Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-04-29

way homeward, Marie not only par
doned the ''cruel deception" but had
bashfully confessed that since she had
been SO weak to give her heart away at
first sight to SO "cruel deceiver" she
would leave it in his keeping, If only
to teach her truant and wayward cous-
in lesson.
Henry Decker had very unpleasant
ordeal to face on the morrow.
sMr. Moller," he said feelingly,
"when yesterday entered your house
had not the remotest idea that the
most important moment of my life was
so near at hand. I came as total
stranger to you, and you received me,
not as such, but as if were the future
husband, the accepted lover, of your
lovely daughter. -
(Which you are, Charlie. Why do
you make SO many unnecessary words?''
"But, dear sir, give mo a chance to
explain
Cor was mistaken, after all? Do
you not care for our daughter? Is there
in all America girl like our sweet
Marie?"
s'0n the contrary, dear sir, all I de-
sire is to be considered worthy Of such
prize
"By thunder. Charlie, have you tax
en- leave Of your senses? Are all Ameri-
cans affected in like manner when
proposing? Have not told you plainly
that we do pot object? And"- turning
to his daughter, who had just entered
s'Marie, do you care enough for this
young man. who has SO many confound-
ed objections to make against you, to
marry him?"
''Indeed I do, father, with all my
heart'' the maiden replied frankly.
''There! That ends the matter. No
more nonsense now. Such matters ought
to be settled quickly. Oh, know what
am talking about! Never would have
believed that practical American could
be such -circumlocutionisti Quick,
now, the betrothal kiss, and here is our
blessing to boot. One, two, thru
He was just going to say three
when the door slowly turned on its
hinges and a stranger entered, who stop
ed for moment on the threshold, and
then broke out into pleased laughter.
"You here, friend Becker?' he ex-
claimed. II thought you had inspected
your mines long ago and were safely
back at Hamburg!' Then, turning to
mine host, he extended his hands.
ssHere am at last, acar uncle" he
said. "Iknow tarried long on the way,
but had very important matter to
settle in Berlin, and could nfJ possibly
get away earlier. Everything is in tip
top condition at home in San Francisco,
and father and mother both send their
best regards.
s'Sir, who are your grufdy asked the
landlord of the Blue Lion.
"Who am I? What an odd question to
ask Of me! Why, to be sure, I am
Charles Berner, very much at your serv-
ice, and the son Of your cousin Berner
Of San Francisco''
The dazed old man leaned heavily
upon chair, looking bewildered from
one to the other. His lips opened, he
gasped fer breath, he tried to say some
thing, but could utter no sound. He
sank fainting into the next chair.
n 4
Three months have passed since the
events narrated above, and our fair
readers have undoubtedly guessed how
it all ended. The genuine" Charles
Berner had been detained by very i'm
portant matters in Berlin-that is, by
Miss Clara Foster. But being an obedi-
ent son he took the journey to his rel
atives, in spite Of the fact that his
cousin Marie could be nothing to him.
Bursting suddenly in upon them at
the very moment when his uncle com
manded" his friend Decker and Marie
to embrace and give the ''betrothal
kiss, he had understood the situation
at once and was not loath to help his
''double'' out Of his dilemma by ex-
planning all to his uncle and aunt,
which he did the more gladly as his
choice had been made ere he had met
his cousin Marie.
The old people are perfectly satisfied
with their son-in-law, and Mr.. Moller
tells his neighbors and guests often of
the smart trick played on him by Henry
Decker, invariably adding:
"He is all we could desire, but it is
pity, all the same, that he is not an
American. From the German.