Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-11-16

her, as seated by Melyille's side she lis
tened to his descriptions of English life
and English sports.
Meanwhile, news of Mrs. Freeland's in
creasing illness reached the village. and
much to Lena's relief, Robert was called
upon, in duty to his aunt, to renew his
visits at the Manor; and thus she was left
free from his presence, to enjoy the trl-
umph of being the favored one of the
English nobleman.
Lord Melville's calls having been quite
frequent at Miss Tattleton's, the gratiied
lady, elated with Joy and pride at his at
tentions, determined to give a supper in
his honor.
Accordingly, the due number ofguests
Tattleton was the hostess. all accepted.
On the appointed evening. Miss The
resa's supper-room presented glittering
array ofglass and plate, mingled with the
most sumptuous and inviting viands.-
And when the guests were bidden to the
table, Lord Melville escorted to their seats
the widow and her daughter, and took his
seat between them.
Eve rything passed off well, the digni-
fed nobleman being as usual, the centre
of attraction.
"Here is dish, my lord,' said Miss
Tattleton, addressing him timidly,
(which [ prepared expressly for you"
And she helped his lordship bountifully
of it.
The favored gentleman ale heartily,
and helped himself second time.
Miss Tattleton, unable to restrain
her curiosity, inquired, as he finished
"How do you relish it, Lord Mel
vile ?"
Every much ma'am very much in
deed, ma'am. The most delicious dish
ever tasted. Pray, ma'am, may L ask
the name ?''
90 Ask the name ?' repeated Miss The
resa in astonishment. Don't you
make a recognition of your favoritc bird.
my lord? You have been eating crows" :"
Before Miss Tattleton could add
another word, the Englishman had bound
ed from his chair, and with his napkin
pressed to his mouth, fled from the room
\ sympathetic expression of commissera-
ton ran around among the guests.
&c How could you feed the man on so
vile a dish as that?" asked Mr.. Tattleton,
half angrily, from the other end of the ta-
bic. g You may have poisoned him."
90 No, impossible" returned his sister,
ale asservated to me the other day,
that they had extended croweries in
England, and that they exterimeated the
nests whenever they wished to palliate
their stomachs. Im sure, thought to
agreeableize his lordship immoderately,
by giving him so fayorite a morsel."
Mr.. Tattleton looked a little puzzled at
this speech, but, rising from his seat. pro-
posed to seek the unfortunate man.
/ Followed by his distressed sister and
sympathiziug guests, he made his way to
the upper balcony, from whence proceed
ed sounds of serious import. Here, the
noblemau was discovered. swaying back
wards and forwards over the railing. with
an expression Of horror indescrbable on
his countenance, while he was fast eject
ing from their late resting place the min
ced remains of the unlucky crows
'' My lord. my lord, what is the mat
ter 20 cried Mr.. TattIeton, throwing up
his hands with a gesture of despair.
The Englishman, who had been so en-
gagged with his OCn affairs as not to hear
the approach of the spectators of his mi
sery, sPrang bolt upright, and faced about
to his sympathising friends.
Nothing, sir ho, nothing" he ex.
claimed, between his incessdnt efforts to
swallow back the rebellious birds. No
thing but little faintness-it is-all ho-
yer now," and he famed himself despe-
rately with his napkin.
| '' hope the crows you have been eat
ing have not raised such commo;ion 90
inquiry
. Ho. madam, with another irrepres-
sible heave) no, most hemphatically, nop'
Surrounded by his friends, he was es-
corted to the drawing room, where ice
water and smelling-salts at length reno
we'd his g faintness."
| Many months afterwards, the guests
who had witnessed this event, remember
ed with very different emotions the no
bleman's fainting lit at Miss TaLtletou's
supper.
Notwithstanding Lena's fiirtstions with
Lord Melville, preparations for her mar
riage with Robert had been steadily 60
| ing on, and with deep chagrin she thought
of the near approach of their wedding
day, and the delay of a proposal on the
part ofthe Englishman. She had, at last
determined to abruptly break her en-
gagement with Robert at all hazards,
when. one morning. a note was handed
her from him, which, to her calloused
conscience, gave sufficient excuse for the
act she had so earnestly premeditated.-
The billet stated that the critical situation
of his aunt's health rendered consum-
nation of his dearest wishes now almost
impossible. The physician had said she
might linger many weeks, but in all pro-
liability few days must close her exis-
tapca TTnJor S,1cL oir,un,sEa,oas 81 1 n