Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-01-11

child, is all yours; and you shall never suE
fer, but shall be unto us daughter if you
will"
cob! most gladly, most gratefully" she
replied. Whittier thou goest l will CO."
tears choked her utIerance,
Her uncle tenderly embraced her. Pre-
parations were soon made for their Journey.
Mrs, Stephens having no relatives, the cot
tage with all the furniture was given to the
two old faithful servants, and packing up
her slight wardrobe, the books of her father,
and the little box containing her ring, she
was ready for departure, She took long
and fearful adieu of the grave of her more
than mother, and then seated by the side of
her uncle in his carriage, she was soon on
her way to Virginia.
We have before mentioned that Mr.. Lo-
ralne had son, young man some four or
five years older than Jessica, and we will
pardon the old gentleman, if on his trip
homeward he was so won by the gentleness
and good sense of his niece, that he began
to think it would be very happy arrange
ment to make her his daughter; never sup
posing for an instant that any objection
could be interposed by the parties princi-
paly concerned. When they arrived at
the homestead in the cold Dominion"
George Lorraine was the first to welcome
them. He had been riding over the plant.
alton, and seeing the carriage he had gal
loped on to the house, and by the time the
driver had stopped the horses he had dis
mounted, and was waiting for them cap in
hand, his manly face glowing with exer-
else his blue eye glowing with pleasure !;
his chestnut curls Just so much disarranged
as to heighten the effect of his remarkable
personal beauty.
No wonder the heart of the father throb-
bed with pride as well as pleasure; no
wonder there was tone of qualification in
the words, "bless thee, my boy" as he
pressed him to his bosom. When George
was presented to his cousin, he met her
tlmld glance with a look of admiring,
though respectful wonder, and whom his
father added, " the daughter of your poor
uncle Frederic" he kindly kissed her on
the cheek.
Every day increased the affection of Mr.
Lorraine for his niece; he employed the
best masters that her want of early educa-
ton might be remedied and surely never
did pupil more fully repay the kindness of
her benefactor, or the care of her teachers
she had that burning desire for knowledge
that has been attributed to the Lady Jane
Grey, and however difficult or devious the
path by which it was pursued, her eager
ness never abaled.
Thus passed away three years She had
persuaded herself that she had long since
ceased to remember Lorenzo Carlvle with
Tetriugo at all dangerous to her peace, and
thought she might venture now to wear the
ring he gave her, regarding it only as the
gift of one who had been kind to her in
childhood. She accordingly wore it, think
ing of him very calmly, or as she thought
not at all. But in her mind there was an
ideal formed composed Of all projections
that made her sngularly indifferent to the
young men around her, and gave to her
manners a selfpossession end dignity sell
dom seen in one so young this ideal 1901
as a strange incentive i'll the acqulsl'lo', Vi
knowledge, and always arose before her
when she had mastered difficult piece OF
rnus;c or had made a more than usually
""Bi5 nf one ne Thing troubled her, and that was
her uncle's favorite scheme of unlting her
to his son, which was made so visible in all
his actions she was often panied by it, until
her cousin George, who was as careless and
merry hearted as he was handsome, relieved
her by saying
cit seems, cousin Jessie, that my farther
is determined to make US happy in spite of
ourselves by joining us in holy wedlock'
but do not look so prosecuted about it, dear
COZ; | am not knight Grant nor hero OF
romance, to run off with you and marry you
before you know it. You absolutely look
sometimes as though you were apprehensive
the ceremony had already commenced"
"No, cousin" she replied, laughing, 81
really apprehend nothing of the sort. for
though very kind, you are not very lover
like, but my dear uRcle's manner sometimes
embarrasses me"
All, well never mind that, | shall
manage it all very easily"
And from that time it was made a Jest
between her and her cousin, and all uneasi-
ness was at an end. One day the young
people were somewhat startled by the old
gentleman announcing his determination tc
take them to Europe, but the proposal was toe
agreeable to he rejected, and forthwith eve
ny preparation was made, and soon they
had bid good night" to their "native
land"
AS we are not writing a description Of
foreign countries" and care not to touch
upon topics that have been righted up by
the electric genius of a Headly, or render
ed attractive by the playful hnmor Of Ste
.phens, or the spiritual moralizing of a
Cheever, we will make ajump of two whole
years, and briRg our travellers down in the
middle of muddy road with painting hor.
ses and broken carriage, near small vii
lage in the midst of the AL ps fortunately
they were not far from the comfortable little
inn the village boosted, and as none ofthem
were seriously hurt, they were soon station
ed in snug quarters, with the most obsequi-
ous of landlords, and most obliging of land
ladies. Unfortunately or fortunately, fol
things are just as we take them, their car
riage had been very much damaged, anC
as they could not there procure another, il
would be some days before they could pro
ceed
The evening that they arrived George
knocked at his cousins door, and when bic
to enter walked in, saying" well, coz, as
you ladies' cannot possibly exist withou
lovers and cologne, and as know you have
the last, for / supplied you myself, | wen
to our landlord to inquire what were you
chances at this dismal little place for thu
frst.-so he told me he had a gentleman
staying with him very grand and yer,
magnificent, and everything you could i'm
agine, who had been here for some day
searching among the mountains for flower
or rocks, or some other equally wise pur
pose, | do not remember precisely what
However, while we were talking, in came
Il