Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1855-07-28
THE SOUTHERN BELLE.
Or, Who Lost the Wager.
CHAPTER. 4.


mand..
l confess to being little sentimental
i have read heaps oil novels in my day,
from the Children of the Abbey down to
Bleak House, and the thought of having
my uncle pick out my wife for me was tol-
erably repugnant to my ideas of propriety
and the rights of man.
Uncle Ned was jolly old fellow, and
laughed in my face, when l told him l
could not think Of such thing as permit
ting him to select my vile for me. /
cooked dignifed and l felt dignifed; and !
s not little mortified whea the old fel-
.ow haw .hawed right in my face.
But, my boy, she is as rich as mud
with an income of eight thousand dollars a
year. said he, Think of that
My dear uncle. | beg you will deem me
above mercenary motives in SO important
matter as this / replied, with seri-
BUSINESS in keeping with the solemnity of
the topic discussed.
Perhaps you don't mean to take wife
die an old bachelor-eh?' continued he,
poured out another of his abominable 'guf-
taws.'
Not so; on the contrary | mean to take
wife iust as soon All | can find ona exact
ly suited to my mind
and you don't mean to marry girl
that has got any money!
That is perfect y irhmaterial, sir, you
are aware that my forturo is amply sufli-
cieEt without the addition of wifes dow
ry.'
But the money wouldn't do any harm,
would it?'
No. | should not object to lady who
possessed the requisite qualifications, be-
cause she happened to have fortune at
her disposal, though in my estimation it
would add nothing to her fitness to become
my wife
Indeed, drawled Uncle Ned, looking at
me with such funny expression that |
could not tell whether he was going to
laugh or get mad. didn't care much for
l deemed it beneath his dignity to attempt
an interference in such delicate matter.
But, Rob, Rosalie is the most beautiful
girl in South Carolina. There are thou-
sands ofyoung gentl men of the first fam
lilies at the South who would jump at the
chance to step into your shoes
'They can do SO sir. l tell you plainly
she can never be my wife, if she was a
pearl and had all South Carolina for her
dowry,' said |, with disniiied earnest
ness.
'Whewn
Your snecrs will be as useless as your
persuasions; they shall not move me-
But, Rob, you know her father earn
estly desi cd that you should be married,
before he died. added the uncle, more Sc
riously.
1T matters not, sir; must be entirely
unembarrassel in the choice of wife
Let me tell you plainly, that, if [ had no
other objection the mere fact that you
have attempted to draw Inc into this mar
riagc were a sufficient reason for me to de-
cline it,
'Eh! you young puppy, what do you
mean by that?'
'Just exactly what l say, viz: that !
will neither be led or driven into marriage
with tosalie. think we have said enough
about it,
l had begun to talk little colly. He
was, in my opinion, trcading upon the
prerogative of freeborn citizen.
What did the old fogy mean? Did he
think l hadu'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. Rosalie is
handsome, and graceful, and all that sort
of thing; sings like nightingale, plays
the piano and harp and can talk French
like Parisienne.'
1t matters not sir; I object to the prin-
cipie of the thing, and I repeat, l cannot
and will not marry her.
Bob you are fool
sAmI.'
'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 you?'
Certainly; but do not Aatter yourself I
shall make love to Rosalie. l shall go
prepared to shun her; yes, to be even un-
civil to her. III am, blame yourself for
your impudent interference in my con-
Germs
'Saucy puppy!' and my uncle laughed.
We we're on the most familiar terms
You are meddler; you make me sau
cy. I trust shall always be prompt in
resenting any invasion of my natural
rights
Hope you will my boy; but 1 will bet
you thousand dollars you will marry her.
'Done!'
But on one condition
what?
That you come to my estate in South
Carolina with respectable heart--that
you are not engaged to another
4 accept the condition. said ! grasping
bis hand; uncle, you have lost the bot
Not yet, Bob; wait a Bit
1t was rather foolish in the old fellow
to make such bet: but was SO sure |
could resist the attractions of my cousin
even though she proved to be a Venus,
that l considered the money already mine
and what was far better, that Ihad won the
victory overhm.
That night Uncle Ned started for his