The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-01-03

Will leave the rest OF his eXclamatlons
blank, as they were hardly suited for ''ear
polite. Suffice it to say that the mex
morning saw him on the way to invite Mar.
Barstow to ride with him. He was ther
rebuffed by the news that she was engaged
Engaged, is she?" said our hero t
himself We'll, so | heard good Will
ago, but didn't beliye it; one is indispose'
and t'other engaged-pursuit of lad,
under difficulties now | vow | will ge
some girl to 90 with me on this sleigh ride
and | will get married, too, to somebody
Mary and Susan will both cry their eye
out when they find that one Of them nigh
have been the happy and fortunate bride
they think am not in earnest, only firt
ing little, | suppose; my day for that i
over-too many gray hairs coming; haven
time-hope those silly girls have not spiec
them yet; | pick them all out every morn
ing.
II have it; III go down and talk will
old Gray; he hates Harcourt like sin eve
since he-well, | won't call names-go tn,
better of Harcourt's father in that lane
trade; he'll let Ada go with me, I know
rather than with Charley. After all, Ad:
is prettier than Susan, and her father il
richer than Mary's. She looks little al
Emma Marsden's mother used to, too
Mr.. Gray sat in his counting-room cal
culating his gains Mr.. Gray was looking
very cross indeed, because his daughter Ada
was invited to the great sleigh ride by
Charley Harcourt, and he did not want hel
to 60 with him, although the only protest
he could allege for refusing his consent was
that he did not like him. Mr. Gray, how
ever, was always very affable and polite to
Mr.. Spencer, and welcomed him with great
cordiality as he entered the eounting-room
on 4private business.
Gray sent his clerk out of ear-shot, and
then told Mr.. Spencer that he was just
thinking of calling on him to propose then
going into partnership.
sYes, Mr. Gray, said Mr.. Spencer, "but
we will talk about that some other time. /
have come this morning to confer about
going into partnership with one of your
daughters / think it is about time for me
to get married
eyes, Spencer. my boy, SO it is, return
ed the old gentleman; "and my Fanny will
be just the wife for you; just the right age,
steady, and capital housekeepef. She
more than saves her board and clothes by
her good management. To be sure she is
little prim, sort of old-maidish; but she'll
get over that, and will make frst-rate
wife. Spencer, my boy, congratulate you,
I congratulate Fanny, | congratulate my
self
"But, nay dear sir" faltered Mr.. Spen-
Ger, at was not Fanny that I had in my
mind. She is fine girl, I own, but Ada
was the one | meant"
@Ada! @, well, that don't alter the case
much, only she wont be half so good a wife
for you. She is romantic and sentimental.
She'd rather read romances than stuff sau-
sages, and eat bread than make it; and then,
I don't believe she'd have you. She is
bewitched by that young Harcourt, and |
can't compel her to marry against her will,
you know"
30, will manage that; she won't refuse
me when she finds / am in earnest. | guess
[ shan't suffer by comparison with Har-
court any day. Let her go with me to this
sleigh ride, and I'll fix it up. Stay, bright
idea has just occurred to me. You know
our destination is to the town of -, just
on the State line, and one mile only from
the place where we stop, across the line, is
the village of -, famous for clandestine
marriages. give me your consent in writing,
and I will engage to bring her home as
Mrs. Spencer this very evening"
aWell, if you can do it with her free
consent you have mine and welcome.
Here, I'll write it, 4, Otis Gray, of
in State of do freely and cheerfully
consent to the marriage of my daughter
with Thomas Spencer Will that do ?"
eyes, only you have not put in the
name
aName? o, no matter for that. I
consent you shall marry any of them as
you please; you take your choice, or which
ever you can get.
Mr.. Gray went home at noon in much
happier frame of mind than he had left it
in the morning, and informed Ada that
Mr.. Spencer would call for her at 3 o o'clock
to take her upon that sleigh ride she was
so anxious for.
Mr.. Spencer went from Mr.. Gray's
counting-room to his brothers house, and
confded his whole plan to Mrs. Mary Spen-
Ger, requesting her to board himself and
wife for few days, until he could make
some permanent arrangements, not notic-
ing Jenny, who was watering her flowers
at the other end Of the room. So engaged
was he in making dazzling toilet that he
did not observe, as he might, from his
chamber window, that Henry Jones was
called in as he was passing the house, ac-
cidentally, of course, nor did he see him go
out and join Harcourt in the street, nor
that Harcourt soon called at Mr. Gray's,
nor that Jenny ran over there in great
haste and soon came back, radiant with the
conscious look of possessing some charming
secret. Henry Jones was likewise dis
patched to search out William Clark, who
had been very much out of sorts ever since
Susans refusal to drive with him, and the
consequence of his interview with him was
that Susan had another invitation from
Clark, which she accepted. Jenny very
properly deciding that if her uncle was
going to-woo and marry another young lady
during the ride he would not notice Susan's
sudden recovery from her indisposition.
Three O clock came; file ofsingle sleighs
passed rapidly through the principle streets
of -, on their way to -, for supper
and a dance. Mr.. Thomas Spencer and
Ada Gray preceded. Henry Jones with
Jenny Spencer, Charles Harcourt with
Fanny Gray, who, for the first time in a
dozen years, condescended to join in any
such frivolous amusement as she termed
such things; William Clark and Susan Ray,
Harvey Lunt and Mary Barstow, and so
on until twenty-eight sleighs, each contain
ing two of the young folks, had passed the
boundaries of -, and were ON their way
to the scene Of festivity.
aNIiss Gray" said Mr.. Spencer, as they
rode merrily along, II have come to the
conclusion that it is about time for me to
get married; what do you think about it r.
Really, Mr.. Spencer, never thought
of it before, but now you mention it, it
seems very reasonable and proper.
"Spoken like girl of sense, as you are;
no foolish difidence. Your father has