CHAPTER VIII.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 224, 16 May 1872, Page 9

CHAPTER VIII.

We opened the enquiry on a Monday, and proved before nightfall, without the possibility of a doubt, that it was Lavinia. T was very much mortified and don't mind owning it ; but then, it was best to know at once. After all, I am not of an envious disposition ; and I could not help allowing, when I thought of it, that poor Lavinia's*chances were becoming few and far between, and it was really, in a manner of speaking, quite a godsend Alexis should be struck by her. But on Tuesday evening we had the strongest reasons to believe that it was Adelina. Over night I had had a few words with Lavinia, and I felt sorry for it. ' But, under the circumstances, I really could not refrain giving Adelina a bit of my mind. On Wednesday affairs assumed another aspect. After all it was Clementina.

We settled the question on Thursday — it was Virginia. On Friday we found we had been wrong. Selina was, in reality, Alexis' choice.

On Saturday we were quite undecided again ; but on thing was clear— it was not me.

On Sunday it was thought advisable that papa should talk to Alexis very seriously. Therefore, he took him, after dinner, into what he used to call the library, and asked him his intentions. Alexis very frankly owned that he had not got any. 'Then,' said papa, 'I am afraid I cannot allow things go on iv such an unsatisfactory manner.' To which Alexis made answer — ' No, sir ;' .and the interview hereabouts reached a rather ridiculous termination.

For some time after this papa and mamma had several serious # talks by themselves, and it was finally concluded that if Alexis did not manifest some sort of intention, in some deckled direction, he should be asked not to call quite so often. In the meantime. ' the stopper,' as papa expressed it, should be put upon ' the great flute-trick.' Time then rolled on, and Virginia, Adelina, and Selina were engaged to other young gentlemen, and still Alexis did not seem quite to have made up his mind.

- One night, however, when he had been more than usually silent, and had stared at all of us harder than ordinary, on going away he said to mamma, ' I have something I want to say to you ; I think I'll call in and say it to-morrow.'

' Why not now V asked mamma. 'I think,' he said, 'I would rather call in and say it to-morrow.' When he called, as you may imagine, we were in a state of the intensest expectancy.. He came to say that his friends had come to the conclusion that he ought to be doing something. He had connections in New York, and was going over to his uncle's

That was all, and he went. THE END OF ONE SIDE QF THE STORY. THE OTHER SIDE.

My name is Alexis Jones. lam thirty-one years of age, and a man of business.

Early in my life, I believe, my tendencies were poetic and musical. I have since gone into trade, and feel better for it.

I started for New York about fifteen years ago, and entered my uncle's house. Steady industry, business habits, punctuality, probity, and other virtues, have placed me in. the exalted position I .at present occupy. I left New York some time ago, and have settled down east, where I am the head of a large grocery store, Jhe proprietor of the principal local paper, and the Mayor. Although comparatively young, I am greatly respected, and mention the fact witli pleasure. Being of agreeable presence, and possessing social qualities, inclusive of the flute, the fair sex of this city has, naturally enough, manifested a desire, upon several occasions, to form a matrimonial alliance. A gainst these notions, however, I have always set ray face. I has been my first object in life to acquire wealth and position. My second object has been to choose a partner worthy of me. Such not having presented themselves in any large numbers, I have remained a bathelor until the present occasion. I attribute my sneoess in life, for the most part, to die boldness with which I have put into execution the plans and projects I have conceived in reference to sugars, treacle, and spices. My prize conundrum tea paper was universally allowed to be an enormous notion, My married women's sugar olub was a tremendous triumph. I kept a poet in < frenzy rolling ' in th.c back premises,

who made very pretty poems about my cheap' plums. In short, all the other stores in the town dried up everlastingly after awhile, and my emporium remained a blaze of triumph. The way I became the proprietor of the influential local journal was simple in the extreme. I sold up the other proprietor. Then I went in for everything high-class and elegant. I bought some new type, and engaged a person of classical attainments to do my articles, canvas for ads, and mind the publishing office when the boy was out delivering the copies to the subscribers. 1 think it was the high tone we took respecting local politics that made us so successful, and we also did puffs at a low price, and took goods instead of cash in some instances where more convenient. I don't particularly care for literature myself, having other and graver matter (sugar, plums, tea, coffee, etc.) to think of, but I must own that it is to a certain extent gratifying to be able after one's Sunday dinner to sit with one's broadsheet in one's hand, and say, ' This is my property. Here's information for you, collected from all quarters of the globe ! Here's civilisation for you ! Science, the fine arts, political pt ogress, foreign intelligence ; and yet if I choose to send down word next Friday we don't mean to go to press, the whole thing comes to a sudden standstill, and news is at an end !' Only I have never done this as yet, as we manage, one week with another, to pay very fairly. When the masterpiece of mechanism, the Atlantic telegraph, was first introduced to our town by the opening of the branch line, connecting us with the great railway leading to New York, the most intense excitement prevailed in our streets and public places ; and we let off fireworks, mule speeches, and otherwise ventilated the popular enthusiasm. As mayor of the town, I felt it was incumbent on me to signalise the groat event by an act of daring originality. I had been thinking it over for some time past, and this was what I did. Some clays before I caused several thousand handbills to be struck off at my printing office, and circulated freely in the town, to the effect that I contemplated matrimony, and that anyone paying three months' subscription in advance for groceries at my store would be entitled to a handsome wedding gift, which I should present to them ou the day of my nuptials. This announcement made a profound sensation, and subscriptions poured in \ from all sides, whilst the town and suburbs rang with but one question : Who is the fortunate candidate for the hand of Alexis Jones? In spite of solicitation, however, I steadfastly refused to give any information until the proper time arrived. That time was the day of the opening of the telegraph office, and upon that day I, regardless of expense, sent this telegram to England and paid for a reply :—: — To Miss Smith, Mornington Crescent, Camden Town, from Alexis Jones Mayor, etc., etc. I have been meaning to write for some time. Would you like to marry me, and come out and settle here. If so, apply to Messrs. Dodson and Ferwin, my agents, in Old Broad Street, for all necessary travelling expenses. Excuse brevity. Lome at once, Answer paid. The answer ran thus :—: — With pleasure ; I will start in a week. i The day fixed for the arrival of MissSmith, of Camden Town, was one of the greatest possible excitement. From early dawn a band played loudly in front of the grocery store, and there were illuminations the night bafore, both here and at the newspaper office, on a really extensive scale. I must own that I, too, was a little anxious. Supposing she should not come at all, aud that, all this expense of gas, music, etc., had been gone to for nothing. Then, again, I knew that much was expected of me, and that my future . bride would be criticised severely. But I felt pretty sure of her ; my Lavinia was tall and majestic, nothing like the little turned up nosed thing, her sister Aurora. No ; what I wanted to adorn my store was a majestic presenca, and that I had got in Lavinia. I therefore felt happy. At length the train arrived. I waited on the platform. I looked in vain for the woman who had pledged her troth so many years ago. The passengers all dispersed — all but one little, fair, .fat, faded woman, carrying a bandbox. Something — I don'i know what — caused me to go and speak to this fair, faded, fat woman. It was Miss Smith — Aurora Smith. The Miss Smith I knew of in days gone by had got married. I ought to have thought that such a thing was just possible, only somehow I didn't. It was a sad blow to me. I should have been so laughed at if T had told an) one of my dreadful disappointment, so I married Aurora. That is all.