Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-12-26
(Cenclul!fd from first page

and. evening, to keep from feeling the
loneliness Of his bachelors Chamber
Tc never liked 10 be in them unless he
had friend and when that friend got !
up 10 20, he would take .hs hat 10 GO
with him lie fell the need of wife,
and therefore he sought and was only |
bappy in ladies' society. Why then pos
sessing all marrying advantages, did he
not take to himself n daughter of Eve
and end his misery ? That is question
a great many beautiful girls and hand
some young widows Of his acquaintance
nut TO themselves, hut which ihey were
not cble to answer. Fortunately, II Is IN ,
our power to reply 10 It.
Up to MIR. Nevllle's Thirty fourth year,
bc had got along without much solicrnde
a0ont marrying. fIe felt himself siii'
young and that there was time enough II
nevertheless, he kept bis eycs about hlm
and was on the look. for some one
with whom he might unite his destiny
Eat being fnsiidious, and requiring a
high order Of periectlons, he was not en-
silly snrisied. One was little too short
another a lI.ile too tail, another talked
too fast, another too SLOW ; one was too
lively, another too sober ; one had a
nose with n high bridge in II, and nno'h-
or nose without any bridge at oil, and a
third had saucy turn up at the end.
One iacod too tight and he feared she
would die Oh his hands OF consumption !;
and another was too lat, and he apprehend
ed npoplevy We might 60 on with the
enumeration without end. Neal Neville,
Esq seemed destined never 10 marry
But when he had, as we have said,
renched his thirty fourth yenr, chance
threw in his way piece of perfection OF
woman kind She seemed faulllcsf in
his eye and tasie-n1t that he kissed
her as he butterfly in the song did the
flowers lie was at Nnhant, lazIly
living on n rock fishing for gudgeon or
any other fish that might he iooi'sh en-
ough 10 bite, when he was startled by
seeing straw hat and ribbons hying
directly before his eyes and after a gy-
ration or two through the air, G'iaht gent
ly upon the wafer and there float. II
was lady's hat, and lady must he
near. Up he sprang, and looked around
him, for the place was somewhat retired,
and he saw two young ladies, one OF
them bonneilcss, and both running to-
wards The spot when the ha, was cradled
upon the waves. The one who Ind lost
the ha, lnn like a fawn, bounding lightly
from rock To rock, laughing as she few,
her golden brown tresses dancing in the
wind, and her countenance flushed with
hcnhh and excitement.
Our bachelor stood entranced. Such
beautiful creature had never before
met his eyes
"Mv hat sir, my hat !" she cried, in n
voice OF music like n silver trumpet sound
ing down the winds. fIcr voice recall.
ed him TO himself. With characteristic
galiantry, he bounded down the steep
rock, and with his long fishing pole fish
ed up, jnst il time, the sinking straw hat,
heavy with the briny fluid, which drop
ped from il as il from n sieve.
"What condition ~ said she merri-
W, as she took il from The pole, ler she
stood se?eral feet above on the rock, and
he had 10 reach it up 10 her. "Sir, |
am very grateful to you The rude,
saucy wind took il off, and bore IT away
without ceremony. Indeed, sir, if you
had not bern so good as to fish it out for
me, ] should have had my complexion
spoiled Have yos caught any fish :
! hope my hat has not scared the !ishee
away 7"
"No, assure You II would have
an attractive power. have caught no
Ssh | am satisfied with having caught
80 fair priza as your hat"
"You are very gallant sir. Come
Julin, our party win think we have fall
en- from tho cliff Good morning, sir"
Aud before the fisher could speak 70
say, he hardly knew what, bu, only with
enc idea of desiring to have her always
present, she was far away bounding like
a syph along the ridge of rocks, and
was the next moment hidden from his
sight. He had been bcwitchsd BY the
bewitchiug gil, and stood awhile with
his fishing rod ~ one hand, and his cGp
in the other, like ave won't say "ioolf
exactly, but looking very foolish As
soon as he recovered his senses, he start
cd in pursuit, resolved 10 ascertain y no
she was. But no where could he dis
Germ her. Al day he was in pursuit,
aud he could see cor hear any thing
from her. From that ,mo there was a
change very Pcrceplibie 70 his friends
in Neal Neville, Esq lie was senii
menlal, wrote poetry for tho magazines,
and strayed about moonlight nights. But
this wore off in time, and he became
himself again but The face Of the beau
tiful unknown was so indeliby impressed
upon his heart and memory, that there
was no place there for any other. The
world knew not the secret, and many a
fair maiden secretly accused him Of be.
ing cold and hollow hearted, when un-
known to her the purest flame Of devo.
ton to one Of her sex burned on the altar
of his heart.
Having now acquitted Neal Neville,
Esq, &C this serious charge, we will pro-
coed 80 our story. lie was generous
man Liberal to fault, he gave 10 the
poor and the needy, and blessed with his
benevolent donations many roof OF pow
city. Iie delighted in seeking out wor.
a