The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-07-29

Clarendon, there was quite a fiuttel
among not a few of the tender young
hearts, and at least a score of bright ewes
looked the question, "Who is that hand
some man?
With his mind concentrated upon the
unknown heiress, Jasper carefulIv sur.
veyed the congregation, and sighed for
some fairy to whisper to him. HThis is
she.''
Presently the organ pealed forth. and
| a clear, sweet, mezzo- soprano voice sang
an anthem, "Come unto Me all We that
labor"
Regadless of the placs, surridge
turned to his next neighbor and whis-
pered: "Who is that charming singer %
Miss EdliHe," was the startling re-
ply.
The directory had already Slowed him
| there was but one family of hat name
| in the town-''Mrs. Jane ElHffe. IL
Willow street: Acaathl Ed dhf..--sahoof
teacher, II Willow street," evidently
this was the heiress.
| "What does she look hke?" was his
next thought. So he turned round and
took good long look at the singer; re-
suming his mental conversation, he said ::
Medium height, slender, dark eyes and
hair, good complexion, decenty though
plainly dressed; she will dol"
| To make sure that this was the person
he sought, he discreetly followed her
home, and when he saw her enter II
| Willow street, he was satisfied. He
| delivered one of his letters of introduc-
tion the next morning, and as soon as
he could he began 10 rave over the Eek
| quisite voice. the most delightful voice,
he had heard in the church, and inno-
Gently asked the strangers name; then,
| finding that his new friend knew her, lie
begged him to present him to her.
.Chucklng at his good luck, he began
to make delicate but assiduous love to
Miss Acantha, and was charmed to find
that she did not repulse him; ON the
contrary, after few days she seemed to
give him some little encouragement
not boldly, however, but timldly and
innocentlY.
Mrs. Edliffs was not so cordial as he
could have wished, but still she was not
actually inimical. and there was no one
else to interfere-at least, no one of
whom he knew anything.
"Acantha Edliff's conduct IS really
disgustingl" whispered the gossips with
III week after Surridge's arrival in
Clarendon. Before this stranger ap
peared she accepted Hubert Luttrelrs
attentions with avidity, but now she
quite ignores him
"He hasn't been to Willow street
since last Sunday" responded another
gossip, ''while this Mr.. Surridge Is there
every evening, takes Acantha out fol
drive every afternoon and sends her
books and flowers every morning.
''Well, he is rich probably), and
very stylish, while poor Hubert is
neither
Acanthas conduct in this matter
caused plenty of talk; Luttrell himself
was the only silent one. When some
venturesome person tried TO interview
him on the subject he simply set his
teeth together, and muttered, "Fpg
But foppery or not SurridSe com
pletely distanced Luttrell in tSo weeks |
At the expiration of that period he |
might have been heard whispering to |
Aeantha: "Oh. my darling, if YOU knew |
how much / loved YOU, You would not |
be 80 coy; you would at least try to love
me in returnF'
perhaps | may try" whispered she,
hesitatingly; but quickly added, ward
ing off threatened embrace. But
how can | be sure that You are truel
You have known me so short a time!
Fourteen long daysl After all, what
is time to those who lover The moment
l saw You i knew that you, and you
alone, must be my wifer'
Which was true, but not as he would
have had Acantha understand it.
"YOu have loved before, of course"
"Neverl neverl / may have had my
passing fancies, but yOu are the first
lady whom 1 have wished to marry"
''But L am poor and insignificant"
mot the latter, my sweetheart. And
as to poverty, do you suppose L care for
that2 We viii manage 10 live, l assure
you"
"You know nothing of my family"
''Yor mother, you say, is your only
relative. l am sure she would grace any
station"
Dear mother, 1 am sure she wouldi
If should consent to-to try and like
you, you must promise and not listen TO
any nonsense about Mr.. Luttrell. l did
love him, really love him, thought, un-
til-until-"
"My darlingi Your sweet confession
has entranced me -
"No, mol have confessed nothingi
Give me until tomorrow to think of it:
and mammals consent must be gained
OF course Surridge promised to do
anything Acantha desired; and when he
returned to his hotel that evening he
telegraphed to his uncle:
Come at once. The fates are pro-
pitious."
The fates are prOverbially eccentric
so Surridge realized when, calling at II
Willow street, he was told that Acantha
was too i'll with nervous headache to see
any one. In the meantime MIR. Cla-
baugh arrived and congratulated his
nephew warmly on his success but also
in the meantime, simultaneously with
Mr. Clabaugh's arrival came the rumor
of old Mr. Edliffe's death, and the next
morning it was announced in the local
newspapers, with the addition:
''This gentleman was unknown TO our
townsmen; nevertheless his large fortune
is to come to us, Miss Acantha Edliffe
(teacher in Oak street grammar school)
being his heiress."
''The fat is in the fire now" was Jas
per's savage exclamation when he read
those lines. "What possessed the girl
to have headache last night"
''No matter. You are yirtually nc
cepted. You can still make good point.
Show her the notice, and say that of
course she will not want you now that
she is rich; that you cannot submit to be
called mercenary; that will fetch her.
The uncle and nephew called together
that morning, and after the former had
told Acantha of her grandfather's be-
quest, the latter ruefully withdrew his
proposal.
"Oh, Mr.. Surridge, what poor opin-
ion you must have of mel Do Won think
that would permit the wealth of the
Indies to come between me and the man
love? No true woman ever weighs love
against money"
miss Edliffe, you overwhelm me!
You are nobler-" stammered Jasper.
"Nobler than you are?" said Acantha,
sarcastically, with sudden change in
voice and manner. ST might easily be
that! Gentlemen. confined she. slow
ly. opening the door that led into the
hall. and laying her hand within tbe arm