Daily public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1892-191?, 1896-07-04
a COMEDY OF ERRORS.


good grounds for believing that that
persons own self forms the topic Of
conversation likely to be overheard, the
practice becomes altogether unpardon-
able. Without desiring in the least to
Justify the breach of good manners
committed when I, Emma Summerford,
applied my ear 70 the keyholc of our
best room door on a certain important
occasion that happened quite recently,
l am constrained to think. neverthe-
less, that there was some little excuse
for my behavior.
You sec, IL was like this. Harry But
terrified, the son of Col. Butterfeld, of
the British army, was desperately in,
love with me, and hope l am not
overstepping the bounds of maidcnly
modesty by admitting That was very
fond of him in return.
Harry and first met at n dance given
by mutual friend, and as, in the man
ner of the story books, we fell in love
with each other at the start, we were
not slow in finding out how to strikean
acquaintanceship. Harry was an only
son, and n sole surviving daughter,
outside the affection that drew us to-
gether.
Harry lived with his father. military
officer retired on half pay at Kensing-
ton, and resided with mine in little
villa at Chaplain; but although the
distance separating our two obodes was
great Harry generally managed to
spend three or four evenings Il week
on the Surrey side of the Thames.
My papa had formerly been in bust
ness in the Barbican, but having made
his pile" he sold off his horses, with the
exception of favorite gray mare, and
bought the aforesaid villa, which hence
forward became our home.
Harry was connected with riding
school ut Knightsbridge, and conse-
quently knew something about horses,
so that on the evenings he visited us
he used TO spend part of the time con-
versing with my papa about matters
equine, while the remainder Consider
ably the larger portion) he passed in
my company discoursiDg of love.
One evening. after working himself
up 10 the requisite pitch Of passion.
Harry made me proposal of marriage.
Although / had long seen it coming. of
course, l pretended, in q woman's reg
u!ar way, that his offer had quite
taken me by SURPRISE; and notwith-
standing the fat that was dying to
say eyes" assured him that could
not possibly give him an answer for
at least q week. As l expected, he was
so pressing, however that l consented
without further delay. and fell into his
arms in the usual manner, while he
whispered vows OF eternal constancy.
and so on. It was all very delightful.
/ can assure you, and when it came
to protrncted ending. and Harry had
tulsen his leave in the way common to
lovers, / retired to rest the happicst
girl in Clnpham.
Harry had told me before going that
he had some little business with my
father in the morning, ard said ice
would seize the opportunity thus ar'
forded OF getting papa's consent to our
marriage. When, therefore, the bell
rang early next day. and Harry was All
mittcd end shown into the parlor, where
papa was reading the auction rews in
the morning paper. of course knew
what his erraud was.
It was q trying time for woman
when her lover is pleading for her
hand to n possible obdurate parent.
Not that thought my papn, with his
well-known regard for my welfare.
would offer any insuperable objection
20 our union, but, being an only child.
knew it would cost him pang to part
with me, and was also well aware that
he would never give his consent until
assured of Harry's competency to main
tain wife.
was therefore naturally anxious rs
to the result of the interview, and when
it began to get unduly prolonged, was
quite on thorns. My solicitude at
length became so great that left the
housekeeper's room, where I had been
vainly endeavoring To fix my attention
on some preserves that required tying
down, and stole on tiptoe along The
passage leading to the parlor where my
father and Harry were engaged.
The door was just ajar, and without
really thinking that was INDUCING
In an unladylilxe action, bent my
head forward and listened Harry wag
talking.
"She enjoys pretty good health, Isup-
poge?' he asked inqulringly.
capital" was my fathers answer
"Nevcr had an hours illness since tie
day she was born"
II was kind of papa to say this, bu;
of course his statement was not literal
ly correct. Everybody has illness Al
some time or other in their lives, and
was no exception to the rule. AS q
child / had had whooping cough
measles and the Group, among Other
;nfantile complaints, to say nothing
of headache and tic douloureauN sinct
1 had grown up. Butt suppose it was
because / always made a practice oI
keeping my ailments as much as pos
II Al n. l..