Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-12-26
MISCELLANEOUS.
MY ADVERTISEMENT.

Do you think there would Dc any narm III IL,
Aunt patty2 Lots Of girls do it, you know, just
for fun"
"Then they ought to be ashamed of them
Selves said my Aunt Patty, jerking her spec
tacles grimly into their black morocco case. ~
don't know what this world is coming to when
But didn't stay to hear Aunt psttys lecture.
knew beforehand Just what was coming-I
could have said 1t all Off like lesson-so went
up stairs to my own room. and sat down in
front Of the looking glass with folded hands, to
stare at myself and think.
No. l was not pretty-certainly, l was not
pretty. My eyes were too small and too far
apart, and my mouth too wide, and my fore
head too bumpy. None Of the very limited cir
Gle Of young men who visited at Aunt Patty Pow
ellis old fashioned red brick house had ever
seemed to be smtten with my charms here
/ was, eight aud twenty, without, as yet, a
single offer OF marriage
The strong minded sisterhood might, perpaps,
smile at my tribulations, but then, you see,
wasn't at all strong minded had always had
NV little secret dreams OF home and hearth
stone Of my own. / loved to fancy the echo of
children's voices around me, the light OF pair
of eyes which should look upon me-poor, little,
insignificant me las the dearest thing in all
the universe. In fact was toomdnty woman,
and many was the good cry had all to myself
because nobody seemed to want me.
" don't think there can possibly be any
harm in trying /; in spite of Aunt Patty" said 1
20 myself. kitty Crocker got a good husband
by advertisng-all in fun, of course but then
it turned out IN real earnest, after all, and l
want one, too. And don't care who knows it,.
I'll sign myself Lily Loyerdge, and if any
thing comes OF it I'll appoint a meeting under
the old lime tree en- the common. 1t will be
some sort of q variety in my life, even If it is
nothing else.
For all of which it is easy to be seen that
was q motherless girl, devoid Of maternal care
aud advice, making up my mind according to
the within or caprice of the moment.
DO wrote the advertisement and this is how
it read
/" A young lady of fortune (mamma had left
me five hundred a year, and to my limited vision
this sum appeared boundless Wealth. "would
like to form the acquaintance of some cultiya-
ted and refined gentleman with view to matrl-
mony. Address Lily Loveridge, Lindskill post
office"
And put it in the paper.
Three days afterward, stealing to the post Of
fee under cover Of the twilight, Il should have
known by instinct that was doing wrong when
/ was ashamed to be seen by any OF my cordial
old friends-but girls act AZ II they were bereft
of common sense at times); l got letter ad
dressed in fine sprawling caligraphy TO !" Miss
Lily Loveridge."
How breathlessly sped home How doxter-
iously avoided Aunt Patty's catechsm about
the evening paper, and Deacon Mallabees new
stone barn, and flew up stairs, locking and
double looking myself in, before dared ven
ture to open the musky scented missve.
Miss. Lilly Loyeridge is informed that gen
tleman answering to her description; who pinet
only for the love of q true and trusting heart
has seen her communication to the LindSkil
Gdzette, and desires the pleasure OF her &C
quaintance. A line addressed to Nj. @. ut the
post Office will receive grateful attention"
With beating heart sat down and wrote to
NJ. @. these lines
"There is a lightning-blasted elm at thu
South corner Of the Common. shall be ther'
on Wednesday AFTERNOON at fonr o'clock.
LILY LoyERIDaE.
And now to borrow a favorite expression o
my rattle Drained brother, l had been ant
gone and done it," was astonished at my owl
temerity, yet after all, l was not sorry, Fo
life had always been 80 dull and monotonous +
me, and anything that wore the gulse OF a.
event WAS blessing
Ii was lovely August afternoon when wer
ded my way toward the old lightning blaste
elm at the south corner OF the park, that wa
called by courtesy our " Common" The leave
on the trees were moionlees the blue air wa
translucent as heavenly lake, and the far o
hum of the manufacturing town scarcely reacl
ed our ears. My heart gave great somersau
as, drawing near the bench under the elm,
saw gentleman sitting there smoking.
Tall, dark-eyed, handsome Dressed ike
prince of the blood, and wearing diamond stud
in his linen. had had my dreams of the ado
able chevalier, but this bright reality surpasse
them all.
In my CONSERVATION l dropped my paraso
and stumbled after my own graceful fashioi
over the fiounce of my dress, bringing my nos
in contact with the edge OF the bench. In a
instant the gentleman had flung away his Gigs
and hurried to my assistance.
al hope you are not hurt said he 30 lci
ously.
80 ne but 1t is 30 awkward" and Btraigh
way began to cry. / don't know how 1t w
but we seemed to get acquainted in five minut
after that. He WAS stranger IN town. he to
me that at once and had deal to tell hi
about the public buildings and manufacture
He was lawyer. Marcus Clifford by name g.
@. 2" quoth / to myself.) And then told hi
that was Lizzie Field. And he asked me mig
he call and SAID yes. And all this time ne
ther of us dared to alude to the advertisemel
Well, II he didn't why should l ? And now wi
the greatest privilege of story tellers, l take
great jump over three months OF time
Just married-and Marcus looking into 4
eyes az il they were real lode stars instead
two poor little weakly gray orbs, altogether {
wide apart for beauty.
"a My darling, how sweet you look in that
tie travelling hat with the blue bells and rlbbo
TO match" he murmured. My little Liz
how shall ever sufficiently thank the Fate Il
driftedme to you. And such mere chance to-
I" Yes" said /, determined TO make him CT
fese at last. " If it hadn't been for that ney
paper advertisement"
"What newspaper advertisement r
He looked blankly at me, as II were spe
ing the Patagonian language.
60 Don't you remember Lily Loveridge z"
~ never heard Of Lily Loveridge in all
life" he answered.
Now Marcus, that's nonsence. Look here
and produced from my pocket book the
advertisements, my own and the answer OF :
Gu
He read them over with intent puzzled att
ton.
Lizzie, I have never seen either OF tn
before" laughing in spite Of himself.
- You didn't come to the old lightning bias
elm in answer to an appointment then =
Certainly, didn't came there, beca
1t struck me as nice place to SIT TO smoke
cigar, And when young lady stumbled Z
the skirt of her dress, and sprang to help
up, l had no idea that was meeting my Ia
30 you advertised for a husband, did you,
sly little Lizzie and got the wrong one a
ali 2"
The right one, you mean" said blushl
and heartily ashamed, yet happy through 1t
1t was a piece Of grlish folly, aud It ma
my cheeks burn TO think OF it now but y
not blame me, will you Marcus I've got n
one to take better care of me now.'
~ don't think / shall ever blame you m
for anything, my love-" answered my hush
sereney.
When we came home from our tour, ,
Brown, the landlords daughter OF the
Hotel, came to call on me, and among :
things she had little story to tell me apo'
handsome audacious fellow who had poaroe'
the house.
AZ n IL, aid Mllv