The Southern journal., 1846-07-25

1
sides drawing a sou from their pock-
cts. Ifthe begging girl saw an old
man passing, she also ventured to i'm
pIore him. Age is often avaricious
and hard; and the old man passed on.
The evening had been wet and rainy,
night was approaching, and the pat
rolls, the night.guards, the city sar,
geants, were about to take possession
Of the streets, when the young girl,
faintipg with want, once more held
out her hand She addressed herself
to a young man, who stopped, felt in
his pocket, and threw her piece Of
money, so much did he fear to touch
the wretched one. A police officer,
who was apparently lying in wait for
the beggar girl, all at once appeared,
and laying his hand upon her, said:
"Ah, have you; you're begging.
Come along my beauty"
AT this, the young man interfered,
with some warmth; he took the arm Of
the beggar, which before, he would
not touch with his glove, and turning
to the police officer, said:
"This woman is not beggar, but
one of my acauaintances."
"But, sir,"-the executor of the law
against beggary was going on to say.
81 repeat that ! am acquainted
with the lady.-My poor, good wo.
man. added he. bending over to the
ear of the young girl, whom he took
for an old woman, ''accept this hund,
red sous, and let me conduct you to the
neighboring street. BY this means
you will escape this Cercbus who
pursues you"
"The crown slipped from your hand
into mine," continued the bride. "aud
as we were passing under the lamp,
which | had before avoided, | saw
your face.''
"My facew cried Frederic.
"Yes, my friend, it was whose
life, and perhaps honor, you thus
saved. You gave a crown to Lady
Melvil your future wife,"
"YouW said Frederic, $50 beauti.
Iul, so young, SO wealthy-you have
begged"
"Yes, my friend, | have received
aims once, and that was from you.
The next day after this, and which
now reckon among the happiest days
of my life. an old woman, whom l had
inspired with some pity, took me into
her house as seamstress. My gaye.
ty returned by labor; l became the
friend Of the respectable lady with
whom l lived. One day Lord Melvil
came into the room where ! was wor-
king. and sat down by my side. He
was man of about sixty years-tall,
spare, and ola repulsive aspect"
"Miss,' said he, 81 know your his.
| tory.-Will you marry me?"
"Marry your | cried.
eyes, have immense property,
which | do not wish to leave to my
nephews-and have the gout, which
do not wish to be taken care of by
my domestics. From what | have
been able to learn ofyou, your char
acter is upright as it is elevated. 1t
is in your power 10 become Lady Mel
vii, and to prove that you are destined
for good fortune, since you have known
how to support misfortune"
81 loved you, Frederic" continued
the young woman. 81 had seen you
once, but il was impossible for me to
forget you-and something in my
heart said to me that our lives ought
to roll on together. As looked at
Lord Melvil, as l saw his melancholy
countenance, and his sharp and almost
wary eye, l said to myself that the
step he was taking was nothing else
than one Of ofrevenge, and ! was loath
10 be the instrument of it. If the no.
BILE Lord did not receive refusal, he,
at least. Derceived IT, from nv apita.