West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-03-26
lighted to mako your acquaintance, M.

was uShercd into the presence of "A
smiling, gray-haired lady, who might
have stepped from an ancestral pict-
urc-frame, and who received him with
the stately urbanity Of a courtier of the
old school Being man Of business,
jonathan Greysark lost no time i'm
beating about the bush, hut plunged at
once IA DiCdidS res. described the orr
gln OF his acquaintance with PHYLLIS,
expressed himself i'm such happy Ian
guagc, blew his own trumpet IN such a
pleasant, unassuming manner declared
his devotion in such fervid phrases, i'm
fact. put matters before the Old lady in
such an attractive light, that she was
completely won over.
''Of course, Mr.. Grcysark, she said.
IN reply, "as am only the girls aunt.
| have no direct authority in the mat
ter. But il Phylli, regards your suit as
favorably as | do. | can only recon-
mend that YOU should address n letter
To her father in London, state the case
rs YOU have stated il to me. and abide
by his decision.
''But 1t i an extraordinary phase of
our acquaintance, said the merchant.
that do not know your neicc's sur
name yet
Perhaps the old lady was struck by
the strangencsS of this aVowal. but at
any rate, she hcsitated "A moment.
seemed little confused and then re-
pied: "ller name is Fleming. Mr.
Grey>ark a letter addressed to Mr.
Robert Fleming aud given to me will
insure its safe dispatch.
but would it not be better for me
To cell upon Mr.. Fleming myselfP"
said Grcysark. "My business expert
encc has taught me that one personal
( Interview is worth dozen letters.
so IT Is, rs general rule. Mr.
Grey Sark, replied the old lady ''But
Mr. Fleming, movements are 80 un-
certain, his business 50 frequently tax
ing him away from home, that the
course ! have suggested would. |
think, bc the better
And, after Il little general converse
ton, Mr.. Grcy>ark took his leave. re-
solved that he would without DELAY
formally propose to Phyllis. and if her
answer should be favorable, as he had
not the slightest reason TO doubt il
! would be, indite his letter TO Mr.. Elem
/ ing. Accordingly, the next morning.
upon arrival at London bridge. instead
OF handing Phyllis into Mansion
House omnibus, rs usual, he insisted
that she should walk there with him.
And, by the time King William statue
was reached he had poured out his soul
/ To her, and received her ready assent
/ TO his proposal, conditional upon the
| approval of her father.
! One or two little circumstances con-
nccted with his visit to Regency square.
on the previous day, struck Jonathan
/ Grcysark aS being curious, as he sat i'm
his room at the office playing listlcsslv
/ with the heap of unopened letters be-
/ iore HIM Oh course, he had observed
/ the old lady's hesitation i'm giving the
name of Fleming; and her suggestion
/ that the letter should be forwarded
/ through her instead of TO a direct
address was rather unusual. Per-
maps Fleming was a strange sort Of
man-undcr cloud, or OF eccentric
habits. At any rate, PHYLLIS was a
/ lady, as was her aunt; the surroundings
| OF the rooms in Regency square showed
I refinement, if not opulcnce; and. al
/ though money with u wife was no OBJ
/ lect with him, he preferred that the
! lady honored by his choice should not
: De an utter stranger to the stNlc of life
/ To which a. Mrs. Greysark she would
DE introduced. But his ardent affection
Tor the supplemented. bright-faced
| 2lri ovcrcame whatever little shades of
/ doubt or scruplrS the above stran ye
/ circumstances might have awakened
/ Wlihln him, and. after having hulTirdlv
/ pcruSed his bushes, letters. he called
/ Mr.. Penn in, gave him instructions to
snow nobody into the private room for
an hour. and settled himself down TO
ihdite the cpiStlc TO Mr.. Fleming. After
much destruction of best cream-laid
/ note. lac produced the following:
DEAR SIR II is with TO little ditidence
! thHt address one who f. a complete stranger
/ 70 me upon subject of such importance as
sure Judge you rightly when think that Won
I Nh pildYh the liberty am taking by tho
/ umG You arrive az the end of the lotter
/ In mort. wish 90 obtip yo.Ir consent to
4 InN marriage with your charming daughter.
I tnNLl' q this B. TO some extent "a matter of
] business. may inform Won that / made the
I young lody's acquaintance in the BriVhton
I Train. ~ which VIC have boon follow.pNs en-.
I ger daiIy Tor som" weeks past; that then Oh
B luhcd not only her consent 10 my prnposgI
bul Inc entire appreciation Of her aunt upon
Whon had the pleasure Of calling. with vour
dhuRhtfTS EMISSION
Z FOR your satisfaction may add tbat nj.
. lh"ugh am not very young mon am in
lhc iui vgor Of health and strength: that I
4 am INC sole and res pousihie head of one OF
the be-f-knOwn and most respected business
/ houses in the CIV Of London: ana thgf / ann
in % position, when YOU may verify. In YOU
lIta-t' hh iuc luo-t minute luvc-tigli ION. 10
MAINTAIN your daughter iu fitting position
The entire happirr-, of my life. and Tdarc
"lu lhIl OF your daughters rrst upou yOUr
decision "a tp whether she -bOu A bg nv vito
pr not and impIorc you NOT To- ~ iufiuourr &
in your opinion hy the somewhat ppcuIiar ,i,.
ruWsinnc"s under which our mcct me- took
l,,,,'. , al. our consequent acquaintance and
49," ~ you VIII kindly take week 10 consider
/ litl-' 'p W'. VIA question, -ha'i Doc mex
pre- ny Obliged. and. thanking you heartily
iu advance iOr the -aucf ion which fraI ,,,.
tain Won Will accord. 7 am ms dcor -ir vo,it
very ulcdicut servant.
'Jo>ArHAN GRgysAnR."
Having read thi. two or three times
over to assure himself that D, had not
-Wd Too much or too little. Jonathan
Gro .trk placed it 100 au rny, lopc adj
dressed to Robert Fleming. E,q.. and
mat again boo an envelope which he
purpo>rd io hand to the old lad, at
Brighton
lhr week seemed iu,crminabic to the
ruamorcd Jonathan Men remarked
iudi ho appeared ab-cutminded and
prepccupicd but tWO or three Of his
tollo" pa--ougcr~ by the $40. whowcrc
iu the same market. told the .tor, Of
hI- capture nl tlr pretty girl in tho
lrain and ,0 accounted fDr hi. pocu-
.iWii1 IT, himself however. was in a
state az anxiety Goo which hr had lone
boon stranger TUESDAY. "Wednesday
IhT-d1l passed. and uo answer from
thr mysterious Mr. Fleming arrived
IurU4I- fI.. rIT I4I. I.f f.....tt...