The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-11-11
"Don't you call this paperP" holding

the note to view.
Mr.. Weaver had not been the success
full man of business without learning to
control sudden emoti n. He reached
and took the paper as he said, carelessly /:
"Ah, l seel That's all rightl 1t
slipped there by accident. My Lat is
none too large"
He was prudent enough to walt until
he was safe from interruption in his
own apartments before he examined the
mysterious note. Placing his glasses
upon his nose he opened it and read
aloud;
"DARLINe GEoBaE: Do not be
downnearted, dear, my father is good
and generous, and we must tell him
openly of our love. When he finds you
love me for myself and not the odious
fortune which kept you 30 long from
declaring your true sentiments, and that
we intend to make his old days happy, /
am sure he will consent to our union
He must know all. l am tired of this
clandestine correspondence, and cannot
feel happy in carrying on any deception,
knowing how fondly he loves me, and
how implicitly he trusts me. Besides,
have almost ruined his fine beaver pre-
tending TO brush it while slipped our
letters in and out Of the lining. Yours,
DOLLY"
MY master dropped the note, and sat
with clasped hands, absorbed in
thought. At last he persued the mis-
sive once more, then smiled as he re-
placed it within my lining.
"The cunning little jadep" he mur-
INJURED; "who but Dolly would have
resorted to such means to carry on II
courtshipp"
He paused moment, then resumed,
with sigh:
I've been expecting something of the
well-it might be worsew Again
he smiled. But, through it all she is
loyal to me, and her conscience hurts
her for deciving her father. H-e-ml I'll
watch the novel correspondence until
find if Errincourt is not after my money,
and that his love for my little madcap is
sincere, then -" Here he laughed.
y sed papa's beaver but it is n capital
Joke! I'll see, and if"
He did not conclude the sentence, for
that instant Dolly entered, and, with
usual frankness, caressed her father with
rs much fervor as If she had never been
guilty of dividing her affection.
My master never again gave vent TO
his thoughts in my presence upon the
important subject, although l knew he
read the letters on both sides. The last
one he breused must have been very
despondent, for he Immediately sought
his daughter and won from her by de-
grees the whole story.
1t is scarcely necessary to add that
Mr.. Weaver was convinced in regard
to Errincourt's intentions, for it was not
long before the household was scene
of confusion, the confusion that always
I,.,l1 T rryi11
however, that the day previous to the
one appointed for the, marriage, my
master, who was seated between his
daughter and her betrothed, remarked,
as his eye fell upon me:
Il must get new beaver before to-
morrow"
My heart sank; but I was only ex.
periencing what thousands before me
have felt, namely, the consciousness of
unrewarded kindness, for had not been
the medium through which the now
happy lovers had gained the consumma-
tion of their most ardent hopes, and l
was to be cast aside as a worthless thing
in the hour of triumph! l must have
given some expression to my wounded
feelings, as, at this moment, Dolly sprang
from the sofa and taking me in her white
hands kissed me and said:
Indeed, papa, [ think it would be
the basesu ingratitude to throw aside
this dear old beaver, when | am indebted
to it for the greatest happiness of my
life. Besides, since it was renovated, it
looks as good as new. l must insist
upon your wearing it to the church to-
morrow"
l not only witnessed the union of the
two lovers, but when at last grew too
old to be of further u.s. to my master
Dolly insisted upon claiming me as her
exclusive property, and though years
have passed / watch with pleasure from
the e evated position hold in my lady's
dressing.room the gambols OF the little
ones that gather on winters evening
about the knees of their beautiful mother
to listen to the oft-repeated story of
Grandpa W eaver's beaver.