Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-10-20

HENRY O'CONNOR.
(Co NTINUED.)

There might have been destiny; but no
| Our hearts deny II and young, SO fair,
Good without effort, great without IA foe
now there!
How many ties did that stern moment tear
From thy sres, to his humblest (menial'sl breast
Is linked the electrical chain Of that despair,
Whose shock was earthquakes, and Oppressed,
The land which lov'd thee 50, that none could love
thee best"
CHILDE HAROLD, Canto Nv.
"I am indeed surprised" said Stanley, when
he had seated himself by the side of o 'Connor
in his private apartment, "I am, indeed, sur
prsed my good friend, TO discover that you
should be so blind, and dull, and stupid, as not
to comprehend the meaning Of the latter part
of my letter, for its design is as obvious as the
midday path to Heaven. But that you shall
no longer doubt, will now declare to you,
that Maria Hardy has, for some ;wo or three
months, been carrying on an intrigue to de-
stroy the affection once placed upon you by
Rosalind, and 20 incense her father against
you-and am sorry to add, that fear she
has proved too successful. The deceitful Ma
ria, is not actuated by those pure feelings for
Rosalind which she ought to cntertain-she
does not consult her happiness, but for the
sake of pecuniary compensation, she has nn-
dertaken for Charles Sexton, the accomplish
ment Of design the most bold, and at the
same time, the most infamous. that woman
ever cngendcred!''
"Stop, STOP" exclaimed O'Connor hastily,
" and do not, beg of you, as you value my
friendship, speak in dsreputabe terms Of Ma
ria Hardy, for TO her kindness ard generosity
am deeply indebted, and know that her
honest heart, is incapable of duplicity Or double
dealing. Do not, my dear Stanley, beg,
speak unkindly of one. who has proved herself
a friend and benofactor. "And Sir" he
continued, elcvating his tone, I" 1 pledge you
my honor, will not hear her DETAINED by any
man, and he who attempts it,, makes me his
foe.''
"Mr. O'Connor," said Stanley, l was not
prepared for this warmth, and this rude Ian
guage, and beg that you will understand, that
though respect you as my friend, and would
do anything to serve you, l am not 10 be in-
tcmidatcd by mcnacng language, nor can you
look Inc out Of existence. AT your request,
and for your nformation, l undertook to ex-
plain, what your dulncss could not understand,
and for thus serving you, am treated indig-
nantly, and frowncd upon and menaced! But
Sir, | will not neglect my duty, and in tho
performance of it, tell you Sir, that you are
deceived, betrayed. and that Maria Hardy for
the sake ofa pecuniary consideration, has un-
deraken, to ALLEVIATE the afle ections of Rosalind
Villars--to destroy you in the estimation OF her
father; and since, Sir, you are not disposed to
listen to plain matters Of fact, l now afford
you, that morifying proof which would will
lingy have spared, had you not driven me to
its production! There SIR, he added that doc
ument may throw some light upon the subject
and Indignantly handing C'Connor note,
left the apartment, not less angry than his
friend was amazed. O'Connor, with tremb-
ling hand opened the letter, and read as fol-
lows.
Thursday eucning, July 3D..
i" Miss Maria Hardy, has the satisfaction of
informing Mr. Charles Sexton, that all things
reason to believe that she can, in a few days,
convert Miss Villars' attachment to O'Connor
into disgust Miss Hardy, assures Mr.. Sexton
that she has been unremitting in her endeav-
ours TO poison the mind of Rosaland, and her
fither, and TO effect which, she has recitcd a
thousand tales of o 'Connor's imprudencies, ,and
Of his iollies, and has succeeded in making
Rosalind believe that he has n wife in Bengal;
and in short, that he is very proiligatc.
Rosalind was a: first sccptical, and it was
with the utmost difficulty, that Miss Hardy
could prevail upon her TO listen to anything
derogatory TO O'Connor, but the moment she
consented TO listen to one disreputablc story her
mind WAS soon prepared to receive another, and
another, until she swallowed the thousand that
had been prepared for her ACCEPTANCE 3 and
yesterday Miss Hardy had the satisfaction
TO hear her exclam that she was rejoicod that
she had escaped the precipisc, on the brink
which he had too long stood, and considered
her deiyorance from the wiles of 0 O'Connor,
signal instance of the benevolent intcrposition
of Heaven. Old Villars, the old dolt, takes
every thing that is prepared for him, even lift
is rasbane; and tho moro deadly the poi
son, the greater his ayidity for swallowing it.
Miss Hardy has prevailed upon RosalInd, TO
give O'Connor his discharge in n letter, which
has alrcadv been forwarded. Associated with
Miss Hardy in this affair, is an old maiden
aunt, confirmed old IIecatc, who has broken
many a match, and circulated more scandal,
than tho whole Of the united family oftho back
bites Hence Mr. Sexton may not entertain the
least fear for t.c favorable issue of the plot
Miss Hardy salutcs Mr.. Sexton, with her as
suranccs Of great respect, and will, in compll-
ancc with his suggestions, draw upon him to-
morrow, for the sum he proposed"
O'Co-lor, calmly folded up tho letter, and
disposing Of it, remarked, (" if this he true,
then is this world formed Of corruption. viii
lnny and crime. and mans sincerity is bat
name, a vapour, ns ovanosccni, az the dew.