The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-06-12

L
hoped. His room was kept for him; but
his absence prolonged itself TO a week.
This left the field free for Ned, and his
intimacy with the Southern ladies grew
apace. Before the final telegram arrived
to announce Uncle Joshua and his be-
lated party, three weeks from the time
originally set, all Twas over. so far rs Ned
Banks was concerned. He was hope
lessly in love-so hopeless!y and so ut
terly as to make any other idea impossi-
BILE to his mind. And with the resolute
determination to clinch fate, and defy
the world, the flesh and his uncle, he
proposed the very day of their expected
arrival, won a lovely, blushing "yes "
from Essie, and awaited the appearance
ofhis relative with sense of JOY and ex-
ultation at heart which made facing
lions IN easy matter enough, and how
much more so confronting one old gen.
tleman of placable manners and a coun-
tenance habituated to the expression of
the milder emotions?
Miss Lowell was pretty wonder
fully so for an heiress, Ned was forced
to confess. Uncle Joshua seemed singu-
larly depressed. He introduced them
with an air so deprecatingly miserable
that his nephew did not know what to
| make of it. Behind the trio appeared a
fourth passenger-Allibone Crosby.
"Glad to see you back" said Ned, who
felt in good humor with all the world
Just then. His secret burned within him.
He followed the party as they went up
stairs, Crosby carrying the ladies' wraps,
and assisting Mrs. Lowell with an air of
| profound devotion. He turned to meet
Uncle Joshua's eyes fixed on him with a
look of mournful emotion.
"Come with me to my room," said the
| old gentleman; II want chance to
speak with you in private"
"And I want chance to speak with
YOU in private" retorted Ned, gayly.
1T is not your fault, my boy" began
Uncle Joshua, in melancholy tone, as
he locked the door and motioned Ned to
take chair. THAT is a comfort for me
to think off,
Ned stared. What was not his fault?
Had Uncle Joshua heard?
There was no fault about it," he
began, flushing a little. "Such word
is out OF the question in speaking of the
matter. Wait till you know her, sir"
You're right. didn't know her." "
continued his uncle. II don't like to
say that I was deceived; but I am a
man of the world, and tolerably acute,
rs I flatter myself; and without good
deal of pains having been taken to blind
me, am certain my eyes would have
been opened long before"
"But, uncle, you were not here. If
you had arrived at the time you
fixed, you would have seen the whole
thing coming on weeks go" :,
Months. you mean. 1t seems there
was an understanding, if not an engage
ment, in the spring.
Spring! why, I never set eyes on her
till / came here" -
!" On whsns ] am pot saesling cf
you, of course, ! refer to this fellow
Crosby"
Crosby! why, what has he to do
do with her? why, they are engaged,
Ned. 1t is a great blow, after all my
hopes, and will be 80 to you"
Engaged! Crosby! But what mas he
TO do with Miss Darbelle?"
miss Darbelle! Who is that? I
never heard of her in my life before. Of
course / mean Maud Lowell"
Ned stared for q moment; then the
full absurdity of the situation flashed be-
fore him, and he burst into q laugh so
long and loud that Uncle Joshua, sus-
pecting sudden frenzy, cried:
my boy, control yourself! What an
extraordinary way of relieving your feel
ings! Do stop. What is there to laugh
at?"
His perplexity changed to dismay
when at last the true state of the case
was explained. and he found that his
cherished nephew had engaged himself
to an unknown somebody from Mary
land.
"You positively know nothing about
her-about her family, her means of
support" he gasped. "Oh, Ned! Ned
I never heard of anything SO insane in
all my life"
q know that she is q gentlewoman,"
retorted Ned. "No one could doubt that
who talked with her for five minutes.
And l know that she is the sweetest,
most charming, most refined girl / ever
saw in my life, and almost the prettiest.
That is enough for me, Uncle Joshua,
and l think it ought to be enough for
you as well.n
1t wasn't, however. Uncle joshua S
afternoon was completed ly spoiled. He
went about dejectedly, his hands clasped
behind his back, head bent, dropping
whiskers-the very picture of miScra-
BILE old gentleman. The very tails of
his coat looked wretched, as if in SYM
pathy with their owner. Gone were all
his airy graces and conversational sal
lies. He had not word TO throw to a
i 10 1a ca, hn
was high, pleading headache, and eN-
cusing himself on that pretence from the
Introduction which Ned was eager to
effect between him and his new niece
elect. Tomorrow would be time
enough for that, remarked Uncle Joshua,
with low groan.
1t was astonishing how he revived
next morning, after a before-breakfast
talk on the piazza with Allibone Crosby.
my dearest Ned" he cried, drawing
his nephew aside, Il have just heard
something which has gratifed me very
much-vcry much indeed Why didn't
you explain that Miss Darbelle was the
adopted daughter of my old friend Sena-
tor Ross? l knew him well in Wash
ington in, let me see, 49 it must have
been-a highly elegant man, and most
princely fortune. Your fiance and her
sister are his reputed heiresses, l under
stand. I should have met your an
nouncement yesterday quite differently
had / known this. My old friends
daughter!-well! well! In some re-
spects the connection pleases me better
| than the other of which we have spoken.
You are going to do remarkably well by
yourself remarkably welt you lucky
! fellowm
Il knew that before, without waiting
to learn your further particulars, re-
torted Ned. "Uncle Joshua, I pardon
YOU because YOU have not seen Essie yet.