aud as to the slight cast in her eyes,
that no one notices after 4 few days ac-
quaintance with her.
suppose we may, with a safe con-
science, assure him that she is not vet en-.
gagged;
OF course we may. it's "A wonderful
match tor her and we ought TO do all we
can TO forward il. Friday next, the LIST
OF March, is Alfred's birthday; suppose
you ask him TO dine with III on that day
to meet her. We need have only The
same he met Yesterday evening.
This was finally agreed upon; aud ac-
cordingly, as soon as he hai finished his
business in the city. Mr.. Puckford, pre-
yious TO returning home, called on Mr..
Simpson. He found him in a state of
great excitement, which, however, grad
ually calmed down after Mr.. Pucklord's
solemn assurance, which he gave unhesi-
tatingly, that the charming Mary Fortes-
cue was certainly disengged; and, in
his opinion, by no means indisposed to
entertain an eligible matrimonial PROPOSE
ton. All this was balm TO the stricken
Simpson: and, after several failures, he
at last succeeded in indting formal Of
fer Of his hand and fortune TO the lady OF
his affection; of which impassioned mis-
sive Mrs. Puckford was to be the bearer ;
her husband undertaking that she would
exert all her eloquence aud influence to
secure acceptance Of the proposal.
Aud now, Mr.. Puckford, said Mr.,
Simpson, we'll have a glass Of wine, and
drink the future Mrs. Simpsons health.
What charming ornament, he added,
with a sort ofrapturous sigh, as he placed
the decanter on the table--what charm
ing ornament she would be to this fire.
place?
An odd expression, that? thought Mr..
Puckford, forgetting that the speaker
was an iron-monger, and dealt in such
articles. In fact, from the way in which
Simpson had been rapturizing upon Miss
| Fortescne's charms, doubt ofhis friends
perfect sanity had sprung up in John
Puckford's, mind, and he shrewdly sus-
pected that the affair would terminate in
dc lHaattco ta4ajreado instead of a
! license.
Do you know, Puckford said Simpson,
with benevolent, patronzng air, after
the third and fourth glass--do you know
fancy there is great likeness between
you and Mary Fortescue?
Mr.. John Puckford. the reader musl
understand, was II handsome Young man
with brilliant forid complexion, perfect
/ ~ agreeing vision. and light brown hair
4 No wonder, therefore, that he was more
startled than ilattered by the comparison
/ The color mounted hi, temples, and 4
conviction Of Simpsons utter insanity
flashed across his brain Mad A. MarcI
/ hare! he mentally calculated; at the
same time resolving, should the paroXysn
grow dangerously violent to knock hin
down with one of the dccanters; both o
which, as two could play at that game
he drew, rs if in doubt which wine h
would take, 10 bis own side of the table
Mr.. Simpson, 'nistaking the nature Of hi
friends emotion, added, don't suppose
/ ruckiord, that intend any absurd fiat
terry,
Not at al, Simpson; didn't suppos,
anything sf the sort, assure you.
Tg be sure; nothing is more contempt
iblc. You are a good looking fellow
very; bntot course could not mean tha
you, a man, are TO be compared 10 Mar.
Foricseue.
lsbould think not! dryly rc.ponde,
the more myaided aud bewildercd Puck
ford.
Exactly; you do not resemble cacI
other about the eyc., either IN expire,
sion ur color
Oh,
No; az To hair, continued Mr.. ~np
son, mediiatiYely. yours, there can be 70.
doubt. +. decidedly lhc lighte.i
If, coming now, thought Mr. JohI
Puekfard, araspiug at gle same time, on
Of tne dscaptcr. and cyoiu2 bis friend In
tcuseit.
Mr simpson quite mislnlcrpretiHg th
ac,iyu, added quickly. DO, my good ieI
loa, G.l mt bumper, a6d we'll drink on
good.lookiug friend heaith--ihc badly