Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-05-25

ermore, it Is my invincible determination
: If he persists in running counter to m
wishes, t0haye nothing more to do wit
him -
This Was evidently something that Ros
did not expect to hear; the dimpling smile
left the mouth, and the violet eyes opene
widely.
Looking resolutely away, Mr.. Poppletol
continued
eff you think my nephew has propert,
in his own right, you were never more mis-
taken. He is entirely dependent on me
and he commits thefolly he contemplate
| won't give him penny-not penny Il
Here MI. Popp.eton turned his eyes up
on the face opposite him, as if to see wha
effect his words were producing. AL it,
bloom and brightness had vanished, but
he went pitilessly on.
"Of course, you can marry him if yor
choose this is a free country, and people
can make themselves as miserable as they
Exc ( suppose. sOalys I feel it my duty
to warn you what the Inevitable conse.
quences will be. Fred can hardly take
care of himself. You'll have large fam
ily-poor people always do have large fam
ilies-and the result will be poverty, mis-
cry, and no end of trouble.
This was not a very encouraging pros
pect to look forward to, ard Rose did not
look as if she considered it as such. She
made no reply, however, and Mr.. Popple-
ton continued:
"On the other hand, if you will act as
sensibly and discreetly in the matter, as
think you will, on reflection, you will ney-
er be sorry for it. You may count on my
protection and friendship-the friendship
and protection Of Josiah Poppleton
Rose how spoke.
| 81 love Frederic-''
|, sDon't answer me now" interrupted
Mr.. Poppeton, rising and turning to the
door; ''take time to think the matter over.
I'll be here tomorrow at the same honr to
get your decision. Only remember, if you
really do love my nephew, that you will not
take a course thatswlll ruin his prospects
for life"
ENC wonder the young rascal is be-
Witched,' thought the old gentleman, as
he took his way homeward, ''she is certain
Fly the most bewitching creature 1 ever
saw y
Mr.. Popple ton expected his nephew back
on the following day, and was therefore,
all the more anxious that the matter should
be satisfactorily settled. Promptly at the
hour he had named to Rose, be was on
hand to receive her decision.
Mr.. Poppls ton, cannot feel it would be
right for mo to break my engagement with
your nephew; if he chooses to give me up,
that is another thing. The thought of
making trouble between you two gives me
more pain than [ can tell YOU. What pos
si5A, objection can you have to me 20
Here poor Rose burst in tears.
c,''No objection to you, whatever, my
dear said SIf.>Poppleton, taking one of
f hn Conf VIII, ara4ls IN beth nf his uOn
ing creature ever s;t ~.
'Wby then are you so unwilling that I
should marry your nephew p
s'Because I want to marry you myself"
Rose started to her feet.
care you in earnest, sir 20
Wis iiGVGf tilOit 81 III Ivy IilC. L 1oTC
you to distraction and Shall consider my
self the happiest Of men if you will become
Mrs. Josiah Poppleton.''
Rose turned her flashing eyes upon the
speaker with a look that he never forgot.
eff you were not Frederick's uncle I
should express in very plain terms my opil-
ion Of you. AS it is, have only to say
that there is the door, and to ask you to
60"
Mr.. Poppleton did not wait second in
vitation.
On reaching the corner he looked back,
Just IN time to catch aglimpse of his neph-
ew going in.
Feeling very much like one that had
been raised to a great height and set down
very suddenly, Mr.. Poppleton went home.
= Going up to his own room, he marched
to the mirror.
"Josiah Poppleton," he said, shaking his
fist at the reflection there, ''you are fraud
dolt, an idiot, donkey. You are scoun-
drel of the darkest dye, and if you were
somebody else I'd punch your head -
Having thus relieved his feelings he sat
down.
Half an hour later he heard his nephew's
well-known step on the walk. Rushing to
the head of the stairs, he bawled out.
John, say I'm sick. that I'm out, that
l can t see anybody p
| But he was too late; Fred was in the
hall and half way up the stairs.
'sAh, uncle!'' cried the young man, with
a merry laugh, ''that was q cunningly con-
trived plot Of yours; the best joke I've
heard yet! The cream Of it is that Rose
| thought you were in earnest. You acted
your part so naturally that it was some
| time before T could make her understand
that you were only testing her love for me.
/ But she sees it all now. You found Rose
as true as steel, Ell, uncle and will make
us both happy by giving your consent to
our marriage p
Mr.. Poppleton not only gave this, but
presented Rose, On her wedding day, with
house completely furnished.
lie seemed little shy of her at first, but
this soon wore away, or rather developed
into The paternal affection growing out Of
this mutual relation, and the winning and
lovable qualities of his nephew's wife.
This little episode in his life had the good
effect of making him mora distrustful of
! himself, more tolerant of the follies and
weaknesses of others. And sometimes, as
Rose looked back upon. it, this question
arose in her mind. which she never even
suggested to her husband: "Was he in
earnest2''
IN the species with which we are best
acquainted our OWL am far