Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-11-25

service at church p
Yes do and thought then he was too bad
Aud do not suppose there was one Of you Ia
dies IN the room that did no, think so TOO but yet
the matter was all passed over with smiles, and
with not II sinee insinunon that lie had said any
thing unpeasng disagreenbe.'
We'll, what could we do? One does not like
to he rude, you knowP
Do i-coud you not, Florence, who hive al
ways taken the lead in socisiy. aud who have al
ways heen able to say aud 30 whnt you please -
could you not have shown him lat those remarks
were nnpleaSing to You, us decidedly ns you GER
tnnly would have done it they had related to the
character of your father or brother? To my mind,
womnu of true moral feeling should feel herself
as much insulted When her religion is treated with
contempt MS il the conteupt were shown 10 her
self Do you not knoio The power which is given
yon women To awe aud reStrnin us in your pres
ence, and to guard the sncredhcss or things which
YOU treat as holy Believe the, Florence, that
Foresque, iutidel MS lac is, would reverence n wo-
mnn with whom he dared not trhn Oh sacred sub
jectS.
Florence rose from her seat with heightened
color her dirk eyes Frightening through tears
Il nm sure thar What you say is just cousin,
and YET never thought OF il before. | will am
determined to hes in, after thiS, to live with some
better purpose than have done
And let me tell you, Florence, in starting new
course, ms in learning walk, taking the first step
is every thing. Now, have first step TO pro.
pose TO YOU
WEI cousin >
Well, you Snow, I suppose that among your
train OF adorcrs, YOU number Coouel Elliot "
Florence smiled.
'And perhaps YOU do not know what is certain
ly true, that among The most discerning and cool
part of his friends, Elliot is comrdered US lost
man.
Good heavens Edward. what do you mean :?
'Himrly this, that with all his brilliant talents
his aniable and generous feelings, and his success
in society, EIlioI has not sei-cnnlrol enough To
pr, vent his becoming confirmed in Incorporate
labIs,'
Il never dreamed Of this, replied Florence. q
knew ln he was spirited aud tree, fond of s0ce-
~, and eXciiabIe, but never suspected any thing
beyond.'
Elliot has tact enough never to appear in Ia
dies sorery when he is not in fit state for it, re-
piled Edward but yet 1t is So.
Bet is he really 81 bad 2
He stands Just on the verge, FIorence-jusl
where word, iitly SPOKEN, might turn him. He
is uobe creature, full OF all sorts Of ue impulses
aud feeling, the only son of II mother who dules
on him, the lido Zgd brother of sisters who love
him rs ynn love your brothers, Florence and he
stands here IA word, or look 50 they be of the
right kind might save him.
And wly then, do you not speak TO him " said
Florence.
There is another who could do beter--one whom
he adnres, who stands IN II position which would
inrhId his FEELING nngry-a person, cousin, whom
! have heard III gayer moments say, that she knew
how 10 say amy Thing she pleased, without Offend
ing any hudy.'
bring up my foolish speeches against the aud do
Tot speak as if ought 10 Interfere III this ulalter,
,h ,u,ietd. | canno, do ". never could, in the
world am certain | could no'
And So snd Edward, you, whom ! have
heard say Sc many things which no one else could
say, or dared to say-yuu WHO have gone "n with
such laughing assurance oi NpIr own powers oil
pIeasing shrink from trying that power when
noble and generous heart might he saved by il.
You have been willing to venture "A great deal for
the sake OF amusing yourself, aDd winning ADM
ration, but you dare not say word 70: amy high
aud noble purpose. DO you see how you confirm
what said OF The sclfsiness of you women p
But you must remember, Edward, this 10
mater of great delicacy.
That word de'icacy is charming covcr-nl hf
all these eases, Flotence. Now, here is fine,
hle.spirIed young an, away from his mother AMI
sisters away from amy beloved family friend
who might care for him, tempted betrayed, al
most ruined, and few words from you, said as II
wOmau knows how TO say them, might I've his SAL
walton. But you will look cOoy ON and him
20 10 destruction, because you have TOO much DEL
tcGcy 10 make the effort, like the man who would
mot help his neighbor out of the water because lie
had nes er had The honor Of an intro6Ncfion.'
But. Edward, consider how peculiarly iaslidi
Gus Elliot is - how Jealous of any attempt TO re-
strain and guide him.
'And just for that reason it is that OF his
acquaintance cannot do ahy Thing with him. But
what are you women made with so much tact aud
power OF charming for II II s not TO do these very
things that we men cannot do !: Have you MOI
seen thousand times that what might he resent
ed rs an impertinent interference on the part of n
man, comes TO us as Ii fialegug expression OF in
terest, from tie lips Of IL woman
'WelL, bui, cousin, what would you have me
do? how would you have me do il " said Flor
euce earnestly.
You know that Fashion, who makes so many
wrong urns, mud 50 many absurd ones has III last
made one right one, ana II Is now Il fashionable
thing TO sign The temperance pledge. Elliot him
FELL wonid be glad 10 do il, but lie fo0lislly com.
United himself against it in Tho outset, and now
feels bound 10 stand 10 his opinion lie has, TOO,
been rather rudGly assaulted lay some OF the apostles
of the new state of things, who did not understand
the peculiar points Of his character; in Short am
afraid that he will feel bound go 10 destruction
for the sake Of ms own opinion. Now, il should
undertake with him, he might offer Ia shoot me
hut hardly think there is any tllng of his sort 10
lie npprehended in your case. just Try your en-
chaniinenIs: ynn have bewched wise men INTO
doug foolish things, before now try, now, if you
can't hewiIch II foolish man into doing wise
thing
Florence smiled archly but Instantly grew more
thoughtful
'WelI, cousin she said, Il will Try. Though !
think ynu IRE ralher liberal in your Inscriptions OF
power, yet can put The matter TO the test of ex-
permenI.'
Florence Elmore was, at The time we speak of,
in her twentieth year. Born in one OF The wealth.
lest families in --, highly educated and
Ill uI,, l,i,,
she had entered society us one born TO command.
With much nuve nobleness, and mngnanimily of
character, with warm md impulsiye feelings, aud
capabhy OF every Thing high or great, she had
hitherto lived solely for her own amusement, and
looked on the militant circle by which she was
surrounded, wl'h all its various actors, MS some
Thing got up for her special diversion. The idea
OF influencing any one, for better or worse, by any
Thing she ever said or did, hrd never occurred 10
her. The crowd of admirers OF tho other sex,