The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-08-03

why should papa want her to leave hiu
for that fortune. hunting attached That
t if she understood her mother-and O
course she did--was all that his opposi
y tion to Paul Despard meant. An,
mamma trying to uphold him, thinkin,
. more of title won by some old robber
centuries since, than of happiness to
: day She would let them know she wa
l not to be driven like kittle cattle. Sh,
, should think, at any rate, that one
mother would sympathize with youth
, and hope, and-she turned and looked
| calmly and grsvely at Despard, waitin.
and surveying her, and the color flashed
all over her face, and the tears wer,
ready Co sparkle on the tips of her lony
lashes, as she finished the sentence il
her mind-and love.
care you going to stay here all day p
, she asked presently, without lookinf
up.
"Till have an answer to"
"Your demand. Don't you thinl
that is rather an autocratical begin
ming"
"'Low suing
May bring wooing
Into its own undoing,'"
said Despard.
"Did I understand" she said, de-
murely, then, "that you demand ]
[ should become your wife to-day? Wont
tomorrow doP'
81 was not bold enough to dream OF
such rapturous possibility" he said,
"But 1 was unwise. Tomorrow will
not do. You remember the little brown
chapel, Rock Greek church, out here
a mile or two? You shall give me your
answer there"
"Do you really think it will be best?'
she said. care you willing to take a
wife who, if Prince Vinca had positively
asked her first, might have been his
wife instead of yours ?"
As for the remainder of the drive
that morning, from this delicious rest
ing spot to the little brown chapel,
where the minister happened to be at
the door with throng of pickaninnies
at his heels, it may be best for us to
remember that there are times and
places where "two are company and
three are none."
So you see after all il was not Miss
Jessie that returned to the Brancepeth
mansion that evening, where guests
were assembled, dinner waiting her ar.
rival, and her mother as vainly endeav.
orlng to conceal her anxiety as a bird
that twitters on the stem when her nest
llngs are threatened. Mrs. Brancepeth
felt, and by no means vaguely, that
something was on hand, but what she
knew not, although her keen womans
wit gave her suspicious and hopes;
Jessie not yet returned, but gone ali
day; Paul Despard not yet arrived, bu,
invited to dinner; MIR Brancepeth still
detained in his private room downstairs
by a caller, Prince Vinca, as Durkee
whispered to her; dinner spelling, and
Mrs. Brancepeth hot with rage in the
background; and possibly the prime.
persuading her husband to his wishes as
expressed in that mornings motel 1t
was while she was in the worst of her
worrying, smiling now at the secretary's
Iests, and trying not to smile at a for.
eign minister's English, that the
daughter of the house was letting her
self in, and, with Paul Despard beside
her, was tapping at her fathers door
dc opened it himself, looking flushed
and angry.
Papa" she said, 81 can't waste any
time, you know, because I'm afraid
dinners waiting, and you ought to be
upstairs too, you neglectful man Now,
papa dear knew you never would give
your consent, and so have Just taken
1t without asking, and you must forgive
me and welcome me back, and him. too. "
said the breathless young woman, "for
| don't see why you sh iuldn't love me
Just as much as ever, just because he
loves me too."
"Jessie What in the world are Won
talking about? Why should I forgive
you? What have you done ?" cried her
bewildered father.
"Oh, have married Paul Despard
this morning"
Her father surveyed her one wild mo.
ment as she stood there with her white
muslin and laces and apple blossoms
and bushes and coming tears, while he
rubbed his hands through his hair till
it stood on end.
"Well" he said. Then suddenly.
with total change of expression !;
" You have saved me q great deal of
trouble. Here are dinner and dozen
guests waiting, and have beer writhipp
my way like q bookworm through the
history and genealogy of the Vinca
family since the days of the Pelaspi.
and afraid of an Aretine dagger if I re.
fused their alliance. Prince" he said,
turning on his guest behind the screen,
- whatever my own wishes might have |
been in the matter of which we have
been speaking, circumstances have
given you your answer. Permit me to
pres mt Mr.. Paul Despard, my son.in-
aw. 1 trust this turn of affairs may not |
deprive us of the pleasure of your
friendship. Good-evening-good- d-even-
ng."
!" he has ordered the man to drive to
i street." cried Jessie, in a moment |
after the door slammed. "I knew he |
would. That Palmer girls Well. |
she's welcome, and l dare say he will be |
when he arrives"
"Mrs. Despard," said her father,
= you must go up to dinner as you are
don't know what your mother will
ay. As we'll as could make out this
morning, she was so bent on your mar
'ying this princelilg that for my part
I'M glad to lie left off with Despard,
It's all highly improper, though, Jessie"
le said, trying TO subdue too broad a
mlle-"improper and unfilial and
md expensive ; for if I only had an
'ther daughter, should"
Gut me off with shillingP You
NOW better, papa. You know I am
our only darling, and all of mine is
hine,'" she sang. Sand besides, if
'ou did, / shouldn't mind, provided