The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-06-21

+ Clifford suddenly stopped short
the midst of his organizations. "Th
very thing!' he exclaimed.
What do you mean?"
Quite simple. Send out invitation
to your wedding to some person, imas
mary, If you like. Then. when yo
have got fine array of wedding pres
ents-well, the event can be postpone
sudden illness of the bridegroom
anything. Meanwhile, the presents ar
converted into ready money. l ar
once more solvent. Uncle George dies
hey, presto! everything in fiourishinI
condition again.
But, father, think of the deceit
Why, it would be robbing people"
"Pshaw! We're desperate, and all il
fair in such cases. Besides, if every
thing does turn out we'll and Uncl,
Georges money comes to us all right
of pawn and return Encouragement
suddenly broken off, you know. Wha,
objection can there be to that?"
But the whole scheme is SO prepos.
ferrous! No, father, really can't do it. Y
! $50 you won't even do that little
service for me? Well, might have ex-
pected it! Here am toiling and slav-
ing all these years"-(Mabe looked
slightly incredulous)- denying my
self, paying sweet guineas for your
fees to local lectures, and this is the
thanks get!'
81 was at the last to-day" said his
daughter, coloring slightly.
1.-The last! Then that lecturer fell
low-what's his name-Dundas, has
gone? Look here, Mabel! Let him be
the bridegroom. He'll never hear of
it-he's not likely to even come back
again, and it would seem much more
natural for you to be engaged to him
than to stranger. There! I fatter
myself that have made a really bril-
liant suggestion"
Father, / must tell you plainly"
said Mabel, flushing angrily, Il decline
to have anything to do with the PLAN
'Now, Mabel, dear" he said. in
more wheedling tone, ''you will be
won't you? Surely you can't
see me trembling on the brink of ruin
like this, and not stretch out hand
to help me? Come now!'
Poor Mabel looked irresolutely be-
fore her
eff could do any thing else, she said,
But deceitful thing
like that-and think of the exposure if |
it should come out!''
No fear of it coming out. it only |
you play your part properly" returned |
her father, quick to detect the signs Of |
in her tone. "And, after
III, it's only a month or two at most. I
There, l knew you wound be sensible"
But don't like it at all"
pooh! You'll soon get accustomed
% it. And now to set about prepare
ions for carrying it out. l think, as
We want the thing widely known, we
annot do better than give hint to
Hiss Worboise, and let nature do it's
york.
Mabel quite recognized the truth of
his assertion, for Miss Cynthia Wor-
'oise, maiden lady of uncertain age,
nd near neighbor of theirs, had a
reputation for gossip,
nd was frequently made use of by her
riends as an easy means of spreading.
he, therefore, assented lanquidly to
he proposal.
Then that's settled, and I'll drop in
lyself after dinner tonight and tell
er. Well fix the wedding for this
ay seven weeks. and who knows what
IA " hot
here, my love, knew you would
BON get reconciled to the idea"
But Mabel was very far in reality
'om being reconciled to it, and, as she
1T the study, she felt her heart rise
| bitter revolt against it. But what /,
1uld she do? She had always been
to obey her father in
and she did not feel reso-
lite enough to withstand him now.
Nothing in the whole scheme had I
ounded her so much as the bringing
ito it of Dundas' name. At the mere
fought of it, her cheeks were dyed
18th deep blush of shame, and the
ca of his ever getting wind o f it made c
sr nearly frantic.
however, she had agreed to the =
an, and it was too late to draw back
NV. The only thing left for her to
, was to prepare herself as we'll as =
e could for the many unpleasant in
rviews which. she foresaw, would
I'VE to be gone through.
True to his resolution, Clifford sailed
rth that night to the gossip-monger,
ID returned in high glee at the man Il
r in which his plausible story had = :,
en- received.
Mis- Worboise was delighted" he
i'd, land consulted me Immediately =,
to what recommended for a pres !,
t. She is coming round tomorrow "