The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-02-23

thereby demonstrated that his ola al
lection had not entirely died away.
On this occasion, however, there was
no sign of tenderness in the manner
with which he regarded her. He stood
over her with his hands in his pockets,
and his thick eyebrows knitted together
in an ugly frown as he said:
There's been some hanky-panky 60
ing on. It's no use trying to deceive
me. How do you know Ethel likes the
young fellow?''
"Well, / think so,'' said Mrs. Para
disc, shrinking beneath his gaze.
'You mean you know it. She told
you SO, suppose" he exclaimed, read
ing her mind as clearly as though she
had spoken.
Eyes, John, she did tell me so,'' said
Mrs. Paradise, with guilty start,
81 suppose you are going on to say
that they have got engaged, and you've
been encouraging them behind my
back" he said, still fiercely interrogat-
ing her.
ethel knows she can not consider
herself engaged without your consent,
john" said his wife, plucking up lit
tie spirit from sheer desperation.
'When she told me, said the matter
must be kept secret until had asked if
you had any objection. thought it
better that l should break the news to
you before Mr. Balbernie spoke"
"Well, I won't keep him long in sus-
pense, and | shall have a word to say
to You afterward, loo, about what |
think Of your conduct, " said Mr.. Para
disc, pale with anger, and controlling
himself with a great effort, as he walked
toward the door.
John! Johnn' she cried after him,
half rising from her seat.
"Well?" he said impatiently, over his
shoulder
"Think of poor Ethel, john" muir
INJURED his wife.
81 am thinking of her, only you and
I don't think alike on the subject" he
growled.
Poor Mrs. Paradise sank back in her
chair with q very frightened look upon
her face, and then endeavored to COM
pose herself to chat with a neighbor
who had just called. She had done
her best, poor thing, to avert the scene
which threatened her daughters hap
piness. She knew her husband too
well to hope that he would consent to
the engagement, and the utmost she
had striven for was to mitigate the
harshness of his refusal. Unfortunate
ly, even in this respect, her interior
ence proved unayailing. Old Mr.. Par
adise, furious at the idea of having
been the victim of a conspiracy, did not
measure the language in which he ac-
cused young Balbernie OF mercenary
motives. When he chose to be DELHI
erately insulting there was no one who
could carry out his intentions more eff
fectually. His command of coarse in
vective was only equaled by his utter
want of delicacy and gentiemanly feel
ING, and the abuse he lavished upon his
daughters lover left him no alternative
but to declare that he would never en-
ter the house again.
When young Balbernie wrote to Ethel
Paradise the next day, expressing his
unalterable devotion to her, but stating
his resolve to never darken her fathers
doors again, the girl felt compelled,
under the circumstances, to write and
release him from his engagement.
However spiritless and cold-hearted the
course may appear, it was undoubtedly
the proper one to pursue, and Mrs.
Paradise Joined with her husband in ap-
proving her action. 1t soon became
evident, however, that the poor girl had
miscalculated her fortitude in making
so great sacrifice. She had broken
off the engagement less from fear of her
father than from a proper feeling of
pride. But the loss of her lover proved
a blow which seriously affected her
health. The upshot was that she was
sent away from home to stay with some
friends in the North, while her fathers
satisfaction at having got-.rid of young
Balbernie was considerably diminished
by the suffering he had caused his
child.
Meanwhile Acheson Balbernie's regi-
ment had been ordered to another part
Of the country, and old Mr.. Paradise
neither saw nor heard anything of him
for some time. After an absence of
nearly three months Ethel returned
home, having apparently recovered
from her disappointment. Old Mr..
Paradise, whose pride and affection
were centered in his daughter, was i'm
mensely relieved by the improvement
he perceived in her, and felt that at
length he could honestly congratulate
himself upon having interfered to pre-
vent what he considered would have
been q most unfortunate marriage.
One day, however, he was walking
through the grouds attached to his
house, when he met his daughters maid
hurrying toward the lodge gates with
letter in her hand. Something SUSPECT
Gus in the girls demeanor attracted his
attention, and he had the curiosity to
ask what her errand was. Old Mr..
Paradise was accustomed to boast that
he had the whole of his household
under his thumb, and certainly all the
servants stood in great awe of him.
His overbearing and peremptory man
ners made them trembie before him,
the wretched girl almost went on her
knees from fright. On her replying
that she was going into the village to
post letter for her young mistress, old
| Mr. Paradise asked to see it, and to his
amazement found it was addessed to
young Balbernie.
'1'll post this he said, gruf1ly. "But
look here, now; take a walk down to
the village and come back if as nothing
had happened. Don't say you gave the
| letter tO me- DON'T saw anvthinu ahout