Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1851-06-03

L was sitting at some needlewOfk with my
companion, Emily, as was my habit, ia the
paror, the door of the parlor opened, and
my cousin entered the room. There was
something, thought, odd in his manner-a
kind Of struggle between shame aud impu
dence, a kind Of furry and Ambiguity
which made him appear, if possible, more
than ordinarily disagreeable.
"Your servant, ladies'" he said, seating
himself at the same time; ':sorry to spoil your
te,e c-tete; but never mind, I'll only take
Emil 3 place for minute of two. and then
we part for while. fair cousin. Emily, my
father wants you 10 the corner turret; no
shilly, shally. he's in hurry" She hesi,a .
ted. abe of-tramp march, | say" he ex
claimed, in tone which the poor girl dared
not dsobey.
She left the room, and Edward followed
her to the door. He stood there for min
ute or TWO, as il rehecting what he should
say, perhaps satisfying himself that no one
was within hearing in the hall. At length
he turned about, having closed the door, as
if carlessly. with his foot. and advancing
slowly in deep thought. he took his seat at
the side OF the table opposite TO mine. There
was briet interval Of sill lencc, after which he
said
81 imagine that you have shrewd suspi
cion Of the object Of my early visit; but |
suppose must go into particulars. Must l'
81 have no conception" | replied, "what
your object may be-"
"Well, WE'LL" said he becoming more at
his ease as he proceeded, "it may be told in
few words. You know that it is totally
impossible, quite ou; of the question, that
an off hand young fellow like me, and good
looking girl like yourself, could meet conin-
ually as you and | have done, without an
attachmeHt-a liking growing up on one side
or the other, think have let you know as
plainly as if | spoke it, that | have been In
in love with you, almost from the first time
| saw you" He paused, but was too much
horrified TO speak. lie interpreted my ST.
Ience favoraby. IL can tell you" he con-
tinued, "l'm reckoned rather hard to please
and very hard TO hit cant say when was
taken with girl before, SO you see fortune
reserved me-
Here the odious wretch actually put his
me to utteiance, and with the most indignant
vehemeuce released myself i,om his hold,
and at the same time said
al hare, sir, of course, perceived your
most disagreeable attentions; they have long
been source OF great annoyance to me; and
you must be aware that have marked my
disapprobation, my disgust, as unequaly as
possibly could, without actual indelicacy."
paused almost out ot breath from the
rapidlty with which had spoken; and with
ont giving him time to renew the conversation
| hastily left the ROOM leaving him in a par
oxysm of rage aud modification. As | as
cended the stairs, | heared him open the par.
lor door with violence, and take two or three
rapid strides in the direction in which was
much frightened, and ran the whole way
until reached my room and having locked
the door, listened breathlessly, bat heard no
sound. This relieved me for the present;
but so much had been overcome by the ag
itation and annoyance attendant upon the
scene which had just passed through, that
when my cousin Emily knocked at the door,
was weeping in great agitation. You will
readily conceive my distress, when you reflect
upon NV strong dislike to my cousin Edward,
combined with my youth and extreme mex
periencer. Any proposal of such nature
must have agitated me but that il should
come from the man whom, of all others,
instinctively most loalhed and abhorred, and
to whom had, as clearly rs manner could
do it, expressed the state Of my feelings, was
almost too annoying to be borne; it was
calamity, too, in which | could not claim the
sympathy OF my cousin Emily, which had
always been extended to me in my minor
grievances. Still hoped that it might not
be unattended with good; Cor | thought that
one inevitable and most welcome conse-
quence would result from this painful eclair-
cisSemeat, in the continuance Of my cous-
ms odious persecution.
When arose next morning, it was with
fervent hope that might never again be-
hold his face, or even hear his name; but
such consummation. though deyotedly to be
wished, was hardly likely to occur. The
painful impression of yesterday were too
vivid to be at once erased; and | could not
help feeling some dim foreboding of coming
annoyance and evil. To expect on my cous-
ins part any thing like delicacy or consider
alton for me, was out of the question. | saw
that he had set his heart on my property,
and that he was likely easy to forego such a
prize, possessing what might have been con-
sidered opportunities and facilities to eompli-
ance. now keenly felt tho unreasonable
ness of my fathers conduct in placing me to
reside with a family. with all the members
of which, with one exception, he was wholly
unacquainted, and | bitterly felt tho help
lessness of my situation. | determined,
however, in the event of my cousins perse-
vering in his address, to lay all the particu.
lars before my uncle, although ho had never,
in kindness or intimacy, gone a step beyond
our first interview, and throw myself upon
his hospitality and his sense Of honor for
protection against repetition of such annoy
ances.
My cousins conduct may appear to have
been an inadequate cause of such serious
but my alarm was awakened nei
ther by his acts nor by words, but entirely
by his manner, which was strange and even
At tho beginning of our yes
torday's interview, there was sort Of bully
ing swagger in his air, which towards the
the end, gave place to something bordc-in
upon the brutal vehements of an undisguised
ruilian, transition which had tempted me
into a belief that ke mipht seek, even forsi- !