The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-05-20

stances of the two One was wealthy, hiS
SC property having been handed down to him
50 from his charlottesville other inherited
81 nothing but an honest name, but being bless
l. ed with good health, and possessing a clear
W head and willing hands, he was now in that
q pathway, which if steadily followed, always
e leads to honor and wealth. There was this
Il main difference between them; one was sat
o isiied with his situation, aspiring to nothing
= higher while the other was pursuing course
Z which was ultimately to eXat him among his
! fellow men. These two young men were OBJ
served to pay rather particular attention to
: Emma, seeming to be more than ordinarily
pleased with her appearance and manners,
by this time the party had reached the
mansion, and from thence proceeded to their
respective homes, all being pleased with the
manner in which they had spent the day,
Edgar excepted, who, aside from himself,
felt rather disturbed at his sisters conduct,
and determined to give her hint or two to
that effect. And Emma, upon reviewing the
scenes of the day, felt inclined to censure
herself; but was consoled with the thought
that her city friends would not, probably,evor
hear Of the affair.
Some few months elapsed after this event,
Edgar returning TO his college, while Emma
remained at home The two young men al
| luded to had often called at Judge BIS since
| the party, and both were always welcomed
for the father of one was Judge BIS intimate
friend and colleague, and the old gentle
man was fond of convcrsing with the young
mechanic, whose cool calculations and sound |
Ijudgmcntas well as seit-acquircd knowledge,
and quick tact in argument birth interested |
and pleased him. But it may be easily in,
ferred, that Miss Emma was at the bottom Of
all these visits, So far, she had shown no
preference, but treated them as old friends.
Charles L and Henry w, had both secretly
come to the determination that she should
make a decision with regard to their atten-
tons, and it was Henry, the mechanic, who
first spoke something to this effect in Emmas
presence. She was altogether unprepared
to decide then, and said that tie next time
they met she would give him to understand
her feelings upon the subject He fixed up
on an evening when Charles L. would proba-
bly, be there, to call at Judge BIS, and read
his fate in the actions Of his mistress 1t is
needless to say more than that he was receiv- {
ed Il litIle more codly, while his rival, on the ]
other hand, was more than usually noticed. 4
After conversing with the old gentleman
short time, Henry took his leave, feeling
rather disappointed and sad, but at the same !
time acknowledging the lady's right to her t
own choice, and not feeling the least enmi- a
ty towards his successful rival.
When Charles L. had also taken his de-
parture that evening, Emma, who half re. '
pented her decision already, so nearly had {
her opinions been balanced, drew her seat T
close to her father, leaned her head upon q
bis shoulder, and recounted to him her sit =
uation and decision. Judge B. remained mo- ?
tionlcss for several moments, covering his h
face with his hands, and then clasped her to n
his bosom, cxclaiming Ny child, hope you :,
may not, but fear you will repent of this G
choice p
Perhaps had Henry resumed his suit the I
next evening, his sentence might have been "
reversed; but he was satisfied that poverty +,
had turned She balance against him, and he t,
thought to himself that although so handsome b
in person, so well informed in mind, and so Il
modest and agreeable in her manners, yet :,
hat one idea unified her for becoming his II
wife; and he readily traced her principle of 81
lctiou-lot from her father, who never made +.
his his ruling principle and who also u
lad taken such an interest in his own affairs; k
not from her mother, when living, who was ii
born and brought up in humble crcumstan- d
,es, and married to Judge B. when no better il
,ff than herself but to the society in which Ii
he had spent the last four years,and he thought
t not so much her fault as her misfortune.
Not long after this, it was announced that co
Emma B. was to be married to Charles L., in
md among the rest of their friends, Henry in
". was invited to the wedding The appoint u ii
ID time found large party Of young people re
for it was the custom of those days pl
o have a wedding attended by a PARTY or =
rolic of some kind, Whereas now it is the I'LL
ashton to get married secretly, and immedi-
tely run away in stage steamboat, or rail of
Dad car, as though being guilty of some ''
mean action, Of which they were heartily
slammed. Among the young ladies present
pon this occasion, was one, niece to Judge
B., who had arrived few days before, and
5 she had just been left an orphan, was to -
cside with her uncle, who was also her guar
ian, for the present. On this day she was l..
rasscd partly in mourning, and as she stood 10
y the side OF Emma g., it would have been Vi
most beautiful. Henry was one of the first J.,
o ask Emma for an Introduction to her cous- u. III
n Helen, and if he was at first pleased with " u
Ter appearance, how much more was he 10
harmed with her simple, unaffected man. 81
lcrs, and how much more delighted by those a.
Qualities of her well trained mind, whose sem o.
imcnts, after an hours conversation hc found IL
o be in so close unison with his own. Du- 10
ing the evening he cultivated her acquaint- :"
nee to the utmost, without being particular p
y noticed by the rest, and when the party ", w
,rolSe up, was invited by her to call again. l
Henry W.,once more became constant Wis
tor at Judge BIS, and between the old gen Dc
lcman and Helen, he spent many pleasant u
evening there. Helen was Mr. BIS brothers z
,hild, and had been reared in another coun- 2,
ry village some miles distant. She was an e.
,nly child, and probably heir to a handsome II
property She had not been sent away to /
get a fashionable education, but kept at home a
lnder the care of well informed and judic- e. E.
Gus mother, whose aim was to make her +