The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-03-03

lne young man sui retained. But Wnen
the question of marriage between Josie
and Archie-no longer boy and girl
came up before the house of Brown, il
was quite another thing, and the old
gentleman acted accordingly.
MIR. Brown, on returning from his of
flee that afternoon, found Josie in ST
lent mood, for which he felt guilty, as
he suspected his conversation with young
LangdOn had by that time reached her
ears. However, he was not to be thrown
Oft his guard by girlish frowns or boyish
reproaches, so with stately step he en-
tered the cOzy library where his wife was
sitting alone beside the fire, waiting in
the pleasant dusk for the " cruel papa
she had promised to reason with. Josie,
after her rather cool, silent kiss of greet
ing, had gone up to her room. Rob, the
fun-loving brother, was lying unseen
upon the front parlor sofa, thinking of
his friend Archie, and plying Joe, his
| pretty sister.
Mrs. Brown, after a wifely kiss of
welcome, took her husbands cold hand
between her own, and he, looking down
at the lady's delicate fingers, saw the
/ glisten and shine of their wedding ring
as the freight danced upon it. 1t made
him clasp the hand he held more closely,
/ and very tenderly he spoke of the day
| long ago when he had placed that ring
! upon his brides finger. Gentle Mrs.
/ Brown considered his words most
happy beginning to the subject she was
| about to begin upon, and skillfully
enough she brought him to the matter
of his daughters love and present I'M
happiness. But alas! instantly the old
gentleman bridled up.
q" | see through all your round about
speeches, my dear wife" he said, " but
pray drop now and forever the subject
told Archie this afternoon that he was
welcome as my daughters friend to this
house, but the subject of love-what
utter nonsense it is, to be sure!-must
never be mentioned between them. |
| positively forbid it. In fact, no man
shall make an offer of marriage to my
daughter save through me, and, though
shall never force Josie to marry unwill-
ingly, yet she should understand that the
fact of my bearing an offer to her in the
name of any honorable person is guar
antee that | am willing she should
please herself in the matter of reply. |
should never, you understand me, wife,
accept for Josephine an offer which l
could not approve. And this notion of
Archer Langdon's, that he could make
good husband to Josie, is so absurd when
one considers the fellows circumstances,
of course | can't tolerate it for moment
Come, isn't dinner late?"
Mrs. Brown sighed and considered the
matter hopeless. She was glad when
the dinner bell rang, for it put an end
to silence that was growing very op-
pressive.
Rob rose from the sofa with an idea in
his head, something new and cute, he
thought; but then his ideas were so
many and varied, one never knew which
of them was the one singled out for act
i've service.
Before Josie retired that night she
had had long, quiet talk with Archer,
who called to bid her good-by Che in
tended leaving the city the next day, on
leave of absence, to go he ddu't know
where, but too far from Josie to make it
possible for him to yield to the tempta-
ton of coaXing her to clone according
to Rob's suggestion that afternoOn).
81 can be an honorable fellow if am
poor" he said. And since your father
forbids my loving you, dear Joe, can
at least keep out of temptations way"
Then Rob and he and Josie had a long
talk all by themselves in the darkest
corner Of the large parlor, while papa,
from his favorite reading chair in the
library, glanced rather uneaSily in their
direction now and then, and mamma
watched him with no little anxiety mean
while.
The evening over, Josie, with smile
that gladdened her mothers heart, and
with dimpling cheeks and voice that
seemed to have lost its sad tone, kissed
her parents goodnight.
Pm glad to see you cheerful again, "
whispered mamma.
And Josie replied roguishly in low
| tones:
"We've planned something splendid.
Oh, you just wait and seew Then she
was off like flash, her merry laugh
ringing in her fathers ears as the door
closed
Humph! Tell me that little witch
cares fig for Archer? Not she! AS a
kind of brother, l suppose, she may be
fond of him, but do you think if she
knew the meaning of real love she could
be SO merry and bright, particularly
when Archer says he is going out of
town tomorrow? 0 no, wiley, she
doesn't love him yet, and my course is
very sensible, you see."
With a feeling of relief the old gentle
man finished his paper, and Mrs. Brown
kept her own counsel.
Day after day and week after week
passed. Josie received her friends as
usual. Bob remained faithful to his
fathers office, and, as he confded to
Joe, "made the governor think him d
pattern boy" Archer Langdon had left
town at the time ne intended doing 50,
and the Browns had heard nothing from
him since-at least the elder gentleman
of the family had not.
On Valentines Day, which came round
at last, and kept Cupid and his messen
gers busy enough, Mr.. Brown returned
earlier than usual from the office, and
his family saw an unwonted expression
of merriment on his usually grave face
Come here Josie my girl "he called