The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1822-12-16

meet and welcome her young friend, but
az she held out her hand, Haf riet discov-
cred a little Flower in it, it was a 'forget |
me not she examined lit was one of
Leland's; the mark she had made upon
1t, when she took il from the basket of
the flower girl, was there. This was, at
the moment an unfortunate discovery.
She had heard that Charles frequently vi. |
sited this family and that no even paid
attentionto Jane but she had never be.
fore believed it and now she shuddered
at tho idea of admitting, that for once ru.
mour told truth. where did you get
this pretty flower, Jans,' said she, soh
beau to be sure said Jane archly sdont
you see-Forget me not y and as she took
back tho flower. Il should not like to
tell you where got it, I'll wear it in my
bosom though, come sing,
III dearly love this pretty flower,
For his own sake who bid me keep it
Ill wear it in my bosom's--
'Hush jane said Harriet, interruptine
her, 'my head aches, and your singing
distracts me- 'Ah it's your heart, said
ane, or you would not look so dull
Well lit is my heart, said Harriet, as
she turned to conceal her tears, it does
not become friend to trifle with it,
She intended TO convey double mean
ing in this reply, but it was not taken,and
as soon as possible she returned home.
A s!eepless night followed. Harriet
felt that she was injured and the more
she thought about it the more she felt
She had engaged her hand to Leland
six months before the time for their
union was approaching fast and he &C.
ted thus If he wants to be freed from
his engagement, said she to herself. | viii,
give him no trouble.' And she sat down
and wrote, requesting him to discontinue
his visits. She wept owe r il a food of
tears Blu. she was resolute until she
had dispatched the note to his residence.
Then she repented of it, and then again
reasoned herself into the belief that she
had acted right. She waited for the re.
suit, not without many anxiously cherish
ed hopes that he would call for an ex.
PLANTATION. But she only learned that the
note was delivered into his hands-and
! about month aflerwardshe sailed for
England.
This was an end to the matter. Charlie.
went into business in Liverpool, but nc
yer married; and Harriet remained sin.
gie' devotiDg her life to the care of her
aged mother, and ministering to ,he wants
OF the poor and distressed around her.
About 40 years after Leland left Pbils.
deIPhia, Harriet paid visit to New York.
and dining in large company one day, IAN
ola gentleman,whoi it seemed, was a bach.
eior, being called upon to defend the fra
terni'y to which he belonged, fro,n the
aspersions OF some Of the younger and
more fortunate part Of the company, told
story about Philadelphia, and cour,ship
and an engagement, which he alleged
was broken off by his capricious mistress
Tor no other reason than his offering her
sweet new bloom forget me not, six
weeks before she was to have been made
ms wife. "But was there no other cause,
asked Harriet, who sat nearly opposite
The stranger, and eyed him with intense
curiosIty--"none to my knowledge. as
heaven is my witness" "TheD what did
you do with the other flower ?" said
Harriet. The stranger gszed in aston.
ishmeDt-it was Leland himself, and he
recognized his Harriet, though almost
hall a century had passed since they met
and before they parted, the mischief
made BY the twin flowers was all explain |
ed away, Sc might have been forty wear,
beiore,had Charles said he had Lost one Of
the forget me not's: or had Jane said |
she had found it. The old couple never