Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-04-06
From Gody's Lasy's Book.
SOPHIA TALE.
BY MISS META NJ. DUNCAN.
(Conciuded.)

\ Ashleigh gazed upon the eloquent upturned
face beside him, with surprise, al this burst o
feeling and as he looked into those deep eyes
which now glowed with ruth and sensibiliiy,
and beheld for the first time the fervent energy
of hgh-hearcd woman, breathing from that
youthful countenance, he replied, with u deep
sigh" Well, Sophy, for your sake, will
cndeavor to think differently nay, believe
that such treachery is foreign TO your nature,
and come what may, shall never forget the
kindness, the sympathy, which you have
shown me this day." and wringing her hand
with . hasty farewell, he left her.
\ Before another month had elapsed, Mr.. and
Mrs. Ellis, and Emily, were again at home
Sophy, who had petitlOned to be left with Mrs.
Montague, was permitted to remain at school,
and she was in consequence saved the pain OF
daily beholdiDg her sisters heartless conduct.
Emily's engagement to Asheigh having never
been publicly announced, her conduct towards
him, which would have injured her in the eyes
of the well thinking, was never known, and a
few weeks previous 10 her marriage, were
passed by her in exhibiting her elegant lover
to the admiring world in which she lived.
\ The meeting between Sophy and her sister
was colder even than ordinary; for the warmth
which had heretofore been exhibited, was Who'll
ly on Sophy's part, and now even that was
wanting. The first interview between Mrs.
Ellis and Sophy was, on the contrary, marked
by better degree of warmth than ever occur
red before. Differing with her husband on the
point which had so deeply wounded her, and
on terms of scarcely decent intercourse with
Emily, Mrs. Ellis turned TO Sophy for SYM
pathy in her distress. Sophy's most heartfelt
| sympathy she certainly possessed, and when
we add to this, a decided improvement in her
manner TO her stepmoiher, we must not be sur
prised to find her on the high road Of iasorltisIn
with Mrs. Ellis.
Il Robert Ashlcigh rcscnting the treatment
which he had received from MIR. Ellis, refused
to enter his house, even to visit his aunt and
Mrs. Ellis now only sw him, when she met
him in society, or visited him at his lodgings.
Sophy never saw Ashleigh, but, during her
weekly visits home, size heard from Mrs Fills
all that she hersclfknew of him. for with Mrs.
Ellis, Asheigh, and the Ill treatment he had
received, were a never-endng theme of dis
course.
Em!ly's marriage took place IN June, and
she lett her fathers house for her new home,
without any wish expressed on the part Of
Mrs Fills that she should again revisit it.
Robert a shlcigh, the following autumn, went
wandering should be satisfcd-a thirst recent
~ induced. by the bitterness and irritation
which his disappointment had occasioned.-
Ashlegh felt Emily's conduct poignantly.-
Endowng her as he had with all the charms
that surrounded his ideal, he had layishcd up
on her all his warm affections, without suspi-
cion of guile The shock, the disappointment
were proportionably severe, nor IS il surprising
al. l,n IL gtgNft ~ in q
virtues, a doubtcr in her truth Nothing is so
wounding to mans vanity, as 10 doubt his
own penetration and Judgment, and nine times
in ten, he consoles himself under similar cir
cumstances, by broad and sweeping censurc
upon the whole sex, sooner than acknowledge
his blindness or deficiency in either Of these
qualities.
Sophy left school on the occasion of her SIS
ters marriage, and, after Emily departure,
il was decided that she should not again re-
turn, but continue her studies with her mas
ters as before A year earlier such an attempt
10 overrLle lavorite project, would have met
with strong resistance from Sophy; but after
q simple expression OF her wish to continue
with Mrs. Montague, she Welded in quiet sub
mission to her mother wishes. This change
alone, in Sophy, would have produced cor
we throw into the scale her disappointment in,
and resentment, towards Emily, il is not sur
prisng that we should find Sophy rising rs
high in her stepmother's regard, as she for
,mery fell below it. All the indulgence, the
pettng, which Emily once engrossed, now fell
entirely upon her, and it is difficult to say
which extreme was the most trying ordeal for
the character ofa young person TO pass through.
Ia I1r
knowledge of the past had rendered her clear
sighted and nothing but her firm delermlna-
ton to do what was right enabled her to bear
with patience the often times oppressed conse-
quenccs of such tavofitism.
When the winter came round, II was cvl-
dent that Mrs Ellis inclined to take Sophy
with her to Washington; but upon this occa-
sion her father interfered in her behalf; So
phy was too young, at little more than sixteen,
To enter into society, and he decided that she
should again return to Ms Montague during
their absence. This was a subject of great
rejoicing to Sophy; and when, at the begin
ming of the session, her parents departed for
the capital, she returned with light heart 10
her kind friend Mrs. Montague, and her old
schoomatcs.
During this period, the letters, which came
thing but encouraging in the picture which
they gave of her mind Emily was evidently
disappointed The paradise home, which
lover tongue had painted, proved to her dis
enchanted eye nothing more than a secluded
wilderness, called plantation. The society
and the hospitality OF which she had received
such glowing accounts, were so scattered that,
tn enjoy them, was a labor which, with her
town-brcd habits, shc was entirely untitled for.
Emily soon perceived that her elegant lover
was Ear less amiablc in shabby coat and
rough country boots, than when sauntering up
PENNSYLVANIA Avenue with her the morning al-
ter bail that he loved the companonship of
his horse and his cigar very often better, than
he di h,rs: and worse than all, she discover
cd thlt, though proprietor d large landed es-
tate. her husband was what she called poor
man. for he had very little ready money, and
even that little depended upon the fluctuating
chances of good aud bad crops; and when sic
found that, instead OF passing gay winter IN
Washington, as she had proposed she must
remain during the whole dreary season in the
country. she tlt hers Ii III used, ard decci, ed.
Ii i, true. her husband o5Igngly told her that,
If the old gentleman meaning her father
would take a hous, 10 Washington. and :, nd
cor them 20 rs.s the winter With him, he