The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1851-05-24

frequently spoken to me OF ner absent
sister Clara, but never spoke of her as
her twin sister. Until to-day, | have
never met Miss Clara Langley since /
saw her on the balcony of the house in
st. James's street. The only one of your
children who was never present during
my intercourse with your family, was
your daughter Clara-she who first en-
gagged my affections when beheld her
on my way to the levee-whose hand
it was really my object TO win in seek
ing an Introduction to you. To me- the
resemblance between the twin-sisters
has been a fatal resemblance; the long
There was a momentary pause, as
Mr.. Streat6eld concluded. Mr., Lang
ley appeared to be absorbed in thought.
At length he soliIoquized thus:
at as strange. | remember that
Clara left London the day of the levee,
to set out on visit TO her aunt; and
only returned here two days since, to
be present at her sisters marriage
Well, sir" he continued, addressing
Mr.. Streatfield, granting what you
say, granting that we all mentioned my
absent daughter to you as we are accus-
toned to mention her among ourselves,
simply as Clara you have still not ex-
cused your conduct in my eyes. Re-
markable as the resemblance between
the sisters is, more remarkable even,
am willing to admit, than the resem-
blance usually is between twins, there
is vet difference. which. slight, indes-
cribable though it may be, it is never
theless discernable TO all their relations
and friends How is it that you, who
present yourself as so vividly impressed
by your first sight of my daughter Clara.
did not discover the error When you
were introduced to her sister Jane, as
the lady who had so much attracted
youw
You forget, sir" rejoined Mr.. streat-
sisters together uitil to-day. Though
both were on the bale, ny when | first
looked up at it, il was Miss Clara Lang
ley alone who attracted my atte ltion.
Had only received the smallest hint
| that the absent sister of Miss Jane Lang
| lev was her twin-sister, would have
seen her at any sacrifice before making
my proposals For If is my duty to con-
fess to you, Mr. Langley, with the can
dor which is your undoubted duel that
when | was first introduced to your
daughter Jane, / felt an unaccountable
impression that she was the same as,
! and yet different from. the lady whom
| | had seen on the balcony. Soon, how
ever, this impression wore of. Under
the circumstances, could regard it as
ANYTHING bnt mere caprice, a lovers
wayward fancy? | dismissed it from
my mind it ceased to effect me until
to-day, when | first discovered that it
was a warning which | had most unhap-
PLY disregarded that terrible error
had been committed, for which no one
of US was to blame, but which was
fraught with misery, undeserved mis-
cry, to US ALL" e9
/ "These, Mr.. Streat6eld, are explana-
tons which may satisfy you," said Mr..
Langley, in a milder tone, "but they
cannot satisfy me-they will not satisfy
the world. You have repudiated, in the
most public and most abrupt manner, an
/ engagement, in the fulfllment of which
the honor and the happiness of my fam
ily are concerned. Yon have given me
reasons for your conduct, it is true; but
will those reasons restore to my daugh-
ter the tranquility which she has lost,
perhaps for ever! viii they stop the
whisperings of calnmny? viii they
carry conviction to those strangers TO
me, or enemies of mine, whose pleasure
it may be to disbelieye them? You
have placed both yourself and me, sir,
| in position of Enthusiastically,
position of danger and disgrace, from
which the strongest reasons and the
best excuses cannot extricate u.s."
"I entreat you to believe replied
Mr.. Streatfeld, that I deplore from my
heart the error-the fault, if you will
|, of which / have been unconsciously
guilty | implore your pardon both for
what said and did at your table to-day,
but cannot do more. | cannot and ]
dare not pronounce the marriage vows
to your daughter with my lips, when
. know that neither my conscience nor
! my heart can ratify them. The com.
monest justice, and the commonest res
pect towards young lady who deserves
! both, aud moIe than both, from every
: one who approaches her, strengthen me
+ to persevere in the only course which
r it is consistent with honor and integrity
J for me to take.o
aYou appear to forget" said Mr..
i Langley, "that it is not merely youi
: own honor, but the honor of others, thai
is to be considered in the course Of con-
;. duct which you are now to pursue"
/ 81 have by no means forgotten whai
d is due to you,n continued Mr.. Streatfield
S sor what responsibilities have incur.
r red from the nature of my intercourse
t with your family. Do put too much
a trust in your forbearance, if / now assure
you, candidly and undeservedly, that
E still place all my hopes of happiness in
: the prospect OF becoming connected oy
/, Miss Clara Langley
e Here the speaker paused. His posi-
tion was becoming delicate and dan
e gerous one; but he made no effort t
withdraw from it. Almost bewildered