American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-03-26

an affected air, languidly bid the handsome
youth welcome.
Henry Osmond had been left an orphan at
an carly age His fathers will had appointed
for the guardian of the boy gentleman every
way worthy of the Office; and under whose
care the property of the young heir had accu-
INFLATED during his long minority TO fortune
unusually large. This guardian had an only
daughter, who, though yet young was of un-
bounded ambition, trait which she inherited
from heC mother. These two had long resolved
in their own minds that the young heir should
/ be the husband of Annabel; and so adroitly
had they manGuvred that Osmond, ever since
he began to think of the subject at all, had
considered it as matter Of course that Miss
Webster was some day to be his wife. 3he
father stood aloof from these Vaccinations, of
which, indeed he was scarcely conscious But
regarding Henry Osmond as lad of high pro-
mise, he treated him as an especial iavorlte.-
! Thus the young heir found himself universal
| ly cour,ed at the Hall; where, accordingly, he
always spent his vacations. On visit of this
kind he had now come.
/ "By the by, Anabe," said Osmond, the
next day, "who is the pretty girl met at the
village spring yesterday? She has dark hair
and eyes, and may be about thirteen. saw
heI enter the second cottage OH the right as
turned into the street. She is the most beau
tiful creature | ever saw or dreamed Of"
'Indeed!" said Annabe, surprised out of
her usual languid tone.
eyes! a perfect Helen-only too young for
that" added Osmond, coloring at his earnest
/ ness, when he saw his companions eyes fixed
Oh him.
Annabel though scarcely sixteen, had al
ready learned to be artiul She saw that Os-
mond was interested IN this girl and she deter
mined to destroy the power of her rival, even
at the expense of shameful falsehood.
'She is pretty, but that is all. Such tenn
per, her mother can do nothing with her She
wished to bind her to US, but Ma would not
have her about the house OH any account
There was some talk about her having com
mitted a theft that would have sent her to the
pententiary; but 1t was huslled up; for her pa
rents are excellent people in Their way, only
poor, and you know all such people are very
vulgar"
Osmond sighed invountarily that one so
beautiful should be so base; he implicitly be-
lieved all that his companion had said. He
thought no more of the pretty cottager that
day; but if her image would afterwards some-
times rise before him, he dismissed it with a
passing regret.
CHAPTER II.
Years had passed away since the events mar
rated in our last chapter, and Osmond, having
completed his collegiate COURSE and made a
tour of two years in Europe, was once more
on visit at his GUARDIANS. He had been re-
,ceived by Mrs. Webster, now a widow, and by
her daughter with smiles and courtcsies; and
! Annabel was already arranging in her mind
what her wedding dress should be and in what
style her household should be arranged. Not
Al, had . .,.,t
the surposition that he contemplated u speedy
marriage, but Annabel and her mother had no
doubt he would now settle, and whom could
he choose but her whom he had tacitly regard
ed from boyhood as his future wifel Besides,
Mrs. Webster had more than once known third
parties to tease Osmond about her daughter,
! and ia no case had he uttered denial but
seemed to consider the marriage as matter of
course.
And such, indeed, had been Osmond'S deter
mnation when he arrived from Europe. He
remembered Annabel as quite a pretty girl,
little affected, it is true, but to atone for this,
very accomplished, and having an exquisite
taste in dress. She had, moreover, left OH his
mind the impression of an amiablc heart, for
he noticed that she was always dutilul to her
patents, and kind and condescendng to the
servants. But, now, on his return, though he
found her improved in personal appearance,
her aifectation, instead of disappearing as he
hoped had grown into habit; and on one or
two occasions he had overheard slight aterca-
tons between her and her mother, when it was
supposed lie was out Of hearing. These things
made him hesitate in executing his first reso-
utions 70 propose for Annabel at once. lie
determined to wait, and observe, before he
made the final step.
,l. e.. rat,, ln do to
church in the neighboring parish, intending to
dine with the minister an old friend of his ia
ther. After service the good old man came
out and shook him heartily by the hand
"Wecome back, my dear young friend"
said the rector, "you grow more and more like
your father. You will come and dine with
me; That is right. You know our Sunday
fare, SO need make no apology Leave your
horse here; the sexton will bring him over to
the parsonage, and we can walk heme through
the orchard"
& At dinner young lady sat at the head Of the
table, whose appearance struck Osmond so
forcibly that only politeness restrained him
from staring at her. She was eminently beau
! tiful; and moreover it seemed as if he had seen
her face somewhere before, though where he
could not tell. He knew the rector had never
married, and he had never heard of any rela-
tlyes. Besides, the name was strange one
Elmer; Miss Elmer! He had never
heard of family IN the country of that name.
When they adjourned to the library, Osmond
could not help abiding to the subject
"Ah! yes she is lovely creature" said the
kind old minister, in reply to the young mans
remark, 'and she is as good as she is lovely
You are right in saying the name is strange
one in the country The poor girl is an or
phan. Both her parents died four years ago,
shortly after they moved into this neghbor-
hood. They we've poor cottagers, though they
had seen better days. AS there was no one to
care for their daughter, received her into my
house, and when poor old Hannah, my house