The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-09-11
The Bridegroom'S Prlinn.

ming. love affairs, and other such
gold scattering cnioymenis. had so
nearly reached the drrgs of his great
grand fathers hereditary portion,
that he could calculate the DEPART
ing hour Of his last guinea. As one
evening he WAS returning home from
one of those haunts of dissipation
which he habitually l'requented. fee
Bile in body, as in mind. and for the
first time ill his life casting firm
look upon the ruin of his fortune
he could not we'll determine whether
he should end his troubles by draw e.
ing trigger, or throwing himself
into the | names.
While be thus waved between fire
4 water 1.-THE very profound idea oc-
CURED to him not to lay violent hands
upon himself, but to allow himself
to be conducted ont of the labyrinth
of poverty by the fair hand of some
wealthy bride. With this conso-
ling thought he went to bed. aud
already IN his nocturnal visions tho
rapid racers flew, the fair girls frs
kcd about him, both of which he
was happy in thinking he might
maintain in future upon the dowry
of his wife.
On the following morning he re-
Elected anew upon his plan. " found
1t nneXceptionable in every point,
excepting the very slight cirrum-
stance OF not knowing When or where
he was To find the rich heiress he
wanted. In London. where all the
world regarded him as spendthrift,
it was not once to be thought of he
saw that for the future he must throw
his net out elsewhere.
Alter much Cogitation and search
ing. he at last hit upon an old rich
colonel. living upon his own estate.
about 30 miles from the capital. who
fortunately had no acquaintance in
London, and was the father Of an only
daughter.
Into the house of this gentleman,
by the means Of a friend, to whom
he promised half the booty, he got
himself introduced and received.
The daughter of the Colonel was
an awkward country girl, with round
chubby cheeks, like Reuben's che
ruhims, and looked particularly odd
in the hand-me down attire of her
sainted mother, which did not at all
fit her. and was of course none OF
the most fashionable cut. Her
mind, too, was as attractive as her
attire, she could only talk of hens
and geese, and when any other to-
pic came above board, her con>cr-
sation was limited to yes, yes,
or mo no, all beyond this seem
cd to her sinful.
The wooden puppet was indeed a
mighty contrast to the sprightly,
gay and lively nymphs with whom
the young Briton had until this pc
riod. been toying; but be careful
" confined to the solitude Of bis own
bosom the disagrceablc frelings Of
this heaven and earth distant ditFe-
renee. Hs'tlattcring tongue called
the girls Stiffness celestial Juno
ccnce. aud her red swollen cheeks.
he likened to the beauty of the full
blown damask rose. The end of
the song was, he turned to the faith
cr and sued warmly for his daugh-
ter's hand.
The colonel, during his sixty
years career through the world, had
collected this much knowledge of
mankind, that however slyly the
young man had masked himself. he
could. nevertheless, discose r the for
tu"e hunter pcepinS through the dis
guise. At first hcrefore, he thought
of pcremptorily refusing him per-
mission to WOO his daughter but
on the other hand he thought the
youth is fashionable, and perhaps
may be doing him injustice, he,
as yet. betrays no anxiety about the
portion and why should the girl
who is manageable. remain longer
at home His request shall be
granted. but his apparent disintcrcs.
tedncss shall stand a decisive tri-
al
The sutton was then informed
that the father had no objections tc
the match, provided the daughter
would give her consent: aud sh,
poor thing. replied as in duty bount
-. My fathers will is mine In,
deed, could any thing else be expect
ed