Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1847-11-12

I
the Defy"
Mary and Catherine Gleason had lost
their parents during their infancy, and had
became the churgeof their grandfather, old
Capt. Gleason, retired merchant. At the
time Capt. Gleason received his grand
daughters into his house, he was mourning
the loss Of his younger son, who was sup
posed 10 have persisted at sea, on his pass
age home from Europe. The ship in which
he was to have taken passage had never
been heard Of since her setting sail from
Liverpool, and was now believed TO have
been wrecked. Years flew by. aud no clew
was obtained to the fate Of the lost ship or
the lost son.
Mary Gleason. at the age Of sixteen, had,
in obedience to her grandfather, given her
hand to Mr. Linda, a wealthy merchant,
some twenty years her senior. In the Sec
ond year OF her marriage, she became the
mother Of lovely little girl. Soon after
the birth OF the little Sylvia, the failure aud
the death Of Mr. Linda left Mary again de-
pendent on the bounty OF her grandfather,
who received her aud her child with the
deepest sympathy and affection. Little
Sylvia soon became the especial pet and
/
Although Mary Linda had faithfully dis
charged her duties as a wife, she had never
loved her husband except as a friend. Her
whole affections centred upon her child, the
little Sylvia. She was her constant compan-
ion, in doors and out doors, in parlor, cham
Der, and street, by day, and at night she
slept encircled in her arms, pressed to her
bosom. At the age Of four years, Silvia
had been attacked by violent and conia-
gious fever. No words can describe the
/ anguish Of the mother. as she watched day
after day, and night aier night. for weeks,
beside the bed Of the little sufferer; no pen
can portray the JOY when, at last. her dar-
ling was pronounced out OF danger.
Mrs Lindal was very beautiful, graceful,
and accomplished, and co-heiress with her
sister Catherine; consequently, she was
much followed and fattered Notwith-
standing her numerous admirers, and some
very eligible offers, the seventh year Of her
widowhood had passed away. and she was
still unmarried. In the mean time Csthe-
rine Gleason had grown up to womanhood.
more radiantly beautiful than her sister had
ever been.
At length. in the twenty.ffih year Of her
age, Mrs Lindal became acquainted with
with Which This Sketch opens. MI E flls
was man Of great personal attractions,
pure morals, and distinguished talents
Mary Linda ever listened to his brilliant
conversation with delighted attention.
Convinced by his clear-sighted views and
able exposition Of truth, she had insensibly
acquired habit of shaping her opinions by
his own. There was one circumstance
about their acquaintance that peculiarly at
tracied Mary. Ii was this He never fat
tered her, never by any chance paid her
compliment, excepting this-the most, the
only acceptable one, Of constantly seeking
her society.
,b;nk !, v,. ,b,, .g,aa.hla ;;her
Rocbefonc,nI, who someyhere s.se,,si
tba, snv woman NAV hs s.csIy e.uersd on
any sni;sc, Gror, ,hs n,oso.,d;,v ~ hsr
pnders,snd;n, 40 ,hs .,nr;s;,e ,,s,. Of he,
fan W,hout y.n,nr;ng - J;asr f,oo, .nch
authority, will simply assert that Mary
AT the end OF Iwel'e-mon,h's acqua'n-
lance, Greenville Bonner Leslie aud Mary
Linda were married, and took possession
Of handsome house IN fashionable quar-
Ter Of Inc city.
AN event occurred soon after their mar
rage tnst greatly PANIED the ahecuonaie
hea'' OF MARY ms was tne oeaih OF her
g'anu'a'ne': pc o'u geh"eman naa 'nsoe J,
whi' leaving ms properly equally d"ided
between 'ne SISTERS mary ana Ca'nerlne.-
Inc property however as is frequently the
case, was not hall so large as had been re,
ported. and ms granddaughter inherited
only about twenty thousand dollars apiece
lew months before ms death, while hold
ing il!le Syi',a's hand within his own.
Gapiain Gleason turned his dim eyes on
~. - r.. -" .''nN'us v
sd me uonld aI,sr NV iii e;s;an Nv,
molbe,,s sba Of The nrone,,v - he, !, he,
mo,ber,s Ieath or o. nerhans =, he, n.r.
rage Won are wealthy Te.l;e and vonr
children II Won shsll have any viii he
handsomelv 5rov;ded eor ,sh;is noor svI.
y;a- $50 fS ~