The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-01-18
A DELICIOUS SURPRISE.

A DELICIOUS SURPRISE.
ALTHOUGH OF mature age. had fallen
go completely into my uncles power as TO
eive him the most absolute disposal OF
rny hand. / was brought up most un-
wisely-in other wor,is. with expectations
and consequently was good fof moth
AZ else but TO keep on expecting
spent In2ny years as a walking ger
.leman OF soeie y in London, and many
moro in wandering to and fro upon the
Continent: but at length, when actually
within hail of forty. found myself with
ny legs once more under the mahogany
Z the Athel.seum, and with nothing 10 pay
or the good things above IL but what
-ame out of the pockets OF tough and
somewhat peremptory old man.
de had never before insisted upon
my marrying; but tho reason was AT
he had remained in constant expecta-
ton of tho occurrence taking place
through my own coEnivance- Indeed,
IL had been his business for many years
10 interp Sc gently between me and
the catastrophe. suggesting now that
l did not know enough OF the lady,
and again that / knew too much, and
so forth.
The fact is. 1 had never been with
ou: expect ations OF taking WIG.
always voluntarily abandoned, until my
first crop of gray hairs appeared
After that the difllculty was on the
size of the lady: and i was at length
so much disgusted by the unreasonable
ness of the sex that / determined TO live
and die bachelor.
Just at this time / received from my
uncle a letter which was short and TO the
purpose.
DEAR NEPHEW: | am glad to hear OF
what YOU call the vacancy in your heart,
us you will thus have no difficulty III ful-
filling my wishes and ObeyinG my solemn
injunctions. You have promised several
times to marry. and you must now do SO.
l have never interfered with your choice,
and YOU are not To interfere with mine.
The widow and heireSS OF my old COM
rade Gordon IS in the mark CT. Our estates
run into each other in such "a way that
you might comprise them both in the
same ri Z fence She il a healthy woman.
and not too young; and the arrangement
is that you arc u be married al the eEI
of her year OF mourning. il she can fancy
you. Yours aflectionately,
"joHS MURCHIsoS."
II she could fancy mel Tie widow of
old Gordon, and a healthy woman indeed !
What a horrible description
There was no help for il. TWAS neces-
sary To turn my meditation from the lady
TO The estate, and, if thought OF the ring
al all, TO fancy II within ring fence
bQl ltlt dliAlE tou4l lOl ht Clti'A oNt-E
any longer, ana / set out for my uncle's
seat. having previously signifiei 10 him
my fttlI acquIescence in his plans. In
due time L arrived Ut the little town Of
Sethan, distant only a few miles from my
destination.
II was here I heard-and with cruel
suidenness-of a circumstance connected
with nay intended which made me at first
determine 10 rush back To London. and.
II necessary, take to street-sweeping.
authorship, or any other desperate Ie-
source, rather than marry that Mrs Cor
don
1 was passing half-opened door IN the
hotel when 1 heard a female voice al
dressing 4 child in the terms of wise en-
dcarment consecrated to the rising gencr-
alton.
lit shall 60" said the voice. land so
il shall, 10 is own Gran-grannY- gran
nyma-to its-own-own grannyma. that
IL shall. 50 II shall-wont ito lis Own
Grannyma Gordon"
The next minute in reply to nay hurried
questions, my Tears were confirmed by
the landlord. Ny intended old AMI
healthy bride was an absolute grand
moth uimother Gordon
/ had intended 10 go n once TO my
uncIe's. lat that was now impossible.
Ny aEitafed mind needed rcposv. \
nightS reflections were necessary 10 IA IN
me with sufficient philosophy TO meet the
destroyer 81 my peace. and, engaging
n bed At the inn, 1 went oat 10 waIk IN
tine nei-hboTas wood
The locality was not chosen without q
motive. for / knew ttat from the summit
of allow lila mile distant / should ob-
tain n Viey Cf Sefhan Court ard ielt
that, 4 anything could reconcile ne 10
ihe idea of the healthy old widow II
woIld IL thc spectacle OF ter easteilated
mansion seated III Il park which was a
very paradise OF beauty
Every step 1 advanced reconciled me
more aud more to the Old lady, and. when
l saw The Indications OF trout in the
stream, through tho trees, l was moro
thar ever intent
But lust at that moment a sound broke
upon Iny ears, which conjured up recent
disacreeable associations, il was the cry
OF a child.
NV thoughts at once turned to hale
hearty, iong-living graudmotherhood
Visions of canes and snuf-boxeS rose be
fore my eyes, everlasting coughs ratified
in my ears. and. worse than all, The
glances OF matrimonial love from the eyes
of q grandmother froze my blood.
How different was the scene that me
my eyes as 1 turned the corner Of a clumI
of trees The infant i had heard wa:
lying on its back on a grass knoll, fight
ing no With its little clenchcd. fists, ant
Growing. as the nursemaids call il, Will
all its might, while bending over il, will
eyes hrimful of love and laughter, pOkins
its tiny rihs with her fingers. snatchin.
wild kisses from its brow, aud seiziDg il:
neck with her lips as if she would throttl,
| il, knott a young worlan-and such
Young woman "a woman in the verl
| prime and glory Of her years.
did not think she could have beer
quite thirty. Her bonnet was lying OF
the grass. and her disheveled hair iioatine
i'm dark masses over her shoulders: but
| bright radiance was on her quecnly brow
| just as a voice of peremptory command
was heard in her light, joyous laugh.
There was "a fearless self-posseSsion Il
her manner such as years sUpcradd Il
the feminine softness of youth, ard he
features. originally nodded in wax. wcr,
now as firm. vet as exquisitely fine, as j
they had been cut in semi-transparen
marble.
the infant suddenly rolled down n,
knoll. Growing as il went, and the lad,
stretched after it in vain as she knel
till she measured her whole length upol
the sod Before she could get up 1 hat
sprung from my ambush caught up tn,
truant, AZ il Law half smothered in th'
daisies and the buttercups. and presente,
the prize TO the flushed and startled
mother.
To describe the conversation OF such ,
fascinating woman is impossible.
She was not a woman of society We
she WAS perfectly well-bred. She ha.
spent the greater part of her lie in tn
country, invigoratiHg both mind anS
body in the pure air OF heaven, visitin;
town occasionally, and thus she We
enabled, with the assistance of books An
the general literature OF the day, TO kecl
pace with the progress Of the world.
do not know how il was, but our &C
quaintancc seemed 10 be ready-u,adc
and, having mentioned my uncie's name
she had no difIenlfv presently in reiaen.
herring his respectable friend, Mrs. Cor
don.
= You know Mrs. Gordon?" said L
a-"Ycs."