American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1826-10-10
Volune ".


rencountcr with his brother officers baniahed the
commission given him entirely from his thoughts.
Nor did he remember il till, they rode through
the village the next morning, on their way to Wor-
cester they met Lady Leslie walking in the road.
Al sight of her, F:eeland recollccted with shame
and confusion that he had not fulfilled the charge
committed TO him and tain would he have passed
her unobserved; Tor as she was woman of high
fashion, great talents, and some severity, he
afraid that bis negligence if asowed would not only
cause him to forfeit her favor, but expose him to
her powerful sarcasm
i To avoid being recognized was, however, mpossi-
Bile; and Lady Leslie saw him, size
claimed, " Oh Captain Freeland, am glad to
see you | have been quite uneasy concerning my
letter since / gave it TO your care ; for il was OF
such consequence Did you put it into the post
yesterday ?" 'Cersinly,' replied Freeland, hastily.
and in the hurry Of the moment, Certainly. How
could you. dear Madam, doubt MY ODE dlence TO
your commands ?'--.s Thank you thank you ~
cried she, !" how you have relieved my mind" - He
had SO but he had painfully buroened his own. To
be sure it was only white iie--THE LIE OF FEAR.
Still he not used 10 utter alsehood; aod he iet
the 1aeanness and degradation of this. He had yet
TO learn that it was mscheyous also and that none
can presume to say where the consequence OF tho
most apparently trivial lie will end. AS soon as
Freeand parted with Lady Leslie. he badc his friends
farewell, and putting spur 10 bis horse, scarcely
Stacked his pace ill he had reached general
post office, and deposited the letter in safety. Now
them" thought he, " hope shall be able to return
and dine with Lady Leslie, without shrinking from
her penetrating eye"
| lie found her when he arrived, very pensye and
absent SO much So that she felt il necessary 10 apo
ogize 10 her guests informing them that Mary
Benson, an old servant Of hers, who was very dear
to her, seriously i'll, and painfully Circumstance
ed and that she feared she had not done her duty
by her. IS To tell you the truth, Capt F,eeland,"
speaking to him in low voice, " | blame myself
for not having sent for my confidential servant, who
was not very far eff, and despatched him with the
money, instead Of trusting il to the post" 1t would
have been better to have done SO, cerdinty! re-
piled Freeland, deeply hlushing. eyes; Tor the
poor womsn, to whom sent it, is not only herself
on the point of being confined, but she has sick
husband, unable to be moved and as (but owing to
fault of his he is the point OF bankruptcy, his
cruel landlord has declared that, il they do not pay
their by tomorrow, he will turn them out into
the street. and seize The very bed they lie on How
ever, you put the letter into the post yeSterday
they must &c, the fifty pound note day. else they
could not for there is no delivery Of letters 10 Lon.
don Sunday you know" "'rrue, very true
replied Freeland, in tone which ne vSnly tried
to render steady. Therefore," continued Lady
Leslie, :" fyou had told me, when we met, that the
letter was not gone, should have recalled Baynes,
and sent him off by the mail to London and then
he would have reached Somerstown, where The Ben.
sons live, ln good time; but now though own 1t
would be comfort to me to send him, Tor lear OF
accident, could not get him back again soon
enough ;--theretore, most let things take their
chance, and as letters seldom mscarry, the only
danger is that the note may be taken out "--ohc
might have talked an hour without answer or inter
rupon ;-for Freeand was too much shocked, too
much conscience-slricken, TO reply; as he found
that he had only told false hood, but that II he
had had moral courage enough 10 tell the truth the
mischievous negligence, Of which he had been gull
lty, could have been repaired, but now, as Lady
Leslie said. it was too late J"
But while Lady Leslie became talkative, and
able TO perform her duties to her friends, alter she
had thus unburdened her mind to Freeland, he grew
every minute absent, and more taciturn;
and though he could not eat with appetite ne threw
down rather than drank, repeated glasses OF mock
and champagne, to cradle him to rally his spirits !;
bot in vain A naturally ingenuous and generous
nature cannot shake off the first compunctuous
vsilines of conscience for having coFamitted an
unworthy action and having also been the means OF
| injury 10 another. All sudden, however, his
counle nance frightened; and as soon as the ladies'
left the table, he started up, left his compliments
and excuses with Lady Lese's nephew, who pre-
sized at dinner said he bad pressing call to
Worcester and, when there, as The London mail
was gone he threw himself into post chase, and
set off Tor Somerslown, which Lady Leslie had
named as the residence of Mary Benson, AT
least said Freeand TO himself, with lightened
heart shall now have the satisfaction OF doing
all can to repair my fault But. owing to the
Edelay occasioned by the want Of horses; and oy
finding the osllers at the inns in bed he did not
reach London and the place of his destination I'LL
the wretched family had been dislodged; while
the unhappy wife was weeping, not only over the
disgrace OF being so removed, and for her own and
her husbands increased illness in consequence OF II,
but from the agouizng suspicion that the mistress
and friend. whom she had so long loved and relied
j - LII ,Ir, taIa anfh herS in1vs and