The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-01-03

as hay been Ia the east somewheres; but
no one knows much about him.
" His name mayn't be three M's-Mor-
ley Magnus?" Inquired Mrs. Jones in
a vague way.
AYE, that I know it is, said VIII :;
"and many's a good laHgh we've had
over it in the town
" Why, motherT'' cried Mary; who had
turned quite pale,
''Aye, lass, I know what you'd say, -
said her mother. As sure as you're born
that's the nncle you've heard me speak
of so often. VIII Cobbold that Mounsey
yonder in that fine park is my brother.
There can't be another such name in the
world; for father called him Moreley
Magnus, after his two godfathers, the
chemist and the draper of Herket. He
was as clever as you please, but always
close gripe; and if you" believe me, he
has never once wrote home since he
heard that poor father died, and mother
and me was in trouble, and he was asked
to help with few pounds, and he roIli-
ing In riches, as one may say"
Well, mother, said VIII, " suppose
we give them all start at the old place,
and travel there unexpected ? reckon
one fine gentleman won't be quite so
down on her father when his own neice
has got his son, hey, Mary?"
90 Not much of a get,' said Mary
saucily.
But Will gave heroine for her imperti-
nence, and they cried quits over the
punishment.
The preparations for Letty's marriage
with the rich possessor of ATounsey Park
were still going on in a languid intermit-
tent sort of way; the girl protesting, the
mother insisting, the man persevering,
and expressing himself confident as to
the future. Meanwhile, George Ratcliff
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
DOrmers as firm refusal to allow of his
pretentions, made a kind of tumult in
the place, whici. set everyone talkin
But no one knew of the exact rights of
the case. All that was certain was, that
there was a hitch somewhere; that Lefty
looked miserably i'll, and George Rat
cliff miserably unhappy; and that of the
whole gHartette 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
But he often said, as mat
ter of course, to his neighhors, "When
I am married, will 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
all said in the quietest and
most positive tone imaginable, the tone
of a man, who, as he himself said,
60 rode to win"
One day Lefty was standing in the lit
tie mourning room, to which latterly she
had retreated as a place of refuge, her
mother having the fine Iady's natural
to sit in anything but the
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.
LEFTY" she said, abruptly; " things
have come to a crisis, and now you must
decide our future"
g Mammal 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, 81 said so once
before, and I say so now again.
"It would be hard to make me believe
that, said Lefty.
$50! then must tell you the whole
truth. Listen, Lefty; if you had been
obedient, and done as you ought, you
need never have known il. I owe Mr..
several thousand of pounds;
and if you do not marry him, he will pro-
ceed against me. That Is all. It is a
simple question of our utter ruin-yours
and mine together, Letty-or your con-
senting to be his wife. Now, I leave my
fate in your hands.
You mean in fact, mamma, that you
have sold me to this man, said Lefty,
With strained, unnatural calmness;
q and that must pay the price-by my
self!
"You mayscan 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, deed ? sighed
Lefty, still with that strained look.
q But must speak to George. can
do nothing, say nothing, without him. "
81 don't see much good in going to
him for advice" said her mother, irri-
tably. g 1t is your affair, not his.
Mammal remonstratrd Lefty.
Well, my dear, so it is. The ques-
tion is one alone which you can answer. !
VIII you marry Mr. Mounsey, or must
be ruined and rendered penniIess for
the remainder of my life? That you
have no love for me, I know"
Here Lefty raised her large grey
eyes with plaintive look, saying, in
manner, g Mamma, I do
love you! You know that doP'
But, continued Mrs. Dormer, IN a
martyr spirit, sweetly self-forgetfu
9 If you have no love for me, you sure
ly have some family pride; you would
like your fathers name you