The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-08-24
and sauntered out to the hotel steps.

| poetry or utter delicate compliments by
the hour; and some Of his half-enyious
admirers declared that he had been
stern enough to refuse two offers of mar
| rage from rich widows.
When he made Ms appearance in
church tho morning after his arrival in
Clarendon, there was quite huttcr
among not few Of the tender young
hearts, and at least score of bright eyes
looked the question, "Who is that hand
somo man?'
With his mind concentrated upon the
unknown heiress, Jasper carefully sur.
veyed the congregation, and sighed for
some fairy to whisper to him, "This is
She"
Presently the organ pealed forth, and
a clear, sweet meHzo- soprano voice sang
all anthem, Come unto Me all ye that
labor"
Regadless OF the place, Surridge
turned to his next neighbor and wnis'
pered: "Who is that charming sing er?''
miss Edliffe," was the tarlin9 re-
ply.
The directory had already showed him
there was but one family of that name
in the town-"Mrs Jane Elliile, II
| Willow street; Acantha Edliile. school
teacher, II Willow street." evidently
| this was the heiress.
"What does she look like?' 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, decently though
plainly dressed; she will dor
TO make sure that this was the person
lie 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-
ton the next morning, and as soon as
he could he began to rave over the sex
| quisite voice, the most delightful voice,
he had heard in the church, and mno-
Gently asked the strangers name; then,
finding that his new friend knew her, he
begged him to present him to her.
Chuckling 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 timidly and
innocently.
Mrs. Edlfla was not SO cordial ns he
could have wished, but still she was not
actually inimical, and there was no one
else to inLcrfcre-at least, no one OF
whom he knew anything.
"Acantha Edlitf's conduct is really
disgustmgl' whispered the gossips with
in a week after Surrdges arrival In
Clarendon. Before this stranger ap-
pcarcd she accepted Hubert Luttrell's =
attentions with avidity, but now she
quite ignores him.
"He hasn't been to Willow street
since last Sunday" responded another
gossip, "whie this Mr.. Surridge is there
every evening, takes Acantha out for n
drive every afternoon and sends her
books and flowers every morning"
"Wcll, 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
vcnturesome person tried to interview
him on the subject he simply set his
| teeth together, and muttcred, "FopI
But foppcry or not Surridge com
| pctely distanced Luttrell III two weeks.
At tho expiration of that period he
might have been heard whispering to
Acantha: ooh, my darling, if you knew
how much | loved you, You would not
be so coy; you would at least try to love
me i'll retnrn!'
"Perhaps | may try" whispered she,
hcsitatingly; but quickly added, ward
ing off a threatened embrace. "But
how can / be sure that you are true!
You have known me so short timol"
Fourteen long days! After all, what
il time to those who love? The moment
| saw you ] knew that you, and you
alone, must be my wife,
Which was true, but not as he would
have had Acantha understand it.
"You have loved before, of course
"Never! nevcrl | may have had my
passing fancies, but you are the first
lady whom have wished to marry
"But am poor and insignificant
"Not the latter my sweetheart. And
as to poverty, do yon suppose care for
that2 We will manage to live, assure
You.
"You know nothing of my family"
"Your mother, you say, is your only
relative | am sure she would grace any
station.
Dear mother, am sure she would!
If should consent to-to try and like
you, you must promise and not listen to
any nonsense about Mr.. Luttrell. did
love him, really love him, | thought, I'M
til-until--"
"My darling Your sweet confession
has entranced me y
"No, no! | have confessed nothing!
| 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
teegraphed 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 Mr.. 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"
1.-THE fat is in the fire now," was JAS
per's savage exclamation when he read