The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-08-23
Was he in Earnest.

"And so you think this Miss What's
her-name would be just as fast to marry
you if you We're poor man, with no
expectations whatever, instead of being
my nephew and supposed heir?"
There was hurt, indignant look
upon the frank face that confronted the
speaker.
"The young lady's name is Ashton,
and never said she was fast to marry
me-"
81 beg you and the young lady's
pardon. You think that Miss ashton
would be just as ,otlling to marry you if
she knew you to be poor MANI"
81 do. | would stake my life on the
sincerity and disinterestedness of her
love-"
Leaning back in his chair, Mr.. Pop
pleton, senior, surveyed his nephew
with a smile of superior wisdom, which
had in it something Of contemptuous
pity.
"Ha! that's what all you young tel-
lows say when you are in love; we old
fellows don't lose our heads so easily.
And it's well for you we don't, Why
don't | make a fool of myself about
some woman, I'd like to know"
"I've often wondered, uncle, why
you haven't married"
"When was at your age, | was poor
and had something else to think of; and
now that Pm old, I've got more sense,
/ hope. There's Peter ComstOck whose
head is as gray as mlne. hes married
girl Young enough to be his daughter,
and a pretty life she leads him. When
Josiah Poppleton makes such fool of
himself, you may shave his head, clasp
a straight jacket on him, and put him
into lunatic hospital"
The young man smiled, and then
looked grave.
"You object to Miss Ashton because
she is poor and dressmaker"
Nothing of the sort, Fred. l object
to her because she is mercenary."
''You have no right to say that uncle
when YOU have never even seen her."
81 couldn't be surer of it if | had
known her all my life," said the old
gentleman stoutly. Gan such people
are. You don't believe it, Of course;
but let her think you poor man, or
let a rich one make her an offer, and
YOU would soon see."
Here Mr.. Poppleton, senior, glanced
at his watch.
"You'l have to be lively young man
if YOU want to catch the next train.
You will find the bills for collection on
my desk. Wen talk the matter over
when you get back"
Mr.. Poppleton waited until he heard
the whistle of the train that took his
nephew out of town, and then putting
on his hat, and buttoning up his coat
with a resolute air, went out.
He walked very swiftly, passing
through several streets and around
various corners, until he came to the
house he was in search of-a modest
unpretending story y-and-a-half affair,
on the faded green door of which were
these words:
Miss ASHTON. DREssMAKER."
Mr.. Poppleton regarded it with a
look of stern disapproval, and then set
.tling his hat on his head with a still
more resolute air, marched up the stairs
and rang the bell.
After waiting some little time, the
door opened, revealing to his bewil-
dered gaze the loveliest creature he
had ever beheld, whose rosy lips and
violet eyes smiled out upon him, as
though he was an old and lOng-eX-
pected friend.
He stared at her for moment, and
then said:
81 am Josiah Poppleton, and | wish
to see Miss Ashton"
The rosy lips dimpled into still
brighter smile.
"That is my name, sir. Won't you
walk in"
Mr., Poppleton found himself in one
of the coziest, cheeriest little sitting
rooms in the world.
The first thing his eyes fell upon was
his own photograph, cabinet size, in a
little rustic frame on the mantel. He
remembered giving it to his nephew
And he remembered, too, with cons d.
cradle satisfaction, that 1t was ie-
markedly fine likeness.
"The little baggage knew me-" he
thought, as he took a seat, "and that
was what made her smile so"
He felt his courage oozing from the
ends of his fingers. Somehow, II didn't
seem such an easy thing as he had fan
cied Il would be to carry out the pro-
gramme he laid down for himself, and
he began to wish he was most any
where else. But here he was, and he
must go through with it.
"Miss Ashton--ahem | suppose you