Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-02-12

an for helping on romantic love match.
So in the course of the morning as We
walked back from church. | managed to
mention to her casually that very nice
Young woman had come down in the train
with me from Quebec.
"You don't mean Lucretia?" cried good
Mrs. Prichard.
| "Lucretia,' | answered in cold sort of
way II think that was her name. In fact, |
remember she told me So
"Oh yes, everybody calls her Lucretia-
indeed. she's hardly got any other name.
| She's the dearest creature in the world. as
simple as a child, vet the most engaging
and kind hearted girl you ever met. She
was brought up by some nuns at Montreal,
and being very clever girl, with great
| deal of taste, she was their favorite pupil,
and has turned out a most cultivated per-
| SON"
"Does she paint" asked. thinking of
| the Beatrice.
''Oh. beautifully Her ivory miniatures
always take prizes at the Toronto Exhibit
| ton. And she PLAYS and sing charmingly.'
Are they well OFF,"
Very. for Canadians. Lucretia has mon
ey of her own, and they have a good farm
besides the hotel"
.She said she knew you very well, ven
tured to suggest.
"Oh, yes; in fact, she's coming here this
evening. We have an early dinner-you
know our simple Canadian habits-and a
few friends will drop in to have tea after
evening service. She and Tom will be
among them-you met Tom of course9"
II had the pleasure of making Toms ac
quaintance at o'clock this morning,'I an
swered. but, excuse my asking it, isn't it
little odd for you to mix with people in
their position"
The rector smiled and put in his word,
This is democratic country he said, "a
mere farmer community after all. We have
little society in Richmond, and are very
glad to know such pleasant, intelligent peo-
pie as Tom and Lucretia.
But then. the conueHdRces.' | urged, Sc
cretly desiring to have my own position
strengthened. When | got to the hotel
last night, or rather this morning there was
lot of rough looking hulking fellows drink
ing whisky and playing cards"
"Ah, dare say, old Picard and young lie
Patourel from Melbourne, and the post of
fee people sitting over quiet game of
ecarte while they waited for the last train.
The English mail was in last night. AS for
the whiskey. that's the custom of the coun-
try We Canadians do nothing without
whiskey. a single glass of Morton's proof
does nobody any harm.
And these were nv robbers and gamblers?
A party of peaceable farmers and sleepy
post officials, sitting up with a sober glass
of toddy and beguiling the time With ecarte
for love, in expectation of her Malestys
mails. | shall never again go TO bed with q
poker by my side as long as live.
Abou, seven o'clock our friends came iii.
Lucretia was once more charming; this time
in long evening dress, peach coIored
silk dress with square-cut bodice, and lit
tie lace cap on her black hair, dare say
saw almost the full extent Of her wardrobe in
those three changes; but the impression she
produced upon me was still that OF bound
less wealth. However, as she had money
of her own, no longer wondered at the
richness Of her toilet; and | reflected that
comfortable little settlement might help to
outweigh any possible prejudice on my
mother, part
Lucretia was the soul of the evening
She talked. She firted innocently with every
man in the room myself included,I she
plANc Wv lt4N. dIlN4 sung N4lAAt HplL-
from '.l.ucrezia Borgia'' in a rich contralto
voice. As she rose at last from the piano.
could restrain myself no longer. must
find some opportunity of proposing TO her
there and then. ! edged my way to the lit
tie group where she was standing, flushed
with the compliments of her song, talking
to our hostess near the piano. As | ap-
preached from behind could hear that they
we're speaking about me, and caught few
words distinctly. | paused to listen. 1t
was very wrong but twenty is an impulsive
age.
''Oh, a very nice Young man indeed Lu-
cretia was saving; land We had most en-
joyahle journey down. He talked so sim
ply and seemed such an innocent boy, took
quite fancy to him" My heart beat about
two hundred pulsations to the minute
such a clever, intelligent talker too, full of
wide English views and interests, so diff
ferent from our narrow provincial Canadian
lads" (Oh, Lucretia, feel sure of YOU
now. Love at first sight on both sides evil
dently) And then he spoke to me so nice
~ about his mother. | was quite grieved
to think he should be travelling alone on
Christmas Eve and so pleased when heard
he was to spend Christmas with YOU, dea:
| thought what should have felt"
| listened with all my ears. What could
Lucreta be going to say?
If one of nv own dear boys was grown
up, and passing his Christmas alone in
strange land"
| reeled. The room swan before me. 1t
was too awful SO all that Lucretia had ev-
er felt was a mere mothery interest in me
as solitary English boy away from his
domestic turkey on the 25th of December,
Terrible, hideous, blighting fact, Lucretia
was married,
The rcctnr's refreshments in the adjoining
room only went TO the extent OF sponge cake
and weak claret cup. | managed to get
away from the piano without fainting and
swallowed about quart of the Intoxicating
beverage by tumblerfuls. When | had re
covered sufficiently from the shock to trust
nv tongue ventured back into the draw
ing-room. 1t struck me then had never
heard Lucretia's surname When she and
her brother arrived in the early evening,
Mrs. Pritchard had simply said, II think
YOU know Tom and Lucretia already" Col
onial manners are so unceremonlous.
| joined the fatal group once more. ''Do
YOU know" said, addressing Lucretia with
as little tremor in my voice as could easily
manage, its very curious, but have never
heard your surname yet
Dear me-" cried Lucretia, al quite for
got Our name is Arundel"
"And which is Mr.. Arundel" | contin-
ued. Il should like to make his acquaint-
ance."
why" answered Lucretia, with puz-
zled expression of face, you've met him
already. Here he is" And she took
neighboring young man in unimpeachable
evening dress gently by the arm. He
turned round. 1t required a moments con-
sderation to recognize in that tall and gen
tlemanly young fellow with the plain gold
studs and turn-down collar nv rough ac-
quaintance of last night, Tom himself.
| saw it in flash. What fool had |
been! might have known they were hus-
band and wife. Nothing but pure piece of
infatuated preconception could ever have
made me take them for brother and sister |
But had so fully determined in my own
mind to win Lucretia for myself that the no.
ton of any other fellow having already Sc
cured the prize never struck me.
1t was all the fault of that incomprehensi- |
BILE Canadian society, with its foolish remov-
al of the natural barriers between classes. |