The Van Buren press., 1874-12-01
MISCELLANY.
Most Mysterious.

y
count great deal on my vacalion-it
was four weeks IN Septemher-and lay a
good many plans about spending it pleas
antly OF course an invitation to some
nice place was very acceptable, for a jun
ior clerks income is not often large; aud
this year, 1S-, no matter for the last
figures, | was very much in hopes Of two
-one from my maternal grandmother in
Virginia, another from my old friend
Charles Pell, who had some nc nths be-
fore promised to ask me to his mothers
residence near Boston Now my grand.
mother was rich woman who had been
beauty, and was very much of the opin
ion that she would always remain one.
She had plenty of company, and her
house was very pleasant indeed, and
knew that Mrs. Pell, though an excelen,
woman, was very formal, and seldom
opened the cold, best parlor, where the
piano was kept in solitary confinement,
except tor prayer meeting.
If my grandmother invited me, !
should excuse myself to Charles and 60
to her, and firt with the girls and play
whist, and enjoy myself generally but
if she cheated me, as she sometimes did,
why then I'd accept the Pel's invitation.
Charlie was pleasant fellow, and was
very little in love with his sister, who
would surely be home from boarding.
scnool. These were my plans, but as
time passed on and brought no letter
from either Of the parties whom had
supposed to be my expectant hosts, my
spirits sank, and looked forward dreari-
ly to the hottest room in cheap country
boarding-house, or the alternative OF
staying at home at Mrs. Ferguson's and
hearing how all the absent boarders were
enjoying themselves at the sea side
Just as ! had quite begun to despair,
however--indeed it was the twenty eighth
of July-the earliest post brought me
two letters, one a pale blue envelope, on
which recognized my grandmother
fine running hand the other white,
misunderstanding affair, bearing Charlie
Pelrs wild scrawl
Two invitations at once. chuckled
with delight, and having hurried up to
my own hall bedroom quite forgetful oi
my breakfast, tore open the blue en-.
velope, out of which tumbled something
crisp and green, which, on examination,
proved to be banknote for one hundred
dollars, and which astonished me very
much, for my grandmother had never
made me any presents of more value
than fiat pin n-cushion and pen wiper
at Christmas time, and read these mys.
terious words:
DEAR RrcuMoNn: l know ynn av.
pcct an invitation, and / meant to ask
you, but circumstances have occurred
that prevent me from having the pleas
ure. l am more your friend than ever,
but ! fear can never ask you to visit
me again. If do not. you must only
lose my poor company, for ! shall send
you what you find enclosed every month,
and will always be,
Yours devotedly,
&C. RIcuMoND.
"P. 5. | will explain in my next
singular ~ | said. And quite unable
to suggest reason for my grandmother g
singular conduct, pocketed aer present
and opened the other note. 1t was equal
ly mysterious
DEAR RIcn You promised to come
to me for the vacation, and you must,
but not to mothers house. ! am at
-, at the hotel there, and kave ar
ranged matters so that we may have a
guest. Come at once. You will be very
much surprised by something which
shall tell you when me meet,
Yours ever, CHARLES PELL."
"No use trying to solve this problem
either, said to myself, "Well, I'll 90
to Charlie He seems to want me, The
hotel will be jollier than the old home
stead
And then ] went down stairs to break
fast, and ate cold hash and drank fiat cof
fee without complaint. There were but
three days more of it, and then came a
month Of lounging, smoking, and enjoy.
ment. AT least ! was young enough to
hope so.
1t was night when left the train, and,
portmantcau in my hand, entered -.
Just at the depot stood light carriage.
"Rch., old fellow, cried voice, and
| hurried forward to grasp Charlie Pell's
hand
"Im SO glad to see you, said he,
"and I've so much to tell you--jump in.
Let me take your traps. Now shake
hands again and congratulate mc-rm
married.
Married! !! almost shouted. "Why,
hlcss vour hpart Ch,rlio npcnnt nv yory
warmcst congratulations And how did
it come ahout7 And what does your
mamma think about it, and and -
My dear Rich.," said Charlie,
" there's the unhappy part Of the story ;
they are furious. They have said and
done the most dreadful things. | think
they wanted me to live and die an old
bachelor but at one-and twenty. my dear
fellow, q man must think Of settling, you
know, and it's absurd for them to be so
impacabe And my lady is, perhaps, a
year or two older than | am and very
lively--a gay young widow, you know
and mt they find fault with.
80 Don't bring her to my house. says
mamma--indecd she did but yeu-you,
| know, have sympathy with me. You
comprehend that could not forget one
| adored, because m old lady and little
girl told me to do so. You'll understand
that no one in my place could, when you
are introduced to Lofty. met her
while on business trip for the house. !
but here we are. We sup in our own
little paror. Lofty has quite fortune,