New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-26

. ton of his sentimenss, but aatually Y,
I again returning to the dull wetern of d
. | Bushnell, his sisters msgnifcence, and Ii
! library ut the bank. In the meanwhile Mr.
|, Brewster and Rosie, whose hopes had bee
| mounting higher and higher, decided tn,
, Mr. Simpson had had ample time to comics
: his matrimonial intentions, and 80 the
J descended from their rockery, an
announced to Bella and her admire
was ready when they returned, and M
, Simpson dispatched two plates full of ves
pie and couple of glasses of wine, finisl
| ing up with piece of muffin and cup {
: tea, poured out by the fair hands Of Bell
herself. Now the evening was to come OF
but Mr.. Simpson did not come on. In val
did Mrs. Brewster and Rosie skillfully n
treat, and leave Bella and her compani0
} sitting on the sofa; you might as well hav
tried to pump water out of dry well as
dry well as a proposal from. Mr.. Simpson
1t was as much as Bella could do to refrai
from yawniDg in his face; she loathed tn
very mention Of DR.. BushnelPs name, AM
hailed the postman's knock as q WELDON
relief. He only brought postcard TO
Mrs. Brewster, but still the incident mad
q diversion.
"Just line from my brother, the admiral
to say he expects Bella the day after to
morrow. Do you like postcards, Mr.. Simp
son q asked Mrs. Brewster.
"Well, can't say do; for business mat
tiers they may be convenient enough, bu
who would think of sending tender mes
sage on one Of themF'
WHO, indeed!" said judicious Mrs. Brew
ster.
"But you surely don't think" said Bella
"that the postmen read every postcard that
goes through their hands2"
Il shOuldn't wonder if they did, Miss
Brewster. and then the servants, of course
they peep at them; in fact, a postcard is
to certain extent public property, and
the idea of exposing ones feelings in such
way is most repugnant to every delicate
mind. l should consider it an insult il
one were sent to me except on an affair Of
| business"
| Very soon after this Mr.. Simpson con-
cluded his last platitude, drank his glass of
| wine, took up his copy Of Henrietta TEN
| pie, promising to bring another volume from
his library the next time he called, and
bidding adieu to the ladies, he tripped
| lightly from the room.
"Wellv' cried Mrs. Brewster, when the
door had closed behind him.
"Well.nothing,' answered Bella. "He
never said a single word the whole day
that is. single word that we want him to
say; be talked plenty of his foolish nom
sense that have heard fifty times before
about Mrs. Ibbotson, and geology, and
point"
:'How provoking" cried Mrs. Brewster;
''and that veal pie was so expensive! / de-
clare don't think l shall.ever ask him here
again."
"Not till the next time" said Rosie, laugh
ing; "but really did think he would have
said something to-day"
HE ought to have done so,"'exclaimed
Bella, with q yawn, "but he didn't, and /
declare don't know whether am glad or
sorry, for he is 80 dreadfully tedious, and
he is such an ugly little bore that some
times l can hardly stand him."
bella" said Mrs. Brewster. reprovingly,
''let us hear no more Of that" from which
it will be seen that Mrs. Brewster still en-
tertained the idea that Mr.. Simpson would
yet be her son in-law.
Elm Lodge, we have said, was small de-
tached villa. 1t was separated by low
stone wall from another small detached
villa, exactly similar to it in every way,
which was known as Shrubbery Lodge.
Shrubbery Lodge was also occupied by
widow lady, Mrs. Miller, with her three
daughters and her son. Ali these individuals
happened to be looking out of the side win
dow OF their front parlor on that identical
Saturday afternoon, when the quartette
from Elm Lodge sailed forth on their USE
less and disappointing expedition. They
watched the tall and imposing Bella 90 out |
OF the little gate, closely followed by Mr.. |
Simpson, fourishing his umbrella and en-
deavoring to suit his jerky PAGES to those Of |
his companion and to straighten himself up |
so as to look taller than she was. They |
watched Mrs. Brewster in her somewhat |
threrdbare black silk, and Rosie tripping |
beside her, and they were not long in draw |
ing their own conclusions and surmising
the state of affairs. As they viewed the |
party return, tired, dull and rather grumpy,
they grew still more interested in their
neighbors' proceedings. When Mrs. Miller
had retired for the night, the three young
ladies' and their brother sat by the window
and watched Mr.. Simpson make his exit
and listened to the gate as it banged be-
hind him.
II doubt if it will ever come to anythinp,".
exclaimed the eldest Miss Miller.
$50 much the BETTER" observed her bro
her Sam. who was stalwart, red-bearded
7oung fellow, ready to catch hold of any
mount OF singing nettles, and who had
urking penchant for the magnificent Bella
himself; $50 much the better. That Simp-
on is regular little sneak, and can't
ear the sight of him.
II know Bella doesn't care about him."
aid one Of the girls, ''for she told me so
erself; but still think she would like him
D be either on or off,"
"That's Just what he won't be-" said Sam
[iller; she likes to be seen with Bella, be-
ause he thinks she is credit to him, but ]
epend upon it he will take good care not
} commit himself in any way. He is a
orrid little wretch, that's what he is. He
not a man at all; he is thing"
"Now, just want to tell You of a plan
lat have thought of" cried Lizzie Miller,
) she carefully closed the door, Wouldn't
be capital fun to send Mr.. Simpson post
srd as if from Mrs. Brewster. charging
i'm with having eloped with Bella9 He is
} solemn and matter-Offact that he will be
Ire to take it in earnest. and will be fright \
led out of his life 1t will be the best
Ike in the world"
"Oh, do take care, Lizzie" cried her
der sister, do take care of those practical =
kes. Remember the valentines"
This is quite different thing from L
alentine," replied Lizzie. / think it will
, doing Bella the greatest kindness in the 7
orld, for if that stupid pig of Simpson
cans anything he must come forward at n
r that; and if he does not, let him disap-
ar, and l don't think any one will shed
any tears. ! do so want to take rise out q
him, and / know we can make q capital
ing of it if we all put our heads together.
Bella is going away on Monday d
Orning, and that ia SO much the better. al | r
chimes in with our plan" ii
After some demurs and objections the ii
ur Millers agreed to put their heads to. (;
ther, and, after good deal of scribbling ii
ID resembling, not one, but three post il
rds were written. The first, supposed to Il
from Mrs. Brewster, was addressed to ii
r. Simpson at his lodgings, and ran as Il
lows: n
DEAR MIR. SIMPsoN-My daughter Bella g
8 disappeared most mysteriously. She lie a
t with her uncle. Our anxiety is some Il
nat lessened by the thought that she must d