The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-12-26

Juliet. in a large straw hat and white
frock. was leaning over a gap in some
what dilapidated stone wall. Romeo in
light tweed shooting-suit. was standing
the grass by the wayside looking up at
her The time was high noon on a bright,
sunny day early in autumn.
Wherefore. indeedr' replied the young
man promptly I'm sure 1 don't want to
be Romeo a moment longer than L can
help"
well. to be sure. you are very polite.
sirp'
''Ah. you know what I meant don't
want to be Romeo because-because wish
to play Benedick, 'Benedick, the married
man."
Patience. Arthur; patience"
And haven't been patient? Why, let
me see. we've been engaged three months
nowi'
Three months-twelve weeks" retorted
Juliet lightly: land Jacob served fourteen
years for Rachel"
Eyes. yes" cried Arthur pettishly "but
Jacob was patriarch. and had any amount
of years to play with LIES too short for
that kind Of thing nowadays"
still. we must wait. You know that I'll
never marry without papas consent"
Il do" ne answered gloomily; land 1
also know that 1 can't marry without the
governors. It's lively prospect"
We. we must nope for the BEST" re-
pied the girl cheerfu.ly Papa may
come round al any time
That's just it. He may come round at
any time and catch me here and then we
may look out for alarms and excursions,
followed by Punishment. Of course"
And we have no Father Lawrence to
assist US" sighed juliet.
''No: we must depend upon our mother
wit. We must resort 10 stratagem, Lily,
dear. For some days 1 have been wrest-
ling with a gigantic idea, and think I've
licked it into shape at last. What do you
say to pan which promises to reconcile
both our stern parents to the idea Of our
union %
ct must be a wonderful p!an." cried
Lily. opening her blue eyes very wide.
And. still better, to reconcile them in
time TO each other?"
''It must be a very wonderful plan,"
said Lily again; but this time she shook
her head dOubtfully.
Wei. 1 think it is rather good replied
Arthur. with the honest pride of an in
ventOr. But listen, and then let me have
your opinion Of IL"
And without further preface he began
Lillian Grantley and Arthur Curtis were
or, at least. thought themselves-the
most unhappy pair Of lovers since the time
of Juliet and her Romeo" Their fathers,
two Of the chief landowners in the. small
midland county Of Fenshire, We're at dag
gers drawn. Yet they had once been fast
friends, and Were still near neighbors
Their estates marched" together. and
they had long entertained the idea of
uniting their properties by marriage be-
tween their children. UnlUclly, when
Lillian was sixteen and Arthur some two
years older, a grave political crisis arose,
and their fathers, who took opposite views
of the situation, allowed themselves to be
drawn into all the storm and turmoil of
contested election. In the heat Of conflict
words were spoken that could not easily
be forgotten afterwards, and the result
may easily be guessed. When the election
ended. their old friendship was a thing of
the past, and, as there was no feminine
influence to soften asperities-for they had
both been widOwers for many years-they
drifted mora apart every day. Neither
made any advances towards reconciliation,
and in secret each was watching for a
favorable opportunity 10 catch his former
friend upon the hip. They had not long
TO wait.
Long ere this. Of course, all idea of
marriage between their children had been
abandoned, and the young people had been
peremptorfly hidden 10 think no more Of
each other. As natural result, they De
gan to think seriously Of each other for the
first time, and when, some four years after
the commencement of the feud, they met
In town. where Lillian was staying with an
aunt for the season, they were already
more than half disposed TO fall in love
with each other. AT their first meeting
they caught the Infection, within a week
they were sickening for the disease. and
before the season was half finished the
patients were entirely given Over'-to
each other. Their engagement was neces-
saruy kept close secret, however, for the
feud between their fathers was at its
height, and the enemies were just then
engaged in hot dispute over a patch Of
debatable land between their estates, to
which both laid claim
Such was the state of affairs in Fenshire
when Miss Grantley came home toward
the middle of July, Arthur following her
few days later. With their return their
real difficulties began. In town they had
been able to meet frequently and freely;
but in Fenshire they met seldom and by
stealth, in a quiet byroad skirting a Sc
cluded corner of Mr.. Gr3ntley's park-an
arrangement more satisfactory to Lillian.
who liked what she called the romance"
than to Arthur. who dreaded the risk.
That his meetings with Lillian could not
long be kept secret, Arthur felt sure; and
SO he had set his wits to work. and after
much inward wrestling had evolved the
wonderful plan whereby he hoped to win
his Lillian, and to bring peace 70 the dis
tracted houses Of Grantley and Curtis
not necessary to pass an opinion here
Suffice II 10 say that, although Lillian did
not display all the enthusiasm he had
looked for, before the lovers separated
they had agreed to make trial Of it. Arthur
promising TO lead the way as soon as a
favorable opportunity presented itself.
1t was Mr.. Curtis who, all unconscious
~, furnished the required opening a few
evenings later, when he and his son were
sitting over their wine. for he broke the
period of silence which ensued after the
servants had withdrawn by clearing his
throat in a magisterial way that ne al
ways affected when he had anything of i'm
portance to imp3rt.
DO you know, Arthur" he began
solemnly, Il think it's high time you mar
ried and settled down.
During the past year he had made the
same remark, on an average, about once
a week but hitherto Arthur had always
laughed il off evasvely. On the present
occasion, however, he replied boldly:
We'll, lately I've been thinking so nv
self, sir. But l must ask you to allow
me perfect freedom Of choice in the mai
ter"
Certainly. certainly" Mr. Curtis an
swered heartily, glad to see that his son
was at last disposed 10 yield. to his wishes
Il only make one stipulation: the girl
must be a lady-if with money Of her
own, so much the better. but if without it
well, you'll have enough for two. But
have you any one particular in view?"
We'll, yes, L have" replied Arthur