The Republican journal., 1876-02-17

y
All, now She knew that she loved him
stood the strong love in her heart, DEFY
The voice was low, very low, and the
lips close to his ear. Hugh, look up"
A low groan was the answer Hugh y
And a little, soft hand lay among his
masses OF curls, and there was almost a
sob in the sweet voice. Hugh, look up
for L." oh, how low the voice sank, II
| love you!"
Dear me. how the relative position of
the parties changed! Hugh. erect, man
ly, holding her close to his heart, while
his whole face glowed with love and
pride; and Lucy, timid and shrinking.
her face hidden on his breast, and cling
ing close to him.
Say that again, Lucy"
But Lucy thinking once was enough,
raised her head suddenly with look of
laughing defiance, and would have run
away but he held her fast Then they
talked long together. Hugh declared
| Mr.. Graham to be resoute in forbidding
| their union. and before these lovers part
ed, they had planned an elopement
A few days later, Lucy shut herself up
in her room one morning, declaring that
a severe headache would prevent her
Joining the family She refused the med
| icino and all attendance, pleading only
for quiet, and at last mother and Cousin
| Lizzie left her alone. After they had
| gone, Lucy employed her time very pc
culiarly tor an invalid. She packed all
| her jewels and money in the smallest
possible compass. and then put some
clothes into carpet bag. She laid out
| her travelling dress upon the bed, and ar
| ranged new brown ribbon on her tray
cling bonnet.
| Early in the evening Lizzie and her
mother came to bid her an affectonate
goodnight. and then she was left alone
again Instead of retiring, she dressed
herself in her travelling dress, and, taking
the bag, sat down by the window The
night passed slowly, and early the next
window Looking down into the garden
beneath, she saw Hugh armed with some
tiny stones, which he was throwing
against the glass. She threw up the
sash, a ladder was placed against the sill,
and in few minutes Lucy stood beside
her lover. A carriage was waiting at the
gate, and they posted away. Having
changed horses some four times, they
stopped at a village church in berkshire,
where the marriage service was perform
ed, and the happy pair drove to the ad-
Joining station to wait tor the train tor
Cheltenham.
Two days later, and the young bride is
sitting by herself in an elegant apartment
at a hotel at Cheltenham.
Lucy looked weary Hugh was away,
| and it the truth must be told, Lucy was a
little ashamed of her escapede. She re-
membered her mothers tender care tor
her. and her fathers kind indulgence all
her lite, and she knew that she had made
them but a poor return for their love.
! While she was thus musing Hugh came
| in.
Lucy" said he, 81 have just had z tel
egram from home: 81 have bad news for
you. my poor darling"
"Father, mother?" cried she, spring
! ing to meet him.
"Your mother'is i'll, very ILL.,, dearest |
fear We should 90 home Immediately" !"
"Oh, Hugh, can ! 90 home; | have
been so ungrateiul and naughty? Oh
mother, motherm
"Why, dearest, if the truth must be
| told"
"Father may refuse TO let me see her
| | did not leave them any word where |
was going; perhaps it is trettng for me
that made mother i'll, and the poor little
beauty threw herself, sobbing, into her
husbands arms.
"Why, Lucy, don't cry so, darling
they are not angry. They knew all about
| it,"
"All about what? said Lucy.
"Our elopement, he replied ''Forgive
my having deceived you. my bonnie wee
wife, but you were so determined not to
marry with your fathers consent, that |
told you several very dreadful tibs to get
you to confess that you loved me-"
"Why. haven't you lost all your money!
'Not penny" he replied.
"And did papa know was going to run
away?"
"Yes," and here a glow Of honest pride
came into IIugh's face. Il am not a
man." he said. ''to steal my wife No,
loved you, but had your father really re-
fused me, | would have crushed out my
love-
."Would you ?" said Lucy archly.
"At least | would have concealed it, "
he replied. ''But come darling. we will
90 by the next train"
''And l can 60 to mamma? Oh, am
so glad. Oh, Hugh, l have felt dreadful
ly guilty, but now | am happy"
"And you forgive my deception" ?"
Eyes, for it proved your love. That
you could teign to do an act from which
your noble soul revolted, when you found
that was"
'Bound to elope," said Hugh, finishing
the sentence.
The repentant Lucy found her mother
getting better, and received a warm wei
come home, which she humbly acknowl-
edged she did not deserve. Since then,
when she has very wil!ful fit, her hus-
band can always make her submissive by
alluding to her memorable elopement.
STEALING FROM FREIGHT TRAINS. Not
long since u bale of cotton was lost from
the night freight train between this city
and Boston, on the Boston and Lowell
road All that is known about it is, that
it was billed with others to Lowell, but
never reached here. A few nights later, &