American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1826-03-14
sRLEcTED.
THE COTTAGER'S DAUGHTER.


Sir William 49,, soon after the death of his
father, became possessed OF a very large estate
Having then the means of enjoying his great
pleasure, (ravelling) he determined leaving Eng
land with the intention OF returning to it again after
he had visited the south OF France, Italy. &c
While at Piedmont, descending one OF the valleys
| where notwithstanding the ruggedness of the road
Sir William preferred the conveyance of an En-
gsh hunter TO that of an Italian mule, his horse
unluckily made false step, and tell with his rider
to the ground, from which Sir William was lifted
by his servants, apparently hieless They convey
ed him on litter to the nearest house, which hap
pened to be the dwelling of venerable old man OF
the Of Venom and his daughter. Venom
himself being little skilled in surgery, bled him.
and had him put to bed. In less than week he
was much recovered TO be able TO enjoy the
company Of Venom and his daughter. The latter.
whose name was Louisa, attracted Sir Williams
| attention. He found her conversant and accom-
pIished her favorite music was the Lutte, which to-
| gether with Venoni's little hand organ, formed the
music of his dwelling. Sir William being an
excellent performer the violin, used to Join in
the harmony with Louisa and her father Sir VIII
liam had excited warmth Of affection in Louisa, and
Louisa was most dear to Sir William The passion Of
Sir William for Louisa became ignted, and there
was but way in which his pride allowed OF its
being grati6ed. He sometimes thought OF this, as
base and unworthy way but he the fool Of
words he had often despised, the slave of manners
he had often condemned. He at last resolved to
think no more of Louisa. at any rate to think
more of the ties of gratitude, of the restraints
OF virtues Louisa, who trusted to BOTH communi
Gated TO Sir William an important secret She
took up her Lutte and touched little wild melan
choly air. That, (said she) nobody ever heard
except my father. / composed il TO the memory
of my dear mother. Sometimes | play it when
my heart il full Of sorrow, and it was on that &C
count it came just now across my mind " Sir
William pressed to know the cause of her sorrow,
when she told him. Her father had fixed on he
son Of neighbor, rich in possessions but rude in
manners, for her husbands the thoughts Of which
made her miserable. " To marry where one can
not love, to marry such man. Sir William!''
| Now was the time for Sir William--an opportu
nifty beyond his resistance He gently pressed her
such marriage praised her beauty, exIolied her
virtue, and concluded by swearing that he adored
her Sir William improved the favorable moment;
talked ol the ardency Of his passion, the Insignia
cancy of ceremonies and FORMS the eternal duration
of those dictated by love- and, in fine, urged her
going off with him Louisa started at the proposal
| She would have reproached him, but her heart was
not made for reproach-s she could only weep.
They we're interrupted by the arrival OF her father,
| who told Louisa that he intended she should be
married in week at the farthest; words most
dreadful TO the feelings Of Louisa. In the evening
she wandered forth into thicket formed of pop
| lars, and sitting down on a withered stump, leaning
her cheek upon her hand, INDUCED her sorEows