Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-09-18

piteously from the girls lips.
"You ought &c De ashamed of your
self" Mrs. Herman said, severely. "You
shall not be allowed to throw away such
a chance for the sake of sickly sentiment.
You know what struggle my life has
been, on account of poverty and obscur-
ity, and / resolved, years ago, to save
you from a like fate"
El6e opened her blue eyes widely.
"Poverty, obscurity, mamma? Why,
l think we have lovely home, and
enough of every thing"
"That will do, Efiel You need bring
no imaginary arguments to confute my
assertions; and, as far as Mr. Valentine
is concerned, your word is pledged, and
the wedding day set for July 25."
Then sudden little resolution shone
in Effie's eyes, and she ceased toying
with the swaying spray of strawberry
plant.
"Mamma, have told you, as kindly
as know how, that do not want to
marry that old gentleman; but, as you
seem to take no notice whatever of my
wishes, will not marry him"
And the blue eyes flashed, and scarlet
stain came on both cheeks.
Mrs. Herman laughed lightly.
"You foolish child! What weight do
you imagine your words have with me-!
You will not marry him? Efhe, you
piU, and that settles it'll"
"No, mamma, it does not settle it;
for the very next time see Mr.. Valen-
tine shall tell him so!'
For a moment, Mrs. Herman grew pale
with anger; then she looked coldly,
sternly, at her daughter.
You will not dale to do it against
my positive demands. l will myself
see Mr.. Valentine, and prepare him for
any insanity you may dare to perpe-
trate; and while am pushing forward
the preparations for your marriage, and
Mr.. Valentine is experimenting the re-
furnishing of his seaside villa for your
occupancy, you will be sent into the
country to your Aunt Hepzibah's-a
quiet, stupid place-where you will
speedily come to your senses, and learn
to thank me for having saved you from
yourself"
And, twenty-four hours Fife Herman
was en- route for the mountain farm
house away up in the Jersey Shawan-
gums, and Mrs. Herman was coldly con.
graduating herself.
"She shall marry him! If there's any
understanding between her and Frank
Fielding-which / have once or twice
imagined-I have effectually put a
quietus on that. My letters to sister
Hepsy contained strict orders that no
living soul, male or female, was to be
allowed to see Ef6e, except members of
her own family; and Hepsy was always
afraid to offend me-so there's no danger
on that score. And two or three weeks
will work wonders. She'll be glad to
come back and finish the season at Long
Branch and Newport as Mr.. Valentines
bride, and go to Europe in the winter"
And then Mrs Herman leaned back
in her chair and INDUCED in little cat.
nap, composed and Gained by the plaudits
of good conscience.
Such place as the Berrian farm, up
in the Shawangums! Effie had all her
life imagined it the most dreary, desc.
late, forsaken place in all the wide
world, and her rapture knew no bounds
when she found that it was the very
ideal of picturesque, romantic, luxurious
loneliness, and that Aunt Hepsy was
genial, jolly soul, trimming over with
good nature and good sense; that Uncle
Iebedee was worthy to be her husband,
and that the girls-Jessie Dunbar and
Gwen Comfort-were Just the very
ideals of cousins, and prepared to make
q net and playthiup of their haautiful
dainty city cousin, who somehow (they
did not quite understand) was in sort
of disgrace, on account of rich sutton
she would not accept submissively.
To Ellie, the life in the country was
Just perfect. To get away from Mr..
Valentine and his attentions was happi-
ness enough; and, still adamantine in
her resolution to "never, never" marry
him, under any circumstances, she
nevertheless contrived to have a very
good time with Jessie and Gwen, uncle
and auntie, and
Jessie and Ovens brother, uncle and
aunties son, Ettie's own cousin, whom
astute Mamma Herman had quite for
gotten in her inventory of things at the
farmhouse; or, if not quite forgotten,
had at least placed an innocent estimat
upon.
However, they became astonishingly
good friends, Harry Berrisn and Effie,
and before a month had passed Effie had
confded all her sorrows to her hand
some, sympathetic cousin, who assured
her vehemently that it was an outrage
that she should be so deliberately bar