Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-02-01
CHATTER Y.

CHATTER V.
Some years subsequent TO the events
last related, two gentlemen were seated
~ a luyurlouSly arranged apartment of
one of the most fashionable hotels in the
Iarges, and Gayest of our southern CITIES.
They were both past the summer .igor
of life, and care or lhoug Int, or perhaps
dissipation, had written on their brows
lines deeper and sndder than those re
corded there by the touch o! years.
Very many had been the hours OF anx-
Of desperate adventure, they had both
gone through, since they were last he
lore US, aud their bearing had parted
with much al lis former studied serenity
aud acquired the reckless boldnrss oi
their unworthy and accustomed pursuit
4 Rudolph was the least changed, for his
was the proud, strong mind that learnt
Ia bury deep within usell the tokens of
/ its trials, and To hide in the silence of IT'S
obscure recess all that his pride would
shrink from having the world To know
\
-. Clare was more careleS 10y nature
ance less, because he had sIighler cause
to dread public opinion. lie was alone,
and had never been bound by the con
nec,inus which Rudolph had once form.
ed his risks, too, had been fewer, for
~ their ventures he had always been
more prudent and guarded than Ru-
'd"ipa's disposition could be, whh its
iirmrr resolution and more ungov-rnable
| impulse. Now, their manner was very
different, for ST. Clare's fortune the
night before had been brilliant, and Rn
dolph's losses immense. a dark scowl
was on his brow, and he replied con-
liempiuously and impatienily to the i'll
tuned tests which his companion, with
the levl,y q: n successful man, iniruded
on his gloomy and pre- occupied thong hts
Il, you and | weie marrying men,
! Rudolph said 81. Clare caielessly,
|. filling IA glass with vine as he spoke,
and holding ii up To the light TO test its
clearness, we might have an oppor'nnl
~ of becoming rivals now, aud attain
wealth more rapidly and securely than
by our present varying and precarlons
means. Perhaps you are not aware
that great heiress is in this very hotel,
and from the transient glimpse | gained
Of her, on her arrival this morning, she
seems both fair and graceful
She might be much more. without
tempting Me to rcassume the happy
shacklcs of mairimony,' returned Ru
doph, scornfnlIy. Il advise YOU To
speculate on this occasion, provided heI
estates are not situate in the moon, as i,
40 often the case with these rcpuied for
tunes
/ 'Oh there is no uncertainty in that
part of the matter replied ST. Glare
! i learned from gentleman who travel
! led with the fair one from the North ,tha,
she has inherited the wealth OF a ricl
! uncle, whose only child married unhap.
/ PLY aud died young, and The heiress ac.
! companied by her mother, has come I,
| spend the winter here tor the benefit %
| Il mider climate, for it seems her healll
| is delicate another great recommends
,ion. You have been much in the north
ern cities, Rudolph, you may possibi,
have met tins young lady her nume /.
II Dalton, Hester Dalton
\ Dad Rudolph dream, or was there il
truth bright hope rising, suddenly anc
mrleoi-llke, through the lowering cloud'
4 of his fortunes : Might he not, at one
4 stroke, retrieve his losses, be restored tC
4 his Ioltier place in society and regain the
vanished favor OF his early love Ru-
\ dolph knew the world well, and could
II killully read the heart Of woman. Tie
4 was aware how lenicnily she ever en-
n deeyors pallia,e the defects Of the on,
| who had been dear To her, in the romance
Of her premiere jeuresse. and how diff
| cult il is for her To Danish the bcaniliu
| harmonies that ouce made her life 81
I lovely with raptulous illpsion. lie lcl
as If ho had every thing to hope, whcI
|, he rccoIlectcd Testers geBllc and un.
embarrassed iriendllness whea they lat
last met at Gcr,rude's home, and BE-,
| apparently entire freedom from all re
sentiment at h- deception. lieedlrss
! and half unconscious of his compnnl"n Z
\ open surprise at his sudden abstraction
H Rudolph hastily sought his own apart
\ mrn,, TO srsolve on the mode oi proceed
ure most l,kely to appeal strongest IL
IIeslrr'- sympathy, and 10 awaken 'h'
II fervor of her earlier feelings. lie hesi
inied whether 10 write n plausible ac
count of his motives and conduct an'
H lingering attachment, or To seek an IN
I.,prylrw and boldly take her heart by
storm. Wnh the ihought oi her pres
!! rncr, all the pasi returned to hun, Nh
II long dark interluje oi his moral deprsvh'
d .c,lpt5 but bldevus dean, aud ih'