Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-07
course I have suggested would, I think,

course have suggested would, I think,
be the better"
And, after little general converse
ton, MIR. Greysark took his leave, re-
solved that he would without delay
formally propose to Phyllis, and II her
answer should be favorable, as he haa
rot the slightest reason to doubt IL
would be, indite his letter to Mr.. fiem-
ing.
Accordingly, the next morning. upon,
arrival at London bridge, instead OIL
handing Phyllis into Mansion-House
omnibus, as usual, he insisted that she
should walk there with him. And oy
the time King Williams statue was
reached he had poured out bis soul to
her, and received her ready assent to
his proposal, conditional upon the APP
proval Of her father.
One or two little circumstances con-
nected with his visit to Regency Square
on the previous day struck Jonathan
GreysaSk as being curious, as he sat IN
his room at the Office playing listlessly
with the heap of unopened letters be-
fore him. OF course, he had observed
the old lady's hesitation in giving the
name of Fleming and her suggestion
that the letter should be forwarded
through her instead Of to a direct ad-
dress was rather unusual. Perhaps
Fleming was strange sort OF man
under cloud, or Of eccentric
habits. At any rate, Phyllis was
lady, as was her aunt; the sur
roundings Of the rooms in Regency
Square showed refinement, if not
opulence and, although money with q
wife was no object with him, he prefer
red that the lady honored by his choice
should not be an utter stranger to the
style of life to which as Mrs. Greysark
she would be introduced. But his ar
dent affection for the supplemented,
bright-faced girl overcame whatever
little shades Of doubt or scruples the
above strange circumstances might have
awakened within him, and after having
hurriedly perused his business letters
he called Mr.. Penn in, gave him in
structions to show nobody into the prl-
vate room for an hour, and settled him
self down to indite the epistle to MIR.
Fleming. After much destruction OF
best cream-laid note he produced the
following:
"Dear Sir: 1t is with no little diff
dence that l address one who is COM
plete stranger to me upon a subject OF
such importance as that which now occu-
pies my pen; but / am sure | judge
you rightly when | think that you will
pardon the liberty am taking by the
time you arrive at the end of the letter.
ain short, wish to obtain your con-
sent to my marriage with your charm
ing daughter, Phyllis. AS this is to
some extent matter Of business, may
inform you that | made the young lady's
acquaintance in the Brighton train, by
which we have been fellow-passengers
daily for some weeks past; that then
obtained not only her consent to my
proposal, but the entire appreciation Of
her aunt, upon whom had the plea
sure of calling, with your daughters
permission.
"For your satisfaction | may add
that, although am not a very young
man, am in the full vigor of health
and strength that l am the sole and
responsible head Of one Of the best
known and most respected business
houses in the city of London and that
l am in position, which you may
verify, if you please, by the most mi
mute investigation, to maintain your
daughter in a fitting position as lady.
1.-The entire happiness of my life,
and | dare add that Of your daughters,
rest upon your decision as to whether
she should be my wife or not, and |
implore you not to be influenced in
your opinion by the somewhat peculiar
circumstances under which our meeting
took place, and our consequent ac-
ouaintance and intimacy were formed.
"If you will kindly take a week to
consider this, to me, vital question, |
shall be inexpressibly obliged /; and
thanking you heartily in advance for
the sanction which ] feel certain you
will accord, am, my dear sir, your
very obedient servant,
JONATHAN GREYSARK.'
Having read this two or three times
over to assure himself that he had not
said too much or too little, Jonathan
Greysark placed it in an envelope adj
dressed to Robert Fleming, Esq, and
that again in an envelope which he pur-
posed to hand 10 the old lady at Brigh-
ton.
The week seemed interminable to the
enamored Jonathan. Men remarked
that he appeared absent-minded and
preoccupied, but two or three Of his
fellow passengers by the S:45, who
were in the same market, told the story
of his capture by the pretty girl in the
train, and so accounted for his pecu-
liarity. He himself, however, was in
a state of anxiety to which he had long
been a stranger. Tuesday, Wednes-
day, Thursday passed, and no answer
from the mysterious Mr.. Fleming
arrived. Perhaps the old lady
had forgotten to forward his mis-
siye. Old ladies, so strangely mind
iul Of long.past occurrences, were, he
knew, often oblivious about matters
present. Perhaps-but he shuddered
at the thought and cast it from him
for Phyllis was too good, too honest,
too much of lady, to be so base and
cruel on the other hand, possibly Mr..
Fleming was instituting inquiries. 1t
was natural that an affectiOnate father
should do so, and every time Penn
brought in q visitors name the mer-
chant expected to hear "Mr. Robert
Fleming" announced. On the Friday
afternoon he called in MIR. Penn.
Kindly shut the door" he said {;
81 have something of Importance to
speak to you about"
Mr.. Penn obeyed, and anxiously in
spected his employers face.
"Mr. PENN" began the merchant,
with a preliminary clearing Of the
throat. "you have been in my service
now Tor some years, and you have
given me very general satisfaction in