Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-02-27
last, and felt sure that if papa should
rove crunI abe wOuld die

|
prove cruel she would die,
"Six letters-six shameful pieces oi
deception, Lucilla," said the indignant
parent. II am shocked that child oi
mine should practice such duplicity
Hem! Let me see. Number one, ]
believe. June, and this is December.
Half year you have deceived us then,
Lucilla. Let me see-ah From the
first moment he adored you, eh !" Non
sense. People don't fall in love in that
absurd manner. Ittakes years of ac'
qnaintance and respect and attachment.
with your smiles for his goal he would
win both fame and fortune, poor as he
is ~ Fiddlesticks, Lucilla. A man who
has common sense would always wait
until he had fair commencement be
fore he proposed to any girl-"Praise OF
your beauty. The loveliest creature he
ever saw. Exaggeration, my dear"
You are not plain, but such fattery
is absurd. Must hear from you or die!''
Dear. dear, dear-how absurd !"
"The same stuff" he commented. "I
hope you don't believe word he says
A plain, earnest, upright sort of man
would never go into such rhapsodies,
Fm sure. All now in number three
he calls you an angel He is romantic.
upon my word. And what is all this?'!
"'ThOse who would forbid me to see
you can find no fault with me but my
poverty. / am honest-I am in earnest
with my efforts. am by birth gen
tleman, and love you from my soul.
Do not let them sell you for gold, Lu
ella"
"Great heavens, what impertinence
to your parents.
II don't remember Fred's saying any
thing of the kind" said poor little Lu.
ella. "He never knew you would OBJ
ject."
Mr.. Richmond shook his head ,frown
ed and read on 10 silence. until the last
sheet lay on his hand. Then with an
ejaculation of rage he started to his feet.
Infamous =" he cried "I'Il go to
him this instant-I'll-I'll murder him!
AS for you, by Jove. I'll send you to q
convent. Elope-elope with a music
teacher I'm ashamed to call you my
daughter. Where's my hat? Give me
my boots. Here. John, call acab-I-"
"Oh, papa, you are craZy!" said Lu-
ella. Frederick never proposed such
thing. Let me see the letter. Oh,
papa, that is not Fred's, upon my word
it is not. Do look, papa it is dated
twenty years back, and Frederick g
name is not Charles Papa, these are
your letters to mamma, written long
ago. Mothers name is Lucilla, you
know :"
Mr. Richmond sat down in his arm.
chair in silence, very red in the face.
How did this occur ?" he said stern
ly and little Mrs. Richmond. retreat
ing into corner, with handkerchief
to her eyes, sobbed
II did it Oh purpose !" and paused as
though she expected sudden iudg
ment. But hearing nothing, she dared
at last to rise and creep up to her hus-
band timidly. and say {:
"You know, Charles, it's so long ago,
and thought you might not exactly
remember how you fell in love with me
at first sight how papa and mamma
objected, and how, at last, we ran away
together and it seemed to me If we
could bring it back all plainly to you as
it was then, we might let Lucilla marry
the man she loves, who is go good, if he
is not rich. I do not need it to be brO't
back any palmer myself, women have
more time to remember, you know.
And we have been very happy-have
we not ?
And certainly Mr., Richmond could
not deny that. So Lucilla, feeling that
her interests might safely be left in her
mothers keeping, slipped out of the
room, and heard the result of the little
ruse next morning. 1t was favorable to
the young music teacher, who, had
really only been sentimental, and had
not gone one half so far as an elope
ment and in due course of time the
two were married with all the pomp
and grandeur oefitting the nuptials OF
perfect appreciation of Lncilla's father,
and to the great joy of LucilIa's mann
ma, who justly believed that her little
ruse had brought about all her daugh
ter's happiness.