The Cecil Whig., 1854-06-10

right, and rules Of conduct laid down by per-
sons above or past all the e1nbtions which
agtatc and actuatc us. But a beloved sis
ter, nearer our age, seems to be one who can
comprehend our difficulties, and in whosr
judgment we may seek relief and guidance, as
in that of one who understands us. Henry
Wentworth applied to his sister for advice.
Shall we expose him The whole attachment
from its birth and during its progress, had
been cohctaied rroiii her. It was necessary
to begin at the beginning and tell the whole
story. Weak as she still Was, she listened
attentivcly.
Henry began with his first impressions of
Flora With all the enthusiasm of a lover,
he described her apparent perfcctions. Ills
sister smiled incfcdulously lie was not slow
to perceive her rinbclief, but proceeded to mar
rate the course of events, to the night on
which he proposed-first to the father, and
then to the daughter. His sister snnddercd
and sighed. He went OH and detailed his
suspicious and their cause, and finally express
scd his convictio that his idol was worth
less.
"Thank Godn' exclaimed his sister, fer
vcnty.
"For what?"
"That the scales have fallen from Your
eyes"
"Then it is all trtic 2" said Henry, dcs,
pondngly, for to the last he had hoped.
Every word"
Can any one doubt what was sisters adj
vice Under the circumstances
We met Flora and her mothcra few months
after these events had occurred. The mother
was dressed in widows wecds-the daughter
in deep mourning looked more m.tr>silne
than ever. An alEack Of apopcay, brought
on by the discovery of the deserton of his
daughter, had removed the father. How
ftarfully had the hopes been blasted. which
he had indulgcd over the cradle Of his first
born.
Woman's pride supported the mother and
daughter; but, although they could for time
conceal from the world the cause of the rup-
turc of a match which gossip hadrccordcd as
selves, nor did the prying eye of envy long
remain in ignorance. They thought they met
mockcrs at every turn. That they were 'in
mourning aBsolvcd their fasionable friends
from the duty of calling upon them; and in
solitude and sorrow their delicate health he
came more delicate than ever. The mother
applied hcrsclfmost unrcmittngy to her cups
and the old disguises of ''hqucurs" were no
long resortcd to. She loved acohol-shc had
lost shame, and drank it in its naked truth
Before the year allowed for the administration
of her husbands estate had elapsed, gErs. =.
was laid down beside him. The stones at the
head of their parallel graves tell the same
story, each differing from the other only in the
of the former tenant of the body that rcposes
! beneath. All that was excellent in conjugal
love, the stones attributed to cach-alr that
was possiblcin parental care, and all that was
sincere in picty. Tire marbles were erected
| by ''thcir afftctonate daughter"
And where is she?
very few years of disappointment and
sorrow make woman old, particularly wo-
man of delicate health. Fortunately, upon
investigation of her father affairs, they were
found a complete wreck. Wesay fortunately
because had she bccnan hciress suitors would
not have been wanting, and she might have
welded u husband and herself to misery, and
| sentenced family Of children to all the hor-
rors of delicate health. Providence in mercy
prlr n pfb Sbo
near the capital, subssting on an annuity
which Henry Wentworth purchased for her,
in such way that his agency was not sus-
pectcd, much less his generosity. In true and
refined Kindness he caused Flora to be led to
believe that it was the remains of her own
property. She soon became ono of those wo-
men of delicate age, whose precise number of
years cannot be arrived at by any ordinary
acquaintance. She was an old maid at that
! time of life, when, but for her habits of tip
pling, she might have been happy young
mother The cup of happiness at her very
| lips had been dashed aside. The prospect of
a matrimonial connexion, in which she could
have been happy, with man whose character
had scarce trait that was not fit to love
this prospect had been changed as suddenly
as when, in fairy lands, at theapproach ofan
intruder, the smiling scene changes to a blcali
and barren heath. At first the reverse weigh
cd bitterly upon her spirits. She piled the
panacoa her mother, so perfect in parental
care, had taught, and her sensibility had be-
come bluntod. She is periodically cross at
certain hours in the day, and at night, witha
chosen crone, she often mnges tears with the
evening draught over lifes vicissitudes llf
Young lady, or young gentleman, ready to
hear that Henry took wife and is entirely
happy, prepare to be disappointed. Hcis not
miserable, for every day he can congratulate
himself that he is not the father of children
whose mother is in delicate health. lie trem-
blcs often at the danger he incurred and his r
disappointment i'll one was too great to permit
him ever to run second risk Besides, he
|