The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-10-16
let him be you, with orders to bring home what
ever she throws out y

|
selected one with a gold ring and lock of
hair as the one. Hang any one fool enough
to serenade the front of a hotel. After / had
kissed the bouquet into nothing, wore the fool
ring, and treasured up the lock of hair for a
week, / discovered they came from widow of
fifty-the hair false at that"
| A grim chuckle from the old Captain dis
concerted Wardour so, that he rushed into bed,
to wear out the sleepless night in vain conjec-
| ture.
Poor O'Halloran was quite unfortunate. He
had no one for a con6dant but the deaf Eng
lishman, Captain Waters. To possess him
with the important secret was by no means an
easy task. To shout ones tender passion, as if
roaring FIRE" or charging an enemy, was not
at all pleasant; yet, driven to desperation, he
made the effort Leading his friend to Sc
questered spot, where they would be safe from
interruption, he began:
81 believe you're good friend, Waters, and
want your assistance" The Captain looked
wise and said, precisely"
"Now," elevating his voice, "Fm in deuce
! of a dilemma"
The Captain drew out huge wallet, and
said, as he opened it, How much?"
"Ohl confound tt don't want your
money! want your advice-your advice, /
say"
The Captain, much relieved replaced his wal
let, and responded, Fire awayl"
whats your opinion of a good-looking young
fellow, of limited means, pursuing an angel with
! five hundred thousand?"
81 think he's fool"
"The devil you do?"
| O'Halloran was about proceeding to remon-
strate, when a man came running up, very red
in the face, out of breath, and apologized, by
saying that he had heard loud talking, and
feared quarrel was going on Just then, Vic
tor, looking up, saw one of the Newport dan
dies lying upon the rock, and grinning hideous
ly. Grasping his cane, he approached him.
Look, you, sir; you have been playing the
dirty eavesdropper."
Eavesdropper," retorted the poor fellow
how could one help it, with people shouting as
if q mile apart 2"
You had no business to hear word, you
scoundrel. Now, l let you go, but if ever
hear a word of this whispered round, I'll hunt
you up, and pay with interest," will"
This threat alone preserved the secret-but
further conferences with Captain Waters were
out of the question. Fortunately for him, and
very unfortunate for the victim, Victor was
shortly afterwards introduced to Captain Wat
ties Irishman like, he followed up the intro
duction by the closest intimacy and the poor
man found himself the receptacle of two courses
| In the fact, that one came from an old friend
while the other must be looked upon as an en-
emy He was too polite, in fact, too much COM
| pEmented by the attention, to shake off O'Hal-
loran; so he listened attentively-though, to do
him justice, he gave his solemn advice to War
dour alone, and avoided Victor as much as pos
sibe; but there was one place from which there
could be no escape-his bed. Here the unfor
tunate was fairly cornered-here he was COM
pletely caught, and nothing but downright rude
ness, which Wattles would have suffered death
rather than be guilty of, could save him. Rolled
up in blanket and quilt, night. capped, and still
prim, even in repose, the poor man would be
rudely shaken by one or the other, to have long
stories poured into his drowsy ears, on subjects
to him entirely devoid of interest.
snow, Captain, DEAR" o Halloran would ask,
can We advise me?"
"If there is anything" the Captain replies,
that j am entirely acquainted with, it is the
gentler sex. | have made them a study, my
boy Hard to know-hard to know, l admit
but then have given the study much time and
attention"
| "Don't lie there, friend of my soul, and be
indulging in such exceedingly high compliments
TO yourself. The great Adversary himself is
puzzled entirely when he opens that fair page
in the book of nature. But two heads are better
than one-so help me out"
"Do you think she's struck do you think
| she's affected2"
"That's question, now-that's a botherer-
only answer me that won't trouble any one
me darlint Sometimes | think the lovely crea
ture is-then think she is not. When We come
totransmute the gded tints of the glorious clouds
into solid gold, coin it into coin, and put it in
your pocket. and call it yours, the same takes a
nuror. Captain, dear, am / the man?
han hQr orvao cr,tto IL
are they for me2 Is she pouring her precious
little soul into my heart there to be locked
up, and cherished forever and ever? Amen"
swell, well; come to the practical-bring
matters to an issue. Why not make the ex-
pertinent? Send her some trife, make her a
present, and see how she receives it. You GER
tainly don't wish to be kept in this state of
doubt and uncertainty
Surely not; it's killing me by inches. I'd
rather see her married to our friend Wardour-
clever gentleman he is, too-but the dell bit
of chance has he, propose"
- The hint dropped by Captain Wattles in ref
erence to the present, was not lost upon O'Hal-
loran. He studied upon it until he determined
at once to act. He had in possession family
relic, in shape of brooch, exceedingly del
icate and beautiful, and this he selected to send
to his hearts idol, and upon Its reception hang
his fate. He enclosed the article in a box, ac-
companed it with a note, offering hand and
heart, intimating that, "by accepting or re-
jectiDg the accompanying trife, she would
seal his fate" and sent them to Juiiet's apart
ment.
The proposition suggested by Wattles to Vic
tor, that ancient gentleman had earnestly press
ed upon Wardour as the only course. 1t was
after much solicitation that he consented to
present her with ingeniously carved ring !;
and he sent with it but one line, begging her
to receive it only on account of its being a sim
gularly beautiful relic of bygone time, that
could only become the most fascinating of the
present.
Juliet returning from ride on the following
4 morning, found the notes and gifts upon her
table. She was much distressed, That any con.
duct OF hers should cause others to build up
hopes, the overthrow of which must be painful.
gave her inexpressible grief What to do :? was
the question. Mrs. Colburn vas awav on a
pleasure excursion: so delay for her return
would give birth to erroneous impressions of
hesitation On her part. There was but one
course-to return the gifts at once. Thinking,
from the tenor of Wardour's note, that the an.
! tique brooch was from him, she sent 1t, with a
word simply saying that she trusted hereafter
not to be misunderstood, but hoped that their
pleasant acquaintance might continue upon the
same footing as of old. The ring she detesmin.
ed to return to O'Hslloran that evening.
Poor Wardour, when the box with its singu-
lar contents arrived, with the-to him-myste-
rious note, no words could express his astonsh-
ment He conld scarcely credit his senses The
Captain was called in, end consultations were
deep and protracted.