The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1883-10-18
Iel ma ,ea ron lcmorrov. b ..ia.

lexi no. MOI feiufnea Mass h"''f'ls
,hsnkfvl for any opporsnniiy Of getting
rid Of him. Good bye, Mr. Murley, good
bye, aud the same servant who showed up
Sir Periinax Popiniay, showed down M
Merton Marley. who slared Al the bArone'
with look which spoke volumes
My dear LYDIA, said Sir periinat as be
offered both his hands 10 Miss Lirriplp,
YOU we're really charming last night !
never saw such perfect sylph 10 my life
and many people agree with me You
were the belle ci the room. There Is no
doubt about IT.
I'm sure il is very good OF you, Sir Per.
tinar. TO say 40, returned LYDIA but !
Thought that the counte. herself
oh. the countessl She and you cannot
he mentioned together, my dear. Every
one said so. And besides the Countess. oil
course. Is married. She has met her tate
Ha, hal But you-you are still my dear
Mics Lydia. may be a fool; but upon
my honor, have come here this evening
with the determined intention OF ask
ing you whether you viii have me. You
know l worship the very ground you stand
on. Aud to Lydias great CONSERVATION
the old gentleman, ere she could prevent
him, gallantly knelt at her feet aud took
her hand with the evident intention OF
pressing it TO his lips.
Do get up, please, Sir Pertina1, said
Miss Lirripip, forgetting for moment
that Horace Freake was within hearing,
but anxious that the baronet should not
make himtelf unnecessarily ridiculous, ev'
on to her. You can talk just as well II
you sit down; but really, you must not
talk in that way. / do not want to be
married; indeed don't. You know like
you very much. but could not possibly
marry you.
Sir Pertinax rose with dignity and looked
rather disappointed. had hoped, Lydia
that you liked me vol enough even for q
husband. What you say. however, may
not be final, because nothing can alter my
regard for you, and perhaps in the future
you may learn to think better OF me.
could not think better of You than |
do, returned Miss Lirripip feelingly; and
You do not know how sorry am that this
has happened. We can never again be
a l. -. ntL | aA
Sir Pertinax began to feel sorry too, for,
up to that evening, he and Lydia had al.
WAYS been like uncle and niece. aud, in an
uneasy way, he turned the conversation in.
to another channel. But he could not for
long carry it on, and in less than quarter
OF an hour, he said good bye, like q sensi-
BILE man, as he was in spite OF his weak
ness, and departed.
No sooner had he quilted thereon than
Horace emerged from his hiding place.
Lydia blushed to remember all that be had
overheard, but he did not allude TO it.
Lydia lie said, almost as il nothing had
happened to disturb him. love you truly
and with all my heart. Can you. will you
learn to love me. for yonr love alone will
make me completely happy.
Do not ask me, replied Lydia, who was
once more seated. You know what have
Just gone through. My head is in whirl.
But think how happy you can make me,
Lydial You would be everything to me, as
indeed you are already, and would spend
all my days in making you happy.
1t is unnecessary to chronicle the whole
OF the further conversation that took
place. Suffice it to say that At last Miss
Lirripip discovered not only that she
could, but that she actually did love Hor'
ace Freake little, and on the strength Of
that she promised to marry him.
Horace was in the act Of presuming up
on this promise by kissing Lydia for the
first time, and was enjoying one Of the
happiest moments OF his life, when anoth
er OF those furious rattattats shook the
house.
Another? said Mr.. Freake with smile.
| shall go back to my retreat luntil We
know who has arrived, for now, must he
on the spot to look after you. And. iu
spite OF Lydas protestations, he once
more returned to the back drawing room
Two minutes afterward the General,
very hot and very angry, stamped up
stairs and burst into the presence OF his
daughter Everything has gone wrong
he exclaimed. They voted me out Of the
chair; they flew in my face; they decided
that the wretched foreigners don't want
cold baths. And he pounded with his
stick, which he had brought up with him,
and looked at Lydia as though she were
the cause OF his discontinue.
Well, papa. said Miss Lirripip soothing
ly, all tho better. Now you won't have to
90 to any more OF their borrid meetings.
At this juncture Horace who was troub-
led with slight cold, gave forth stified
and in6nitesimally small sneeze.
lydia, cried the General, as he threw
himself wearily into an arm chair, am
sure there is cat in the back drawing
room Go aud turn it out. And Miss
Lirripip went cautiously behind the heavy
curtains and was there received into hs'
lovers arms.
You cannot speak to him tonight, she
whispered; he would not listen TO you.
You see how cross he is. Come tomorrow.
Horace. therefore. silently took another
kiss; and Lydia. having unlocked the lit
tie used door OF the back room. chased
him, with many expressions Of animosity,
down the softly earpeted staircase, and
with cry OF "Shoo, catP finally lot him
out OF the front door.
tpl.n shs veturuad to the ravino roam