The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-11-15
Vol. III.

then about to return from the east Clarisse was
ohedirnt-w wept-obeyed her father.
Love, we all know. is like vine, amocter, and
sometimes prostrates its victims. by mysterious
intoxicatIon. Something of this kind befel Leslie
His ohle upheavings of desire his earnest of am.
biiion. were stad The excitement OF business
--of practical life became charmless And within
the lapse "f twelve-month, we find him as first
presented to the reader disguised under an assumed
name, language and demeanor, entering upon
| plan 10 win his lady love" BY the sweat of his
brow. Herein was centered the ordeal testing the
purity Of his affection and proving it as pure and
| clear and untainted as the waters of mountain
, spring He was willing to labor for her like the
patriarch on record: to toll, to endure the wiring
and rack of bone and sinew. Gradually did he win
his wav into the old mans esteem. On good deeds
he laid the base and building up Of good Charac-
ter. BY his steady application and his practical
skill and ability to labor. he substantiated reputa-
ton for industry; and from experience combined
with book knowledge, superiority in the pursuits
of agriculture In the latter, Gordon was partic-
uarly indebted to him;he acknowledged his worth; I;
'he plantation too expressed il legbly. Ne, erthe-
I less do not know what would have been the re-
suit had not circumstance occurred propious to
the lover. II was this:
| Gordon was very unjustly prosecuted by neigh
Dor Arriving at the court al the time summoned,
/ (it was Justices trial.) he found every body
there whom he wished to see but his own lawyer.
| rf,t.. IL. 4
iarhest limits that the law admits of-st no law
yer He would not be beat for hundred dollars;
yet he knew he could not conduct the suit success
fully himself To like him. independent to
obsnacy sucha situation, without alternative W as
morliiying in the extreme. AS the Justice was de-
cl ring that the case must proceed forthwith, Dick
Quri. aiIas Leslie, whispered to Gordon:
- May be, .een, as how your lawyer aint cum,
you'il lie, me Try yaur side--lve did si,h things
afore.'
Gordon opened his eyes vide. and stared al him
/ II no't think you need hang IT. for III pay
costs a,,d damages and give you years work if |
don't beat
Gordon complied partly from despair, partly be-
cause he never knew Dick to fail in any thing he
! undertook.
| Five minutes elapsed, and Leslie was in his e'e-
ment. He had rich sport that afternoon The
cornering up of some half dozen suspicious tines
ses; the putting to flight of halt as many half-hedg-
ed lawyers, the astonishment which the audience
evioced, throwing off his assumed style Of spea-
! king, he merged into chaste, clear ard rapid
stream of eoquence. The plain exposition Of facts
aud of the law woven into one glorious irresistible
argument, finally resulting in verdict favorable
to his client, were both amusement and profit to
Leslie
Gordon, who during the whole affair had sat with
his mouth so wide open that you could have tossed
potatoe sufficiently large for breakfast down his
throat. without his knowing it-said when they
were riding home:
"Dick, if you are Yankee, don't care; you
! are an a-jo.fred good feller"
| So | am" said Le,lie laughing; " indeed whe
ther you take me in the field of labor, the court
room, in any other place of business you please
do you know any man superior TO me hereabous"
No don't -"
!
ked Leslie.
81 think you will exchange it for sonnet thing
better as you did your blamed Taunton tone to-
day." answered Gordon,
"Do you consider poverty disgrace'" contin-
ued Leslie.
" Well now, I shouldn't think did"
"Well SIR" said Leslie sammering a little,
" nasmnch as you seem TO harbor no sentiment
concerning me but what favors me, / will be so
bold as TO inform YOU that there mutual attach
ment existing between your daughther and myself,
and we solicit your consent TO our marriage"
Gordon opened his eyes and mouth again wider
than ever.
She is yours, by jingo," said the father, after
short pause. " AN care about il is that she will
have 10 take such a consarned ugly name, Quirk
-Quirk; il sounds SO much like sick gobbler's
soliIoquy, but 'srose we can petition to the Leg
islature and have it altered"
CIartsse. /" said Gordon in the evening; {" Cla-
risse, Quirk has told me you loved one nother so
have given you to him entirely. am glad, girl,
that you have this time made choice of man who
knows how to petifog, jam up, without beiEg too
lazy to work on a farm
Clarsse laughed in her sleeve.
Henry Leslie and Clarisse Gordon were married. |
After the departure Of the wedding guests on that
sweet occasion, even after the ceremony which
launched them into the inexricable, ycleped mat
ritmony, even after the cake, music, tea, kissing,
wine, dancing and coffee, after all were finished,
and after all their friends were gone Clarisse found
herself sitting between her husband and her father
She turned her eyes to the latter and said beseech-
ngly: 7t
" Father, win you forgive u.s."
Forgive you! for what, chidl" '1'
Why you know I-I-loved and wished to
we'd Henry Leslie, my first flame. but you would
ot consent to our alliance" rt g 3a' aa
:" And recollect too, perhaps" said the young
uisband, " that when first came here. the mutu.