The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1841-09-04

/, wealth had any influence in attracting hi
regard. She was impatiently expecting
his return on the appointed day, and wa
much disappointed when she received
letter from him, which Informed her tina
circumstances had occurred which wout
dctain him at Ashton till the very day ap
pointed for their marriage.
The approach OF that day caused thu
most cruel conflicts in the breast of Her
bert. lie had never really loved Isabel
but he admired her character, and felt tina
he could rely implicitly upon her princi.
pies: her cheerful good sense rendered
her an agrc oablc companion, and her for.
tune was circumstance by no means to
be dlsregarded by man of his expensive
tastes and habits. A these considera-
tons, however, vanished before the inllu-
ence of the passion which the beauty OF
Alice had awakened in his BOSOM lie
struggled against it for awile, but with no
fixed principles; and, without resolution
to tear himself away, his Intellectual efforts
seemed only to rivet the chains which
bound him. Alice loved him as we'll as
she was capable of loving any one, and
her regard for her friend opposed but a
feeble barrier to the qualification of her
wishes. She was incapable of deep feel
ing, but her vanity was gratiied by the
evident devotion Of Herbert, and her mind
was Gazzled by the prospect Of emerging
from the obscurity i'll which her charms
| had hitherto been buried.
The morning appointed for the marri-
age of Isabel Grey had arrived, and she
sat alone in her apartment, in momenlary
expectation of the arrival of her lover and
her friend. They came not, however,
and Isabel was beginning to apprehend
the occurrence of some accident when
her mother entered the room. She held
letter in her hand, and was evidently in
a state Of exc. tcmcnl;unusual TO her gentle
/ character.
"Isabcl," she sail' "this letter is from
Miss Leco
as Alice ill?'' in CURED Isabel, anxious
| ly.
'No, she is not i'll, but she is UNIV orthy
of your friendship. She has elopcd with
| lIerbcrtp'
Isabel heard no more, and with an cx-
| clamatlon of horror and surprise, she fell
senselesS at the feet of her mother. When
animation returned, she insisted OH seeing
Miss Lees letter, md her mother, know
ing the strength Of her character, thought
| it best to indulge her. The letter contain
ed only brief account of the elopement,
with disclaimer on the part of the writer
of any Knowledge of or participation in
the affair.
Isabel Grey did not sink under this Sc
we're stroke. She felt all the anguish, all
the dcsolation of spirit, natural TO one
whose dearest hopes had been Frustrated
by treachcry and ingratitude on the part OF
him to whom she had given her young
heart with all its glowing feelings, aud OF
her who had been the dear companion Of
her childhood. But in her own bereavc-
ment, Isabel did not forget that she was
the sole stay and comfort other widowed
mother, and that her energies of heart and
mind were given for nobler purposes than
to be wasted in frutIcss repinings for one.
who had proved himself all unworthy Of
her pure and devoted lovc.-She felt too
when the first shock was over, that she
had reason to be thankful that any crcum.
stance, no matter how painful, had unveil.
ed the real character of her lover, before
it become her duty to close her eyes to
his faults, to conceal, even from herself
if possible, his want of honorable princi,
pie.
| Years rolled by. Isabel Grey had be.
come the wife of one who had loved hel
from childhood, and who, if inferior to the
one Of her early choice in external graces
was infinitely his superior in all thosC
mental and moral qualities which give
dignity to man, and which render wo
mans married life happy. And isabc
loved him, if not with the impassionc,
icrvor of other days, at least with deeI
aud sincere affection, and with that reli
t ance on his faithfulness and truth, whicl
grew out other perfect conviction of tn
integrity of his character. She continued
r to reside with her mother, whose increas
, ing age rendered her more than ever dc
= pendent upon the ailectionate attention
I OF her daughter.
One very stormy evening, the Who'll
= family were collected round their cheer
Y full ireside. DR.. Dillingham;, the husban
:, of Isabel, had just returned from Ion
S and iatiguing ride, and was seated in
large armchair, holding on his knee
t beautiful infant of a year old. Isabel wa
S seated near him. also caressinr the chilt
d and Mrs. Gray reclincd on !. sofa, and SUI
n veyed the happy group with looks of a
e lectionatc delight.
Suddenly there was a knocking at I'll
hall door, which was Immediately 70
C lowed by the entrance of a female, con
a pletely envclopcd ina cloak, the hood
.e which concealed her face entirely. 81
d carried a child in her arms, and, pushir
l. aside the chair which the doctor oilcrC
L. her, she sunk at the feet of Isabel, al
g throwing off her cloak, revealed the Gc