Sunday dispatch. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1845-1854, 1852-04-04
CHAPTER XIV.


HetrosPecttee' WhGt lcdrn on another
0tS" TO CoreftS rouse. IretuT TO the
e0Ece' ana get letter
How the time rolled on The summer
was nearly over, when the engagement was
made to 20 and see Wigglesworth. as men
toned in Chapter Thirteen, and had been
the better part of two wears with Covert L
had passed Cape Twenty-one. in the mean
time, and was now legally man. Violet
the good soul, celebrated the event by a
grand supper, to which came Tom Peterson,
and seven or eight of my more intimate Gro
nies and you may be sure | did not forget
Wigglesworth, although the latter was quite
iufrm, nor the progressive Nathaniel. nor
Jack either. Wiggicsworth. poor fellow. in.
sisted upon repenting for his sins; but still
he had been at the supper and was porsuad-
ed into having good time.
| saw less Of Inez than formerly. for she
had taken up her permanent abode in half of
Mrs. Fox's cottage at Hoboken, where she
amused herself with garden and Nancy7s
children, of whom she was fond Still /
found time to make her an occasional visit
And whenever went of Sunday afternoon,
which was my most frequent period Of
leisure, was sure to bring home, for Violet,
huge bouquets the source of which l made
great mystery of. And hence it came that
laughed more heartily than himself.
My good parents, all this while, had iogg-
ed on happily together, neither poor nor
rich although Ephraim had found it ne
cessary to increase and enlarge his business.
and the old milk depot was now Transformed
into quite an extensive provision or grocery
store, doing a good business and bringing to
us all very fair income. Violet continued
to help her husband about the store: for she
would have it so, and could never, she said,
be contented unless she had something stir
ring and lively to employ her mind and body
about
The excellent couple; how really, and how
simpIv, they enjoyed life. With all their in
dustry they had wise way of never getting
excited, NOR overworking themselves, nor
crying over split milk-or as Ephraim pro-
fessionally used to say, sour milk.
AS for me, what little l had picked up Of
law, was of not much account The lapse of
time had never reconciled me to the profess
sion although incidents and acquaintance
and excitement, such as we in New York can
easily meet with, diverted my attention from
the dependency that began to come upon
me when had been q student for the first
few weeks. Inez, too. had share in rous-
ing my gayety, and the vivacity that ALWAYS
resides in young veins.
NY feelings toward the Spaniard could NOT
be called by any means a profound love; at
at least so it seemed to me. For the onlv
test could imagine, gave that supposition a
denial imagined how sheuld feel if Inez
were to leave the city and never return
and, much as [ liked the girl, l felt that her
departure wouldn't break my heart
So ] have picked up some threads of my
story that had fallen away and find myself
at the morning of the day, where | was to 90
that night, and see Wigglesworth. / had
made an engagement to that effect, it will be
remembered, two evenings before.
This day was quite q day in my fortunes.
First of ali discovery. Could / mistake
those affeotionate eyes. and the nimble 6ng-
ers that had tied the handkerchief round
poor Billiiggss broken head There, too,
was the very same placid expression, and the
goodness Of heart and the willingness to
oblige.
Covert had been kept home by illness, and
Wigglesworth being also absent, an unusual
thing for him, was under the necessity of
going up to the lawy ers house several times
One Of these times, in the room where had
to wait while, there Was an old portrait of o
lady that seemed to me like one l had seen in
q dream It was a Quakeress, with the neat
cap and neekerchief, painted with the man
ner Of looking at you, which gives such vi
long time this picture riveted my attention;
and then the truth came upon me like flash
of light
That elderly lady-was it any one in the
world but the hospitable nurse and helper Of
mvself and nv poor wounded friend, IN the
early times Of my vsgabondism There could
be no mistaking it.
Aud now like another flash, came upon my
mind, the looks of the young woman, who
IL.
electioneeripg meeting; and whose face was
then such puzzle to me. She was the little
Girl of wears before. remembered SO well for
q long time indeed never forgotten the
little girl of the basement and the handker-
chief.
If there were really anything in those
hints of Wieglesworth, this, too, must be
the orphan to whom he alluded The whole
affair assumed an interest and determin-
cd to seize the first chance of making the &C
uuaintance of the young Quakeress I al
ready knew that her name was Martha
Fortune favored me; for Martha came in
to the room with her sewing basket, and
telling me that Mr.. Covert wished me to
wait till he finished writing some papers
which was to take back to the office, she
sat down, with one of those commonplace
remarks about the weather, which are so Of
ten made in default of other conversational
material
"Whose portrait is that p asked.
''That is a lady thee has never seen," said
Martha, cit is the portrait of Mrs. Covert,
who died three years ago. have reason tC
remember It, She was second mother tC
me- and with her passed, as child, many
happy years.
"Hou are mistaken ABOUT my never havlne
seen her. And it is good likeness"
The young woman looked up astonished
and without more ado, gave rapid sketch
OF the scene IN the basement, and asked hel
If she did not remember 1t. Yes, she re
membered 1t quite well.
"And was 1t thy wounded head bound :"
mo; was the other little loater
"Ah, yes; l remember, there were two
boyss Mrs Covert and often spoke OF thee
and thy friend afterWard
"Marthas couptenance grew animated
and we talked OF the good lady awhile She
had been the owner Of some little property
aud that, advanced IN life as she was, mus
nave been her tasclnatlon TO Covert
AS Martha talked, the glow OF teeAng Ii
up her features, and she looked really beau
utul' AT the same time, there were traces
OF melancholy and lassitude about her, which
felt sorry to see. She avoided any refer
ence to her father, except to tell me that hel
AA'o' NiA'@NNSO~ "''' P'5 -
vert, both parents having died Whlle sne wa
put year or Two old ana Oh tne latIeI so'
appeared TO wish no inquiries ABOUT 1neun'
saw that tnere was something connecee'
from making any lalN on inc sIVJeGs 10
Marthas Iace' to very remarkaDle uegree
was an almost provoking inoeA " ner near
ana nature. r. :, .14
1t seemed after all, strangers mat "
were until TINS moment SnaS We were nc
strangers elther' IN Iact; DuS oia ac9ualn1 y
aSees we lell at once INTO inc irlenuly M 'a1
Oh persons who nsd tnas relation 70 eac
V'Ser.
MARINA tolo me onae OoveL' wss heL so''a a
Waa' ' Cn@s atter her parents ueSVn sue sue ws
TsAen S;soa ss'ogeS9er 20 ms nousS w1ere she ne
,I's~ ohso.s s'Sssoly WIN Vne olu sauy'. 'uo on'
SSso1fo ;.go ue1ng tost sne spen' Aour yeArs ~
S',T os oO@rulug schooi One SPOKE 5eeilusi
y. ".rs, ToveTts deatn' Wnion hao nee"
e'ga. Ts s'aal la 70 her.
Auae sne was not hspPy mere now wns'