Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-03-06
Irs. Potts write such note? How did she

Mrs. Potts write such note? How did she
dare
Oh" replied Potts, stammering and hes
''a''ng.' women will have their notions; men
are not half SO paticulai about their com.
Pahy. Somehow, afier Mrs. Potts had
invited Miss A.bina, she thought ON further
cons'oera'lon that poor Miss Albina was not
quite gen'eel enough for her party You
know oil the women now make grea, mint
of being gentee. But. indeed, sir. (observ.
ing the storm that was gathering on Cheston,,
brow,) indeed. sir was not in the least 10
blame. II was altogether the fault Of nv
wife,
The indignation Of the lieutenant was so
highly excited, that nothing could have
checked il but the recollection that Potts
was in his own house. At this moment
Albina came down stairs, and Cheston took
her hand and said to her
'Albina, did you receive note from Mrs,
Potts, interdicIing your presence at tie par
Y?
oh no indeed = exclaimed Albina much
amazed at the question. Surely she didn't
send me such a note.'
Yes she did, though said Potts, quickly.
| 1T is then necessary for me to say said
Albinn, Indignantly, tina; under those circum-
stances nothing could have induced me to en-
Ter this house, now or ever. 1 saw or heard
nothing of this note. And is this The r.as-
on that have been treated so rudey so cru.
ely p
Upon this Mr.. Potts made his escape, and
Cheson having put AlJina into the carriage,
desired the coachmnn 10 wait few moments.
He then returned to the drawing room, and
approached Mrs. Potts, who was standing
with half the company collected around her,
and explaining with great voluhity the whole
history of Albiaa Marsden. On the appear
ance OF Cheston she stopped Short and all
her auditors looked foolish.
The young officer advanced INTO the centre
Of the circle, and first addressing Mrs. Potts,
he said to her-'In justice 10 Miss Mnrsden,
| have returned, madam, 10 inform you hat
your note of interdicton, with which you
have so kindly made all the company acquain-
ted, was till this moment unknown to that
young lady. But even had she come willul-
ly, and in the full knowledge Of your prohib-
itlon, no circumstances whatever could jus.
tify the rudeness with which find she has
been treated. have now only 10 say that
if any gentleman presrmes, eilh-r here or
hereafter, 10 cast reflection OIL The conduct
Of Miss Albna Marsden, in this or any other
instance, he must answer 10 me for the con-
sequences. And if find that any lady has
invidously misrepresenIed this occurrance,
| shall insist on an atonement from her hus-
band, her brother, or her admirer.'
He then bowed and departed, and the COM
pany looked still more foolish.
This lesson,' thought Cheston, will have
the sautary effect of curing Abina of her
predominant follies. She is a lovely girl uf-
ter all, and when Withdrawn from the inhu-
ence Of her mother, vii! make charming
woman and an excellent wife,
Before the carriage had stopped at the res
idenoe Of Mrs. Marsden, Chesion had made
Albina an offer of his heart and hand, and
the offer was not refused.
Mrs. Marsden was scarcely surprised al
the earliness of Albina's return from the
party, for she had a secret misgiving that all
was not right, that the suppression of tho
note would not eventuate well, and she bitter
ly regretted having done it. When her
daughter related to her the story OF the eve
ming, Mrs. Marsden was overwhelmed with
compunction, and though Cheston was pres
ent she could not refrain from ackno wledg.
ing al once her culpabiity, for il certainly
deserved no softer name. Cheston and AL
bina were shocked at this disclosure but in
compassion 10 Mrs. Marsden they forbore 10
add 10 her distress by single comment
Cheslon shortly after took his leave, saying
TO Albina as she departed i hope you are
done forever with Mrs. Washington Pol,s.'
Next morning, Cheston seriously but kind
ly expostulated with Albina and her mother
on the folly and absurdity of sacrificing their
comfort, their time, their money, and indeed
their self-respec,, 10 the paltry distinction of
being capriciously noticed by few vain, sill
| ly hesrless people, inferior 10 themselves
in every thing but in wealth, and in slight
tncture Of soi-disant fashion; and who, af-
ter all, only took them on or threw them off,
as il suited their own convenience.
What you say is very true, Bromley re-
piled Mrs. Marsden. 4 begin 10 view these
things in their proper light, and as Albna
remarks, we ought TO profit by this lesson
To tell the exact truth, have heard spce I
came TO town that Mrs. Washington Potts is,
after all, by no means in the first circle, and
it is whispered that she and her husband are
both of very low origin
NO matter for her circle or her origin
said Cheston 'in our country the only ac-
knowledged distinction should be that which
is denoted by superiority Of mind and mall
ners.'
Next day Lieut.. Cheston escorted Mrs.
Marsden and Albina back TO their own home
and week afterwards he was sent unex-
pectedly ON cruise in the West Indies.
He returned in the spring, and found Mrs.
Marsden more rational than he had ever
known her. and Albna highly improved by
judcous course of reading which he had
marked out for her, and still more by her in
.macy with truly genteel, highly talented
and very amiable family from the eastward,
who had recently bought house in the vii
lage, and in whose society she wondered at
the inintuation which had led her 10 fancy
such woman as Mrs. Washington Potts,
with whom, of course, she never had any
| f,rfh fhorr MIN