The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-19


salhe. au smu eaent 10 Sqnire Bovcll
lhsu pursued a. mode VI gaining biB live.
lhood, lOr the lands were hereditary. aud
he as repuicd wealthy, But Mr.. Matthew
vas not idle mdn. even in his leisure hours.
II which he had many-lhey being Prn
cipally pass d la explorations for miles
around the ada ent country, bearing IN
IA d basket aud hammer, with which
,ucI implement he demolished innumera-
Die ninls, and dus into chak-beds. la
holi, he MAS a geo!oglSt, adding to this
the study Of concho.ogy aud antiquarian
lore ia &, neral and it was his wont TO ex
hbt, rs the PRIDE OF his museum, a large
hnr, holloacd in the centre, which he had
found aud broken. Mysterious hints he
threw out concerning the exislence Of q
toad, whose home, for unimaginable ages,
had been within its ilinty bosom, until lib
Grated 10y .iln. A collector Of shells and
ain rails also was Mr.. Matthew; lhr ugh
SUNNI. er heat and winter cold, he wended
ais way over The hills, and across the downs,
home b, circuiIoLs route, laden with
ruphies an natural curiosiIies.
With clulasy exterior AID heavy coun-
lenance lie combined IA cold, sarcastic man.
ner. which did not tend to Ien!er him pop
lar with the far sea; he Was. indie, d, viii
fed as a regular won .an-hater, though his
supr, me ind ference was, perhaps, even
n-re unbearable Than d wnrlght cOntume-
Is; there wele ruu.os aflOat that in early
life he had been unworlhily treated by a
lair Lul tickle damsel, and hence his anlip-
athy 10 the whole race Of young ladies'
He vas an afiectionate, duIiiul son, and
beneath a repeiling exterio.. concealed as
kindly and generous heart as ever beat ia
human bosom; and in the midst If many
cynical trades, a merry word from his be-
loved molher brought forth a smile which
liz up his clouded eountenance, AID aston
ished the lel,ol,ier; for the smile was veIy
sweet, and ull. rly changed his whole aspect,
displaying al the same time a rare set OF
the WhiIesi IVORY teeth: few and far between
we're these smiles, and none save hi, moth
eff had hitherto owned the power Of con-
iurng them up. Therefore, when Mrs.
.
Warren, and evidently delighted in all its
iniiquaIed yet novel customs, and Mr..
Matthew lecame her constant companion
u explorations and she'll gatherings. "won.
dels never will cease" thought |; but wien
she actually approached the stern Dir.
Matthew with badinage, and playiully gave
herself pretended airs, commanding him
here, and ordering him there, and the white
teeth and the sweet smile were visible in
consequence, his mother, who had more
Than once noted these proceedings. was
silent from amazemenl! She taxed him
with having rubbish" in his museum, and
he bore that very well, and asked her 10
help him in re-arranging it; she called him
"diny old bachelor. for not suffering the
accumulated cobwebs TO be cleared away
from i S walls and ceiling, and mops and
brooms were In re4uisilion by his orders
next day; she dined at eleven, and drank
tea az three; span wi a Dame Boyell--i
was lOIg ere she was clever al the spin
ming wheel-and was a perfect pet anC
darling Of the hearty old squire.
But suddenly there was a change in the
pleasant aspect Of affairs: Mr.. Matthew
became reserved, and absented himself from
the Warren when Mrs. Estcourt was there
and when obliged to be in her society, hi:
sarcasm and coldness Of demeanor toward.
her more than once bought tears into heI
reautiiul eyes, though no individual bu
myself witnessed this betrayal OF wounded
feeling. made my own secret comments
on the Circumstance; and when Mrs. Est
court called Mr. Matthew "a beal anc
exclaimed that she hated him. | hac
strong doubts that she did not adhere &c
truth; nor ID my doubts rest here. FOR
also opined that the liking between lhi;
pair OF opposites was mutual. knew
enough Of Matthew Bovell's character &c
be quite sure that Mrs. Eslcourt's posses
sion OF one thous nd year "a fact which
he had only lalerly been acquainted with
would entirely preclude his approach in the
guise Of a sutton, even were such fact as
Mr.. Matthew "going a-woOing," within the
bounds of credibility. "Eor," said |, she
considers meIcenay motives SO unworthy
and dishonorable, hat sooner than lay him
self open to the bare suspicion of being
acIualed by su' b, he would sacrifice any
hopes. however dear TO him."
"Do you really think this is the case?''
said Mrs. Els court, musinsly; .'and 90
you really think lie cares for me in the
least"
1t is unnec, s'ary to give my answer
here, or the conversation which ensued.
ending with much laughing on both sides,
and wager between us OF six dozen pair
Of the finest French kid gloves, depending
on the solution OF an enigma which we
read in different ways. A few DAYS after.
we separated, Mrs. Estcourt being sudden.
ly called away TO attend the sick.bed of a
dear and aged relative, and to take I'D nv
temporary abode at the Warren, whether /
had been kindly invited. Mr.. Matthew
was more taciIurn than ever, more ener.
gellc in his geological discoveries, and even
Dame Bovells winsoIne, CHEEKY ways, fail
ing to bring the mach wished for smile
the squire lamented lie loss Of his merry
lavoriie; and was waiting for what con.
sidered good opportunity, in order to test
tue strength OF my cause, on which depend
ed the weighty bet Of the French gloves.
L lad been guest at the Warren for a
week, and ! had head from Lucy Esteourt
OF her relatives death---one who had been
eniiIely dependent On her bonaly for SUD-
port when, for The 6n1s time since my ar.
rival Mr.. Mathew took his place by the
chimney -cornaE at his mothers tea table