Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-06-13

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long black ashes which fringed her laughing eyes,
gave new and pleasing sof(ness to their expires.
slon Her extreme beauty attracted around her all
those butterflies Of fashion, who futer their brief
season in the sunshine of gay life; and the wealth
i OF him whom the world considered her father by
adoption, gave new zest to the admiration which
her loneliness excited thought, however, that
could see something like disquiet in the watchfu-
ness with which Mr.. Weldon regarded Lizzie and
! her admirers Indeed the evident ANNOYANCE
which he once or twice displayed, when her sylph-
like form was whired through the mazes of waltz,
in the arm of tall black-whiskered beau, con-
Vinced me that there was something more than pa
ternnl fondness in his prudent care of her.
! | was little surprised, therefore, when, in the
course OF the following winter, received an iuv-
tatlon to attend the nuptals of Mr.. Weldon and
! his beautiful ward Lizzie was certainly one of
the lovelies Of brides, and though she looked rah
err like the daughter than the wife of him to whom
she plighted her faith, yet there was gentle rev.
erence in her manner toward him, which seemed to
promise more happiness than usually results from
such unequal marriages. The truth was that Mr..
| Weldon, early in life, had met with one of those
disappontments which often freeze forever the
deepest fountain of affection. He could never
again love wth that fervor which had characterized
his first attachment but he was kind and affection
ate in his disposition, and his regard for Lizzie,
while 1t was almost paternal in its character vet
derived something of earnestness from the absence
OF all ties of actual kindred between them He
saw that her position in society was a dangerous
one, and mingled with his dsinterested wish for
her future welfare, was natural emotion of iea-
onsy toward those who aspired to her favor. He
finally persuaded himself that Lizzie's happiness
could be best promoted by continuance of the
guardianship which had watched over her child
hood and after sundry deliberations with his sis
ter, 1t was finally decided that he should make Liz
zle his wife. 1t is true he was thirty wears her Sc
NOR but this disparity only made him a safer guide
for her independence and the subject was AT length
referred to Lizzie; but less in the form of propo-
sltion than as the final arrangement of long set
tied project. Lizzie was somewhat startled at the
first development of the scheme. She reflected
upon 1t gravely for at least an hour-a long time
In LIzzle's calendar at thoughtfulness and finally
having come to the conclusion that it was a duty
which her benefactors seemed expect of her. that
Mr.. Weldon was one of the handsomcst men she
knew, even If he was not very young, and that she
really liked him better than any one else in the
world-she avowed her consent to the marriage
Like all persons, in whom a strong sense of in
ner lie has never been developed, Lizzie was keen
~ alive to all the pleasurable eXcitements of ex-
ternal circumstances. In compliance with her
wishes, Mr. Weldon purchased new house. fur
nlshed 1t In the most luxurious Manner and install
ing his sister in her wonted dignity housekeeper
commenced a style of living as different as posi-
BILE from his former plain habits. Lizzie was Just
like peted and INDUCED child she caressed and
coaxed her husband with so much girlish grace and
sweetness, that he never could refuse any request
however unreasonable it might seem to his better
Judgment Her good temper enabled her to yield
so easily and SO becomingy in small matters, that
she was always sure to have her way in every thing
which seemed to contribute to her real qualification,
and she was thus enabled to indulge her taste for
gayety and expense, without in the least degree
lnpairlng the harmony of her pleasant home
Proud of his beautiful wife. pleased with the res
pect and Difference with which she always treated
him, confding implicitly in her really good princi
pies, and conscious that her affections never wan
dered from her duties, Mr.. Weldon found his high
est pleasure in anticipating her every wish. His
sister sometimes demonstrated and reproved, but
her opinions had but little weight, and Lizzie was
allowed to acquire habits which were only fitted
for life of selfndulgence; while her years fleet
ed by without afiording her the experience which
The ordinary chances ard changes of time bring to
ALL
saw but little of Lizzie during this period, for
the dissipation in which she lived did not harmon
izc with the quiet in which my heart found happi-
ness. heard continually of Mrs. Weldon's splen-
did parties, of her costly equpages of her extrav
agance in dress, Of her brilliant in society,"
and Of the singular attachment which existed be-
tween the young wife and her elderly husband, I'M
disturbed it seemed by all the allurements of
society, on the one sidc and the increasing dslaste
10 gay life on the other. But few years passed
away, and all was changed. Mr.. Weldon died
suddenly, and will which bequeahed his fine for
tune to be equally divided between his wife and
sister was found in his desk, without SIGNATURE
Miss Weldon, however, produced will of much
earlier date, legally executed several years prev-
Gus to his marriage, which gave to his sister his
whole estate, and Lizzie now found herself totally
unprovded for Upon further investigation it was
found that there had been an understanding, many
years Previous between the brother and sister res
pecting the disposition of the estate and that each
had executed will which secured to the survivor
the whole of their large and undivided patrimony
The manifest injustice of such a will, after his
marriage, had suggested itself to Mr.. Weldon and
he had intended to satisfy his conscience by an
equal division, but he had deferred the fulfllment
of his design until death came to set his seal upon
that which was already done.
When | heard Of Lizzie's misfortunes, all my
former interest In her was renewed, and | was
among the first who visited her in her secluson.
found her looking very lovely in her grief for she
retained at Internationally much of the fresh beau
ty which characterized her at fifteen and, as her
sweet young face looked out from beneath the
heavy and ungraceful widows cap, she seemed to
be enactng some piquant part in masquerade
But she did grieve heartily and truly for her kind
husband and total Ignorance of the wants and val
ue of money led her to pay little attention. as yet
to the provisions OF his unjust will. | could not
but lament the fate of one who had lived in an at
lnosphere of luxury until, it seemed to me- she was
untitled for any other, and when saw her total
! unconscousness of the unfortunate predicament in
which she was placed, | could not but deprecate
the injudicious indulgence which had left her now
with character half formed and mind but half
developed, to struggle with the exgencles of life.
But Miss Weldon, touched by Lizzie's genuine
sorrow for the dead, and her apparent Indifference
to the change in her fortunes, determined to fulfil
in part the evident wish of her brother. With a
cautious degree Of liberality, which certainly did
credit to her prudence, she proposed to continue
their splendid establishment on the same scale of
magnldcence, and offered to share with Lizzie the
income derived from Mr.. Weldon's estate thus
making the widow seemingly independent. while.
in fact, all the Injuries which use had now made
necessary for her comfort were held only at the
good will and pleasure of the spinster This mock
cry of wealth might have been rejected by more
sensitive mind, but Lizzie had never felt any very
da1icat tba &c goIc