The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-01-11
From the Model American Courier
"Reminiscences Of q aPbpsietan out Of aPrAstiee
BY PROFESSOR RUTER.

LEAF l. FATHER AND DAUGHTER.
| One evening / found a message waiting for me
| desiring my immediate presence at Mr.. Pendleton
| Nixon's, to see his sick daughter
| Nixon a widower of fifty, with Just sufficient
peculiarities about him to be by his friends consid-
cred character. His chief possessions consisted
of dignifed person, five feet by four, handsome
| establishment, an easy fortune, most obstinate
ing been hereditary in his family so long, that, as
| the aw-books say, {" the memory of man runneth
not to the contrary" But the last the daughter,
was source of much anxiety to him, not to be
wondered at when it is considered, he himself
| often remarked, that his family was not used to
| having daughters-Lucy, his own, being the first
that had existed in his branch of the Nixons for
some three generations He must marry her, of
course, but that would change the name and inter-
rupt the family line, and he at his wits end
how TO avoid this catastrophe. The reader will
learn how he proposed to do it; meantime, let us
turn to the daughter.
When reached her bedside, found ler flushed
in face, and under some nervous excitement; but,
as neither tongue, pulse nor inquiry to her pain
gave any indication of sickness, turned to her a
look of perplexity which she answered by request
| ing that we might be left alone together.
Doctor" began the patient, when the room was
cleared, sc see shall have to make confidant of
you, and oh! beg of you (clasping two very
pretty hands earnestly together) not to betray
me. IL you do shall die, for | can't and won't
do what papa Wishes"
Family physicians, especially if elderly gentle
men, are more often young ladies' confdants than
the world knows anyt hing about. Moreover, l
had known Lucy during her whole nineteen years
of lIfe-knew her as very sentimental very OBJ
stinate she got that from her father and wthal
very charming little creature, with of the best
hearts in the world naturally, but already nearly
spoiled, partly by her fathers indulgence and partly
by indiscrimnate novel-reading. So preparing
myself for something very romantic, but not very
inD tod 10 fha confSd
and she proceeded:
" am not sick, doctor, you that, but told
them was, for a particular reason. You know
how proud papa is of his family and the old name
wish had been son instead of daughter, and
then the name he is so proud of would never have
been changed. But Pm girl, and though he
wishes TO see me married, he doesn't wish to break
up the family line, sO,-would you believe it HE
has promised me to my second cousin, George
Nixon, of n, an old bachelor, thirty years old,
that I've never seen and never wish to Isn't
it shame" continued she, speaking through the
tears, forced out by this recapitulation of her
wrongs, to bargain me of, as if were part of the
plantation or one of the servants just to keep up
the family name!
"Papa first told me of his arrangements about
six months ago, and has ever since been trying to
persuade me to receive letter on the subject from
my cousin and this morning he told me that George
is to be here in a week to me,-to look at the
purchase he has made, as though were horse he
Hdu DOugut uoCIdTe IL Is LOO Ddu. i OOu walt
to marry any body, for don't love any body-that
is, any young man. And will never marry George
Nixon: SO have pretended to be sick, that may
have an excuse to keep my room all the time he is
here,-I hope that won't be long if it is, don't
know what I'll do, for won't marry him, and
won't see him.
"But, Lucy, you've made your father very I'M
easy about you, and -
90. you may tell him I'm not going to die very
soon, only shall have to keep my room for week
or two. Dear doctor, you are the only friend in
the world that can help me now-dont you desert
needn't betray me- And indeed, if am obliged
even to look at that odious George Nixon, shall
be really sick-Pll die, I'll do any thing first
ventured to suggest to my romantic little pa
tent, that bachelor of thirty was of just the pro-
per matrimonial age, and that, having never seen
him, she might just probably like dislike him !;
but all would not do The spoiled pet had made
up her mind, and as her resolution was not the
most rational in the world, so nothing rational
would change it.
1t was impossible, however, to resist the earnest
pIeadngs OF the coaxing creature, who had got into
her sentimental little head the oldest of crotch
cts about marriage of the sort proposed well
the most unalterabe aversion to any and all things
either preparatory adscititiOus to it. Twas COM
pelled therefore, to consent that she might tell to
her father her own story about her health condi-
toning only that she should not alarm him by a
pretence of serious ndisposition, and that my sane
ton to the deceit should be liable to be withdrawn
whenever | thought fit
Going below, | was soon relieved of my anxiety
to the deceit to which had partially committed
myself, by the old gentleman, who took me into
parlor, carefully closed the door, and, advancing
towards me, first smoothed his chin gravely and
then, laying one finger on his nose, winked know
| ingly, while he said
SIS MT going to die, reckon, is she, doctor I,
Hey Sick .-Humbug That s my opinion
what Is yours Ought to have been a son instead
of daughter-can't well be helped now-marry-
change name-break up old family line-never do
Promised her to her cousin, George Nixon, of NJ
fine fellow--handsome lad-same name-keep up
the family. Lucy g a fool, though-thnks she
can t marry till she gets in love- umbug! Who
ever heard Of respectable people marrying for love
That s my opnion-what g yours I"
As knew that the interrogative at the close of
Mr.. Nixon's remarks was not used to elicit any
expression of my opinion the subject, but merely
from long habit of interlarding his deiyerances
of opinion with that peculiar phrase, | made no
| other reply than bow, and took my leave.
LEAF H-CouNTERpLoTTING.
Next day, when | revisited my patient, l found
her up and dressed, and confessedy much better
that was fain to ask the of her GONZALES
cence. This produced an additional confidence, to
this effect, that, moved by his sympathy with her
serious illness, her good -natured parent had con-
scented that the much-dreaded formal visit of her
second cousin and promised husband should be
deferred for six months.
Knowing, as did, that Mr.. Nixon had no faith
in his daughters sickness, no little astonished
at her communication, and strongly suspe cted that
the old gentleman, finding deception The order of
the day, determined to use little on his own ac-
count, for the benefit of his own plans. was not,
therefore, much surprised when, upon descending
the stairs to the parlor Mr.. Nixon again closed the
door carefully, again stroked his chin, and looked
and Winked knowingly, while he said =
How s your patient, Doctor! My promises
better than your prescriptions, hey Shall cut you
out yet Nice little plot of mine; if tell you, you
won't blah, heys You see, told Lucy George
Nixon should not visit her for six months Good !;
George Nixon shall not all true enough = but
Charles Mason shall come in week. Understand,
hey! That s my opinion-what s yours!''
But who is Charles Mason I" asked
Before replying, the old gentleman again caressed
his chin, patted his nose, winked nodded his head
upward and backward toward his daughters room,
and at length found words to say