The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-03-25
and ungenerous conducl?n

4
m object, which frankly acknowledge Il
YOU, have como to make honorable pro
posals for the hand Of Your daughter. on
not accustomed lightly tosurrendcr ms we'll
toatnrod plans and purposes. This pur
pose nothing on earth will induce me to
surrender, Till have tried every means o
success. Bat you are unjust to me. You
will not even examine and consider my
claims You give mo no opportunity o.
| naklng inir presentation Of them. You
do not allow me to see Miss Clifton, and tc
endcavor 10 gain her favor. will cheer
fully submit to any terms You my propos 3
TO any probation you may designate"
Il have no terms to propose to you, sir
! require your absolute Withdrawal"
"Madam, this is prejudice. You mus,
give me an opportunity to overcome IT,"
Il insist, sir, that you shall abandon this
wild pursuit Of my d,ughter, that you leave
my house, and make no further attempts Il
ehter IT,"
"Madam, ! can not abandon my hopes
If winning your daughter. Ny lies best
hopes are staked upon my success. will
leave YOU at your request, bu. must hope
TO find you more iavorably disposed towards
me al another time"
'Undefstana me. sir,n said Mrs. Clifton
This departure must be final warn you
hat you will find my doors closed agins,
yoa, should You attempt to repeat this in
rnsion."
"The consequence be upon your own
head, then, madam, for will die on your
doorstep. will use no dishonorable means
to sec and Influence Miss Clifton; bal |
will perseYere n have begun, aud will
surrender ny objee, only with ny life"
True enough, the next mlrning saw me
,lebarred access even to The yestibule. !
sat down upon the door-steps, choosing the
side upon which a partial shadow was
lhrown By a magnificent live oak. As
Ivacantly gszed al the grand old tree, was
struck with the long slreamefs u graz
moss pendant from its branches, and won
iarcd ihat had not before observed them.
Waving in the light hreoza, and forming a
beautiful contras, with the glossy leaves Of
vivid green, these tresses of parasitic
growth are highly picturesque; bnt ihey
|are always indicative Of moisture, and sug,
gesliye Of the dreaded tevcrs Of the low
country.
All that day. sii the next, al, the third
d1y, ss, on those unrelentiug stone steps
Visiers came TO the house. rose, bowed
deferentially, and stood smilingly polite,
while saw them admitted to privileges
from which was debarred rose, bowed
,eaiu, and stood, as smiling and polite, to
see them depart, assisting the ladies to
their carriages, like the true Virginian gen.
tIeman which knew myself 10 be, even
while sitting on those dulI door.steps which
refused 10 recognize my quality.
knew that there were compassion and
re'en,ng felt for me, from slight indications
within the citadel Mere than once, sor-
rowiul and sympa,hizng glance had fallen
on me from some comciy dark face sur
mounted by snowy tnrban; more than
once cool draught had been silently ex-
tended to me By some iet-black hand more
than once the green lattced shades OF the
windows above me ruslied, rs if somebody y
were an interesting spectator Of my suffer
| ings; and once detected near me the lllt
ter of muslin curtain, and caught the
fainiost imaginable sigh.
Tho fourth day began its course like its
predecessors. ! was at my post betimss,
but | remember that my thoughts were
much on the delights of my hili-country
home, and tha, longed for breath of its
cool moun,ain-air. ! watched the gather
ing Of light, tieecy cloud, hoping il might
come to such size aud position as to screen
me from .'the round red sun" which seem
cd Ia burn into my throbing brain. Ny
spirits were unusually depressed. grew
less sanguine Of ultimate success. The
mocking birds on the trees seemed to jeer
me. The glare oftho sunshine on the we'll
swept walks and trim trelises Of the garden
seemed to sicken me. A sudden dimness
came over my sight; thore was surging.
as Of waves, in my ears, and | sank back
unconscious.
There was an interval Of many weeks
before knew anything ofwhat then befel
me. found myself at last sick man,
bat most comfortably cared for. My own
pafHCuldI scINdHt, WIZ. ihbSSJs hbf iHehS'
brother, Of darker hue, was my quiet and
attentive nurse. Around me were many
familiar obiects-my personal effects. The
| light food and cooling drinks which were
brought me were prepared as had always
been accustomed TO have them, and SAVIOR.
ed of home. asked no questions, though
as my dim recollec,ions of the past took
form, began to be somewhat curious
Where could be? Could il be possible
that pas at home oncemore? How could
have been carried unconsciously SO far?
AT last, was SO far convalescent that
was permitted to sit up, supported by pill
lows. begged for air; and my good scip-
10 (Scipio AtTicanus, he liked to be cal,
led; for, like most Of his race, he was
fond Of grundoquence,) stepped forward
and raised the curtain. The clear blue sky
with what languid delight gazej into il
Bat suddenly started from my pillow and
sa, upright. That tree Nth the parine
s.rcamers ofgray moss had seen i, ill
knew every leaf Of il. My heart bound
ed. There could be no mistake: ! was
within the citadel ] had besieged. Tha,
was enough ] lay quietly back, and ask
ed no questions, waiting patiently for fur.
tbar davefonnnuts