The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1855-02-09

gentleman on his side, took pleasure only in
the pretty gentle girl, who, from the hour
of her birth, which event terminated her
mothers existence, had made her his
constant playmate and companion. And it
was to this simple wild flower that the
gay man Of pleasure, naughty, reckless, un-
principled,. improvident, irreligious, and
rash, presumed to lift his eyes, to elevate his
heart and, oh, stranger still, to this being,
the moral antipodes Of her pure self did Fla
via Hardcourt surrender her youthful, mod
est, ;;neestt::a:ah!e icse Il must have been her
very chi'dishhess and purity that attracted
ted desperate robber-the hardened libertine,
now about to commit his worst and most
inexcusable crime. He had ac"ident'y met
Mr.. Hardcourt at a county huht-and with
others Of bis companions, being invited by that
honest gentleman to rustic fete, in honor
of little Flavia's natal day-a day, he was
wont to observe to him, remarkable for COM
memorating his greatest misfortune, and his
interest and happiness, and then and there
the lighwayman vowed to win and wear
the pure bud of innocent freshness and rare
fragrance, or to perish in the attempt. Mas
ter Richard Mowbray unscrupulous de
Montmorency! | will relate how YOU kept
your vow.
He haunted Aveling Grange till the chaste
young heart, the old fathers beloved darling,
surrendered itself into the hghwayman's
keeping. Perhaps Mr.. Hardcourt was not
altogether best pleased at Favia's choice;
but then she was his life-his hope, and
husband, that her love and doting affection
In frt,S Stnl L. 1,
would still be his own: besides, Mowbray
was well connected boosted of his wealth :;
whereas a very moderate portion would be
hers--was received in modish circles, into
which the good old magistrate could never
pretend to penetrate; and, in short, what
with his high bearing, his handsome person,
and in short, what With his high bearing,
his handsome person, and insinuating ton
que, MIR. Hardcourt had irrevocably prom
iSed to bestow his treasure into the keeping
of the profigate, who numbered himself al
most years enough to have been the father
Of the young girl, whom he testified the ut
most timpatience to call wife,
II was during the time that Mr. Mowbray
was paying his court at Aveling, that the
neighborhood began to be alarmed by Sc
ries of Highway robberies, which men said
could have been perpetrated but by that Gel
ebrated knight of the road-Captain De
Montmoreney. No one could stir after night
fall without an attack, in which numbers GER
tainly were not wanting.
sCudgel me, but wen have him yet, said
old Mr.. Hardcouft. Il should glory myself
in going to Tyburn to see the fellow turned
off. Ay, and would take my little Flavia
to see him go by in the cart; with person
and a noscgay eh ? my little girl =
oh, 10, father, said Flavia, Il could not
abide It, though heis such daring wicked
man whose name makes me shrink, with
fear aud terror whenever hear it. could
never bear to see such dreadful sight-it
would haunt me TIL my DEATH .
Does the gift Of prophecy, involuntary
though it be, lark within us yet? Does the
soul dimly shadow out its own fate, of that of
Its frail and Perishable habitation! Sweet Fla
via !! unsuspecting innocent girl your lips
then pronounced your own doom, as irrevo-
cably as though you had been some stern
Sybil, delivering inscrutable unquesti ,ned
oraclcs, not fair child as you Were when I
first saw you in your girlsh frock and sash.
Your brown hair curling down your straight
grossy shoulders, your soft eyes shining
through your bushes, like diamonds gilt
tering amongst the freshest of roses. Sweet
Flavia, | have lived to see my kinderd dust
heaped on your fresh young form, and old
and withered now, cannot but remember
the glow Of your sweet, unstained youth, ra-
diant in unforeseeing love, happiness and
Joy.
Thc betrothed pair were together to visit
London.
But shall not dare, said the girl, as
walking together in the old fashioned Dutch
garden, she leant her young sinless head on
her guilty lovers breast IL shailnot dare
take such a journey, for fear Of the highway
man, De Montmoreney' b= >
Fear not, my sweet Flavia; this breast
shall be pierced through ere DE Montmor-
ency shall cause one fear in thine
Richard, sweetest, why do you leave us
so early every evening2 At sunset, / have
remarked. These are not London habits
All, does any other than your poor Flavia at
tract youl Oh, Richard must die if it
should be SO. / could not live, and know
you were false" .
Sweetest, and best? my purest love,
could any win me from you, were it queenl
think it not. Little truth is FIavia, /
have poor sick friend not far from here !;
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