The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1886-03-13
ELOPED AT HOME.
How a Proud Woman Outwitted
., q General.

Julia de Force was a chip of the ole
block. The very same unbending will,
indomitablc courage, ntiring energy
and wise strategy that had made hel
father n Of our ablest Generals dur.
ing TIE civil war had been b~equeathed
to her at her birth, together with hel
fathers lofty brow, finely chiseled
nose, and lips far too thin to be hand.
some in woman but for the proud
curl that gave beauty to the mouth as
well as strength to the expression, and
made one acknowledge them very kiss.
able in spite of the scorn in their down.
ward curve. Her eyes were blue and
deep; her hair gold-brown; her form
slender and graceful, with a carriage
dignified and stately, the pose and
step of a queen. Julia loved, and loved
against her fathers will.
"He is old enough to be your father.
and only seeks you for the sake of my
money. Besides, he is a failure, forty,
and nobody said the father, in a burst
ofindignation at what he chose to term
his daughters folly,
"He is not a boy, I will admit, father.
But that he is a failure l positively
deny" said the daughter, in a tone
whose pride and scorn seemed but an
echo of the words he had just uttered.
'lf success in money-making were all
in life he would, indeed, be a magnif-
icent failure. But in all that makes a
man he is a grand success. He is a
scholar of the largest culture, a lawyer
of the finest ability, a poet of no mean
capacity, and moreover these things,
though his greatest, are not his only
success, for he has succeeded in gain
ing your daughters undying love-
you carry it with a high hand"
broke forth the General, ''but its mighty
little good your undying love will do
him; about as little as my influence in
getting him into Congress. If You
marry him-which you can do, of
course, without my consent, since you
are of age-you will have to elope, for
my house shall never be the theater to
produce such a roaring farce as that
"You have said it," And with a low
bow, the very essence of hauteur and
humility combined, Julia swept from
her fathers presence.
Graham Morton, the individual
under discussion, had been an oficeri in
the army, and though not brilliant in
that role, his genius leading in a differ
ent direction, he had been Il faithful
soldier, and since the close of the war
some of his friends felt moved to pro-
pose him as a member of Congress. A
nomination by his party in the district
to which he belonged was equivalent to
election, since they held a large major
ity, and a few such men as General de
Force could easily secure it for q candi-
date.
THAT / will never do, Graham, not
even for you,'' said Julia, one evening,
in reply to some proposition just made
by her lover. This home is my birth
right" continued she; II have never
forfeited it by any act of disobedience
during my whole minority, or even
since. Ihave earned the right, there
fore. to go from this house to that
which shall be my second home when |
have achieved it. l can not 20 to our
mutual home till I I'm your wife. l
will 60 no place else to become so. /
will not stand confessed a beggar ON
my wedding day.
This means, Julia, that you repu-
date our engagement" ..r....,
at means no such thing, unless you
choose it should" she replied. ut
only means that I am too proud to run
away to get married, if you are not
above taking a castaway for a wife,"
81 would take you, julia" he re-
piled, clasping her proud form in his
arms, "were you a castaway ahundred-
fold. Butt did not even hint an elope-
ment; that is not necessary, since we
are both of age. l merely suggested
going boldly to a hotel and then,
in the presence Of our friends. perform
ing the marriage ceremony. Nothing
so dreadful in that, is therep"
..But ! owe a duty to myself" she
rejoined, land l never will consent to
abste one jot Of my claim. I am a
perfect Shylock where my title to honor
is concerned. Bat, dearest, I love you
well enough to brave much for you,'
she added, with a downcast look and a
delicate blush on her cheek, land l
have a plan, all my own, Il you arc sol
der enough to reinforce me-"
TEST my courage in that direction !
be whispered. kissing the glowing 9
cheek; .syca will never find me recre- a
ant wbsn ] nm promised AZ the ppoils y