The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-04-16

pointments, with every probability of losin
\ his gown; while Miss Harriet, who has bee
I spending day after day in the st. Johns yes
$ try, will be sent out of the place for a shol
time at least; her poor mother is in a stat
e of distraction. Nowonder; it will be the rui
! Of her sisters, as well as herself No on
will ever notice them again. Well, I'm nc
! much surprised; ! always thought them sa,
: giddy girls, and had my misgivings about thes
walks. l don't approve young women trot
!; ting all over the town alone, district visiting
; or anything else. It was not allowed in m,
: time, and it would be much better if it wa
not allowed now
Are you speaking of the daughters of Mrs
) Aylmer, of Lea cottage?' asked a tall, vinegar
J faced lady, who seemed to be stranger ane
) to have accompanied one of the last importa
tons Of visitors.
Yes replied Mrs. Beauchamp, do 20,
J know them9
No.
Mrs. Aylmer, perhaps?'
No; | never saw any of the family, but
hear great deal. Pray, is all this scanda
true?'
Really, madam, / have not the pleasure Of
knowing you, but ! must say yours is mos
extraordinary question: and Mrs. Beauchamt
drew up her square figure to its utmost height
+ '0h, lhad no intention Of giving offence. ]
merely wished to learn if you had positive
grounds for your statements
Certainly. The facts are well known in the
town.
'The statements are, but I was not aware
that the facts upon they are based were must,
therefore, take leave to repeat my question
Are all these shameful tales true?'
1 scarcely know what you call such, but all
you have heard respecting Miss Aylmer's con-
duct is
One morning. about a week after this, just
as we were sitting down to dinner, gentle
man, one OF the principle lawyers in W,
4 was announced.
I have called, Mrs. Beauchamp,' he said,
upon a very unpleasant mission. | am IN
structed by my client, Mrs. Aymer, of Lea cot
tage, to commence proceedings against you for
defamation. Some exceedingly scandalous re-
ports, SO seriously affecting the reputation of
Miss Harriet Aylmer as tohave occasioned the
breaking off other engagement with Mr. Powis
have been traced to you, and unless I can OBJ
tain the fullest and most explicit acknowledge
ment Of their falsehood, / have no alternative
but to obey my instructions. Under such cir
cumstances, 1 trust you see the necessitv Of at
once, consenting to make the publicrecantation
am empowered to require
Poor Mrs Beauchamp! How many hues did
her pale, sallow countenance wear during this
speech. Medder and nischef-m maker as she
was, could not but pity her, she did look SO
thoroughly frightened.
Atlast she stammered out
What recantation?- says9'
Everybody. There has been little difficulty
in tracing the report; but Mrs. William Powis,
aunt to the gentleman to whom Miss Harriet
Aylner was engaged, and whose adopted son
he is, is our chief authority You made the
statement complained of to her. and she refuses
her sanction to hernephew' marriage until the
scandal is as publicly disproved as it has been
circulated
Mrs. William Powis! don't know such a
person; never saw her in my life
Pardon me; you met her'-and the careful
lawyer took memorandum book to examine
and ascertain the exact date-sat Mrs. West
macott's, last Monday, this very day week,
about two O'Clock. You then declared that in |
consequence of certain shameful discoveries,
Mr.. surtees had been dismissed by DR.. Sydney,
and was in danger of losing his gown; and that
Miss Aymer was to be sent out of W; and
after these public assertions, that you had pos
tive grounds for them. These grounds / am
authorized to demand, and in default of them
hold you responsible for the SANDER, and pro-
ceed accordingly, It may perhaps be right to
say that Mr. surtees has also been with me
upon the same business
This is very strange You take me complete
ly by surprise-at this moment really cannot
recall the precise conversation which did take
place, replied the poor lady.
4 am perfectly ready to repeat it. ] have
.he heads upon the paper; | will read them
He did 50, and during the repetition, which
alrly astonlshed me BY its correctness and ex-
actltude, Mrs. Beauchamp had time to rally
1er faculties and recover self possession enougha
9 see the necessity ofstruggling forher defence
md escape the threatened disgrace. A public 1
apology and denial Of her own words, an ad- K
in the county paper perhaps; it was
lreadful, too horrible-she could never bearit,
leyer able to look up after it must be avoid
d at any sacrifice: but then, on the other hand, j
n action-a trial-going to jail-being trans f
orted-(for never having had much expert I
nee of law or lawyers, she had the greatest i
nd vaguest dread ofther powers, exaggerating (
hem most absurdly, and confusing civil and c
riminal administration and punishments in 9
cry original and alarming fashion, THAT al E
ernative was no more agreeable. Poor wo- 9
ian, she was utterly confounded and bewild- i
red. The sound of her own words, which she d
ou1d not avoid recognizing, made her worse, t
nd completed the arrangement of her ideas; C
in would she have stopped the relentless. mo-
otonous voice which slowly recapitulated the
'idenee Of guilt, and one by one put an end i
all chances of denial; but she dared not, she b
d not venture to hasten by a second the ter d
Bile moment of decision II
Procrastinated, as it might be, it came at fe
st, however. Il
The lawyer, having deliberately read aloud a
e various sentences remembered so we'll In
lded up the paper, replaced it in his pocket W
i'd turning towards Mrs. Beauchamp, contin- III
,d:- b.
You see, madam, we are perfectly prepar- ia
; it only remains, therefore, for NE to repeat g
e terms Of my instructions, and request you ia
comply with nv clients demand IF Won Ee1