The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-10-18

| uduSuGS IatuS ohSo' sOuo' eAAe|o "e'9t ~
fore you came.".s Der sa-,,s s..~eE
"Will thee tell me what it was ?" aske,
Rachel's silvery voice.
eve looked into fathers desk and rea,
a letter from Mr.. Gordon-Ann Gordon
father, you know. Fan. and .laughe,
so much just think of his calling hi
great, daughter girl and my tall brothe
/ Fred a s6oyf And he said that, If k6le!
were quite satisfied, he hoped they woult
marry. He wanted Fred. to come ant
get acquainted with her; but I don't be
lieve he will. I'm sorry that read tn,
letter. Was it very naughty, Rachel?'
asked the laughing penitent, shaking he
curls. -.
"It was wrong for thee to meddle witt
thy fathers letters, and thee knows it
JESSIE" answered the Quakeress, serious
ly. "But thy brother did not see the
letter, did he7"
"oh, yes, he did Fan. showed it te
him."
"He scolded thee both, thope?"
"No, he only laughed, and said the
'girl' didn't suit the boy and that Miss
Ann Gordon might go to the"
"Jessiew
"What, Rachel?" -
"What was thee going to sayc'
"Nothing; Fred didn't end the sen.
tence, and I haven't the least idea what
he was going to say. Have you? @
dear my,thread has kpotted again"
"Thee has good many troubles my
dear" said Rachel, untwisting the
tangled thread Perhaps thee;and Fan
ny had better go and walk while write
some letters"
Con6dentially, we will hint that tbe
the conversation. Her pupils skipped
out of the room, delighted at their re:
lease from the sewing exercise, and
Rachel, stepped into the library to write
undisturbed. She had just finished hel
task, when the door opened very softly,
and Colonel Lambert entered.
."I hope have not disturbed you, Miss
Burns ?'' he said, in his most courteous
s "Nay, ST siif. ThSaee finished my VI letters
But why doessthee call me Miss Burns
Nv name is Rachel"
, "Y You fo. got" he said, with some EN- m
barrassment of naapner, Shat we worlds
people are inclined to be more ceremo-
nious and formal than, perhaps. there is
ayes, friend, but there is'no impro.
priety in calling me Rachel, when | am
as young as thy daughters" said the
pretty Quakeress, with sly smile.
A shade of pain crossed Colonel Lam
bert's face.
"You remind me-" he said, presently,
seating himself near her, "that / am no
longer young; and yet am about to do
what YOU may possibly say is . foolish
thing. am aware that the difference IN
our ages is considerable; know that my
wears and experience outweighs yours
but my friend, I believe that my spirit is
Rachel-you see I say it very easily,
now-to offer you my hand, my heart is
already in thy keeping. have studied
your character thoroughly; l know yon
to be high-principied, refined, pure
minded, Intellectual woman, whose love
would be blessing for any man to pos
sess. I have passed the days of romance,
and the art of winning fair lady by the
rules of etiquette / never studied but
YOU need not be assured that, should you
look upon my proposal with favor, your
happiness shall be my care: Jessie and
Fanny already love you very much; give
them a right to do, SO always. / have
more money than / know what to do
with; help me spend it. You may be
surprised, Rachel, but you are not of:
Tended, I trust! am sincere, though |
may not be eloquent"
Rachel Burns raised her eyes to the
Colonel's earnest face.
"Offended, when thee has paid me the
highest compliment in thy powerw she
answered, almost reproachfully. "Ihope
thee will give me credit for more sense
than that. Irespect thee highly, friend
Lambert, nay, have warm friendship
for thee; but though am very grateful
for thy kind offer, 1 am obliged to tel!
thee that what thou askest is impossible. !"
A panied expression settled upon the
pentleman's countenance.
"I feared so ] feared sol" he said, in
a tone of mingled sadness and disap:
pointment. II am an old fool, Rachel
Burnsw
"Nay, nay, sirl You are a man, and
q very good man, too," interposed the
Quakeress, with feeling.
"Then why won't you marry me-
Rachelf" interrogated the Colonel
quickly, eying her keenly.
"Because-because-" stammered Ra.
chel, blushing like peony, and evi.
dently embarrassed, ~ am-I'll tell thee
at some future time aDhy 1 cannot be thy
wife. Meantime we can be friends as
usual can we not?" she added, in the
most. musical of voices, placing a. small
hand in the Colonel's great palm.
"You will have it all your own way,
perceive. shall hayeito content1nysel
with being kind of father to you," he
said, with sigh and a poor attempt at &
smile. Then pressing kiss on the little
hand that lay so confdingly within hi
own, he left the room as noiselessly as hi
entered it. ;tf,.<,is,.i,5
To say that Rachel Burns was not sur
prised at this incident would not be true
but her quiet temperament and imper
turbable calmness kept her from betray
ing the astonishment she naturally fell
at finding herself required to give an an
swer to an entirely unexpected propose
of marriage. The pretty Quakeress tool
the matter as coolly as though matrimo
NAL offers were every day occurrence
with her; she gathered up her writing
materials as deliberately as though sh'
hadn't just refused the rich, good-lookinl
widower that anxious maidens and nam
mas had angled for so long and so 7ainly
put stamps on her letters very carefully
and walked out of the library with a
quiet a step and face as composed a
the most sedate Quaker could have wish
ed. There was peculiar light to he
full blue eyes, and look Of something
like suppressed mirth about her rosebu'
mouth as she went straight-to her ow!
| room tho reader will very properly add