Hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1843-1845, 1844-02-01
BURLINGTON, IOWA, FEBRUARY 1, 1914.

ample fortune, does you the honor
propose for your hand. II you al
disengaged, and your affections are nj
irrevocably given to another, | ca
conceive no sufficient obstacle to you
acceptance Of this brilliant connection
The Countess is twenty-five. and nc
beautiful, it must in fairness be said
but she has high qualities Of head an
heart, and is worthy of any mans res
pect and affection-has seen you @
course. and conceived a passion 70
you, Of " hich this is The result. | an
directed to add, that should you consen,
the following conditions are imposed
that you marry within four days, max
ing no inquiry except as to her age
rank and property, and that, withou
previous interview, she come yelled to
| the altar.
An answers requested in the course
of tomorrow addressed to "The Coun
Hanswald, minister Of His Majesty the
King of Prussia"
have the honor, &C.. &c.
HANswALD.
McDonald's answer was as follows:
To HIS ExcELLENcy HANswALD &c.
You will pardon me that have TAX
en- two days to consider the extraordi-
nary proposition made me in your let
ter. The subject, since it is to be en-
,ertained moment, requires. perhaps,
still further reneclion--but my reply
shall be definite. and as prompt as
can bring myself TO be, in matter SO
important.
My first impulse was TO return your
letter, declining the honor you would
do ME, and thanking the lady for the
compliment of her choice. My first
reflection was the relief and happiness
which an independence would bring to
a mother and two sisters dependent,
now, on the precarious profits of my
pencil. And | first consented to pom
der the matter with this view, and |
now consent to marry (frankly) for this
advantage. But still l hare condi-
ton to propose.
In the studies | have had the oppor.
tuni,y to make Of the happiness of i'm
aginative men in matrimony, have OBJ
that -siteir two worlds of fact
and fancy were seldom under the same
control of one mistress. 1t must be
very extraordinary woman of course,
who, with the sweet domestic qualities
needful for common life, possesses a.
the same time the elevation and spiritu-
atty requisite for the ideal Of the poe.
and painter. And l am not certain,
in any case. whether the romance Of
some secret passion, fed and pursued
in the Imagination only, be not the in
necessity of poetical ma
ure. For the imagination is capable
IF being chained, and i, is q. once dis.
enchanted and set roaming by the very
possession and certainty which are
charms Of matrimony. Whether ex.
,ldsive devotion of all the faculties of
mind and body be the fidelity exac,ed
n marriage. is a question every woman
hould consider before making hus.
'and Of an imaginative man. AS | |
lave not seen the Countess. can gen.
ralize on the srbject without offence,
nd she is the best Judge whether she
an chain my fancy as well as my af-
ections, or yield to an imaginative mis-
ress the devotion of SO prominent a
uality of my nature. lean only pro-
aise her the constancy Of husband.
Still--if this were taken for only
ague speculation--she might be de-
eived. l must declare, frankly. that
am, at present, completely possessed
With an imaginative passion. The OBJ
ect of it is probably as poor as /, and
could never marry her were | TO con-
niue free. Probably. too, the high E,
orn countess would be but little jeal.
us of her rival, for she has no preten-
ions TO beauty and is a humble artist.
|ut. in painting this lady's portrait
A chance experiment. TO try whether
0 plain face could be made lovely
j have penetrated to so beautiful
n inner countenance, $50 to speak, VI
have found charms of expression SO
nb,lv masked to the common eye-1l
ave traced such exquisite lineament
soul and feeling, visible, for the pre- ,
ent, l believe, to my eye only--,hat, |,
lille | live, shall do irresistible hon. ,
re to her as the embodiment Of my ;
lncy's want, the very spirit and es- :
snce suitable to rule over my unseen ,
,orld of imagination. Marry whom ,
in. and be true to her as shall, this
.dy will perhaps unknown to herself) !
e nv mistress in dream land and rev. {
RE. II
This inevitable license allowed--my
leal world and its devotions that is
, say, left entirely to myself am
,ady to accept Of the counsess's hand. !
!. at the altar, she should hear me :
,urmer anothernsme ,cith her own
i the bride Of my fancy must be pre-.