The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-01-09

down ON her father when his own neice
has got his son, hey, Mary?"
Not much Of get" said Mary
saucily.
But VIII gave her one for her imperti-
nence, and they cried quits ever the
punishment.
The preparations for Letty's marriage
with the rich possessor of NIounsey Park
were still going on!hi a lang1lid intermit-
tent sort of way; the girl protesting, the
mother insisting, the man perseyering,
and expressing himself confident as to
the future. Meanwhile, George Ratclif
came back to Market Hill, and his pres
ence, while it comforted Lefty, served to
make all. things. more confused. His
firm refusal to be dismissed on anything
short of her expressed desire, and MRS.
Dormer's as firm refusal to allow of his
pretentions, made a kind of tumult in
the place, which set everyone tallzin
But no one knew of the exact rights of
the case. All that was.certain was, that
there was hitch somewhere; that Lefty
looked miserably Ill, and George Rat
cliff miserably unhappy; and that of the
whole quartette' concerned, Mr.. Noun
sey of Mounsey Park, was the only one.
| who kept any appearance of content or
/ seemed, as the doctor said, as if he could
eat a mutton chop without choking. He
never spoke to any one in confidence.
He was not the kind of man to give his
confidence. But he often said, as mat
ter of course, to his neighhors, "When
am married; win do so and so; that
must wait till we have come back from
] our tour; when have my wife at Noun
sey Park, this and that will be better
arranged;" all said in the quietest and
most positive tone imaginable, the tone
of man, who, as he himself said,
! erode to win. -
! One day Lefty was standing in the lit
tie mourning room, to which latterly she
had retreated as place of refuge, her
mother having the fine lady's natural
disinclination to sit in anything but the
I drawing-room. Here she was hiding in
sad mood enough, thinking over her
position, and wondering how she could
get out of the net that was being daily
drawn more closely around her, when
! her mother came IN.
g sLetty," she said, abruptly; 1" things
have come to a crisis, and now you must
decide our future
g Mamma! I have decided" answered
Lefty, with her weary air. Why will
you torture me so cruelly?"
''The cruelty has not been on my
side, said her mother, g 1 said so once
before, and 1 say so now again"
q It would be hard to make me believe
that, " said Lefty.
$50! then I must tell you the whole
truth. Listen, Lefty; if you had been
! obedient, and done as you ought, you
need never have known ii. 1 owe Mr..
Mounsey several thousand of pounds;
and if you do not marry him, he will pro-
ceed against me. That is all 1t is a
simple question of our utter ruin-yours
and mine together, Letty-or your con-
senting to be his wife. Now, leave my
fate in your hands. -
| y
have sold me to this man, said Lefty,
With strained, unnatural calmness;
''.ind that must pay the price-by my
self ~
"You may.call it what you like, Let
ty; but why choose such unpleasant
terms The fact is the only thing to be
dealt with; unfortunately for us both.
"Unfortunately-yes, indeed = sighed
Lefty, still with that strained look.
But must speak to George. I can
do nothing, say nothing, without him. y
q don't see much good in going to
him for advice" said her mother, irri-
tably. 1T is your affair, not his. p"
g Mammal" demonstrated Lefty.
''Well, my dear, so it is. The ques-
ton is one alone which you can answer.
Will you marry Mr.. Mounsey, or must
be ruined and rendered penniless fo1
the remainder of my life? That you
have no love for me, L know
Here Lefty raised her large grey
eyes with plaintive look, saying, in 8
deprecatory manner, Mamma, [ dc
love youi You know that 1 dol'
But, continued Mrs. Dormer, in &
martyr spirit, sweetly self-forgetfu
I" if yOu have no love for-me, you sure
Iy have some family pride; you would
scarcely like your fathers name (yor
loved him) to be dragged, through the
mire, as it must be. "
"Oh, mamma, mamma! cried pool
Lefty, breaking down in sobs and tears
edo not mention poor papa's name il
the blsiness; there is sacrilege enough
in it without thatl"
% You are hard on me, Lefty" saiC
Mrs. Dormer, tears in her eyes, too
"but perhapsI have deserved it, and i
will make matters better for you-I an
sorry for you, my poor child!' with
genuine burst of feeling rare in her.
Then the two women, the ice broken
clasped in each others arms. sobbed on
their grief in concert, which at least de
'stroyed the coldness that had sprun,
mp between them. and made them part
ners in suffer in suffering; not, rs form
erly, as1tagonists-Rnd enemies.
! While. they were sitting there. bot
, feeling the sacredness of the anguish o
the moment, the. servant came to tel
them that Mr.. Mounsey was in the draw
ing-room, the time of his d. v visi
having arrived,
/ Lefty, what am l to say to himg
asked Mrs. Dormer, drying her eyes
: vet still weeping; am 1 to tell him ye
, or no?" He has come for his final al
swer to-day, and dare not put him O
: any longer"
7 81 cannot, mamma, till 1 have see
George" sobbed Lefty. "If it is only
/ question of this money, George may hel
us. So long as thought You wanted m
- to marry for a settlement only did nc
n mind refusing You; and could not pu
!, George forward; / could only RENAL
: true 70 him, and hope for the futur,
lint if II is money that can he maid of