Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-04-21
MiISCEL ANY.
THE BRIDAL ROBE.

Ddto pTouiSdl son oI his! mere ~ Ut
grand feast Of the tip-top burgesses
forsooth, and the serving men have al
got new liveries, that would be fit for the
retinue OF the Duke OF burgundy him
self. They are rolling in the hampers
and barrels of wine as II 1t was SO much
water; nothing but the best vintage viii
90 down it seems, with this dainty gen.
tleman. The viands are all Of the finest
and most costly description, and there
have been two extra cooks hired to dress
the dinner: while here am ] who little
thought, when | married Mr.. Brugge-
mann, the senior partner III the firm, of
coming to distress, obliged to lag hard
all day long for little more than dry
crust, and to see you working your fin
gers TO the bone to keep lie aud soul
together. l have no patience when
look at that ungrateiul Maurice Kettler,
and think Of all that my husband did Tor
his family, raising them out OF the dirt,
as one may say "Nay, bu, dear mo-
ther," returned Lena, Maurice is IN all
probability ignorant OF the benefit which
his father received from mine, and you
know that it was not the elder Ketters
fault that the partnership was dissolved.
We must strive to forget the errors of one
SO deservedly dear to us; yet justice
compels me to remind you, thu my poor
fathers tenacious adherence to IA runous
system, was the sole cause of our mis-
fortunes: had he taken kettIor's advice,
our circumstances would have been as
tlonrishing a. those Of his SON."
Lena's mild remonstrance was lost up
on her mother. She continued to gaze
from the narrow window Of the mean
apartment which she occupied over an
clubhouse, looking upon hIaurce Ket-
tiers new mansion and gardens in the
suburb Of the city, to comment upon the
luxury, protligacy, and extravagance Of
their neighbour, and TO lament over her
own fallen fortunes. The theme was
particularly distressing TO Lena; she felt
the hardships of her lot very severely,
but, resigned to the will Of heaven, and
depending upon gracious Providence,
she earnestly endcavoured to Danish dis
content from her mind Bending over
the embroidering frame, to which she
devoted herself with indefstigabIe indus
try, she strove to fix all her attention up
on the flowers which spraDg up beneath
her creative fingers. This state of qui-
etude, however, was not permitted; Mrs.
Bruggomann's continual exclamations
disturbed her mediiative thoughts. Not
fowl, or ham, or a quarter Of venioon
could pass through Ketller's gate, with
out exciting animadversion. comp
cried the old lady, vexed at Lena's un-
ruflled composure, " if people were hon
durable and kept their contracts, you
would have been the mistress of all this
magnificence; but there is no chance Of
that now; yon fine gentleman must needs
match himself with nobility, and his mar
riage with Miss Cunegonde, Baron Ho-
denburg's daughter, IS all the talk, go
where you will"
Poor Lena suppressed the sigh which
swelled her gentle breast at this speech.
She remembered the time when Maurice
kettler delighted 10 call her his little
vile; indeed, so strongly had the solem-
nifty OF the engagement, entered into in
more prosperous times between the two
families, been impressed upon her young
mind, that it was with difficulty she-could
fancy the possibility of its being disst w.
ed. She tried to exoncrate Maurice
from all blame: ne probably had not
heard The subject mentioned SO often;
and, sent away very young to attend to
his fathers mercantile concerns at Ant
werp, he might have forgotten those idle
words which she had cherished in her
heart of hearts. II was during the alb
sence of Maurice in Holland, that old
Bruggemann withdrew fiom the finn,
and pursuing some very hazardous spec
ulations, lost all his property, and died
of broken heart. In the interim Hans
Kettler amassed great wealth, which he
bequeathed to his only son, who return
ed from Antwerp, after residence of
eight years, to take possession of his in
heritance. Lena heard of the expected
arrival Of her beloved playmate with de-
light: he had been the partner of all her
infant sports, her tutor, and her guide;
she loved him with undivided affection,
for his place had never been supplied by
any new connexion, either male or fe-
male: as Mrs. Bruggemann maintained
decent pride in her adversely, and
though abandoned by her old acquaint-
ance, refused TO associate with the mean
people who composed the circle around
her, upon the decease of her husband,
the distressed widow retired with her
daughter to cheap lodging in the out
skirts Of the city, where by spinning and