The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-05-24
A COMEDY OF ERRORS

1t oil came about through listening mt
tho parlor door. Eavesdropping is always
reprehensiyo proceeding, and when In.
| dulged in by person who has good
grounds Tor believing that That person's
own self forms tho topic Of conversation
likely to he overheard the practice becomes
altogether objectionable. Without dcsir-
Ing In tho lcnst to Justify tho breach Of
good manners committed whom l, Emma
Summorford, applied my ear to the key
hole of our best room door on certain
Important OCCASION that happened quito
rocontly, 1 am constrained to think, mover.
theless, that thero was some Iittlo excuse
for my behavior.
You 500, 1t was Ike this: Harry Butter
field, sho son of Colonel Buttor0old of tho
British army, was desperately In lovo with
me, and hope am not overlapping tho
bounds of maidenly Ipodesty by adm ittinp
that was worry fond of him In return
Harry and l first mot at dance given
by mutual friond, and as, In tho manner
OF the story books, wo foil In love with oaoh
other Mt tho start VIC wore not slow In
finding out how to strike an acquaintance
ship. Harry was mn only son and l sole
| surviving daughter, 30 that we Ind some.
thing In common outside tho affection that
drcw us together.
Harry llvod with his father, n military
oinoer retired OH half pay, at KonsiuRton,
and resided with mino In n little yllln Mt
Chaplain, but although tho distance thus
separating our two abodes was grent Harry
generally managed to spend three or four
| evenings week on the Surrey side OF tho
Thames.
My papa had formerly boon In business
In tho Barbioan, but. having "mado his
pile, no sold off his horses, with the OK.
ception Of favorito gray marc, and bought
tho aforesaid villa, which honcoforwarti
became our homo.
Harry was connected with riding
school Mt Knightsbridge, and consequently
knew som*thinR about horses, 80 ON the
evenings no visited us he used to spond part
of tho time oenvarsing with my Hapa about
matters equine, while tho remainder icon.
sidernbly the larger portion) no PISSED In
my company dlscoursing of love.
Ono evening, after working himself up
to the requisite pitch of passion, Harry
mnde mo propcsaiof marriage. Although
had long soon 1t coming Of course pro.
tended, In u woman's regular way, that
his offer had quite taken mo by surprise
and, notwithstanding tho fact that was
dying to say "Yes" assured him that /
could not possibly give him an answer for
Mt least week. As I expected, no wns SO
pressing, however, that consented with
out further delay and fell into his arms in
the usual manner, whilo no whispered
vows OF eternal constancy and SO OIL. It
was all very delightful, can assure you,
and when 1t cnme to q protraoted ending,
and Hurry had takon his leave In tho way
common to lovers, retired to rest tho
happiost girl in Ciaphnm.
Harry had told mo before going thnt he
haa some littlo business to transact with
my father in the morning, and said he
would seizo the opportunity thus afforded
OF getting pnpn's consent to our marriage
When, therefore. the boil rang carly tho
| next day and Harry was admitted and
shown Into the parlor, where papa was
| reading the auction news in tho morning
paper, Of course knew what His GRAND
| was.
1t is trying time for woman when
her lover is pleading for her hand to pos
| sibly obdurato parent. Not that thought
| my papa, with his we'll known regard for
| my welfare, would offer any insuperable
objection to our union, but, being an only
child, knew 1t would cost him pnng to
part with inc, and l was also we'll aware
| that he would never give his consent until
assured of Harry s competency to maintain
u wife.
was therefore naturally anxious as to
| tho result of tho interview, and when It
began to get unduly prolonged was quito
on thcrns. My solicitude at length became
SO great that left the hou sok eepers room.
where had been vainly endesvorinR to fix
| my attention OH some preserves that re-
quired tying down and stolo on tiptoo
along the passage leading to tho parlor
where my father and Harry wore engaged
The door was Just ajar, and, without
really thinking that l was indulping In
an pnlndylike action, bent my Head for
ward and listened. Harry was talking.
She enjoys pretty good health, sup
poses" he asked ineuirinaly.
"Capital!' was my fathers answer.
"Noyer had an hours illness since tho day
she was born.
1t was kind of papa to say this, but of
course his statement was not literally cor.
rect Every body has Illness Mt some time
! or other in their lives, and was no excep.
ton to the rule. AS q child l had had
whooping cough, measles and the Group.
among other infantile complaints, to say
nothing of headache and tic.douloureux
since had grown up. But ! suppose 1t
was because l always made practice of
keeping my ailments as much us possible
to myself that papa-who would not will
fully deceive, bless him Thought | Ind
mover been Ill. AS say, 1t was kind of
him, and l quite appreciated his motive.
was just about tripping away on thus
discovering that tho interview had not
ended when Harry again spoke.
lis her appetite goodf''
1t was certainly strange question, and
/ COuld NOT son TINT II 1vns all =, ,,oo..