Liberty advocate., 1842-02-12
THE HEIRESS

cd little girl, used to sill on the pleasant
evenings in June, on the marble stems on
Posle my lodgings, when lived in Phil
aueIPhla, and sing over a hundred little
sonnels and tell over as many tales in q
sweel voice, and with an air of deightCul
slmpicIty that charmed me many lime.
one was then an orphan child, and com.
monlY reported to be rich-olten and of.
Ten, sat after day Of toll and yexa,
tIon, and listened to her innocent voice
breathing forth the notes of peace and
happiness, which flowed choerfuIly from
iighI heart, and felt portion of that
tranquility steal over my bosom-such
was Eliza Huntly, when | first knew her.
several years had elapsed, during
which time | had been absent from the
city when, walking along one of the most
fashionable squares, saw most elegant
female hgurs step into carriage, follow
ca Oy a gentleman and two pretty chil>
dren. ! did not Immediately recognize
her lace, but my friend who was by nv
side, pulled my elbow; do you mol remem.
Der little Eliza who used 10 sing for us,
when we lived together in Walnut street.
did remember, it was herself.
She used TO be fond, said he, of treating
her little circle of friends with romanceS
and at last she acted out neal ro.
nance herself. She ca lie out into the CAV
circle OF life under the auspicies of her
guardians. 1t was said by some she was
rich, very rlch-but the amount of wealth
did not appear to be matter of publici.
ty; however, the current, aud as we se>
nerally beliyed, well founded report. was
sufficient to draw aronnd her many admi.
rers-and among the number not a lew
serious courtiers.
She did not wait long, before q young
gentleman, on whom she had looked with
somewhat partial eye, because he was
the gayest and handsomest of her lovers,
embO lden by her partiality, made her an
offer. Probably she blushed, and her
heart hultered little, but they were sits
ting in moonlight parlor, and as her en-
barrassment was more than half conceal. |
ed, she soon recovered, and as a waegish
humor happened TO have the ascendant,
she put on serious face, told him she
was honored by his preference, and that
there was one matter which should be un.
derstood before, by giving him a reply
she bound him firmly to his PROMISE
" Perhaps ysu may think me wealthy: |
would moi have you labor under mistake
upon that point; ! am worth eighteen
hundred dollars"
She was proceeding, but the gentleman
started as II electrified. Eighteen hun
ired dollars ~ he repeated in manner
hat betrayed the utmost surprise yes,
naam," ssid he, awkwardIy / did UNDER
land you were worth a great deal more
No sir, she replied, no excuse or apol-
gles think about what have told YOU,
'ou are embarrassed now answer me
mother time and rising she bid him {
ood night.
She just escaped trap, he went next
ay TO her guardians to inquire more par,
Icularly into her affairs, and receiving
he same answer, he dropped his suit at
nee. /
The next serious proposal followed soon
tier, and this too, came from one who /
icceeded to large portion Of her es. S
'em, but applying the same crucble to +
le love nc offered her, she found alike I
'sult, He too left her, and she rejoiced il
another fortunate escape. il
She sometime after became acquainted h
nth young gentleman of slender for,
Inc, IN whose approaches she thought a
ne discovered more Of the diffidence of II
we than she had witnessed before. She Il
ID no; check his hopes, and in process of S
me no loo made her an offer. But when b
ie spoke OF her fortune, he begged her l
be silent ; 1t is to virtue, worth, and Il
'auty, said he, that pay my conrt, not s
fortune. In you | shall obtain what is r
orth more than gold. She was most O A
feeaby disappointed. They were mar tC
ed, ami the union was solemnized she
ade him master of her fortune with her.
If am indeed worth eighteen hun. a
red dollars, said she TO him, but hope n
aver 10 enjoy more pleasure than when Il
tell you my fortune is one hundred and b
ghty thousand. "
1t is actually so, but still her husband "
ten tells her he possesses far nobler Il
rlune. tC