The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1842-09-17

wish you were though, Ned, 'pon my soul
l do!-yet This said for,you that you were
The best shot, the bes, rider, the best trout,
fisher, and the best s,Cinemer, too,--hav'nt
forgo! that, Ned!-no, we never forget
that, do we Alice?-and altogether, except
In blood and all that, You know, altogether
the bes, fellow in general, in the whole
country"
If Alice could have dared to give the ut.
terance of words to the thought sprang
quick and warm from her heart as she list
ened to her fathers category Of Edwards
manifold superioli,ies in his eye, she could
have added, the best lover Whoever
could have looked down yet deeper in the
derker elements of his character, than eth
er father or daughter had gone, might have
seen that which would have taught them
that he could become the best hater' too.
During this speech; most 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 morti-
icaion, Alice had not ventured even to
steal glance at it. With a strong effort
mastering the passion that shook Ais very
soul, he commanded his voice so far as to
ask, with tone that strove 10 be calm, but
which betrayed the fulility of the effort
even 10 the not very delicate ear of the Bar
onet at the present moment. "Your high
blooded and high bred guests have done me
too much honor, sir,in taking 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 discussion /; but
| should be glad to know who it was in par
licular who thus INDUCED himself in my
absence!
Nonsense, Ned,-Why, they were
most of them pretty well agreed, believe;
and there was after all nothing you've any
right 10 take offence at; and all that was
TO be said' and all that could be SAID, did
say-and isish. -.e~.ly ."A c-3-.. - -
too, you known-and It's myself who told
you'll thought you'd be glad TO hear what
| said. Pooh, pooh! there's nothing for
you to quarrel about--and then, you know,
you could no, 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, las well as a good fellow as you
are-and what's more, | wish from my
heart you had been! You and George
together could ,hen-by the way, Alice
I've got Letter from George, and he'll be
here in three or four days. and that same
handsome Cantab chum Of his who was
! with him before, Lord Frank Forester,-it
is you he comes TO see, Alice, much more
Than my hounds and Aorses--ah, yes it
| is, you little mischief, you'll
The old gentleman kept all the talk 10
himself for some time longer, and went on
with the most perfect unconsciousness,t turn
ing 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 10 Withdraw, abruptly, in tumull
of bitter and singing feelings, which even
the gentle whisper added by Alice TO her
good night-ro.morroac naorning' had no
power TO assuage.
pass rapidly over all unessentail details.
In long and passionate interview on the
following morning, Alice was startled and
grieved 10 observe how deeply and even
fiercely the soul of her lover was reused IL
arms by an occurrence so little worthy o.
producing such an effect, on a nature sc
noble and gallant as she loved 10 cons
der his. She did not dissembIe the effec
it had produced Oh her own mind, not only
of pain for him, but of almost despair o
ever obtaining her fathers sanction to al
idea so preposierous as her marriage 10 ,hi
humble 'peasan,' In his impeuous resent
ment, Edward FIether was strongly bent oil
making an immediate disclosure 10 him
OF claiming his daughters hand, boldly,
not even haughlily, by the right divine
the possession of her heart-and of at one
| speeding the last extremity, when If h
should not extort the consent which h
now painted for as much for pride as 70
love, from that antagonist plde which h
, would freely give life and all il could cor
[ tain TO force down to the level of his des
, pissed and insuted position,he would al lea'
, make one decisive trial of his dominic
over the affections of his mistress; and ELL
5 er quaff at one draught The mingled bliss
l triumphant revenge in triumphant love, Of
f, if disappointed, casting the latter scorniull
/. forth, surrender his heart 10 hate, and n
/. whole faculties 10 ,he aim of compassin
d its indulgence. She shrank from thus pr
o cipitaling all The worst she a1prehende'
d She knew the certain consequence OF sue
A a collision between the quick and veheme