Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1896-03-05
A pazAaaANazD MARRIAGE.

AS o boy | had but one grea
trouble in the world, and its nam
was Eliza. MY Eliza Godmothe
Richards called her. She was yer,
nightmare. | am cory to say tina
news of her demise would hav'
given me intense joy. But tina
was my godmother's fault, but foI
her l never should have cast I
thought upon Eliza.
Ny Eliza was nothing now L
me. When I vas in frocks thil
model little girl. > gear ms iunior-
was spoken Of ecstatically. when.
ever Godmother Richards came ts
the city. She was her other god.
child, model of grace and beauty
and obedience. Il shall bring heI
up for Billy she would say. They
shall be little man and wife. 'Don'i
you want to send kiss to your
Eliza, Billy-a nice sweet one?'
At four l used to send it. At eight
| allowed it to be taken. At ten
refused my lips.
Ii was hard to bear then, bnt
nothing to the persecution 1t be-
came ct 16. Then / was obliged to
hear what pieces my Eliza could
play upon the piano-how much
French she could speak-how she
had on long dresses-how much
handsomer she was than any god
mother knew, and, in short, how it
was the hope of the old lady's heart
to bring us together some day and
make match of it. Even the dis
like had to quarreling with the
fairy godmother who could convert
my pumpkin of hope into a coach
and horses with a wave of her pen,
could not make me exhibit any show
of complacency when Eliza was
spoken of. Iscowled in silence and
refused to praise, and had the salts
faction of hearing my godmother
inform my mother in stage whis-
per aside, that actually the dear
boy was head and ears in love with
Eliza already.
This sort of thing went on until
| was %, growing even worse with
time, and fast approaching climax.
We were to be introduced to each
other before long; a meeting was on
the tapis. We were ordered to be
mutually stricken with love at first
sight, to do our counting in the
shortest possible space of time and
to live thereafter with Godmother
Richards, who confessed to having
divided her property between us
with a view to our ultimate union.
According to her account of affairs,
the young lady would throw no OBJ.
stacle in my way, but 'felt as though
she knew me already
Forward little wretch | said to
myself. She is perfectly disgust.
ing. No power on earth shall even
make us acquainted. Perhaps m,
brother Tom, who introduced my
Eliza, into his conversation IN &
most trying manner, and who drew
picture upon our room wall of oul
imaginary meeting, wherein she fel
into my arms in highly dramatic
style, excited my wrath against til,
young lady to a pitch which il
would have scarcely arisen other
wise.'
Godmother Richard never die
anything like other people. Sh,
never wrote to say that she wa
coming and came. But Away,
pounced down upon us at s in th,
morning or IL at night, withou
warning.
was shaving in the early morn
ing, when some one at my dool
cried, don't mind me, and in cam.
the godmother.
Prepare yourself for a Joyful
surprise my dear Billy she cried
She has consented ut last to NEE
you. Pm going to have you botl
with your parents at my house fol
a week. Wednesday is the day, ant
if you can't manage to make hel
say yes in that time, why your,
not worthy of your godmother.
The surprise had made me gasl
my chin. and | turned upon he
with anything but an amiable coun
tenance.
Il hope she has not been ANNOYED
on my account | said, sarcasti
cally. Don't urge her to meet m,
/ beg. l wouldn't have her to d,