The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-03-23

Adelaide was promenading the room
with Mr.. Stickney, and her naughty
sister was clinging, a bewildering and
affable substitute, to the sleeve of his
plebeian coat.
Perhaps, however, he noticed the
little shadow of disappointment which
fitted over Adelaide's pretty face, as
the evening drew to a close, and he
found no chance to speak with her
again. How could she know that it
was not his inclination, but Miss Helen,
that held him captive? At any rate,
he muttered to himself in the solitude
of his chamber that night:
How provoking it was! Helen's
face may have the more artistic beauty,
but Adelaide's is sweet as an angels.
wonder when Lorimer intends to raise
my salaryP"
AT the same moment Miss Helen,
languidly disrobing herself, was re-
marking, with wearisome yawn which
stretched her little rose of a mouth to q
width that might have surprised her
delicate and fastidious Augustus, that
" that Warner was presuming fellow,
and came near making love to her. She
would take him down a little, if she
died for it. She did wish Stickney
would dye his mustache''; while Ade-
laide, listening with burning cheeks,
Struggled her golden head down deeper
into the great downy pillows, and let
the embroidered sleeve of her night
robe fall across her face in such way
as to conceal the suspicious glitter of
something very like to tears on her
silken lashes, and which made her blue
eyes look like May violets after dash
of summer rain has sprinkled the mead
ows.
Mr.. Richard Warner went to the
Postoffice one morning and got letter
A very mportant-looking document it
was-thick, awkward and with for
eign post-mark. He had only two cor
respondents in the world-his mother
and his Cousin Lizzie. And he turned
the strange epistle over two or three
times in his hand before opening it,
knowing that it came from neither of
them, and wondering where and who it
could be from.
He broke the seal in the street; read
a few lines and turned white; a few
more and turned red; few more and
started on a dead run down the street,
making be-crinolined ladies stare and
bundle-laden errand boys dodge one
side; knocking the breath out of two or
three corpulent gentlemen's bodies, and
giving a broad leap over the back of an
old apple-woman who was STOPPING by
her fruit-stand to pick up a stray bit of
change, and who looked up Just in sea-
son to see the gentleman's undignified
coat-tails fly like pair of black wings
around the corner.
The next thing known of him he was
standing in the comting-room of his
employer, Mr.. John Lorimer, painting,
flushed, trembling-trying to stammer
out something, between laughter and
tears, about giving up his situation
500, O0O--Old aunt-East Indies-dead
left him heir, etc, etc.
The amount of it was the poor clerk
had suddenly become rich man. But
when he repeated his intention of Civ
ing up his clerkship and entering into
business for himself Mr.. Lorimer de-
murred-hesitated moment-slapped
| him on the ShOulder-called him a cap
| ital fellow Ca facetious allusion to his
unexpected acquisition of capital, prob
| ably, and offered him partnership in
the firm of Lorimer q Co.
Mr.. Warner looked out of the window
and whistled; looked up at the ceiling
and sighed; down to the carpet and
smiled into Mr. Lorimer's face and
blushed.
"On one condition he would accede
to Mr.. Lorimer's proposal"
"What was it?''
"That he should allow him to enter
into two partnerships at the same time
one mercantile, the other matrimoni-
| alone with himself, T. e., Mr.. Lorimer,
the other with Mr.. L. daughter
Twas agreed if the daughter had
no objections. He meant Helen, of
coursep
mo, Adelaide
But he couldn't spare Adelaide.
She was nothing but a child. Helen
was just the right age to marry, and
besides besides
Mr.. Lorimer stammered there. He
didn't like to say that Helen was twen-
ty-four years old-going on twenty-five
and that he was anxious to get her
married off. No, indeed; that wouldn't
do. He scratched his head and looked
puzzled for a moment. His face bright
ened all at once
He believed Adelaide was engaged
to young lawyer-couldn't say GER
tain. Mr.. Warner needn' look so crest
fallen. Helen wasn't engaged. Was
certainly the handsomer of the two.
Would make the best wife, he thought.
Mr.. Warner did not think so, but was
too polite to contradict. Hinted that
Helen would not marry him.
Eyes, she would"
mo, she wouldn't
CRY her and see."
Mr.. Warner did not like to-knew he
should fail A bright idea struck him
all at once. "Might he have Adelaide
if Helen would not marry him?"
Yes"
.''.And Mr.. Lorimer wouldn't say any
thing to Helen about his sudden inherit
ance?"
"No--no."
"He might go right up to the house
and ask her, then?"
Hadn't he better wait until after
dinner?' Mr.. L. thought so.
"No-he must go then. He shouldn't
take any comfort until his mind was