Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-02-07

have just put one in the post since COM
ing out. [ wish you pleasant drive.
Good-byew
And releasing her hand, she threw a
thick veil over her face, and walked
rapidly until she reached the store
When she entered, she sent to Oscar
Howard notice at once Of her pres
ence; but he being busy, she sat beside
one of the counters until he could
come to her.
During this time she was busy with
thought. Her whole life had been
surrounded with luxury, but neverthe-
less it was one of dependence. Would
she be less dependent by giving up the
luxury to which she had been accus-
toned to, because the wife Of man
wholly dependent upon his salary as a
merchants clerk?
eyes," she answered to herself; ga
wife should be help and not an in
cumbrance to her husband, and help
mate I am resolved to be-" and look
of smiling resolve overspread her fea-
lures, as Oscar Howard approaching
recalled her from her abstraction.
"What has brought you here this
afternoon, Grace?" he said tenderly,
his quick intuition not failing to note
something unusual in her manner.
care you ready, Oscar, to be mar
ried ?" she asked, in whisper.
"Notexactly, dearest" hewhispered.
II have been trying to summon cour-
age to ask Of Mr.. Lacy an increase of
salary in prospect; [ wish to make
you as comfortable as possible"
owe must get married at once," she
said firmly, ''without regard to your
salary"
"Well," he answered, in return, ''to-
morrow, if need be-" feeling that she
had been impelled to her course by
some unquestionable motive.
''Then tomorrow evening, at seven
o'clock at-Church, let it be. Bring
some of your friends as witnesses, and
with single female friend, I shall
meet you. Do not fail
"She extended her hand to him a.
cross the counter, drew her veil over
her face, and with tears of mingled E.
motions brimming her eyes she passed
out of the store, and fastened her steps
to the house Of her friend, to engage
her. serEices z,-za=-s,,.z.. ..>4..a-7e. - 81
From this interview, Oscar Howard
retired to the private office Of his en-
ployer. He was pale and agitated !;
and thinking the excellent young man
was i'll, Mr. Lacy sprang up from his
seat at his desk to offer him a glass of
iced water. Declining the courtesy
and taking the seat indicated by Mr..
Lacy, Howard said:
''I have come to speak to you upon
some very important business. [ am
about to be married, sir, and"
"Ah," said his employer; Etand p
81 must make bold to ask small
increase Of my wages"
Mr.. Lacy's voice assumed tone of
calmness.
"Have you never saved anything
from your salary, Mr.. Howard ?"
'.Not until the last six months, sir.
Up to that time I sopported my inva-
lid mother. Since her death, [ have
managed to save one-halfevery month. +"
"Indeed! [ did not know you had a
mother"
eyes, sir; and, could my individual
wish have been considered only, !
would have kept her here for all time.
But she was terrible sufferer, and her
release, though it left my life very des-
olate, gave me measure of comfort"
"And who are you to marry?"
"Miss Stanley"
"Not the neice of Manning, the
banker?"
"The same, SIR ....
"HoW is this, Howard?
81 love her, and she loves me. That
is all, Mr.. Lacy"
"And will not Manning do some
thing for his neice %
Nothing, sir, if she marries me-
"She could not marry more worthy
fellow"
"Thanks, Mr.. Lacy; but she might
marry a much richer one"
"And who is that %
civilian Danton.'
eyes, [ see; the son of Manning's
partner. He has money, position, good
Ilooks-eyerything; this is passing
strange
"I am inclined to think so myself,
Mr.. Lacy"
"And you think your salary is not
sufficient to support a wife brought up
in the manner in which Miss Stanley
was reared? fear, Howard, you have
made mistake"
II have no fear, sir" said the young
man confdentially. "Grace Stanley is
made of the material of which every
true woman should be made; and, in
her acceptance of me, she is fully ac-
quainted with my situation and pros
poets in life. Yet should like to sur
prise her with few more comforts
than she has reason to suspect"
"You are invaluable to me, Howard, .
said Mr.. Lacy, "and without this in
centive I should have doubled your
salary in the Spring. Two months in
! advance cannot break ME. Consider