Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1851-02-25

/ SLOWLY rom his mouth. sue wOulu never De
the worse of il, even If shouldn't marry
her-a mere preference, nothing moIe, be-
! Iieve met
We'll hope so,' said his scompanion, aud
here the conversation ceased.
Days and weeks passed, and still Harry
was torn by conflicting emotions. one while
inclining towards the heiress, and another
while yielding 10 the destinations ot her III
val. Often, during this period, his con-
science reproached him Tor his conduct TO
Evelne, and he resolved 10 forget Sophy;
but again he yielded TO the temptation. aud
neglected his first love. He could no longer
conceal from himself that Miss Valliere low
ed him sincerely. by looks and actions when
IN MS pfescuSs. "uo ts~--"esPonueucy a. MS
absence and neglect, revealed il. His heart
smote him when he thought this was his
work; but he asked himself, ought he TO
wed one whom he did not lovel Should he
sacrifice happiness with Sophy. who had an
! intellect to sympathize with him, for indiler-
| ence with Evelinel He did not remember.
when he thus reasoned with himself, that he
had at one time thought Miss VaIliere better
fitted for a wife, by her geutleness and un-
reserved devotion, than one of a more brill
! liant but less amiable character. He forgot,
too, that her affection had been yielded slow
| ~, and only in return for the eost ceaseless
| attention. But. hike too many of his sex, he
was tired of an Oh ject when won.
/ But the struggle was at length terminated,
| and, with the fickleness which characterized
! his conduct, terminated in favor of the new
er object of his love. lie resolved to cease
visiting Evelne, and devote himself to Miss
, Greene.
His visits accordingly increased in frequen-
cy dt her house; and he soon became salts
! fled that her attentions 10 him were moe
| marked than those she bestowed on other
young men. Thus encouraged, he did not
hesitate to declare himself one evening when
a favorable opportunity presented.
Sophy listened to his ardent protestations
with burning cheek and beating bosom,
but when he ceased she slowly raised her
eyes from the floor. and said:
Before | can consent to become your
wife, will you answer me one question: and
fixing her eyes searchingy on his face, tho
her checks crimsoned deeper ss she did it,
do you know Eyeline ValllereP
Had spectre started up before him, Har
~ would not have looked more aghsst-
| What could she mean! Had she heard OF
|
| Did she resent the latter, or had she merely
learned The former, and wished TO solve her
doubts before answeringl This last idea was
the most flatIeriug, and therefore the one
adopted He smiled as he repied:
Yes; | once knew lady OF that name'
Once knew her. said Sophy, with marked
| emphasis, 'dnd you know her no longerP
Il can scarcely say do said Harry, his
embarrassment returning at the decided man
ner OF his'quesIoner, 'but she has long for
/ gotten me, and have ceased visiting her.
There needed only ,his baseness,' said
Sophy, rising, with flashing eyes, the whole
expression oi her face changing TO indignant
scorn, TO make you as contemplate m my
eyes as you were before criminal. Know,
! false and tickle man. thar | have heard the
history Olyour acquaintance with Miss Val
! lere; how. by SLOW and Winning attention,
yon possessed yourself Of her heart; how,
when you met another, who for the time
! pleased your selfish nature better, you be-
came attentive to this new acquaintance; and
how, notwithstanding you knew the love
Miss Vallieie bore you, you at length left
her TO pine in dependency. until her life is
now despaired of by her friends. And yet
YOU come here and dare to Insult me with an
offer Of your love! she spoke these words
with bitter scorn; you! the almost murderer
OF woman, aud the wronger thereby of the
whole SEX
'Ay. more; you besitaied long because,
iorsootb, | was too poor, as il love, that holy
sentiment OF which such wretches as YOU
Can know nothing, was To be profaned by
base thoughts of lucre. | tell you, Harry
| Colbert, | have known all this for weeks,
and have waited patiently for this hour.
stopping to deception which despise that
| might redeem the sex at last. You seek
woman's love! why, you kno~ no more OF
that pure sentiment than the meanest hound
that crouches at the masters whip. A true
woman scorns the hand Of man like you,
who for the qualification Of a petty vanity, or
of his own selfshness, would desert heart
that he had won The time wss when |
might have loved you, but it was when
thought your heart was noble. | now see
its baseness duplicty and itteness. and bad
as you are, | cannot hate you from very
scorn. Go! aud go knowing this, woman
can avenge her sex even at the cost OF so
pretty lover as youiseIf.'
The withering contempt with which these
words were spoken was the last drop 10 the
cup OF the lovers shame. While Sophy
continued speaking, he had stood abashed
before her, not daring to lift his eyes but
once to her face, and then the indignant flash
OF her eyes, and the bitter mockety on her
lip, were no temptation TO renew the expert
ment. And when she ceased, he rose and
almost rushed from the room, too utterly
confounded to reply, though boiling with
rage and shame. He reached his room in a
tempest Of emotions indescribable. But his
passion was too high to allow him to see the
justice Of his fate.
'Cuise the girlsp was the first exclama-
tioh, she raved like Pythoness; but why
did | not retort scorn for scornl To refuse
me when she is not worth cent, and all be-
cause Of Eve;ine,' and he breathed a male |
diction on her as the cause OF HE discomfit-
ure, and with bitter exclamations strobe to
and fro 10 his room.