Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-07-14
PROVIDENCE.
HENRY O'CONNOR.
(CoNTINUED.)


I" Oh that the Desert were my dwelling place,
With one fair Spirit for my minister,
That might all forget the human race,
And hating no one, love but only her
fe Elements i'm whose ennobing stir
feel myself exalied-Can ye not
Accord me such being Do err
In decmlng such nhabit many a spot?
Though with them converse can rarely be lot"
CHiLDE HAROLD, Canto lV.
The day after Mr.. o'Connor received the
last note from Rosalind. he addressed to her
the following letter, which, as will be seen in
the sequel, led to a personal interview, and
was the harbnger of difficulties and distresses,
which might have been avoided, had it not
been written.
SATURDAY Noon, April "a, 1921
My good dear Friend-Your note Of yester-
day, have just read; and / am not a little
surprised, that you should indulge in so.much
leNity at my expense, and that you should deem
1t necessary, to trifle with my feelings, and at
tribute to me species Of hypocritical afecta-
tion, which cannot too heartily despise.
But you do not know me;--nne years alb
sence has made vast change in my feelings
and that was once the gay, thoughtless Hen
ry o Connor, am now the dull misa hrope that
care not how soon period is pu, to my ex-
istence.
You have politely invited me to call and see
you, and with your invitation would willingly
comply, did not fear, that the presence Of her
whom | once sincerely loved, would arouse
feelings which long since determined TO sup
press, and which have struggled to forget.
There was a time, when my heart would
have leaped for joy, if beheld you, but that
time has past, and must hope no more.
cannot must not, will not, comply with your
invitation. ! assure you that your kindnesses
and good will towards me, will mover be for
gotten, and that to the last day my existence,
l shall reflect with feelings of gratitude, on
the many acts of courtesy and civility, which
have already received at the hands ofmy good
and fair friend, Rose. l beg that this note, may
put an end TO our correspondence; that you
will forget that such wretch as ! am ever
lived; and solicit you 70 receive this note
kindly, for il conveys to you my last .fare,ceH.
am most truly thine, dear Rose. HAL.
The foregoing note was handed to Rosalind,
by a little ragged cherry-cheekcd boy, Of whom
she enquired after the health of Mr. O'Con-
nor; but the lad for some moments stood mute,
and silently refused to answer any nterroga-
, tories which had been put to him by the fair
and witching Miss villars.
Dlsplcased with the obstinacy of the lad,
Rose soon evinced he- feelings with an ndg-
nant frown, when the lad exclaimed, good,
dear lady, look not SO unkind again, and you
shall know all about it, and about it, that's
what you shall, as sure as my name IS master
'Dickey. Amused with the conduct Of the
/ boy, and flattered with the effect her charms
had had upon the passions Of the ragged
urchin, Rose patted his head, bade him pro-
| ceed, and reply to her interrogatores; and as
sured him, he should be handsomely rewarded,
if he would tell her all he knew concerning Mr..
O'Connor. For moment the boy hesitated
but at length, whilst a blush suffised his coun-
tenanoo, he said, that when he left the lodg-
ings of Mr.. O'Connor, the gentleman charged
him not to answer any questions that might be
put to him; but" continued he, 'when one
is asked to do any thing for such good, dear
lady, as know you must be, how can one re-
fuse, even if one is commanded to keep his
! mouth shut by his master! declare, 1 cannot
do any such thing; and now my lady, I'll tell
you every syllable know about Mr.. O'Con-
nor, that's what will, my dear good lady,
Well then, my lady, you must know, that Mr..
O'Connor is very well; he is in excellent
health; but o, my patience! he is the most ill
natured man ever saw in all my life, and ifmy
hair was not very strong, he would have pulled
the whole of it out Of my head, many month
| ago, and should be as bald as the old man,
what is told Of in the bible. Sometimes he
| looks as if he would eat me up, and then again,
he is SO good and so kind, and woeps so, that
| my heart is broken, and would give all the
world, and all my hair, if he would only be
angry again; for had thousand times rather
see him mad, than to see him unhappy as
| he is. Sometimes at the dead hour Of night,
den, and there give vent 10 his feelings; and
don't you think my lady, that few nights
since, found him in the recess, sitting all
alone; and whilst the moonbeams played
upon him, saw tear glitter in his eye; and
then he would mutter something about the
,ngratitude of the world, and utter many a
cruol word, which l strovc TO forget, but could
, not. Sometimes he passes the whole day
alone, eats nothing, speaks not, and 1t
look at him he bids me begone,--to leave him,
and tells me if am not away in an instant,
he will kill mo. He is very strange man my
lady, and if were you, I'd never send him