The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-07-18

she can never by my wife, if she were
pearl, and had all South Carolina for her
dowry," said /, with dignifed earnestness.
"Whew!" @
"Your sneers will be as useless as your
persuasions; they shall not move me-"
"But Bob, you know your father ear
nestly desired that you should be married,
before he died." added the uncle, more
seriously.
"It matters not, sir; must be entire
ly unembarrassed in the choice of wife.
Let me tell you plainly that, even if / had
no other objection, the mere fact that you
have attempted to draw me into this mar
riage were sufficient reason for me to
decline it."
"Ehl you young puppy, what do you
mean by that?"
"Just exactly what 1 say, viz: that l
will neither be led nor driven into marriage
with Rosalie- think we have said enough
about it.'
1 had begun to talk little coolly. He
was in my opinion, treading upon the pre-
rogative of freeborn citizen.
What did the old fogy mean? Did he
think I hadn't sense enough to choose my
own wife? Rosalie was entirely out of
the question: could not, on principle
be driven into matrimonial connection
even though the other party was an angel
and had dowry of eight thousand year.
Mr.. Bob, listen to reason. Rosslie
is handsome, and graceful, and all that
sort of thing; sings like nightingale,
plays the piano and harp, and can talk
French like q Parisienne.
at matters not, sir; I object to the
principle of the thing, and I repeat, 1
cannot and will not marry her."
Bob, you are fooll"
Gam II" T-
"'Pon my word you are; you don't
know which side your bread is buttered." +"
Enough, sir!"
"But Bob, you will pay us that visit,
won't your" H.e
=" Certainly; but do not fatter yourself
+ / shall make love to Rosalie. shall 60
prepared to shun her; yes, to be even un-
civil to her. If am, blame yourself for
your impudent interference in my concerns.
"Saucy puppyl" and my uncle laughed.
We were on the most familiar terms.
"You are a meddler; you make me
saucy. I trust I shall always be prompt
in resisting any invasion of my natural
rights"
"Hope you will, my boy; but will bet
you thousand dollars you marry Rosa
lie.n
"Done!"
"But on one condition."
WHAT"
""That you come to my estate in South
Carolina with susceptible heart-that
you are not engaged to another
81 accept the condition." said /, grasp.
ing his hand; ""uncle, you have lost the
bet" ~
| "Not yet, Bob-wait Bit" a.
1t was rather foolish in the old fellow
to make such a silly bet; but was sure
could resist the attractions of my cousir
even though she should prove to be We
nus, that I considered the money already
mine, and what was far better, that had
won the victory over him.
That night uncle Ned started for hi.
plantation in South Carolina
! CHAPTER H.
/ My father died three years before thi.
conversation, leaving me an ample fortune
His two brothers had been in South Car
olina for thirty years, where the father o
Rosalie died, leaving my uncle Ned hel
guardian.
had often been told that Rosalie wal
a very pretty girl; but she had been t.
the North only once, and then I was trav
teling in Europe, so I had never seen her
/ had written uncle Ned promising tt
spend month with him in the autumn
Business had called him to Boston, wher,
our interview occurred. He had NOR,
than once expressed desire that hi
brothers property should remain in tn,
family, and pressed me to unite my fat
to that of his beautiful niece. a
This was out of the question. A mad
up match was my abomination. Certain
ly had no other reasons for my violen
prejudice against the marriage. I con
sidered it sacred obligation to fall il
love before took wife, and the idea o
being pledged to Rosalie before I hat
seen her myself, was SO absurd that I hat
no patience to think of it.
And then had a principle for my gui
dance in affairs of the heart which abso
flutely forbade me to think of such thin,
as marriage for convenience
The autumn came, and ] paid my pro
posed visit to uncle Ned's plantation il
| South Carolina.
/ was disappointed in my cousin Rosa
s lie. She was a tolerably good looking
, damsel, but in my opinion very far fror
being like the beautiful creature she ha,
i been pictured to me. tS
4 "Isnt she handsome, Bob?" said m
uncle. " Did you ever see such lips, sue
a head of hair, such eyes, such graceful
form? Isn't she handsome, eh, you dog?'
And the old fellow punched me in tn
ribs, and roared with laughter till he near