Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-05-20
THE SINS.
A LIFE.LlkE STORY UF LOVE

One Of the bes, stories we have lately
read is entitled "rhe Cousins: A Coun.
try Tale. l, is from the chaste pen Of
Miss Milford, an English au.horess OF
considerable reputa,ion, The whole is
too long for one paper. ai.aa i is a story
which il will no, SPOIL to divide. Inc
frs, half of the story. like the bigger Por-
iioa OF the first volume of some of Scots
novels, is merely introductory 10 what
follows. So We will sum up the pre-
paralory part iD few words. and then
give tho denouement in Miss Milford 5
own beautiful language.
Lawyer Molesworth was rich land
lord in Cramley. the native town of Miss
Milford. lie mad two daughters, to
whom his pleasant house owed its c..iei
attraction. Agnes was a beautiful wa
man. Jessy was pretty glrl. The fond
ia:her intended that Jessy should marry
a poor .,ion, one Charles Woodford.
Charles mad been brought up by his un-
cle's kindness, and had recently RETURN
ed INTO the family fiom great office in
London. Charles was Ia be the imme.
date partner aud eventual successor to
the hourishing business OF his beneiactor,
whose regard seemed fully justified by
the excellent conduct and remark able tai.
enss ofthe orphan nephew. Agnes, who
secretly entertained an affection for
Charles, was destined by her father for
IA young barones. who had lately been
much at The hnuse. @' "
But in affairs OF love, as in all others,
says Miss Milford. man is born TO dis.
appointment. "L'homme propose, et
Dieu dispose" is never ,,uer than in The
grea. matters of ma,rimony. So found
poor Mr.. Moles worth. who-Jessy hav-
ing arrived at the age of eighteen, and
Charles that of two and twent, Differed
his pretty daughter and the lucra tive part.
nership to his pennIess relation, aud was
pelrited with astonishnen, and indlgna.
non. To find The connection very respect.
fully and firmly declined. The young
man was very much distressed aud asi
tated; he had the highest're respect for Miss
Jessy. but could no, marry he:-he lov.
ed another! And then he poured forth a
confidence as unexpected as il was unde
sired by his iicensed patron. who lef,
him in undiminished wrath and increas.
ed perplexl'y. '.a..'s5 r &afa g
This interview had taken place imme-
dia.ely after breakfast; and when the con-
ference was ended, the provoked father
sought his daughters. who. happily un.
conscious of all that had occurred, were
amusing themselves IN their splendid OBJ
aervat"ry, scene always becoming as
i, is agreeable to youth and beauty
Jessy was flirting about like a butterfly
among the tragran, orange trees and
bright geran,ums. Agnes was standing
under IA superb foschldp, that hung over
IA large marble basin-her form and at
titutle, her white dress, and the classical
arrangement Of her dark hair. giving her
The look OF some nymph or naiad. u rare
relic OF Grecian art. Jessy was prattIiUg
gaily as she wandered about. Of a con.
cert she had attended The evening before.
81 hate concerts" said the pretty lit.
lie flir.. "ro sit bolt uprigh, on hard
bench for four hours between the same
two people. withou, the possibility OF
moving, or speaking to any body, or any
body's getting 10 US! Oh! how .iresone
II Isl" tYaau 10 aszusEs4E aHr (
81 saw Edmund,ryinq to lideihroagh
the crowd To reach you" said Agnes, a
little archly; .his presence would. per,
haps, have miiiga,ed The evil. But the
barrcade was too complete; he was fore
ed to retreat. without accomplishing his
object. lssszs saa .a. & s.se gaa..
"Yss. assure you. he thought j. very
,iresonle; he told me SD when we were
coming out. And then the music!'' pur'
sued Jessy, "the noise that they called
SO; Sir Edmund says that he likes no mu.
sic except the gni.ar. or flute on tht
wafer; and like none except our playing
on the organ aud singing Handel on q
Sunday evening. or Chas. Woodford's
reading Milton and bits OF Hamlet"
"Do you call that music!" asked Ag
mes. laughing. "And yeti" continued