The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-03-29


but, a. Il appeared 20 ne, intense anger, 81
have lived long enough 20 know that coifHess
and Encouragement aud such terms, irom
the common cant Of a worthless cOquetie,--
y ou know 70 the full az we'll ~ !, that eeif-
atss and Encouragement may be- 30 exhibited
~ 20 convince their object that he is neither
distasteful nor Indifferent % the person who
wears that manner You know, too, none
better, that an affected neglect when skill
full managed, i among the most formidable
OF the alluramenu which artiul beauty can
employ, / tell you, madame, that having,
without one word spoken in Encouragement,
permitted my sons most marked attentions
Tor twelyemonth or more, you have norigAf
10 dianiias him with no further explanation
than demureiy telling him that you had al
,vry~-lS.sAad eold4s 4s-sf'sf l,Iasy ssi,a giasthor
your wealth nor your ladysAip (there was an
emphasis OF sroriI on the word which would
have become Sir Giles Oyerreach HIMSELF
can warrant You In treating with contempt
the anectionate regard Of an honest heart"
l was too much shocked AZ this undisguised
attempt 10 bully inc into an Acquieseonae IN
the interested and unprinripled plan for their
uvu arvrautli-efs,egFt, El1sslsi T.GEgEIEEd
my uncle and lis son had deliberately form
ed. at once 10 find strength aud collectedncss
20 frame an answer 10 what he had said A.
length replied, with a hrnnoss that sur
prised myself
"In all that you have Just nou- said, sir,you
have grossly misstated my conduct and mo-
tivcs. Your information must have been
most incorrect, as far as IL regards my con
duct towards my cousin my manner towards
I him could have conveyed nothing but dislike;
and if anything could have added 10 the
strong aversion which have long felt TO-
wards him 10 would be his thus attempting to
r 4.
10 be revolving 10 me, aud which Is sought by
him only as a meanY for securing 10 himself
whatever property u mine"
As said this, fixed my eyes upon those
Of my uncle, but be was too old IN the worlds
ways TO faltcr beneath the gaze OF more
searching eyes than mines he simply said
"Are you acquainted with the provisions
OF your fathers will 2"
! answered In the Affirmative and he con-
tinved
"Thon YOU must be aware that if my son
Edward were, which God forbid, the unPrin-
ciped, reckless man, the ruffan you pretend
20 think him" (here he spoke very slowly, as
if he intended that every word which oscap-
ed him should be registered in my memory,
while at the same time the expression OF his
countenance underwent gradual but horri-
bic change, aud the eyes which he fixed up
on me became 80 darkly vivid, that ! almos'
lost sight Of every thing elae)-''if he were
what you have described him, do you think,
child, he would have found no shorter way
than marriage 10 gain his ends single
blow an outrage not degree worse than you
insinuato, would transfer your property TO
usw
stood staring At him for many minutes NJ.
ter he had ceased TO speak, fascinated BY the
terrible, serpent-tiko gaze, until he continued
with welcome change ofcountcnance
II will not speak again TO you, upon this
topic, until one month has passed. You shall
have time to consider the relative advantages
Of the two courses which are open 10 you. /
should be- sorry To hurry you 20 decison.-
1 aga satisfied with -haYing stated my feelings
upon the subject, and pointed out to you tlr
path of duty. Remember this day month :
not one word sooner"
lie then rose, and ! Ion the room, much
agitated and exhausted.
/ This interview, all the circumstances at
tending II, but most particularly the iormida-
I Bile expression Of my uncles countcnancc
while he talked, though hypothetcnlly Of
murder, combined to arouse all my worst sus-
Lniaians of him draAded- 10 look upon tho
/ face that had so recently worn the appalling
livery of guilt and malignity. | regarded it
with the mingled fear andloathing with which
one looks upon an object which has tortured
them in nightmare
In few DAYS after the interview, the par
ticulars Of which ! have Just detailed, found
note upon my toilet-table, and upon open
ing it read As follows:
hMY DEAR LAZY MARGAREri-You viii be, ncr-
/ haps surprised 70 see strange iaee IN your room
to-day. lhnve dismissed your Irish maid and Sc
cured n French one 10 walt upon youi step rem
dercd necessary by my proposing shortly to visit
the Continent with all my family.
Your faithful guardian, ARTHUR TrRRELt-"
On inquiry, found that my faithful atten-
dant was actually gone, and far on her way
20 the town of Galway; and in her stead there
appeared a tall, raw-boncd, Unlocking, elder
| ly looking Frenchwoman, whose sullen and
presnming manners seemed TO imply that her
vocation had never before been that Of n la
tdy's-mAid 4 uuutd not hufp regarding her
as a creature of my uncle's, and therefore 20
be dreaded, even had she been in no other
way suspicious.
DAYS and weeks passed away without any,
even momentary doubt on my part, IA TO
the course to be pursued by me. The allot,
ted period had at length elapsed the day ar
rived upon which l was to communicate my
decision to my uncle. Although my resolu-
ton had never for a moment wavered, L could
not shake off the dread of the approaching
eolloquy; and my heart sank within me rs ]
heard the expected summons 1 had not'seen
my cousin Edward since the occurrence of
the grand ecidirciSsement; he must have stu
diously avoided me ! suppose from policy, il
could not have been from deicacy. | was
prepared for terrific burst Of fury from my
uncle, as soon as ! should make known my
determination and not unreasonably. fear
cd that some act OF violence or intimidation
would next be resortcd to- Filled with these
dreary forebodings, iearfully opened the
study door, and the next minute stood in
my lncle's presence. He received uId with
courtesy which dreaded as arguing fla
vorablc anticipation respecting the answer
which was to give and after some slight
delay he began by saying
at will be relief TO boH Of us, / believe,
TO bring this conversation as soon as possible
ltoan issue. You will excuse me, then, my
dear niece, for speaking with bluntness.
which, under other circumstances, would be
objectionable. You have, am certain, Civ
en- the subject of our last interview fair and
serious consideration and trust that you
are NOW t1rq r,a rcd with cnndOr To Law yourI