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


himself al the same time "snrry tO spoil your |
ieie-G-feiei but never mind, Il only take /
Emily's place for a minute or two, aud then |
we part for a while fair cousin. Emily, my |
father wants you IN the corner turret no
shlly, ahally, he's In hurry" She hesitat- |
cd. "iSe od-tramp, on march, ] say" he
exclaimed, 10 a tone which tho poor girl
dared not disObey.
She len she roam, aud Edward followed
her to the door, lie stood there for a min
ute or two,as ifrenecting what he should say,
perhaps satisfying himself that no one was
within hearing in the hall, AZ lahgth he
turned about, having closed the door, a. II
careessly, with his foot and advancing slow
w, Va deep thought, he took his seat a. the
side Of the table opposite 10 minn, There
THsE tri'F futrrvEi rFiTrr-T 'Fsss 's'''si' s's
said ~
~ imagine that you have shrewd sus-
piston of The object Qf my early visit but
,,a,ppoIre, ,,p!p, ,I 'hs' ! Ta'' go into p'r''al'r',-
81 have no conception" | replied, "whAt
your object may be-"
"Well, we'll" said he, becoming more at
Gis ease ~ be pFOeesdsd ''it nIHy br tu'ri ~
iaW wngda, You know that II would be, II
not impossible, quite out OF the question, that
an o0-haud young fellow like ne, and good
looking girl like yourself could meet eonun-
ually ~ you aud have done, without an at
taohment-a liking growing up on one side
or other in short,I think have let you know
as plainly as II spoke IT, that | hayelbeen in
lave with you, almost from the first timu
saw YOU" He paused, but | was too much
lorrihed 10 speak. iio interpreted my 81
lcncc fayorably. III can tell YOU" he contin-
ucd, "rm reCkoned rather hard 30 please and
very hard 10 hii. can't say when ! was Ia
ken with girl before, 30 you see fortune re-
served me -----"
Here the odious wretch actually put his
arm round my waist The action az once re-
stored me 10 utteance, and with the most
indignant vchemenoe | released myself from
his hold, aud at the same time said
D IL hare, sir, Of course perceived your most
dsagreeablo attentions; they have long been
a source Of great annoyance 10 me; and you
must be aware that have marked my disap-
probation, my disgust, as uncquivorally as
possibly could, without actual indelicAcy."
paused, almost out Of breath ffom the ra-
pidity with which had spoken; and without
giving him time 10 renew the conversation,
hastily lcfl the room, leaving him in parox-
yam Of rage and modification As ascend
ed the stairs, ! heard him open the par
lor door with violence, and take two or three
rapid strides in the direction in which | was
moving. | was now much frightened, aud
ran the whole way until reached my room,
and having locked the door,l listened breath
lcssy, but heard no sound. This relieved
me for the present. but so much had / been
overcome by the agitation and annoyance
attendant upon the scene had just passed
through, that when my cousin Emily knock
cd az the door was weeping IN great Rcita-
ton. You will readily conceive my distress,
when you reflect upon my strong dislike 90
my cousin Edward, combined with my youth
and my extreme incSpericnce. Any propos-
al Of such nature must have agitatcd me;
but that II should come from the man whom,
of all others, | iustinctively most loathcd and
iabhorred. and TO whom had, as clearly as
Z gl.lF could 10 u, pEasEal- -Lhn-State OF
my feelings, was almost too annoying TO bo
borne; IL was a calamity, too,in which | could
not claim the Tmpathy OF NV cousin Emily,
which had always been extended 90 mo in my
minor GRIEVANCES Still hoped that il might
not bo unattended with good; for ! thought
that one inevitable and most welcome consc-
quencc would result from this painful ecidir-
easement, in the dscontinuance of my cous-
/ MS odious persecution.
When arose neNl- morning. -Mns- NTH
the fcrvcnt hope that might never again be-
hold his face, or even hear his namcbut such
n contamination, though devouty to be wish
cd was hardly likely 20 occur. The painful
! Impressions OF yesterday were too vivid 20 be
I
some dim f6rcboding of coming annoyance
and evil. To expect on my cousins part
anything like deliracy of consideration for
: nle--Mas- out of the gneslinn.- saM- that he
had set his heart upon my property, and that
he was not likely easy 20 forget such n prize,
possessing what might have been considered
opportunities and facilities to compel my
compliance. now keenly felt the unrea-
sonableness Of my fathers conduct in placing
me to reside with "A family, with all the mem
bers Of which, with one exception, he was
wholly unacquainted, and bitterly felt the
helplcssness of my situation. | determined
however, in the event of my cousins perse-
vering IN his addresses, TO lay all the paftic-
I uturs before my uncte, although no had new
er, in kindness or intimacy, gone n step be-
yond our first interview, and to throw my
self upon his hospitality and his sense Of
honor for protection against repetition of
such annoyances
My cousins conduct may appear to have
been an inadequate cause for such serious
uneasiness; but my alarm was awakened nei-
ther by his acts nor by words, but entirely
/ by his manner, which was strange and even
inimidating. At the beginning of our yes
terday's interview, there WAS n sort of bully
| ing swagger in his air, which, towards the
end, gave place TO something bordering upon
the brutal vehemence of an undisguiscd ruff
! fian, transition which had tempted mo into
&. heliAf tAaI ha Eaieht soak -exan farcihlr To
extort from me a consent 20 his wishes, or by
means still more horrible, Of which scarce
lyaiared to trust myself to think, to possess
himself of my property,
was carry next day summoned 10 attend
my uncle in his private room, which lay in a
corner turret of the old building; and thither
Acknowledgements wondering all theway what
this unusual measure might prelude. When
Leaterfd the ROOM he did not rise in his usu-
al courteous way TO greet me. but simply
pointed to a chair opposite TO his own; this
BODIED nothing agreeable. ] sat down, how
ever, silently waiting until he should open
the conversation" r-i--4
LADY Margaret" at length he said, in n,
tone Of greater sternness than thought him
capable of using, II have hitherto spoken TO
you as a friend, but have not forgotten that
l am also your guardian, and that my author
ity as such gives me a riuht TO control votir