The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1842-09-23
If Alice could have dared TO give the

III hllCC Cuuiu ldNc udiSu w give VIC
utterance of words to the thought that
sprang quick and warm from her heart, as
she listened to her fathers category of Ed
wards manifold superiorities in his eye,
she could have added 'the best lover"
Whoever could have looked down yet
deeper in the darker elements of his
character, than either father or daughter
had done, might have seen that which
would have taught them that he could be-
come the hes, haier" too.
During this speech, mos, cruel when
meant to be most kind. the face of the
young man had alternately flushed and
faded into deadly paleness. In her pain
and modification, Alice had not venlured
even to steal glance at it. With strong
effort mastering the passions that shook
his very soul, he commanded his voice so
far as to ask, with tone that strove to be
calm, but which betrayed the futillty of
the effort even to the not very delicate ear
of the Baronet at the present moment.-
Your high-blooded and high-bred guests
have done me too much honor, sir, in Ia
king for their topic an humble farmer and
farmers son, who claims TO be nothing
more than a man. regret indeed that |
was not there, to take some slight part IN
such a discussion but | should be glad to
know who it was in particular who thus
INDUCED himself in my absence 7"
Nonsense, Ned,-Why, they were
most ofthem pretty well agreed, | believe;
and there was after all nothing you've any
right to take offence at; and all that was
to be said and all that could be said, did
say-and ha, right stoutly and cordially
my dear boy Besides it was a, my table,
too, YOU know-and it's myself who told
you-l thought you'd be glad 10 hear what
said Pooh. pooh there's nothing for
you to quarrel abou,--and then, youknow,
you could not expect or ask any OF them
to fight you, or any of that sort OF thing
But 'egad, Ned, you ought to have been
born gentleman. as well as good fellow
as YOU are-and what's more, wish from
my heart you had been! You and George
! together could lhcn--by the way, Alice,
I've got letter from George, and he'll be
here in three or four days. and that same
handsome Canlab chum of his who was
with him before, Lord Frank Fos,er,-it's
v0u he comes to see, Alice, much more
than my hounds and horses, -ah, yes 1t
is, YOU little mischief, YOU !"
The old gentleman kept all the talk to
himself for some time longer, and went on
with the most perfect Inconsistencies,
turning the steel round and round, and
deeper and deeper, in the wound he had
made in the proud and sensitive heart OF
the youth before him. The latter seized
the first moment to withdraw, abruptly,
in iumult Of bitter aud singing feelings,
which even the gentle whisper added by
Alice to her good-night-' Tomorrow
morniHgr had no power to assuage.
pass rapidly over all unessentlal de-
tails. In long and passionate interview
on the following morning. Alice was
startled and grieved TO observe how deeply
and even Gercely the soul of her lover
was reused in arms by an occurrence SC
liule worthy Of producing such an effect,
on nature so noble and gallant rs she
loved to consider his. She did not dis
, semhle the effect it had produced on he'
own mind not only of pain for him, hu
of almost despair Of ever Obtaining he
: fathers sanction to an idea so preposier
] Gus as her marriage 10 this humble
peasant" In his impetuous resentment
, Edward Fletcher was slrongI y bent OF
1 making an immediate disclosure to him
i of claiming his dnghler's hand, boldly,
y not even haughl'Iy. Ivy the right divine
!, the possession of her hearl-and Of d
d once speeding the last extremity, wher
y if he shonld not eyt0rt The consent While
e he now painted for as much for pride a
d Cor love, from that antagonist pride who
a he would freely give lie aud all it couI
= contain to force down to the level Of h
e despsed and insulted position, he woul
If at least make one decisive trial Of his d
!, minon over the affections of his mIstres
ri and ciihcrquaG at one draugh, the minglC
| bliss OF triumphant revenge IN trlnmpha
ie love, or, if disappointed, casting The latt
n scornfully forth, surrender his heart
W hate, and his whole faculties TO the aim
G. composing is indulgence. She shrar
Sc from thus prccipira,ing all the worst 81
G, apprehonded She knew the certain co
nj sequences Of such collision between 4