The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-02-16

tHeEeDyS OF our whole sex. Az! more
you hesilaled long because, forsooth,
WAS too poor, as if love, that holy
monument, Of which such wretches as
you can know nothing, was to be pro-
famed by base thoughts Of lucre. | tell
you Harry Colbert, | have known all
this for weeks, and have waited patient
ly for this hour, STOPPING deception
which l despise, that | might revenge
my sex at last. You seek a woman's
love why, you know no more of that
pure sentiment than the meanest hind
that crouches at his masters whip. A
true woman scorns the hand ofman like
you, who, for the qualification of a pet
~ vanity, or of his own selGshness
would desert heart that he had won.
The time was when | might have low
ed you, but it was when | thought your
heart noble. [ now see its baseness.
duplicity, and littleness, and, bad as
you are, | cannot hate you from bitter
scorn. Go! and go, knowing this,
that a woman can avenge her sex, even
at the cost of so petty lover as your
SELF"
The whitening contempt with which
these last words were spoken was the
last dropin the cup Of the lovers shame.
While Sophy continued speaking he
had stood abashed before her face, and
then the indignant flash of her eyes, and
the bitter mockery on her lip were no
temptation for him TO repeat the ex-
pertinent. And when she ceased, he
rose and almost rushed from the room,
too utterly COMPOUNDED to reply, though
boiling with rage and shame. He
reached his room in a tempest Of emo
tons indescribable. Bntshis passion
was too high to allow him to see the
justice of his fate.
Course the girl !" was his first ex-
clamation, "she raved like Pythoness
but why did I not retort scora for
scnrn? To refuse me, when she is
not wosth cent,sland all because of
Eveline," and be breathed maledic-
ton on her as the cause of his discom-
future, and with bitter EXPLANATIONS
strobe to and fro his room.
Gradually, however, his passion cal
med itself, and a desire for revenge
possessed his mind. But how should
he DE reveaged ? Should he WOO and
win some other lady at once, or go
back TO Miss Valliere and secure her
A ffar pnnderfne long. he determined on
the latter course.
eyes," he said. eff [ marry Eveline,
to whom it is known l have been atten-
tive, this termagant will never dare TO
tell Of my proposal, for we had no wit
nesses, and no one will believe her,
if it should be ann ounced soon, say to-
morrow or next day at furthest, that /
am engaged TO the heiress. She loves
me no doubt-there this vixen was
will be glad to accept me.
[ will despatch note at once. A lit
tie discrimination 10 conceal the cause
of my late neglect, a little penitence
thrown in, and little ardor
will win favorable answer, or know
nothing of the trusting nature of Eve
line VALERIE"
The proposal was written and sent;
but the next day, and the next, and a
whole week passed without an answer.
Harry began to repent of his precipi-
fancy, and wish that he had never seen
either Eviliae or Sophy. But at length
came the long looked for reply. He
opened it with renewed hopes, which,
however, were crushed ON its perusal.
The answer was short and cold,
and contained a refusal couched
10 terms which forbade a second at
tempt. Miss Valliere,' the note ended
with saying, "decIined all further ac-
quaintauce with Mr.. Colbert
Stung to the quick, the rejected low
er vented his rage on both the women
he had abused, and determined yet TO
avenge himself by speedy marriage.
But he soon found that his conduct
was known in society, though not from
ANYTHING which Eveline or Sophy had
said, but from rumors originating prob
ably with their relatives, and gaining
strength from what had been observed
in Harry's conduct. Al length the
tide cf scorn and rebuke became SO
strong that he left the city and remoy-
ed to another section of the country.
Harry never knew the struggle in
Eveline's heart, nor the noble firmness
with which she conquered it. His let
ter reached him on a sick bed, where
she had been laid by his perfdy, but
though her weak heart pleaded for him,
her convictions Of what is right prevail
led, and she rejected him, because she
felt that she could never find happiness
with one so base. tickle and selfish
Both she and Sophy Green lived to.
love truly and worthi!y, and the friend
ship began by their mutual disappoint.,
ment. was cemented by intimacy, and
endured through long and happy lives.
AS for Harry be carried with him