The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-11-23

II shall now proceed to relate a story, to
illustrate the lie Of fear, and its important
circumstances.
THE BANE NOTE.
"Are you returning Immediately to Wor-
cester, said Lady Leslie, widow residing
near that city to young officer who was
paying her morning visit. Il am; can
do any thing for you theres''-"Yes; you can
do me great kindness. My confidential
servant Baynes, is gone out for the day and
night, and do not like to trust my new
footman, of whom ! know nothing, to put
this letter into the post office, as it contains
fifty pound note" "Indeed that is large
sum to trust to the post.' "Yes; but ! am
told it is the safest conveyance. 1t is, how
ever, quite necessary that person whom
can trust, should put the letter in the box"
"Certainly," replied captain Freeland.
Then with an air that showed that he con-
| sidercd himself as a person to be trusted,
he deposited the letter in safety in his pock-
ct book, and took leave; promising lac would
return TO dinner the next day, which! was
| Saturday.
On his road, Treeland met some Of his
brother officers, who were going to pass the
day and night at Great Malvern, and as
they earnestly pressed him TO accompany
them, he wholly forgot the letter entrusted
to his care, and having despatched his SER
want TO Worcester, for hlaSatE de aait, and
! other things, lie turned back with his COM
panions. and passed the rest Of the day in
that sauntering but amusing llencss, that
dolce flf aicnte, which may be reckoncd
| comparatively virtuous, 1t It leads to the
| forgetiulness Of little duties only, and it is
not attended by the positive infringement OF
greater ones. But III not putting this import
ant letter into the post, as he had engaged
to do, Freeiand violated real duty, and he
might have put it in at Malvern, had not
the rencounter with his brother officers,
banishcd the commission given him entirely
| from his thoughts. Nor did he remember
it till, as they rode through the village the
next morning, OH their way to Worcester
they met Lady Leslie walking in the road.
At the sight OF her Freelanl recollected
with shame and confusion that he had not
fulfilled the charge ommitted 10 him; andtAin
would he have passed her unobservea; for
as she was woman of high fashion, great
| talents, and some severity, he WAS afraid
! that his negligence, ifavowed, would not on
| ly cause him to forfeit her favor, but expose
him to her powerful sarcasm.
impossible; and as soon as Lady Leslie saw
him. she exclaimed, "Oh Captain Freeland,
| am glad to SEE you have been quite un-
easv concerning my letter since gave 1t to
your care, for it was of such consequence
| Did YOU put it in the post yesterday %
| Certainly, replied Frecland hastily, and in
the hurry of the moment. certainly How
could YOU, dear madam, doubt my obedience
TO YOUR commandsf' THANK you thank
YOU cried she, show you have relieved my
mind" He had so; but he had painfully
burned his own. To be sure it was only a
white lie-the lie Of fear. Still he was not
used to utter fasehood; and he felt the
nleanneas and degradation OF thistle had
vet to learn that it was mschievous also;
and that none can presume to say where the
consequences of the most apparently trivial
lie viii end. AS soon as Freeland parted
with Lady Leslie, he bade his friends fare
well and put spur to his horse, scarcely
4 Stacked his pace till he had reached gen.
: eral-post office, and deposited the letter in
safety. "Now then" thought he, Il hope
shall be able to return and dine with Lady
Leslie, without shrinking from her penetrat-
ing eve"
4 He found her when he arrived, very pen,
siye and absent, so much so, that She felt il
necessary to apologize to her guests, inform
ing them that Mary Benson, an old servant
of hers, who was very dear to her was seri-
ous!y i'll, and painfully circumstanced; ane
that she feared she had not done her duty
by her, ITO tell You the truth, Capt. Free
land'' speaking to him in a low voice, 81
blame myself for not having sent for m!
confidential servant, who was not very fal
off, and despatched him with the money
instead of trusting it to the post" at woult
have been better to have done so, certainly"
F replied Freeland deeply blushng. Eyes
for the poor woman to whom sent it, is moi
only herself ON the point of being confined
but she has sick husband, unable to bt
moved; and as (but owing to moi fault ofhls) hs
is on the point Of bankruptcy, his cruel land
lord has declared that, if they do not pay
their rent tomorrow, he will turn them ou
, into the street, and seize the very bed they
lie on However as you put the letter int
the post yesterday, they must get the fft.
r pound note to-day, else they could not; fol
! there is no delivery of letters in London on
Sunday you know. '''rrue, very true" re
piled Freeland, in a tone which he vainl,
tried to render steady. Therefore, con
tinued Lady Leslie, ''if you had told me
when we met, that the letter was gone.
should have recalled haynes, and sent HIN
off by the mail to London; and then he woult
have reached Somerstown, where the Ben