The enquirer southerner., 1874-12-04
MOST MYSTERIOUS.

Nnlle was Win 4Eoy q hoUtn~
son, my first elerkship, by the way,
l used to count great deal on my
vacation-it was four weeks in Sep
tember-and lay good many plans
about spending it pleasantly. Of
course an invitation to some nice
place was very acceptable, for jun
inr clerk income 10 not often large
and this year, 18-, no matter for
the last figures, I was very much
in hopes of two-one from my ma
ternal grandmother in Virginia, an
other from my old friend Charlie
Pell, who had some months before
promised to ask me TO his mothers
residence near Boston. Now my
grandmother was . rich woman who
had been a beauty, and was very
much of the opinion that she would
always remain one. She had plenty
of company, and her house was very
pleasant indeed, and l knew that
Mrs. Pell, though an excellent wo>
man, was very formal, and seldom
opened the cold, best parlor, where
the piano was kept in solitary COM
fnement, except for a prayer meet
ing.
IF my grandmother invited me, |
>heuld excuse myself to Charlie and
60 to her, and firt with the girls
and play whist, ana enjoy myself
generally but if she cheated me,
as she sometimes did, why then Id
accept the Pells' invitation. Char
lie was o pleasant fellow, and 1 was
very little in love with his sister,
who would surely be home from
boarding school. These were my
plans, but as time passed on and
brought no letter from either of the
parties whom had supposed to be
my expectans hosts, my spirits sank,
and l looked forward drearily to
: the hottest room in cheap country
clearinghouse, or the alternative
of staying at home at Mrs. Fergi'
sons and hearing how ell the absen,
boarders were enjoying themselves
at the seaside.
Just as l had quite begun to des>
pair, however--indeed it wes the
twenty eight of JuIy-the earliest
post brought me two letters, one a
pale blue envelope, on which res
cognized my grandmother's fine
running hand; the other q white,
/. business-looking affair, bearing
Charlie Pell's wild scrawl.
Two invitations at once. | Ichuck
/. led with delight, and having hurried
up to my own hall bedroom quite
forgetful of my breakfast, l tore
:. open the blue envelope, out of which
tumbled something crisp and green
= which, on examination, proved to bs
n Il banknote for one hundred dollars
and which astoni.hed me very much
NJ for my grandmother had never made
me any presents Of more value thar
a fat pin>cushion and a pen>wipel
at Christmas time, and read thes'
mysterious words:
DEAR RICHMOND: I know 70,
expect an invitation, and l mean
: to ask you, but circumstances hav'
i i occurred that prevent me from hav
It ing the pleasure. l am more you
Z friend than ever. and fear | Cal
never ask you to visit me again
il If do not, you must only lose m,
poor company, for SHALL send yol
- what you find enclosed every month
At and will always be,
IS tY0urs devotedly,
&C. RICHMOND.
1t p. S. will explain in my next.
singular y I said. And quit
unable to suggest reason for m,
grandmotber's singular conduct,
pocketcd her present and opened
the other note. It was equal,
mysterious
DEAR RICH: You promised t
come to me for the vacation, ant
you must, but not to mother house
am at -, at the hotel there
and have arranged matters so tina
we may have a guest. Come a
once. You will be very much sur
prised by something which I shal
tell you when we meet.
Yours ever, CHARLES PELL.'
No use trying to solve thi
problem either I said to myself
well, I'll 60 to Charlie. H
seems to want me. The hote
will be jollier than the old home
stead
And then I went down stairs t
breakfast, and ate cold hash an
drank fiat coffee without complaint
There were but three days more G
it, and then came month of loung
ing, smoking, and enjoyment. A
least was young enough to hop
- so.
1t was night when left the trair
and portmantea in my hand, enter
4 ed -. Just at the depot stoo
light carriage.
Rich, old fellow cried a voie'
and hurried forward to gras
! Charlie Pelrs hand.
I'm SO glad to see you,' said b
'and I've 80 much to tell you
y jump in. Let me take your trap
Now shake hands again and col
gratulate me-I'm married
\ Married |! I slmost shouted
J, 'Why, bless your heart, Charli
accept my very warmest congrat'
lations! And how did it cou
about And what does yo'
mamma think about it, and