The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-01-09
LITTLE DORMER.
From All the Year Round.

IN 4 4 In DOAA N41At-
From All the Year Round.
81 would rather die, " said Lefty, pas
sonately.
"Just so, my dear; all young girls
would rather die than give up an un-
subtantiaI fancy for profitable reality.
In general, however, they do give it up,
and they do not die" answered her
mother, quietly.
Z" Mamma, how cruel yOu are - cried
the girl, with kind of angry despair in
her voice.
Because / am rational! How cruel
you are, you ought rather to say, Lefty,
to give me so much trouble when I am
acting only foryour own good; and when
you know you will have to yield at last. ."
''I Will not yield-I viii die first, re-
peated Lefty.
You are very fond Of that assertion,
my dear; but it does not move me. 1
say that you will marry as I wish you
to do, and live into quite a respectable
old age. You are healthy, though you
do not come of a long-lived family on
one side" She sighed-it was con
ventional sigh-and then she family
murmured, "poor papar'
Oh, mammal you are too dreadful
with your old sarcasms, cried Lefty,
flinging up her hands.
"And you are too silly with your
mock heroics, my dear. If you had
not me to guide you into common sense,
what mess you would make of your
life!
"What wreck you wish to make of
itI' cried Lefty.
"Silly little girl, " said Mrs Dormer,
with compassionate contempt. ''You
are like naughty child who will thrust
it's hand into the fire, and thinks its nurse
abominably cruel because she tries to
prevent it. The day will come my dear,
when you will thank me, instead of
scolding me as you are doing now, that
I put an end to this absurd affair with
Mr.. Ratcliff, and gave you such an adj
mirable settlement in Mr. Mounsey."
Admirable settlement, A man old
enough to be my farther man hate,
and that no girl could like-only with
money"
"And, having money, with all that
a portionless girl can desire and more
than she has right to expect" said
Mrs. Domer, taking up few dropped
stitches leisurely
"Oh, know you don't think it neces-
sary for wife to love her husband. .
said Lefty, sarcastically.
''To begin with by no means, my
dear, " answered her mother, with per.
feet good breeding and good temper.
Glove comes by habit, by the fact oi
n pleasant home where there is no stint
One man is very much the same as an
other man, when you know them; and
with moderate amount of amiabiity
a well principled girl is sure to he happy
if she is properly provided for. -
Your opinions are absolutely mon
strous, and I will have nothing to dc
with them, said Lefty, angrily.
Only to fulfill them, little goose
when you have worked off the froth.
Mrs. Dormer returned her answer witt
a slight laugh; and the servant at thaf
moment flung open the door with AN air
and ushered in" Mr.. Mounsey.p
A short, thick-set. irascible-lookine
man with grizzled hair cropped close
broad bushy eyebrows, and that kind o
moustaschc and whiskers run togethe
about a clean shayen chin which give
such wild beast expression to a face,
confident, aggressive, unsympatheti,
looking man; man to push his owl
way IN the world without regard to thos'
he shouldered aside, and to hold his owl
let 'who would want: man TO he war,
I of in business, and with whom it woul,
be necessary TO be caustious how ont
made him friend or foe; a man stronl
IN his own right. and standing four
square IN his own esteem; but, as Lett,
said, man whom no girl could love
This was the Mr. Mounsey, who ha,
been pleased to cast eyes of admiration
ON portionless Lefty Dorner, and TO de
msnd her of her mother as his wife an,
the Mistress of Mounsey Park. An
Mrs. Dormer had promised in spite G
that "little folly" with George Ratclifft
which she had encouraged eagerl
enough when no better chances were o
hand.
AS he came in his somewhat cruel fac
lighted up with a kind of masterfU
smile of pleasure Mrs. Dormer rose an
welcomed him; but Lefty sat pale an
rebelhous, not fearful nor trembling
not shrinking or shy, but with a look {
set purpose, of undisguised hostility o
her face, which her very PAllor an
rigidity seemed to intensity. Air. MouI
sey wisely ignored all unpleasant sign
His cue was to refer LIetty's resistanC
TO the coy reserve of maidenly modest,
Girls never know their own minds, not /
speak of ther best interests: he an
Mrs Dormer were fully agreed On thi
point; and he had mama's consent, I
thought it waste of force to attempt d
argument with the girl herself, trustir
20 tine dazzle of riches aud her mother
influence for happy issue ont of ell h
perplexities.