Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-04-06

out, und N compel him To converse, while
she saw that il cost him immense sirug-
giles 10 be- ~ :rnci4us rs TO riiDgle mu,e
than by sylIabics.
"Y0u mus, have hurried down town
THIS n,orDipg, uncle for / went on,
directly after you, nnd did not catch one
glimpse Of your hat even. wanted to
see YOU just then. very much"
ayes, Clara, | did walk good pace. A"
And The old man fell to cogl,al,ng within
himself Stanwood then must have made
short call. Uncle Mcrednh reviewed
his experience, and found that c'rcum-
stance was ominous. When he was
young aud gallant, his general attic n'ior~
TO young lady, made without IA very
particular object, led him TO irlHe away
whole forenoons. bis shod calls were
business visits, devoted To dnrc, and i'm
por'ant questions. Vie kad invariably
received dHec, answers, closing the ne
go'lniions abruptly. 1t was evident that
Sidnwood had met no such misfortune
that day, ar hs would no, have been ai
the house IN the evening. Clare wanted
To see her uncle j"st then, Meredith
dropped into the brownest of brown stu
dies, and Clara, dsspnlrIng of making
any thing OF her uncle, addressed her
next remark 10 Sinnwood, who, too, be-
gan 10 show symptoms of discomfort. -
II was really an icy party.
II dare say Jane and | mus, have lost
our last chance Of catching h,m when We
stopped Ia look round at such dear, un-
happy old man"
"A hry-what Pm positive"
. "Why, uncle You have really walked
up agnin. | am glad there is soIne'h,ng
that can fix your attention this evening !"
unclc Meredith looked NJ If he were
amy thing bu, glad, and Clara proceeded
$50 venerable 81 Infrm-- such an "x-
preston of lnDeIincss and patient sorrow
IN his connienancc Nobody appeared
Ia know him, and he knew nobody. -
just es we passed him, he startled Va with
an exclamation - as II some former friend
had refused him comfort. Now who
could be so cruel Ia n feeble old man Z"
Uncle Meredith 6dgei,ed, and made
no reply. SInnwo0d seemed elai"d, yc,
uneasy that the conversation bad taken
such turn. lie addressed leading
questions Ia her, as il he GUESSED who
The dear old man might be, aud wished
To establish his identity with some person
whom he himself knrw- Meredith mean
while growing more uneasy NJ every
n"'d-ill he rose at length from his
chair, aud paced The room in an agitation
which he no longer made any effort Ia
conceal. Claia lookrG at him in ASTON
i,bment, utterly unaware what circum-
stance or uilerance could possibly have
gwen nfialis tins unpropitious inin--- ns
unexpected ia nnWopIIiouS Charles
waited n few moments, anu then broke
the silence, speaking IN a tone that indi-
Gated his knowledge that The simple and
apparently unImporiant declaration he
was about to mnke, required all his moral
courage TO breast the storm which he was
sensible it would raise.
"Nliss Meredith, the person who has
attracted your synpaihies is entirely
worthy Of them, and ms needy Of soIacr
as he is deserving oft. ! am proud IN
say that he is my best and deares,
friend"
Old Meredith stopped, utterly nghast
at the boldnpss Of tins declaration. He
raised his hands, and then let them fall
at his side, MS il The chrontcry Of the
avowal Just made had filled him with
surprise too deep for words, and with in
dIgnaliun too extreme for expression.
"rcll me at least" he at last said,
"Mr. S,anw""d, ,ha, you do not know
this man's history"
Was he n murderer-n parrlcide-
wha, horrible crime had he committed
A thousand such questions suggested
themselves Ia Cln,a's mind IN an instant,
as she leaned brralhlrssly forward, her
lips parted ~ earnest attention To catch
Charles's denial. She shared her guar
dams horror when Slanwood Calmly
answered.
81 know every line and passage of his
life"
"Why he's the worst man nlive-and
If you well if he is your friend, and If
there is any thing ~ community at
thought and charac,cr-lhcn Pm posi-
HNc ipH 'H'It fo"np Hh"' "o'h
think SO badly Of You You have heard
his own version of The story-a and he's
an old deceiver. lie has c"zcned you,
and you will cast him oil when YOU know
all. -
"IIe has told me the truth and the
whole truth, sir have found II cor
roboralrd by circumstances, and by the
concurrent testimony OF those who know
him as well, apparently, as you do
When men assume a false character they
do not claim bad one. Cleaner breast
could not be made by confession than
BIngley has made To nc. Cas-, him of
| cannot, as hope not 10 be cast of for
my own errors and lo!lIcs-not to say
crimes-.in which 1t was his superior judg-
men, and experience that arrested me-"
Clara thought Charles had never be-
fore looked so manly, or spoken so nobly.
Even the old man seemed struck with
the generous conduct of the young a3vo-
cate OF the absent. lie rendered him
hls hand, and, as he pressed it, said
"You are generous young man-or,"I
and he dropped the hand again rather
suddenly, "you area rogue arch enough
in bp n match for Riuolpy in hls hest dnys