Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-03-31

attained the mastery, and like a child, worn
out by grief, she sank insensible TO sleep.
The dawn of day was just beginning to
break when Mr.. Wallingford, who Glanced
to be an early riser, passing down the cor
ridor, perceived the door of Mrs. Benton's
parlor ajar, with Isabel apparently uncon-
s%cious, on the sofa. Alarmed at the sight,
he entered, but finding that Miss Benton
was only a sleep, he would have withdrawn,
when his eyes were attracted by his name
in the unfinished note on the table, and
led by an ungovernable curiosity, he read as
follows
1T is the will of my unhappy destiny, com
bined with the desire of my mother, | must
never see you again-never more listen to
you-never-but why utter the word p
Tomorrow | become the wife of Mr.. Wal
lingford, fly then, from my sight-it is a
sacrifice that l appeal TO your honor to
ma
Who can this gentleman be Who is
this mysterious lover of whom | have never
heard Alas | iondly dreamed Isabel,
that you loved me, but | see now that /
have been deceived aud that your mother is,
~ ihuPS, iOiNihH lOu NJ Il uiiOh lOu du-
His words were cut short by a football.
1t was Henry leaping into a window, and
Wallingford looked around. The rivals
gazed at each other ain instant, nor shall we
attempt TO describe their feelings when they
found that they were father and son. Their
ordinations of establishment awoke Isabel
who tainted, while at the same instant, her
mother appeared on the scene. The in
sensible girl was borne from the room, and
then the young man, flinging himself at his
fathers feet, exclaimed
MY father-my father / an innocent /:
pardon me-
Rise. SIR said Mr.. Wallingford,-I am
no longer your father. ] am your accuser,
and your judge. Why have you come to
Saratoga
1T was absolutely necessary for me to. do
so. Honor compelled me to come and see
one who's very dear to me-
Very well but then you chose to pay
your visits to this very dear person at mo-
ments that are equivocal-at three O'Clock
in the morning for instance
Father, since you know all, why do you
thus ~interrogate me
Because it is my desire TO know the most
minute details of your love for Miss Isabel
Benton
And wherefore =
Because she ought to be my wife and
not yours
Then sir, you must know, that it is about
SIX months ago, in a stroll through the Sus-
%quehanna country, whittier ] went as an
artist, and under an assumed name, | met
this young lady. Why tell the RESULT We
loved. ] did not reveal my real name, for |
wished to be loved for myself, and not as
the son of the rich Mr.. Wallingford. She
promised 10 be mine ere parting, and we
promised TO write TO each other. But our
letters were intercepted, and deeming she
had proved false to me, | resolved to forget
her, until when hearing incidentally from a
friend here, that she was to be married.
though he did not say to whom-my agony
drove me hither, to see Isabel, reproach her
for perfdy, and bid her an eternal farewell.
Oh father had l known all, | would have
suffered any thing than come hither.'
Henry said the father, wiping away a
tear, you have conquered. The love of
one like me cannot be such as that of which
a young man feels. The sacrifice will be
less to me than you. Take her, and God
bless you
The son fell on his fathers shoulder and
weeping, would have refused the boon, but
Mr.. Wallingford was inexorab!e, nor would
he suffer the ceremony to be delayed more
than a day-the ample settlement he made
to his son fully r%econciling Mrs. Benton to
the match.