The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1881-05-21

~ Woo AAAOObOA " AOAs A AoLAO
is Helen; that ought to convince
you that il was not intended for
me-"
awe will convince you before
long that you have forgotten your
Christian name of Victoria. Do
you remember young man by the
name of Charles EversonG"
"No, don't"
"Why did you stare so, when l
mentioned his nameg"
~ don't know that ! did any such
thing; you see that | am quite ner-
vous; and who wOuldn'T be so, un.
der the circumstances by which l
am surroundeds"
"Mrs. Ragland, did you ever wear
a blue silk dress, belonging to Miss
Bramlett!"
"No, l did not; why should l wear
her dress, when | have plenty Of
my owns"
THAT is the very mystery we are
trying to unravel. Were you not
at one time engaged to be married
10 Charles Eversons"
"How could | be engaged to a
man / never saw or heard Of"
Lottie now turned and whispered
to me:
500 to the library room and fetch
Mr.. Everson here as quick as you
can"
In less than three minutes l re-
turned with the young man walking
by my side. We had some difficult
" in squeezing through the crowd
of spectators who were so closely
packed round the bar; but by dint
Of pushing and perseverance, / at
length led Mr.. Everson round and
placed him before Mrs. Ragland.
As soon as her dark eyes fell on
him, she threw up both arms, utter
ed a piercing scream and fell in
Isensible to the floor. Then the
lconfusion was indescribable. Every
body in the house began to press
forward 10 ascertain the cause OF
the commotion, while the orders
of the sheriff and his deputies, COM
manding the people to take seats,
were unheeded. The excitemen:
did not subside until several min
utes after the inanimate form Oi
Mrs. Ragland was removed to an
adjoining room. had never be-
fore seen Mr.. ROckland lose his
self possession, but on that OcCa-
sion he acted like a silly school
girl. He first gathered Lottie in
his arms aul covered her face with
kisses, then he seized Miss Bran.
lett and kissed her a dozen
times.
"Poor, poor child! how you have
suffered for another's ctimes; but
thank God, your day Of deliverance
has come at last. LOttie darling,
my fortune shall be your fee in this
case. Heaven bless you, my child,
you are entitled TO all the hon.
or"
"Sit down, papa dear, We are
not done yet" said LOltie as she
pressed kiss on the old lawyers
pale brow.
l had, prior to that time, passed
through many trying scenes calcu'
lated TO produce excitement; but
| had never felt anything before
: that In any manner approached
what l felt on that occasion. AS
soon as Mr.. ROckland released Lot
tie from his strong arms, | made
grab at her, and would have en-
braced her before the vast crowd
but she pushed me away gently.
"Sit down, Eddie; don't you see
) the eyes of two hundred people
gazing at US! Are you and paps
both going crazyG Don't you know
that we have got much important
work to do yeti VioIa's character
} is not sufficiently vindicated yet
"Do you wish to introduce, any
more evidence, Mr., ROCklands'
| inquired the Judge in q voice trem
ulous with emotion, whilst ht
! brushed a tear from his eye.
1--WE might safely rest our case
here, it your Honor please" saiC
! the iron lawyer, ''but my daughter
. wlshes to introduce her brother
! Harry Wallingford, who is in the
Clerks Office"
"Go after Harry" said Lottie Al
she caught hold of my arm, 'anC
! be sure to caution him about the
? control Of his temper, because
I much depends on what he shall d.
and say"
| was greatly surprised to learI
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