The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1841-01-13

where l may have peace. Ihe reSul
was that another vicissitude took place II
our heroine's condition. She sou ght ont
ofthe great manufacturing establishment.
of the town, and was fortunate enough tt
obtain employment in executing partic'
|ular kind Of needlework. She would fair
have had it her power to work in private
but this could not be allowed in the cir.
cumstances. A considerable number ol
other girls were engaged in the same oc.
cupation in the establishment, and totheil
number Margaret joined herself. Happi.
ly, the remuneration for that variety oI
work was respectable in amount, and she
was enabled to take little lodging, and ID
keep herself above all fear of want.
For some time Miss Brydon pursued
her humble occupation without having her
fate chequered by any incident of impor.
tance. At length some circumstances oc.
Cured, which at first gave her consider.
able degree of uneasiness. One of the
numerous partners of the establishment, a
gentleman in the prime of life, who chan.
ced to come on business errands to the
room where Margaret wrought, began to
take particular and unpleasing notice Of
her. She bore it in silence for long time,
trusting that the fancy would be a passing
one; but when, on one occasion, he began
to praise her in way which females in
good society are not accustomed to, she
gently but firmly told him that "such Ian
guage was disagreeable to her." and beg
ged him, as he was gentleman, to desist;
Mr.. Middleton, for such was the merch-
ant'sname, started and stammered out an
apology. He had never before heard the
sound of Miss Brydon's voice, except in
mere monosylables, and he was surprised
at the grace and breeding apparent In her
manners and expression. 'I-I beg par
don," he suffered for the third or fourth
time, as he retired. Margaret made no
other reply than by gentle inclination of
her head.
Mr.. Middleton did not however, give up
his visit to the room of Margaret and her
companions. On the contrary, Lhe came
thither more frequently than ever, and it
was still to the young Scotswoman that
he directed his attention, though in very
different style from that used on former
occasions. Still he found it very difficult
to induce Miss Brydon to enter into con-
versation, or lay aside the retiring GOODNESS
which she had at first assumed, But his
respectful manner and address prevailed
ultimately to certain extent and so far
broke down the barrier of honorable and
maidenly reserve, as to make him aware
that she was of good parentage and well
educated as well as sensible and intelli-
gent. Things were ia this state when Mr..
Middleton became suddenly Ill. He was
subject to inhammatory attacks in the
chest and the recurrence of that COM
plant on this occasion made his friends
alarmed, lest consumption should follow.
On this account he was ordered off, as
soon as he could be moved, to Devon
shire. Before he went thither, however,
he showed how deep was the impression
Miss Brydon had made on his mind, by
sending note to her in the following
tcrms:-
"Dear Miss Brydon, you will be aware
that / have been i'll. | should be the last
person to desire that sorrow of any kind
should fall to your lot, yet confess that it
would give me pleasure to know that you
were sorry for me. l am advised to go
for time to the south of England. Will
you permit me to write to you while am
absent? Grant me but this; | do not ask
you stpresent to write to me again.
am, &c.
Margaret returned an answer consent.
ing to his request, and briefly expressing
her regret for his illness.
While in Devonshire, Mr.. Middleton
wrote once or twice according to his pro.
position. He described the beautiful see.
merry of the Devon in his letters, spoke Of
the excellent effect produced on his health
and expressed a warm wish to be home
again, limiting plainly at his resolution to
TASK peculiar favor" from the reader Of
his epistles. But foreknowledge is thing
unknown to man. Before Middleton re.
turned to Nottingham, Margaret had left
it. Her close application to work had in
iured her health, and she found it absolute.
ly necessary to allow some relaxation
Fortunately, an invitation came to her a.
bout this time from one Of the few friends