Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-05-09

poor thing when she came to see he
mistake.
l thought / would speak of some
thing as far as possible from he
thoughts.
These are serious times abroad"
said. France and Germany are nc
likely to have their trouble settled yer
SOON The suffering ofour country dur
ing the late war makes US feel for thes
poor people. They haven't had muc
to say about the political affairs whicl
led to the disturbances, and / suppos
the common soldiers are actuated b
the interest and patriotism that our ar
mics felt" / thought | would keel
on long enough for her to get the drif
of what | was saying. She listene,
intently. l did not know then that sh
never read the papers.
1t was very good Of you to thinl
of spending some time abroad" sh,
replied. But am told it isn't saf,
to go to France this year ON account o
war, and, and as you say, we shall b,
the settled. Iquite think under th,
circumstances [ should prefer trip il
our own country, and as you suggest
it shows patriotism.
The cold sweat stood on my fore
head, and | groaned. To be sure,
was nearing my thirty-secoDd year, bu
| didn't want to get married, yet, an6
if / did, did not want to marry her
| thought if | went away, she would
think tall over, and known by my man.
ner that she was mistaken. So | rose
and said l must be going.
Give my respects to your father on
his return, added. /" / bid you good
by for short time only, for | shall
call next week to see him and pay my
respects to Miss Fannie"
" If you could stay little longer, -
Henrietta said, rising, too, and coming
up close to me, he will be home to
dinner and you need not return to see
him. But what hurry you are in. y
laying her hand on my arm, to talk
about very short time. You know
will have to get ready. / will do as
well as L can. since you urge it, but
next week is entirely too soon. Yes,
| ii give your respects to Fannie. She
is coming home in week or two, so
she will be at the wedding. She is a
sweetchild. But, oh, Charles, to think
that you loved me all this long time
and stayed away, trying to forget me,
when | loved you so much !" and as |
started to cross the room she threw
herself right into my arms and her own
so tight around my neck that | could
not help her kissing me. just then the
door opened and old Brown came in.
Never mind, Charley Parker, new
er mind, he shouted. I've seen
such doin's before in my life. It's all
right, my boy. Don'tlook so confused.
You're steady, sensible fellow, and
Henrietta is a good girl, and she'll
make you a good wife, if she is little
the oldest. You want my blessing. of
course, and you shall have it. Now
come in to dinner, and we'll hear the
rest of it if you've got anything TO tell
me"
"Charles was coming to tell you to-
night, father, T" said Henrietta, hanging
on my arm with both hands, and he
says he has loved me SO long and did
not dare to let me know"
Though dreadfully embarrassed, L
began to feel relieved, for he was not
deaf, and | could make him compre-
hend the terrible mistake.
Mr.. Brown" | began, stammering
awkwardly, can | see you few min
utes alone? There are some things [
must say to you, and Miss Henrietta
will excuse us"
oh, no, Charley, never mind" he
interrupted, T" | know you and your
family and about what your chances
for the future are. Never mind the
formalities it's all satisfactory to me
if it is to Henrietta, and I judge ha !
ha ! by what | saw awhile ago that she
is agreeable"
But, Mr.. Brown" l exclaimed,
horrIfed, F" [ don't want to get mar
ried /! | hadn't thought about it I
neverwas acquainted with Miss Brown.
She hasn't quite understood me. II
I did not ask her to marry mel"
His eountenance changed; first to
perplexity, then to dignity and severi-
ty.
DO [ understand that you have
been trifling with my daughter, sir?
If you did not ask her to marry you
l should think it about time, at least,
that you arrive at that formality.-
Zounds, sir, | don't understand you
either! A father has a legal redress
in such circumstances, sir "
I began to despair of finding any,
way to make them understand.
Henrietta still clung to me, hearing
about half we said, smiling, self-satis-
fed and affectionate. At the change
in her fathers manner, Henrietta said,
coaxingly, Now, father, / told Charles
you would be pleased. | thought you
liked him, and told him so when he
asked me-
The clearest thought l had just then
was to get away. Some other time
would be better in which to set things
right. / tried to speak calmly and
concilitatingly and trustto future op-
portunity of explaining to the old gen.
tleman how his daughters infirmity
was at the bottom of it all, so l said ::
Il have not meant to deceive your
daughter, sir, nor do | wish to do so.
| will defer the communication l
wished to make to you till another
time. | must go now, | will see you
again very soon. Good morning, "
And started for the hat-rack.
Henrietta put her arms around my
neck aud kissed me again as / reached
for my hat / could not help it. L
don't suppose she could. l don't sup
pose she ever had a chance of kissing
any man but her father before, and the
poor, sanguine, gushing old thing
thought she was engaged to marry me.
was so dumbfounded at the state
of affairs that [ don't know how | got
away. But was in the street walk
ing home, engaged to Henrietta Brown,
and with her fathers consent, In less
than an hour from the time | went
there.
| did not go to see Brown that night
nor the next day nor the next Nor did
did / write though l tried two or three
times. The truth is my nerves were so
unstruug, | could not bear to think
about it. And it was no more than the
truth when | sent word to the store
that was sick, and went to bed on the
second day.
The next morning came note from
Brown. They heard of my sickness at
my place of business where he had
called to see what had become of me.
He was very sorry. Henrietta was
very anxious and frightened, and would
come to see me during the day.
There isn't much more to tell. Hen
rietta was very affectiOnate. and no