Year: 1866

| Out on the old Lehomme road, not hundred
miles from this city, lives Mrs. Overplus Hamp-
bale, very worthy and very wealthy lady,
made widow by the careless shooting of some
Federal soldier, who dropped the worthy Over
plus Hampbale while he was manfully striving
for his rights in company with old Pap Price.


Mrs. Hampbale has daughter Laura, a fair
young girl of some nineteen Summers, and pos
sessed of warm, susceptible, but true heart,
and who, much to her aristocratic mothers dis
gust, lately conceived violent passion for a
young house carpenter in this city, famiiarly
known as Jack Paine. Now Jack is gay,
dashing young fellow, working like a steam en-
CINE when he does work, and spreeing equally
hearty when he is " "on it," very likely to catch
the fancy of warm-hearted, blooming young
girl like Laura, but not calculated to suit old
lady's idea for husband. So Jack, after the
first visit, was peremptorily forbid the house.
The aspect of "our domestic relation" did
not meet with approval from either of the two
young folks, and a rebellion, to be prosecuted
covertly, agreed upon instanter. Sundry
clanderstine meetings had been arranged at
a 4" friends" house in this city, which seemed
to ''work " pretty well, but at last the old lady
got wind of the matter and utterly forbid Miss
Laura from leaving the house.


A month or two slipped by, and the fond
mother supposing the foolish attachment had
worn off, relaxed her vigilance, or seemed to-,
yet all the while keeping pretty sharp eye on
Laura. After while she detected certain move
ments and proceedings that led her to suspect
that Laura was in communication with Jack,
and she resolved to resort to a ruse of some kind
to ascertain what shape things were taking ; but
before she had quite determined what manner of
proceedings to adopt she was informed by a
neghbor that Jack and Laura had arranged a
plan of eopement. Her mind was quickly made
up. She announced to Laura next morning that
she was going to Belleville on visit, to be gone
three days, and that she must be good girl and
not tear the house down while she was gone.


That night Jack knew of it, and as he read the
nice little note that had bade him q come over
early and stay until mother comes back, and
what splendid time we will have" be knocked
the ashes from his cigar, and resolved of course
he would ~


Jack went over, but there is no earthly use in
our attempting to describe the delectable things
he enjoved-it was sugar season on that planta-
ton, sure. Just before dark, while Jack was
running over full of the glory of the occasion. in
rushes Miss Lauras black waiting woman with


"Lor bress my brak soul, chin, eff yere amt
ole missns rite at de gate. Sure ~


"My God | Dinah, what shall we do with
Jack? ~


"Pop i'm in dat ar closet dar Miss Laura p
and Jack was popped into the closet in twink
ling.


In stalked the old lady, and after sharply
scrutinizing the disconnected and blushing coun-
| tenance of Laura, felt sure that Jack had been
there.


"Come here, Laura. Now you can't deceive
me. That abominabe Plaine has been here,
and you and he have fixed up a runaway match /,
to come off tonight. you bad thing you
after your bringing up, to treat me so. But
you'll find your mother is no fool. You'll find
she's too sharp for you, my lady. Sooner than
you should marry that miserable Jack Plaine
| I'd see you laid in your grave. He's not going
to squander my money, can assure you"
The old lady rose, and going to clothes press
returned with several comforters and pillow,
and walking up to the closet where Jack was
concealed, threw them in with flirt and turn
ing to the trimbling Laura, said:


| "Now march in here, miss step along I'll
see that you don't get nowhere near that low
| flung mechanic this night ~


| Laura whimpered, protested that she ddn t
want to, declaring that her mother would be sor-
~ for this some time"


But without paying any attention to her pro-
testations, her mother gave her push shut the
door, locked it, and triumphantly put the key in
her pocket, and in due time went to bed. Pretty
early in the morning the old lady arose, and
without waiting to dress, fshed the key out OF
her pocket, and opening the closet door to bid
Laura come forth, gazed wildly for an instant,
and then uttered piercing scream. Recovering
herself speedily, she sprang away from the door,
and called family, q Laura. Laura, dear go to
the kitchen and see about breakfast p Then
presently, f" Jack, / say, Jack ~


Jack came forth with Very " son-in-law look
| ish +" air and answered, "Well, what is it?''
"Jack, do you know anything about farm p


A" Not to speak of, marm."


You can read and write, and cipher?"


"Nothing to brag of, marm.'


"Well, Jack, think that after breakfast you
and Laura may we'll go to the city and get mar
ried for I'm tired of watching you, that's fact. "