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

| 1eaCUciS . StiVSfy VOICE.
ave looked into fathers deck and read
q letter from Mr. Gordon-Ann Gordon'a
father. yon know. Fan and ] laughed
so much Just think OF his calling his
great daughter a gisl ard my Asll bg99ther
were qufte satisfied, he Hoped Vhey &6dld
get acquainted with her; but don't be-
Iieve he will. I'm sorry that read the
letter. Was it very naughty, RacheE?"
asked the laughing penitent, shaking her
! curls.
ut was wrong for thee TO meddie with
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 to
him."
"tfe sculded thee both, i tope7''
"No, he only laughed, and said the
girl didn't suit the boy and that Miss
Ann Gordon might 60 to the"
"Jessiew
What, Rachcl?"
"Whnt was thee going to sny::"
Nothing; Fred didn't end the SEN
tence, and l haven't the leaat idea what
he was going to say. Have you7 0
dear !, my.thread has ,kqotted pgai1."
Thee has q good tnhnsy tr6aklSs,s ssy
DEAR" said Rachel, uitta;;sss::.E:s ta;;ssss:.E:s The
tangled thread. rPerhsps tbeeand Fan
ny had better go and walk while write
some letters"
Confdentially, we will hint that the
Qnakeress was not desifous Of pfolongiag
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 her
task, when the door opened very softly,
and Colonel Lambert entered.
81 hope have not disturbed you, Miss
Burns?" he said, in l. 3 most courteous
tone.
S"Nay, Sit siF, q hTsvs;ee finishedl my sietgefs.
But why doessthee call me MisS Bdrns7
My name is Rachel"
You forgot" he said, with some en-
barrassment OF rhaVher, Chat {se worlds
people are inclined to be more ceremo-
niops and formal than, perhaps, there. is
any need Of"
"Yes, friend, but there is'ho impro-
priety in calling me Rachel, when am
as young as thy daughters" said Che
pretty Quakeress, with sly smile.
A ahade Of pain crossed Colonel Lam
bert's face.
"Ycu remind me-" he said, presently,
seating himself near her, "that / am no
longer young; and yet am about to do
what you may possibly CV ti5 d foolish
thing. am aware that thu didefehce in
our ages ia considerable; know that my
years and experience ontweighs yoaE
but my friend, ba!ieve that my spirit is
as young as your OWN ,tfi iiliayes epme,
kaehe!ysa see say z;,I! very S'y ass.i easily, !,
already il; :l.:5 keeping. have studied
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
iooa upon my proposal with favor, your
happiness shall be my care. Jessie and
Fanny already love you very much; give
them right to do. SO always. have
more mopey than I know what to do
| with; help me spend it. You may be
surprised, Rachel, but you are not of
| Tended, trust! ! am sincere, though I
may not be eloquent"
Rachel Burns raised her eyes to the
Colonels earnest face.
Offended, when thee has paid me the
| highest compliment i'll thy power~ she
answered, almost reproachfuily. ~ hope
thee will give ME credit for more sense
than that. Irespect thee highly, friend
Lambert, nay, have warm friendship
for thee ) but though I am very grateful
| for thy kind offer, am Obliged to tell
thee. that what thou askest is impossible" !"
A pained expression settled upon the
gentleman's countenance. I4a
"I feared SO! feared so!' ne said, in
n tone of mingled sadness and disap-
pointment. 81 am an old fool, Rachel
Burns l'' rs g.
.Nay, nay, sir You are q man, and
q very good man, too," interposed the
Quakeress, with feeling.
'"rhen Why won't you marry me,
Rachel 2" interrogeted tho Colonel,
quickly, eying her keenly.
"Because-because-" stammered Ra-
chel, blushing like n peony, and evi.
dently embarrassed, 81 am-I1l tell thee
at some future time aohy cannot be thy
wife. Meantime we can be friends rs
usual Can we not?" she added, in the
most n,pssical of voices, placing smsll
AAuu ~ tic SOtUuei 9, StCtL pniui.
"You will have it all your own way, !
perceiye. I ehall haycIto content myself
with being kind OF father to you," he
said, with alsigh 4hdra poor attempt at q
smile. Then pressing kiss on the little
hand that iEy 30 yo1aa;ngly within his
own, he left the room IS noiselessly as he
/ entered it. ,t.ns;nYf, s.
| To say that Rachel Burns was not sur.
prised, ut this incident would not be true
but hor quiet temperament and imper.
turbable calmness kept hen fBdfn betray.
ing the astonishment she naturally fell
at finding herself required to give an an
swer to an entirely unexpected proposal
of marriage. The pretty Quakeress tool
the matter as coolly as though matrimo
nial offers were every day occurrence.
with her; she gathered up her writing
materials as deliberately rs though sht
! hadn't just refused the rich, good looking
widower that anxious maidens and nam
mas na,i augio.i ior 90 lung and 80 yainiy
put stamps on her letters very carefully
and walked out of the library with a
quiet step and face as composed Al
the most sedate Quaker could have wish
ed. There was peculiar light to he
full blue eyes, and q lock of something
like suppressed mirth abont her. roAaba::
mouth as she went straight--to her owl
room, the reader will very properly add
No, she didn't; she went directly {,
Frederick Eamiinertt's ciiiamihrT, an;
knocked gently at the door, which hap
pened TO be slightly ajar.
: "How very improper 70, some circum