The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-05-29

MS auoSuCe pTOlougeu luSell W Weeh'
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 was over, so far rs Ned
Banks was concerned. He was hope
lessly in love--so hopelessly 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 an 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? ..I a.I .H.
Miss Lowell was pretty v 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 assenger-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 10 my room," said the
| old gentleman; "l want a chance to
speak with you in private" .,...
And / want chance to speak with
| you in private retorted Ned, gayly.
| 6 Ii is not your fault, my boy" began
| Uucle Joshua, in a melancholy tone, as
tale chair. "That is comfort for me
10 link Of"
Ned stared. What was not his faultP
Had Uncle Joshua heardp
"There was no fault about it," he
began, flushing little. "Such word
is out OF the question in speaking of the
matter. Wait till you know her, sir"
| You're right. l didn't know her"
continued his uncle. Il don't like to
say that l was deceived; but am a
man of the world, and tolerably acute,
as l fiatter 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 ago"
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 whom? I am not speaking of
you, of course, l refer to this fellow
| Crosby"
.,l .,CrSosbsyy,! Ss,l y, 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 so to you"
" Engaged! Crosby! But what mas he
to do with Miss Darbellep" =
Miss Darbelle! Who is that? l
never heard other in my life before. OF
course / mean Maud Lowell" ~
Ned stared for moment; then the
full absurdity of the situation flashed be-
fore him, and he burst into 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
atp"
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
supportP" he gasped. "Oh, Ned! Ned !!
l never heard of anything SO insane in
all my life"
81 know that she is gentlewoman," :"
retorted Ned. mo one could doubt that
who talked with her for five minutes.
And / 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 1 think it ought to be enough for
you as we'll"
afternoon was completely spoiled. He
went about dejectedly, his hands clasped
behind his back, head bent, dropping
whiskers-the very picture of misera-
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 u
dog, and went to bed while still the sun
was high, pleading headache, and ex-
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. .-t.'-
1t was astonishing how he revived
next morning, after before breakfast
talk on the piazza with Allibone Crosby.
my dearest Ned" he cried, drawing
his nephew aside, GO have just heard
something which has gratified me very
much-very much indeed! Why didn't
YOU explain that Miss Darbelle was the
adopted daughter of my old friend Sena-
tor RossP 1 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. / should have met your an
nouncement yesterday quite differently
had l 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 well, you lucky
fellow" ..
~ knew that beforeswithout waiting
to learn your further particulars, re-
torted Ned. "Uncle Joshua, | pardon
YOU because you have not seen Essie yet.
After you have seen her, if you don't ask
my pardon, shall cut you oil without
shilling"
L.,