Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-02-27
SIX LOVE LETTERS.


"Are there any more of those letters ?"
When her father asked this question.
in an awful tone, Luciila Richmond
could not say No" aud dared not say
Yes" but as an intermediate course
burst into tears and sobbed behind her
handkerchief
"Bring them to me, Lucilla, said her
father, e If she had answered him, as
indeed she had and the girl trembling
and weeping, arose to obey him.
Then Mrs Richmond, her daughters
very self grown older, came behind her
husbands chair and patted him on the
shoulder.
please don't be hard with her, my
dear, she said coaxingly. "He's nice
young man, and it is our fault, after all,
as much as hers, and you won't break
her heart I'm sure.
perhaps you approve of the whole
affair. ma'am," said Mr.. Richmond.
"I-no-that is only" gasped the
little woman and hearing Lucilla com
ing she sank into a chair, blaming her.
self dreadfully for not having been pre-
sent at all her daughters music lessons
during the past year.
For all the disturbance arose from a
music teacher who had given lessons to
Miss Lucilla Richmond for twelve
months, and who had taken the liberty
of falling in love with her, knowing
we'll that she was the daughter of one of
the richest men in Yorkshire.
"It was inexcusable in poor music
teacher, who should have known his
place." Mr. Richmond declared. and he
clutched the little perfumed billet which
had fallen into his hands, as he might
a scorpion, and waited for the others with
look upon his face which told of no
softenipg At last six little white en-
velopes tied together with blue ribbons
were laid at his elbow by his dispairing
daughter. .
"Lock these up until L return home
this evening"" he said to his wife, II
will read them then. Meanwhile, Luz
ella is not to see this music teacher on
any pretence whatever"
And then Lucilla went down upon
her knees.
"Oh, dear papa ~ she cried, "dearest
papa, please don't say must never see
him again. / couldn't bear it. Indeed,
I could not. He's poor, know, but he
is a gentleman, and-I-like him 80
much, papa"
mo more of this absurdity. my dear"
Il. u.
full enough to make you think him per-
what is best for your happiness. A
music teacher is not a match for Miss
Richmond"
With which remark Mr.. Richmond
put on his hat and overcOat and depart
ed
Then Lucilla and her mother. took the
opportunity of falling into each others
arms
"It's so naughty of you," said Mrs;
Richmond. "But oh, dear, I can't
blame you. 1t was exactly so with your
father, you know, and my parents OBJ
jected because of his poverty. feel the
greatest sympathy for you. and Fred
erick has such fine eyes, and is so very
pleasing. l wish I could soften your
father"
"When he has seen the letters there'll
be no hope, I'm afraid, "sobbed Lucilla.
Fred is so romantic, aud papa hates
romance"
He used to be very romantic himself
| in those old times. ''said Mrs. Richmond
Such letters as he wrote me l have
them in my desk yet Hesaid he should
die If refused him."
80 does Fred" said Lucilla.
"And that life would be worthless
without me and about my being beau
liful The thought SO, you know,) | am
sure he ought to sympathize little,"
| said Mrs. Richmond. But she dared
not promise that he would
She coaxed her darling to stop crying
and made her lie down, and then went
into her own room to put the letters into
her desk and as she placed them in one
of the pigeon holes. she saw in another
bundle, tied exactly as these were, and
drew them out. These letters were to a
Lucllla, also One who had received
them twenty years ago-and she was
now matron old enough to have a
daughter who had heart troubles-un-
folded them one by one, wondering how
| it came to pass that lovers' letters were
all so much alike Half dozsn-just
the same number and more romantic
than those the music teacher had writ
ten to her daughter A strange idea
came into Mrs. Richmond's mind. She
dared not oppose her husband by q
iook or word she never attempted such
a thing But she was very fond of her
daughter.
| When she left the desk she looked
guilty anu frightened, and something in
her pocket rustled as she moved But
she said nothing to any one on the sub
ject until the dinner hour arrived, and
with it came her husband angered and
more determined than ever. The meal
was passed in silence then, having ad
journed to .he parlor, Mr.. Richmond
seated himself in a great arm chair, and
demanded "the letters" in a voice of
thunder.
Mrs Richmond put her hand in her
pocket. and pulled it out again with 3
| frightened lOOK.
Mr.. Richmond repeated, still more
sternly:
"Those absurd letters. if you please,
ma'am."
And then the little woman faItered
"I-that isl believe-yes, dear-I
believe have them," and gave him q
white pile of envelopes, encircled with
blue ribbons with hand that trembled
like al aspen leaf
As for Lucilla, she began to weep as
Though the end of all things had come