Lexington union. (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-18??, 1841-01-09
Form Grlhan's Magazine for January.
CLARA FLETCHER.
OR FIRST AND LAST LOVE.


"What beautiful creature Clara
Fletcher is" exclaimed Mr.. Tressayle.
"Beautiful!" replied the lady by whom
he stood, tossing her head disdainfully,
"why, La" and she raised her glass to her
eye, :" think she's positively plain look.
ing"
Beautiful indeedr' echoed her mama,
fat, vulgar looking woman, the Haunting
colors Of whose dress, BETRAYED her char.
acter at once, "why now, do say Mr..
Tressayle, its astonshing-it is-how
gentleman of such tone as you, should
think that pert Miss Fletcher any thing
but common-lke. Why, do look at
her hair now, I'd be bound she done it M
heraelf-and then her dress, why that stuff"
said she, with contemptuous curl of her
lip, COULDN'T have cost dollar yard.
Do you think it could, Aramnta, my
dcar?"
Mr.. Tressaylo was decidedly the most
fashionable man at Saratoga. With a fine
person, handsome countenancc, the most
courtIey manners, and more than all sup.
posed to be possessed of fortune as OK.
tensive as his establishment was fashiona.
Bile, no was looked up to by all as the
match Of the season. The Belvilles,
therefore, with whom he was now CONVEX.
sing, were not little haitered by the at.
tenlions which he paid them. True they
were the wealthiest family at tho Springs;
but then Mr.. Belville had mnde his prince
ly fortune as n distiler. Originally the
keeper of a .5rocer's shop, he had
risen afterwards into an obscure tavern
keeper, and from thence by slow grada-
tons, he had become wine merchant, a
distiller, usurer, and a millionaire
Latterly, his lady, discarding the shop
and affecting TO despise tradesmen's wives,
had set up for a woman of fashion, and
nothing gave her, in her eyes more impor.
lance than the attentions obviously paid
by Mr.. Tressayle to her only child, Ara
minta Melvina Belvile, long, scraggy
young lady Of about two-andtwenty, bu
who affected the manners of sweet
sixteen" The devotion of Tressayle t.
such being was indeed surprising 10 al
who did not know how involved was his
fortune
What reply might have been made BY
Tressuyie to this remark we know not
for his answer was cut short by the ap
penrance Of no less parsonage than Mr.
Belville.
How nre you, Tressayle, fine girl'
here, eh!' said this gentleman, slappine
the Young man somewhat Familiarity or
the shoulder, "deuced handsome gal that
Just come in, and has fell heress 10 COO
three hundred thousand. BY Jovc she's q
lucky thing TO get the hunk Of money old
Smarter made in the East India trade"
"Clara Fletcher heiress TO Mr.. Snarler
you surprise me-" said Tressayle, 81
though, he had sworn to cut off her moth
er, who was his sister, you know, and al
her family with shilling, merely fol
marrying MIR. Fletcher, who, though poor
, was IN every respect gentleman"
Gay, so he did-so he did, but he dice
, at last dye see2--wlhout wili,--ant
so Clara Fletcher, the only daughter o
+ his only sister, cuts into his fortune fat.
Ills singular never heard of this
BEFORE" said Tressayle, half musingly.
"Mamma, la! if | don't think Mr.. Tres
sayle has seen Miss Fletcher before,
whispered the daughter behind her fan
and then raising her voice and simperine
and blushing as Tressayle looked dowr
or overhearing her, she continued, "deal
t me, you havn't been listening all the while
have youi But do tell, Mr.. Tressayle
: who is that young man talking with hcrT
81 believe it is Mr.. Rowloy."
[ "Gad is he the ieller," brok in Mr.
, Bclvile, shat published the poems So
many people are cracking up. Why hi
isn't much after all guess. For my par
| don't see why some people get praiset
for writing poetry--its nothing coult
do it myself if I'd try," said he, with {
sheer. 81 don't think this Mr.. Rowley {
man of talent; no poet is" And finishing
: his sentence with a suoercilious look a
. the subject of his remarks, the cldevan
. green grocer, inflated with the conscious
ness of his wealth, thrust his fingers into
J his waistcoat pockets, and marched off tc
f Join another group;
/, "Why my dear Miss Fletcher how
!. dye do?" said the shrill voice OF Nrs
Belyille, OF this moment, as Mr. Rowley
led his beautiful partner to q seat near the
, preiender to ton, show have you been tins
, age? Why how we'll you are looking
: Laws me,and so You know Mr.. Tressayle
!, Well now ] do say how quiet you've al
kept it,"
|, 1t was as Mrs. Belyille said. ClarT
Fletcher had scarcely replied TO the vulga
address Of her neighbor BY distant tho
!, ipolite inclination of her head, before sh'
: caught the eyes of Tressayle fixed upoI
her with look Of mingled inquiry an'
/ delight, and rs he bowed and stepped for