ter, and who was prepared to be to him a dutiful, loving son.

Her father turned upon her in anger, and stamping violently, swore by
all that was sacred that never would he give his consent to her union
with one so much beneath her in wealth and position. "Then, father,"
said his gentle daughter, mildly but with much dignity; "we will marry
without it, for as sure as God has witnessed our vows, so surely shall
nought but death part him and me; 'his people shall be my people, and
his God, my God.' Forgive me this first act of disobedience to your
commands, and believe me that I still love you as tenderly as I have
always loved my father; but there are feelings which not even a
parent's authority can control, and with the blessing of God and the
love of him most dear to me of all on earth, I can brave even more
than a father's displeasure." So saying, she left the room, while her
father, astonished beyond measure, remained motionless, completely
taken by surprise at this determined opposition to his will in one who
had hitherto been all gentleness and submission. Days passed, and she
continued as ever, gentle and loving to her father. No reference by
either was made to their late conversation, and he began to think she
had thought better of it and had concluded to yield to his wishes,
even congratulated himself that the _childish affair_ had been nipped
in the bud by his timely and judicious authority, when on one bright
summer day, like a thunder-clap from an unclouded sky, came a very
polite note from Lieutenant Montgomery apprising him of the fact that
Lizzie and he had just been married in the presence of a few friends
by an Episcopal clergyman, and that they craved his forgiveness and
blessing. From that moment her father's heart, already hard, was set
as a flint against her. No entreaties could prevail on him to see her,
and her mother, nearly crazy with grief, anger and wounded pride, took
counsel of friends, who most unwisely encouraged her bitterness and
convinced her that no concessions should be made to a disobedient
child under any circumstances, making the poor, distressed, mistaken
mother feel that it was a Christian duty to let her feel that her act
had made her an outcast from her parents' love and home. Therefore,
although she saw the poor girl occasionally, she always heaped on her
devoted head the most withering reproaches, telling her she had
disgraced her father's name, and must expect to reap the frui