, 1876-12-03
LOVE ON THE WAVE.

llttcQ luAuflautly OackW2Eus anu LUG utuE slllohe
OF fragrant Partaga curling about his head
aud floating geutly out upon the evening air.
In full view from his window there poured down
the avenue before the hotel throng Of splendid
equipages, turning the beautiful street into
vast kaleidoscope Of color and motion, the
counterpart ct which, it occurred to Grayson,
could be found nowhere else in the world. As
lie sat idly gazing at the brilliant throng, and
wondering whether his boot-soles appeared to
the best advantage from below, his attention be-
came riyeted upon man upon the opposite
side OF the street, whose strange actions caused
the Rev. Mr.. GraYson to remove his cigar from
his lips and his feet from the window, and to
bend forward in All attitude Of sudden interest.
The individual in question stood under tree,
around the trunk Of whici, he constantly peerea,
as though eagerly watching for some one, while
desirous at the same time ct escaping obseEya-
tion. He mad evidently timed his appearance
with tolerable certainty, Tor there soon CAME
driving slowly down tue avenue an open ba-
roucIe, driven BY a co1ored coachman In livery,
and drawn by two ulilk-white horses, which We're
:, 10 sooner deserted by the gentleman under the
tree than he seemed to be thrown into state Of
the greatest possible excitement. He stood
upon.onc foot and then upon the other, pcepcd
around the trunk Of the tree, then drew his
head quickly back again, took step forward,
rs though about to plunge recklessly into
the roadway, and then returned hastily
to his tcrlncr position, besides doing great
many other strange things, like person sud-
denly bereft OF his senses. The carriage con-
tanned two elderly gentlemen and young girl
the latter Grayson thought one Of the most
beautiful he had ever Seen: little. blne-eycd
blonde, with a dimple in each cheek, and
mouth like wild cherry. She looked little
pale and anxious, and it was not difficult to see
that, while she listened or pretended to listen
to the conversation Of the two old gentlemen,
her bright eyes we're searching among the trees
Oh either side for something she had not yet
found. Suddenly her cheek flushed. her eyes
BECAME brighter than ever; her little slovcd
hand was pressed Tor q moment to her lips, and
then held Over the side Of the carriage tray
son turned to the young man beneath the tree
Hc stood leaning against the tree with his hand
on his heart and gazing mourn1uilyaitsr the caf
he deserted something lying in the road, and
darted out to pick it up. It was letter,
.tBy Jove!" exclaimed Graysou, "thst was
well done: Bless my soul, believe that's Jack
The individual addressed looked towards the
hotel, and, after scanning the windows for
moment, caught sight OF Graysou, who WAS
waving his handkerchief energetic ally. Then
he came running across the street with the let
ter in his haud. A moment afterwards he MAS
in Grayson's room.
"Totn,' he burst forth, "who in the world
expected to find you heret"
i And you, mir dear fcllow,' returned the
young clergyman; "whatwere you doing under
"You saw me9' asked Jack, eagerly. "You
saw-you saw her!"
II saw the whole ridiculous performance.
What a beauty! Is there some romanca wrap
ped up in all this!"
me- exclaimed Jack. throwing himself into
chair. "That lovely girl is my aflianced BRIDE"
t@You don't say SO, said Grayson, in aston
ishmcnt.
EtThe old gentleman with the white hair and
the gray military mustache, +" continued Jack,
tsis her father. The other old dufTer, the
stupia-loolSing centenarian, with the mush face
and the red nose, is her aftianccd husband.n
"Whew!'' whispered Tom, II should think
there was romance 60 on
sits the old story, I suppose" replied Jack,
heaving long sigh. IA / met 1er last winter at
the house OF i friend in New York, aud was
entranced with her beauty, her accomplish
nleuts, her Innocence, her goodness, her,:
s'Ycs, yes, I'll take all that for granted, " III
terrupted Grayson.
"Our acquaintance soon ripened into friend
ship, and speedily into love. We became be-
trothed. asked her father, who is retired
Bucna-Vista manner, asked IKE if supposed
his daughter was going to marry miserable
bank>c1crk on 5000 year, and then showed
nie the door"
"Ah!;' exclaimed Gra7son, With an appear
ance OF great interest.
ssAfter I left him. continued Jack, "there
was scene, as I subsequently learned, between
him and my dear girl, VINO bravely declared that
she would never marry any one else, and be-
sought him on her knees. with tears, to con
obstinate, and said he had other views vi her,
Pretty soon these views came along in tic per-
son Of the mushv-faced old patriarch whom you
saw just now in the carriage. He, to-, is re-
tired hero OF the Mexican war, and very rich:
NJ, darling shut herself in her room and refused
AIR him E7n thin and male and nearly
cried her eyes ont. I brlbed one vi the sery-
ants, who carried daily notes between us, but
her unnatural parent detected our correspond
ence, and it was intercepted"
s>My poor boy." said Grayson, with sympa-
thy.
ss For weeks could obtain no communication
from her. At last I learned from friend Of the
family that they we're all coming to Newport to
visit ut the villa Of her proposed husband, who
is d widowcr. I obtained leave OF absence from
the bank on the ground OF ill-henlth, and fol-
lowed them. Yesterday saw my darling for
the first time, and to-day received this letter,
in which, continued Jack, kissing it rapturous-
ly, - she assures me Of her undying devotion,
the old General, whom she dctests, aud that SHE
is mine, mine only, and mine forever. Dear,
true, faithful grill She deserves all i can give
her Of the best, most earnest, and most faithful
lover
ayes, no doubt,'' said Grayson, rct7cctlvely.
swell, should think, jack Turner, that you
had got yourself into very interesting. Still
ation. 1t would do for the plot Ut i novel;
"I'ye not told you oil, replied his friend
'sGood gracious! what next"
ssDurinS the period Of our c1andestlne cor
resp6nlence WE arranged all elopement- had
aIl mv plans perfected; my dear girl consented
to accompany me, and in another day she
would have been my bride. when"
"When patevfaniIias stepped in and spoiled
tbs plot" interrupted Grayson. "WhY can't
you clopc now, IT you are bound to have her!
You hare found means Of communicating,
sce." !.
:: Impossible" replied Jack: " The villa is
situated way ont Of town, on Batcman's Point,
and is surrounded BY brick wall twelve feet
high Ever since the discovery OF our plan for
escape, C1ara has been under the supervision OF
a maiden aunt, "a perfect slcepless Cerberu5.-
who occupies the same room, and always accom-
panics her when she goes out to walk or bathc-
There's a savage old butler, with orders to
shoot all suspicious characters seen lowering
around the place after dark There's q fero-
cious bulldog"
:: Hold-cnough!' said Grayson. ssThis is
worse than the Princess in the enchanted
tuwer.'
'sOh, that's not all either" said Jack. 1.-THE
old curmudgeon is bound to marry his daughter
to old Red-nose, whether she will or no, and has
actually issued cards for the wedding without
her consent. Now, To1u," exclaimed jack,
tlercely, ''that girl must be mine. There's no
time to lose. sne must be my bride before to-
morrow night, and you must help me-"