The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1875-02-12
MAJOR MUDD'S MURDER.
BY JUDGE CLARK.

had faith in nothing but financial tota
depravity. His bump of reverence wa
concavity. Like Capt. Symmes, b
believed in the ho1lowness of the worl
not only of this world, but all others
including the next. He would hav
sold stock in the whole of them " "short.
The final bankruptcy of the univers
was cardinal article of his creed, ant
he didn't believe the assets would pa,
over fifty per cent.
He had daughter Pet" The bes
that can be said of her is that she didn'
takeafter her father; for Pet was beau
ty, and didn't care picayune whethe.
Bosh Preferred went up or down.
I met Pet at one of our fashionabl,
sea-sides, and, to cut a long story short
fell in love with her and told her 80.
She said neither "yes" nor "no'
when I popped the question, but hung
her pretty head and asked for time, az
her father might have done in case o.
the "buIIs" having a temporary ad
vantage in the market.
I soon found that another was the
real stumbling-block. It always is an.
other, who, in spite of what the prayer.
book says, is wickedly putting asundel
those whom Heaven would join together.
Another, in this instance, was a fat
Broad-street broker, old enough to be
Pets father, and SO like the latter that
the two might have been cubs of the
the same litter. He was called Major
Mudd and to him, it seems, old De
Bruin had, some time before, hypothe-
Gated his daughter.
Pet had no great liking for the major.
What woman ever had for man old
enough to be her father-unless it was
her father? was near her own age.
and--well-Tll not fatter myself.
The upshot of it was that Pet and
made up our minds to run away and get
married-she confding in paternal
affection for final forgiveness, and I in
the old gentleman's ultimate discovery
that he couldn't help himself.
Mr.. De Bruin watched his daughter
like hawk. He evidently suspected
something. How to carry out our plan
became, from day to day, more per-
picking question, The old fellows
eye was on our outgoings and incom-
ings. He would tap at his daughters
door, at the most unexpected seasons,
under pretense of making this or that
irrelevant inquiry. To evade his vig-
lance would have been like giving the
slip to Argus.
A bright idea struck me. had often
amused myself and Pet by mimicking
the major. I could do his voice to q
nicety and having had some expert
ence in private theatricals, I felt sure
that with little stuffng and other
making up I should be able to person
ate the old hipopotamus to perfection.
The majors arrival was expected
daily, and when he came, Pet and I
knew, that with two instead Of one to
watch us the execution of our scheme
would be rendered doubly difficult.
Accordingly we determined to bring
matters to crisis.
1t was given out that T was going
away not to return. It being privately
understood that I was to come back the
same evening, disguised as the major
deceive Peters father as to my identity;
carry her off at midnight marry her at
the nearest minis er's and boldly risk
The consequences.
took an austentatious leave of MIR.
De Bruin, bowed q caremonious good
by to bis daughter, and took the next
train for the city.
That evening I presented myself to
She hotel clerk, to whom / had paid my
bill in the morning, with all the dignity |
IF padded portliness and the frosts Of |
It least fifty winters siIvering the locks |
II my wig.
The clerk who knew the major we'll, |
,aved me the commission of downright |
'orgeryb by registering the name himself.
! spent dull evening with MFR. De |
Bruin. Pet left us early, doubtless to
prepare for our midnight fitting; and
he old gentleman tackled me in dis
luasion about points and corners
hat fairly made my head swim, and
more than once drove me to the verge
4 committing myself through ignor-
nee.
Bedtime came at last, and ] hastened
0 my room, where threw off my dis
Mise, and resumed my usual apparel
~ purpose being to quit the house
7hen all was quiet, meet Pet at the ap-
tointed rendezvous, and convey her In
carriage, engaged TO be in waiting, to
be- place at which the nuptial knot was
. be tied.
It is an unromantic fact to speak OF in
his connection, but one which subse-
uent events make ii necessary to men
ion. that the excitement I was laboring
nder caused my nose to bleed freely.
! had barely succeeded IN stauching
!, when glance At my watch apprised
10 that ] had no time to spare.
! opened my room door softly and
sepped into the hallway.
" Hal" exclaimed q voice.
/ turned quickly and found myself
ice to face with old De Bruin, who was