Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-04-16

and again, and promised to stand by
him, that he finally consented and
took the check which his employer
persisted in forcing upon him.
The next morning Mr.. Sheldon came
to town to breakfast in high glee, for
a note had reached him just as he was
leaving, which ran as follows:
DEAR SIR: | have, with much difficult
ty, persuaded her to elope. 1t was not,
however, till | showed her your check
that she would consent to do so. She
said that she was sure you would not
recommend anything that was wrong,
that Won would advise her as if you
were her own father and she hopes you
will stand by us. We shall be married
tomorrow. before Mr.. Meadows is up.
Very thankfully,
HARRY CONRAD.
The old gentleman brought the note
to the table, opened it out before him,
adjusted his spectacles and read it over
and over again.
I'D give ten-pound note, " he said,
chuckling, ito see the old fellows face
when he hears how Harry has done
him.
1t was the custom Of Mr.. Sheldon to
read his newspaper at breakfast, while
waiting for his only child and daugh-
ter, who little spoiled by over
indulgence, was generally late.
But this morning Matte was later
than ever.
The banker had read all the foreign
as well as the home news and even
reperused Harry note again, still she
had not made her appearance.
The lazy mink, he said at last.
Then he looked up at the clock. "Half
an hour late Now this is really too
bad, John, he cried, addressing the
man servant at the sideboard send
and see why Miss Sheldon doesn' come
down. Tell her, with a severe air,
Il am tired waiting
John came back in about five min
utes looking very much frustrated.
"If you please, sir, he stammered,
Miss Sheldon is not in her room, and
the maid says that the bed looks as if
it hadn't been slept in all night.
The rich merchants jaw fell.
If there was one thing he loved
better than money, better even than
life itself, it was his motherless child
What had become of his darling?
What awful tragedy was about to be
revealed to him? Had she gone out
for walk the evening before and
stumbled into the river? No; he re-
membered parting with her at 10
o'clock. Had she been looking from
the window of her room and fallen
out
He started up, with a cry Of agony,
to 90 and see, beholding, in magma
ton, her mangled and lifeless form.
But he was prevented by the footman
appearing at the door with telegram.
"A telegram % cried the merchant
unfolding it with trembling hands
What can it mean? Has she been
found dead anywhere? ??
This was the telegram
DEAR FATHER Harry and were mar
ried at So'clock this morning. | would
not consent to an elopement till Harry as
sured me YOU had advised it. and had
shown me your check as proof. He says
vou promised to stand by us, and know
YOU pride Yourself on never breaking a
promise. We wait for your blessing.
MATTE.
We'll, Inever?' CALCULATED Mr.. Shell
don, when he had recovered breath.
The impudent, disobe-"
But here he stopped-stopped and
mopped his bald head, which, in his
excitement, had broken out into great
drops of perspiration. He remembered
in time that both the butler and foot
man would overhear him. He remem-
bered also that he had himself advised
Harry to elope, and that if the story
cot wind he would be the laughing
stock Of the town, including, hardest
cut of all, Mr.. Meadows. He remem-
bered, too. that he had but one child
and that she was all in all to him Sc
he accepted the inevitable and tele-
graphed back:
You may come home, and the sooner
the better, so as to keep the fifty pounds
for pin money. Tell Harry he's toe
sharp to remain clerk, and that today
| | take him into partnership. Only ht
must remember that partners never tel
tales out Of school. God bless you.
H SHELDON.
The runaways returned by the mex
train. The marriage proved, too, al
eminently happy one. The story never
got out. We only tell it now IN con
fdence.
They had fallen.
Come, dearest said Adam, eve
must 90.
Eve hesitated.