The Dickinson press., 1883-11-17

place. Lydia blushed to remember all
that he had overheard; but he did not
allude to it. Lydia" he continued, al
most as if nothing had htppened to dis
turb him, II love you truly, and with all
my heart. Will you, can you, learn to
love me, for your love alone will make
me completely happy?"
"Do not ask me-" replied Lydia, who
was nee more seated. "You know what
I have just gone through My head is
in q whirl."7
"But think how happy you can make
me, Lydia! You would be everything
to me, as indeed you are already, and i
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 Lirriplp discovered not only that
she could. but that she actually did, love
Horace Freake a little, and on the
strength of that she promised to marry
him.
Horace was in the act of presuming
upon this promise by kissing Lydia fol-
u first time, amt was enjoying one OF
the happiest moments of his life, when
another of those furious rattats shook
the house.
Another" said Mr.. Freake with a
smile. II shall 60 back to my retreat
until we know who has arrived, for now
| must be on the spot to look after ou.'
And, i'll spite of Lydia's protestatlons,
he at once more retired to the back
drawing room.
Two minutes a%fterward, the General,
very hot and very ANGRY. slammed nm.
stairs and burst into the presence of his
daughter. Everything has gone
wrong!" he exclaimed. "Fhey voted
me out of the chair; they few 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 was the cause oil
his discontinue.
"Well. papa" said Miss Lirripip,
soothingly, "all the better. Now you
won't have to go to any more of theil
horrid meetings" ..
At this %juncturc, Horace, who was
troubled with a slight cold, gave forth q
sti1ed and enthusiastically small sneeze
Lydia" cried the General, as he
threw himself YEARLY into ali armchair
"l'n sure there's a cat in the bacl
drawing-room; Go and turn it out
And Miss Lirripip, havingn no ALTERNATIVE.
went cautiously behind the heavy cur.
tains, and was there received in her Low
er's arms.
"You cannot speak to him tonight,
she whispered. "He would not lister
to you. You'see how cross he is. Com,
again Tomorrow"
Horace, therefore. silently took an
other kiss; and Lydia, having unlocked
the little-used door of the back room
chased him, with many expressions o
animosity, down the softly carpetee
staircase. and with = cry of ''shoo, cat!'
finally let him out of the front door.
When she returned to the drawing
room, General Lirripip gave vent tc
some angry expressions of hostility to
ward the entire feline tribe, and whe1
he had thus delivered himself went off Il
bed.
How the story ended may costly be
guessed. When Lydias father was in q
cosler mood, Horace found nc difficulty
in obtaining his consent to the marriage
which took place three months after
ward; and to the end of their days
neither Sir P%ertinax Popinjay nor Mr.
Merton Murley had any idea that
third person was present when the,
propose to Miss Lirripip in Brute 1
street, Grosvenor square.