The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-05-03

affection for him. Amy Allerton, on the
other hand, is, and always has been, senti-
mentally inclined. She believed, rightly
or wrongly, that it is a very charming
thing to
Let concealment like worm L the bud
Feed on her damask cheek;
and she would as soon have thought of per-
hitting Vivian Jellicoe to think that she
loved him as of attempting to win and woo
the Sultan of Turkey. The consequence
was that Miss Marrable, who fondly i'm
agined that she knew all the Thoughts of
her elder niece, trusted her much more
than she trusted the younger. She regarded
Lucy as an ope II book that might be easily
read, and Amy as a kind of oracular voice
that, while saying, or appearing to say one
thing, might mean exactly the opposite.
Miss Marrable was destined to discover
estimate, so far, at all events, as Lucy was
concerned; and her discovery C. her error
was, l gTieve to say, accompanied by a
good deal of pain and modification.
Ten days had passed, and the two pairs of
lovers had made considerable progress.
Amy, it is true, had not declared herself
to Vivian, who, being a bashful young
man. had, perhaps, not pressed her suffi-
GENTLY; but Lucy and Robert understood
one another completely, and were secretly
engaged to get married at the earliest OPP
portunity. Vivian's bashfulness could not,
however, endure for an unlimited time.
One morning, he and Amy found them
selves together on the rocks behind the
town, and the opportunity being favorable,
he screwed up his courage, told her that he
had never loved any one but her; and OBJ
tanned a coyly given promise that she
would be his.
Natures like Amy's, when they once take
fire, often burn rapidly. On Monday, she
became engaged to Vivian Jellicoe; on
Tuesday, Vivian begged her to name a. day
for the wedding, and she refused; and on
Wednesday, Vivian, knowing the peculiar
sentiments of Miss Martina Marrable, and
doubtful also, perhaps, whether his father
would throw impediments in the way Of
his early marriage, proposed an elope-
ment; and Amy, with some hesitation,
consented.
When she returned from her secret
meeting with her lover, she of course con-
fded her plan to her cousin. "How fool
ish you are" said Lucy; "you know that
your father would not have vol do that
for the world; and you will make an
enemy of Aunt Martha, who is like a
mother to us girls.o
"But she would never agree to our mar
rying, if we consulted her, >" objected Amy /;
land if she knew anything of our plans, l
am sure that she would manage to frus-
trate them. She is a dear old thing, but
- Well, she is peculiar on those points"
81 have told you what l think" said
Lucy, with an assumption of wisdom that
was perhaps warranted by her superior
age. "Don't be foolish"
But Amy was already beyond the influ-
ence of counsel. She persisted in her inten-
ton, and even claimed Lucy's sympathy
and assistance, which, of course, Lucy
could not ultimately withhold.
Ere an elopement can be successfully
carried out, in the face especially of the
jealous watchfunesS of man-hating spins
ter lady of middle age, numerous prepare
tions have to be made; and in the case of
Vivian and Amy the making of these prepa-
rations involved correspondence. Amy,
therefore, bribed one of her aunt's maids
to act as go-between, and the maid in
question, with a fidelity that is rare, and
at the same time treachery that, l fear, is
common in her kind, promptly carried WV
ian's first letter to her mistress.
Miss Martha Marrable, without scruple
tore open the envelope and augrily perused
its contents. "MY OWN AMY" ran the au-
dacious communication" Let us settle,
then to go ON Wednesday. At nine o'clock
in the evening u carriage-and- pair shall be
ready to take us to Harlech, where you can
stay for the night with the Joneses, who
are old friends of ours, and on Thursday
by midday we shall be married, and, l
trust, never afterwards parted again. We
can arrange the details between this and
then. But write and tell me that you agree.
Your ever devoted VIVIAN"
Miss Marrable, who, when she received
this love letter, was sitting in her bedroom,
was thunderstorm. At first, she thought
of going to Amy and charging her with
baseness and ingratitude; but after some
reflection, she decided to let matters, for
the time at least, take their course, and to
confound the schemes of the rash couple
by means of a grand stroke at the final
moment. She went, however, at once to
Lucy, in whom, as | have said, she had
great confidence, and told her ALL
'How foolish Of her." said Lucy.
Eyes, my dear! how foolish, and how
wicked" assented Miss Marrable. 81 feel
it my duty to prevent the carrying out of
this mad plan, and also to make Amy
suffer for her folly. / shall therefore send
her this letter; and allow the hair-brained
pair to mature their schemes.-And what,
Lucy dear, do YOU think that propose to
do? You will never guess. Listenl Amy
and | are of much the same height. | shall
personate her by concealing -ahem-my
face, and drive away with this vile young
man; and then, when he believes that he
has left me far behind, shall overwhelm
him with shame and confusion"
Lucy could not help laughing. "That
would really be good fun, aunt" she said.
eyes, send the letter to Amy; and by all
means let matters take their course for the
present"
Miss Marrable did send the letter; and
Amy duly received it, unexpectedly; but
five minutes later Lucy revealed the whole
plot to her, and threw her into the deepest
trepidation.
Here, however, Lucy's superior GOODNESS
came in most usefully. "You need not
despair" said the elder cousin. "If aunt
thinks of having fun with you and Mr..
Jellicoe, why not turn the tables, and have
fun with her? You must find some other
way of carrying on your correspondence !;
but at the same time answer this letter by
the old medium. Your answer will of
course fall into aunt's hands. You must
mislead her, and then"
But" objected Amy, chow am to make
matters turn out properly"
"Listenw said Lucy. "Aunt proposes to
personate you. Very we'll. Put off the
time of your elopement. say, for half an
hour; and meantime Mr.. Jellicoe must find
some one to personate him. My idea is for
aunt to elope with the billiard marker, and
so give you time to get away. Do you
see~
Amy could not at first grasp the sig
niticance OF this bold proposition; but
when she succeeded in doing so she was
delighted with it.
when she had sufficiently explained the
plan; "for know that he will gladly help
you; and Mr.. Jellicoe can talk it over with
him and have the benefit of his advice"
But whatwill aunt say when she dlscov-
ers how we-how you-have deceived herr
asked Amy.
"Ahw said Lucy, silly, ~ must talk
about that, too, with Mr.. Rhodes. But
never fearp And she went Off to rejoin