Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-04-06
The BelrolhaI.

II FRANCES seymour nau Deeu leit al
drphan and an heiress very early il
lie. Her mother had died in givins
EIirtk to second child, which die
/ Iot survive its parent, so that Fran
ces had neither other nor sister
aInd her father, an officer of rank
a nd merit, was killed at Waterloo =
NFhen this sad news re pched England
t le child WAS spending her vacation
Fl VI nth Mrs. Wentworth. a sister Of Mrs
S eymour, and henceld drth this lady
d Iouse became her home; partly, be.
ch huse there was no other relative tc
g aim her, and partly, b bPcauseamongst
G dol. Seymour's papers, letter was
I'd und, addressed to Mrs. Went
" orth, requesting, tha t if he fell in
the impending conflict, she would
/ take charge of his daughter. In
making this request, it is probable
that Col. Seymour was more inhu-
enced by necessity than choice;
N Mrs. Wentworth being gay woman
of the world, who was not likely to
b4stow much thought or care upon
nd r ME ece, whom she received under
her roof without unwilllngness, but
without affection. Had Frances been
poor she would have felt her bur.
den; but as she was rich, there was
some eclat and no Inconvenience in
undertaking the Office Of her guar
dian and chaperone--the ratheras she
had no daughters Of her own with
whom Frances beauty or wealth
could interfere; for as the young
heiress grew into womanhood, the
charms of her person were quite re-
markable enough to have excited the
jealousy of her cousins, if she had
had any; or to make her own fortune,
if she had not possessed one already.
She was, moreover, extremely ac-
complished, good tempered, cheerful,
and altege ther what is called a very
nice girl;l but Of course she had her
lhllt like other people; she was too
fond of admiration-a fault that had
been very much encouraged at the
school where she had been educated;
beauty and wealth, especially when
combin ed, being generally extremely
popular at such establishments. AS
long, however, as her admirers were
only romantic schoollellows and cal
culating school-mistresses, there was
not much harm done; but the period
now approached in which there would
be more scope for the exercise OF
tIis passion, and more danger IN its
indulgence Frances had reached
The age of seventeen, and was about
to make her debut in the world of
lhsbion-an event to which, certain
is she was Of making numerous con-
quests, she looked forward with great
delight.
| Whilst engaged in preparations
for these anticipated triumphs, Mrs.
| Wentworth said to heroine day: "Now
that you. are coming out, Frances, |
| think it my duty to communicate to
| you,a wish of your fathers, expressed
in tie letter that was found after his
death. 1t is wish regarding your
/ choice of husband.
| Dear me, aunt, how very oddl
| exclaimed Frances.
| 1T is rather odd,' returned Mrs.
| Went worth; sand, to be candid, |
| don't think it is very wise, for
| schemes of this sort seldom or never
| turn out well.'
/ "Scheme! What scheme is it?
asked Frances With no little curiosity
4 "Why, you must know answered
4 her aunt, "that your father rad a
/ very intimate friend, to whom he
4 was as much attached all his life as
4 If he had been his brother"
1 'sYou mean Sir Richard Elliott. ]
remember seeing him and his son al
/ Otterby, when was little girl; and
| [ often heard papa speak of him at
i terwards.
Il "Well, when young Elliott goT his
1 commission, your papa, in compliance
| with Sir Richards request, used his
Interest to ha i've him appointed tc
! b;S q vn regiment. in order that ht
might keep him under bis eyef DS
|! this means he became intimately &C
Edn5;nted with the young mans char
| bctar and 7 suppose, as much at
tached to him as to his father.
i aAnd the scheme is, that | SD oul'
marry him, / suppose?'
provided ysu are both so dis