The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-12-13
WASHINGTON, d. c..
d according OF Congress, in the year 1855, by
t Perez in the Clerks Office OF the Circuit Court
af Inc District Of Columbia.l
FOR TIKI NATIONAL ERA.
ROSA AND HER SUlT0RS.
A TALE OF SWEDISH DOMESTIC LIFE.
BY EMILE +. CARLEE,
.,o Of" One Year Of WedIOek The Bride Of Onlburg,
&c, &c.
TRANSLATED By Ebert PIERCE.
TRANSLATED 81 ELDERT PIERCE.

CHAP. XIv-Concluded-
Boshing deeply, and with every sign of en-
barr.ssment, Rosa refolded the letter, and laid
il down.
Then you knew not the least about this
matter. child?" asked the Professor, and his
n;sreing Glance seemed as if he would have
Looked into the hidden recesses of her soul.
Not word about the letter, dear uncle"
Ro,a assured the old man "but, the evening
b.eore l..st, papa told me that he had resolved,
for the reason herein mentioned, to retract his
promise. How that was to happen, except that
he intended to apply to you upon the subject,
he said not a word"
"That may be; but now tell me candidly, my
child. what were your own feelings on the SUBJ
;ect? Now, you must be perfectly honest,
mind"
May | venture to be so, uncle?" asked
Rosa, in a voice of entreaty, and smoothing
back ais gray hairs from his wrinkled forehead.
"Surely, my DEAR" replied he, entirely so,
as # you we're before your Eternal Judge, in
stead Of poor weak, sinful mortal-speak, my
child"
@Well, then, L will tell the truth" replied
she "My feelings, when my father said this,
were not quite clear to me they were mixed up
with many others, and l felt great inward
struggle; but yet it was relief to feel that /
was free, for, during the term which we have
been engaged, have carefully observed Ferdi-
nand's character, and have found that we could
not be happy, were we united and know that
It was not love which led Ferdinand to seek nv
hand"
Hum" said the Professor you have gain
ed great deal of light upon this subject. Will
you now be candid enough to tell me whether
it was love, then, which persuaded you to say
yes, when you had free choice, and might
have said MOP"
Rosa blushed as red as the most beautiful of
her namesakes.
Dear uncle, do not be so very strict" she
en:reated "a maiden's heart is spot sacred
from any stranger glance. Is it not so?"
by no means," said the old man, earnestly !;
betrothal and marriage are not matters of
play. Why did you give him your promise,
when, according to all rational presumption,
your heart was cold in this matter?"
A." Dear, good uncle, will confess that did
not love Ferdinand; but / believed that he
loved me; and when / considered that, together
with the esteem and liking with which he in
spired me, ventured to believe that these feel
ings afforded sufficient guaranty for our
prospective happiness at the same moment,
too in which | vowed to belong to him, also
felt sensible that it was from henceforth my
duty to live for the promotion of his happiness.
But have discovered that this can never be
assured through the possession of my hand, even
hal my heart accompanied it. Had he, on the
other hand, been sincerely devoted to me, then,
my kndest uncle, l would have undertaken
these duties, if not with love, with an inward
anu sieadiast purpose to have rendered myself
worthy of the sacred name of wife,"
That is all possible enough" said the Pro-
lessor, " but it was at all events, wrong, nv
child, that thus, in your youth, you should have
thought Of giving away your hand without your
heart sooner or later, the most powerful of all
human feelings would have awakened in your
heart; and how infinitely unhappy would you
not then have become for the tempter is strong,
and even in the frmest souls, is never over
come without the frmest struggle"
Rosa was silent, but she leaned her head on
the old mans shoulder, and, as his arm encir-
eied her form, she felt agitated by violent emo
with streaming tears.
Well, now, WE'LL" said he, gently and good
aaturedly, there is enough of it; / see how
things are, and knew it before; but, rely upon
H. IN me you possess a friend. l could have
wished, my girl, that Ferdinand had been
worthy Of you, and that you had loved him as
You do-as you do Mannerstedt; should have
So reloiced to call you daughter, but such you
snail ever be to my heart" He ceased speak
Tag, and two big drops, sacred pledges Of as
sacred promise, trickled down his cheeks,
and mingled with those which Rosa shed, as
she stood mute with establishment and emo
ton.
Several minutes passed in deep silence. At
length they both recovered their firmness suffi
c'ehuy to resume the subject which had been
interrupted.
hat answer did my kind uncle give to my
amer asked Rosa, struggling to give firm
ness 10 her voice.
Well, child, | replied in my usual short
ana decided style, and told him my hearts
thoughts, and that / would never lay down a
N4Ser Tor my nephew's domestic establishment,
40 ne had already cost me enough; and l add
Gu ui;'t II would have been more in order had
'uey TAKEN the trouble to ascertain the certain
y OF this before the betrothal. | will tell you,
However, that my answer would have been quite
uiherent, had | not very well seen that you
coaid never be happy together; but it was
NY wish, from the first, that it should never
o0me to marriage, and, after the reply which
!our father has received from me, your engage
ment may be looked upon as completely dis
solved. AS soon as Ferdinand returns home,
shall make him aware of your fathers resolve,
as well as my own; and now, all you have to do
% render the dissolution of the affair complete,
70 give back the rings to each other"
Yes; and as my fathers affairs now stand,
cannot believe that it will afflict Ferdinand
i.naeh, said Rosa. "Poor fellow, he has anx-
'ety enough without"
D Oh, that will all pass away" replied the
in .oleSsGT, who was thinking of the elastic ma
; -.g Of ferdidand's heart, and of Hilda; "that
Is Inc least part of the trouble"
20 my kindest uncle, certainly not the
h. ou', on the contrary, it is the worst of all
naS mad yet, and can only be overcome by
sWouS and powerful aid but if the deepest
epen'ance, and the most sincere purpose of
e.oF1' can prevail in softening the paternal
s ,,,Slu whom he has so hurt by his weakness
sss;a ImPetuous passions, then the poor, deeply
9;r r.o'ea Eerdlnand might perhaps obtain for
g. nat the very deuce is it?" asked the Pro-
Sn, surprised. 81 fancied you were allu-
,s 70 MS love for Hilda-a piece of folly, like
S"y1ning else he has taken into his head.
=! Pe S fearless y" he added, in kinder tone,
~ ne noticed that Rosa hesitated. Gle has
last LAST had the good sense to select the best
1 S"1eSs his cause could possibly have"
nro, poI grant that it may prove so, dearest
rIOne' Rosa commenced, with soft and trem-
ts;n 1S voice, !" and that my entreaties may OBJ
A. g .or ferdinand his kind uncle's forgiveness.
piyen as concerns myself, 1 have already for
fbs ag nln, Tor my heart bleeds for him with all
~e affection of sister,,
And Rosa now With ,;r.,u .,. L.