The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1876-01-26

"At twelve O'CLOCK, | believe" re-
piled,
"Has he said anything to you YETI"
inquired Carries mother.
"What do you mean, mother" said
l.
"Has he expressed his intcntions?"
she said.
mo" | replied, mot yet"
"Well, its pretty near time he had"
remarked the old lady; for my part l
don't like him much, and l don't
think he would be a very desirable
match, for he is not doing very well
in the world, and l believe he is a
young man of very unsettled habits"
"Oh no he ain't," replied, che is
tolerably well of; add he has wealthy
relations whose heir he will be. For
my part" said |, 81 think he is a very
desirable young man. hope he will
ask, and I'll have him certain"
"Carrie," said the old lady, opening
her eyes in amusement, "ain't you
ashamed of yourself to say so? Ber-
daps the young man never thought of
such a thing"
Didn't he, though" said l. I'll
make him ask ME tomorrow, / will"
"My daughter" said the old lady,
81 do not approve of it. There's Mr..
Silvers l know would like to have you,
and he is well>to-do in the world. l
do wish you would give him some en-
couragement."
To pacify the old lady l promised I
would, while at the same table I swore
to have Silver's hearts blood if l ran
across him.
As luck would have it, tote came
that morning from Silvers, asking
"Nfiss Carrie if he might have the
pleasure of her company for drive in
the afternoon. 1 sent him a very af.
fectionate and encouraging reply,
which l have no doubt made Silvers
caper around his room with joy, as he
concluded that he had at lrst made an
impression. Poor SilveH, he didn't
know that he was being fattened by
bliss, only to be slaughtered by dis
pair. At 8 o'clock in the afternoon,
Silvers drove to the door in a splen-
did turnout, and hitchidg his horses,
rang the bell. 1 had fixed myself in
Carries prettiest bonnet and cloak, and
| can, without vanity, say that I
looked bewitching. | found very lit
tic difficulty in arranging myself;
Carries fingers did it mechanically
from habit. l entered the parlor
with one of her sweetest smiles on her
face, and Silvers rose to meet me. He
was gorgeously appareled, and as l
was pretty well posted in male attire,
| knew he had spent several hours up
on his toilette. He was somewhat
embarrassed at first, but 1 greeted him
with the utmost cordiality, and glanced
as tenderly at him as 1 could. 1 even
ventured to give his hand gentle
pressure as l took it, whereupon he be-
came more embarrassed than ever, but
seemed almost beside himself with Joy.
You see had made up my mind to
settle Silver's business that afternoon,
and l wanted to draw him out, and
get him to make fool of himself We
got into the carriage, and drove off
rapidly. talked and laughed in Car
rie's most bewitching manner, keeping
up lively fire of remarks upon per-
sons and things, upon the road, and
upon subjects in general, but Silvers
was shy. He evidently had something
on his mind he wanted to get rid of,
and couldn't talk. 1 thought while
was about it, l might as well get his
opinion of myself, so l said:
"Mr. Silvers, 1 have heard queer
stories about Joe Parsons lately; do
you know anything about him?"
A CLEAN of joy passed over Silvers'
countenance at this, and he said in a
kind of hesitating manner, that was
evidently assumed, "Ah, Miss Carrie,
l don't like to tell what l know of
that young man."
"You can speak freely to me Mr. Sill
vers," said L. "What you say shall
be confidential"
"Well," says he, ''it pains me to say
it, Miss Carrie, but Parsons is addic-
ed to the most horrible vices. He was
carried home in state of senseless in,
toxication four nights last week."
"You shock me Mr.. Silvers," said l,
"but l had suspected this partly"
eyes," said he, she is a dangerous
young man, and l should be truly sor-
ry to have him intimate with any fe-
male friend of mine"
1 felt good deal like getting up and
punching Silvers' head at this, but 1