, 1842-11-26

foih i'll one OF Tie Weailil!eSt lafni
lies in , highly educated and &C
comFlished, idolized by her parents
and brothers. she had entered the
world asone born to command. With
much native ~nobIeness. and magma.
nimity of character, with warm and
lmPnIsive feelings and a capability,
of everything high or great, she had
hitherto lived solely to her own a.
musement, ard looked on the whole
brilliant circle by which she was
surrounded, with all its various actors,
as something got up for her special
diversion. The idea of influencing
any one. for better or worse, by any,
thing she ever said or did had never
occurred to her. The crowd Of ad.
mlrers. OF the other sex, who, as a
matter OF course, were always about
her, she regarded as SO manv sources
OF diversion; but the idea of feeling
any sympathy with them as human
beings, or of making Use of her pow
er ove them for their Improvement,
was one that had never entered her
head.
Edward Ashton was an old bache-
lor cousin of Fl~orence's who having
earned the title Of oddity, in general
society, awaited himself of it to ex-
erciSe 4 turn for telling the truth to
the various young ladies' Of his &C
qualntance, especially to his fair cous-
in Florence. We remark, by the
bye, that these privileged truth-tellers
are quite q necessary of life to Young
ladies'. in the full tide of society; and
we really think it would be worth
while for every dozen of them to
unite to keep a person of this kind,
on Il salary. for the benefit Of the
whole; however, as that is nothing
to our present purpose we must re-
turn TO our fair heroine. whom we
left at the close of the last cenversa-
ton, standing in deep REVERE, by the
window.
dts more than half true;" she said
To herself, "mOre than half. Here am
|, twenty Years Old; and never have
thought Of anything, never done any
thing. except 10 amuse and CRAFTY
myself; no Purpose-no object
nothing high--nothing dignifpd-
nothing worth living for!-onIy a
plrlour ornament, heigh-ho! We'll,
really do believe | could do some
thing with this Elliot; and yet how
dare try"
Now. my good readers, if you are
anticipating 4 lore story we must
hasten to put in orr disclaimer; you
are quite mistaken in the case. Our
fair, brilliant heroine was, at this
time of speaking. as heart whole as
the di'mond on her bosom which re-
fccted the light in too many spark
ling rays ever to absorb il. She had
to he sure, halfin earnest. haifin Jest.
maintained a baniering pIutonic sort
of friendship with George Elliot; she
ind danced, ridden, sung, and sketch,
ed with him; but so had she with
twenty other young men, and rs to
coming to anything tender with such
IL quick, brilliant, restless creature.
Elliot would as soon have underta-
ken 10 sentimentalize over 4 glass Of
soda water. No, there was decided
~ no love in the case.
"What a curious ring that isl said
Elliot 10 her. a day or two after, as
they were reading together.
ats Il knights ring" said she.
playfuily as she drew i: off. and point
cd Il Il coral cross set in the guld,-
"a ring of the red crossed knights.-
Come, now, I've Il great mind to bind
you TO my service with it."
"Do, lady falr!!' said Elliot. stretch
ing out his hand for the ring.
know then,'' said she, "if You
take this pledge, that you must obey
Whatever commands l lay upon You
in its name
81 swear!' said Elliot, in tie mock
heroic, and placed the ring ON his fin
ger.
An evening or two alter, Elliot at
tended Florence to n party at Mrs.
BIS. Every thing was gay and
brilliant. and there was no lack eth
er of wit or wine. Elliot wa stand
ing in a little a%lcove, spread with re-
treshments, with glass of wine in
his hand. 81 forbid it; the cup is
poisoned" said a voice in his ear
He turned quickly, and Florence was
at his side. Every one was busy.
with laughing and talking around. and
nobody saw the sudden start and nusl!
that these words produced as Elliot
looked earnestly in the lady's face.
She smiled and pointed playfnllv 10
the ring; but after all there was in
b,r j,cn 81. eyDro.cinp of imitation