The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1846-12-17

and one who Was non = frequent CUES
hslph Ashton was = lawyers clerk, an
on ne strength Of = situation which
considered rather above that ola iourae,
man saieh.msker. he lhonghl in MS ON
heart that he somewhat eondeseended
joining iheiG tea and supper table three Z
lour nights week. NollhaI such Zee
ING Was By sny means evident from n
manner on The eonlnTy, lIe most casn;
observer might have felt pretty sure m:
Ralph Ashlnn was doing his utmost
make himself agreeable 10 Lucy Freezing
and 10 have betrayed his own selIconcei
or certain Other attributes Of his naiur.
would have been a mistake unworthy a
his cunning. lie was good-looking. !,
lar - ! coarse Kind Of regularity oT lea
lures and bright, dark eye might eonsli
lnle good looks and he had smatlerin,
OF superficial knowledge. and a ceriai,
sPeciousness Of manner, which were like
~ enough 10 deceive single.minLed. in
experienced girl like Lucy. Even Jasper
hrs superior in every respect. but diiTi.en
oil himself. and endowed By nature with an
almost womanly llelicaey ofsenlimenl and
tenderness Of feeling. had been caught by
The outward seeming, and, though the
knowledge rackej him TO the hearts core,
did no, wonder that Lucy regarded him
with interest.
Not so The widow. From The first mo.
ment OF Ashlon's acquaintance with her
son, he had been disliked BY her; although,
when pressed hard for q reason for her
antpathy. she could seldom lind any but
The most trivial ones.
There had been whispered conference
between those who were MI but acknowI.
edged lovers, accompanied by downcasl
looks and a flushed cheek on the part of
Lacy but Ralph Ashton had LEI. some.
what earlier than usual, having several LEI.
tiers to wTite for his employer before
morning, and Lucy. pleading more than
ordinary fatigue. retired TO rest, leaving
Jasper and his mother alone. He had
the lamp by which he worked,
and only the light Of a single candle re.
manned besides that of the sinking fire,
which IL was loo late to replenish. lie
was leaning upon the mantel-piece, look
ing down and apparently watching the
ilickering "mhers, bn. The expression Of
ms counienanc was sad almost 10 solem.
",lo,her," he exclaimed. after pause.
and in voice that .remblcd percepubly,
Il suppose il is all settled, The aitemp,
is vain," he added, ~ cannot hide my
feelings from YOU" And, as he spoke,
he leaned his face within his hands, per-
haps to conceal the tears il they actually
flowed.
~ am afiaid i, is" replied the widow
though Lucy has made no
acknowledgment to me Of her affection.
Poor girl, she must suspect that the choice
she has made is the overthrow Of all my
hopes for my old age"
"Don't blame her. neutrality-suspicious.
she does not know all this. Long ago
should have given myself fair chance,
and let her know that | loved her better
han with brothers. love; instead OF
words and looks, and smother
ing every expression Of my feelings, from
The romantic notion that would not ask |
her 10 loye me until | was in business for
myself, and could place her in the wished
ior position Of prosperous bridesmaids
wife. idiot that was, not TO be sure that
should be iorestalled." /
"And now that YOU are so near the .
SUNNI, of your wishes - apostrophised
MS mother.
ITO my establishment! The offer Of
Monsoon to take me into partnership, is
nos. extraordinary piece of good fortune.
ale knows there are not half a dozen
,uch workmen in London, and that for
une is to be made by the Improvements
'ou have suggested" replied Mrs. Law
ION with pride.
WELL" sighed Jasper, "from whatever
.suse it is, it comes like a mockery now.
doub, il there will be any more Improve
nents of mine. have little heart for any
hing"
81 can hardly forgive her for this, JAS
,er-and so mneh as have always said
against him"
"There it is, mother" interrupted the
,oung man almost fierccly, If she love
lin in the manner that | love her, the
more he is blamed the more will she cling
o him. Why | feel if she were plunged
n,o want and misery-her beauty gone,
,r with evil tongues like harpies darling
1t her, such an hour of woe would be the
me in which | would show my alteration
most passionately, most madly, fyou like
o cali it so--she would s!iil be herself,
md it is herself that | love-" 4
Poor Mrs. Lawson was awed and panied
" her sons enthusiasm. Like many
,ther exceIlcnt-hearted and shrewd per-
IONS. she was quite incapable of following
hose subtitle emotions, which are the most
eal in the world, and more than any 9TH
RS influence human destinies /; and yet
ire scofled at by large number OF per-
~.s. -. sk.,o.o .,,,~r.,,,t,nr ~ SrOmonpp p"