The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-01-24

|
a cap of green morocco, and his valuable gold
headed cane in his hand, proceeded in state t
the poor dwelling occupied by the Merchan
Widen. This gentleman and his wife wer
sitting in the small corner room which looked
out upon the street, and were conlidentialIy
talking over, with signs and grief, their trouble
and disappointed hopes, in regard to all tn
good fortune with which Mr. Garben was to hav
surrounded them, had Rosa accepted his offer
when, in the midst of the torrent Of illusions
the lady caught glimpse of the Professor a
he came toiling up the steps.
"Ah good heavens, my dear Widen," criet
she, letting fall a plate of peas, which she wa
engaged in Smelling. "Don't you see that
Run out oh dear all my peas spilled, too
Dear Widen, old man, it was the Professor
himself; oh, do run as fast as you can, an(
take him into the sitting-room I'll come di
rectly. Aye, aye; did l not always think il
would be .o?" continued she, when her husband
had left the room; and now there it is az
she would not have GARDEN, am sure she vii
still less have anything to say to that frivolous
extravagant Captain. All that girl that CIR
will bring down my gray hairs to the grave
with her obstinacyl Caroline, Josephine, my
darlings, come here, and help mother pick UP
the peas"
And while the children were on their knees
laughing, and gathering up their future dinner
Madame Widen in great haste put on her cap
arranged her hair, threw shawl over her no,
very elegant morning wrapper, and betook her
self to the sitting room, full of the most intol
cradle curiosity to know what on earth this
visit of the Professors could signify.
"Welcome, welcome, my kind Professor
Ling All, how pleasant to get a sight of an
old friends face once more Good faith, it is
long time since we had the honor of meeting
Professor Ling last but | believe Rosa was
always favorite of yours. Pray be SO kind
as to sit down, my good SIR"
With his accustomed smile the old gentle
said, in far more friendly and feeling tone
than he had made use of towards Madame Wi
den on the betrothal day
Yes, Rosa is indeed my favorite, and a
dear, good girl she is, too; and / should be
glad to do something to see her happy. And
L saw well that she never could have been so
with my nephew, as their characters were ut
tsrly unsnited to each other. and for that rea-
son | was against the match, though loved
the girl herself from the first moment saw
her.
Widen and his wife were now both surprised.
They had been expecting renewed proposal
on the part of the Captain, and had both
felt certain degree of pride in the hope of
returning a negative answer to it; but they
could not fathom what the Professor was now
driving at and the look of significant inquiry
which the husband and wife exchanged, con-
WINGED them that they were each equally remote
from the mark which they had missed the first
time
After pause, the Merchant at last spoke.
/ really hardly know with what man Rosa
would feel happy, and l almost begin to be
lieve, with Mrs. Widen, that the girl has no
heart for love at all. But do not see, if that
is the case, why she should refuse the very adj
vantageous offer which is made her."
At this declaration, they fully expected to see
the Professor astonished, and ask who had
made this offer; but even this triumph was de-
MED them, for he merely replied
at is exactly with reference to this proposal
Of marriage from Mr.. GARDEN, that | have
taken the liberty of coming here to day, in Or
der to have a consultation with you, rs to what
can he effected for Rosa's happiness and well
fare"
Widen and his wife looked at each other
again; but at the old gentleman's concluding
words, the looks of the lady frightened up into
a peculiar expression-s light seemed to dawn
upon her. Might not the Professor have pos
siby taken it into his head to pay his court to
the girl himself? Rosa's frequent visits to
him now for the first time assumed greater
degree Of significance in the mothers eyes (;
add to this the circumstance that Rosa had
confded Gardens proposal to him; and, lastly,
rs it was quite impossible for any one to de-
clare where the peculiarities of the human heart
commence, and still less where they end, she
began to think that it would not be the most
unreasonable of all things she had heard of
the same kind, if Rosa, though it really would
have been almost too mad, might perhaps
choose to marry the Professor.
ave are really infinitely indebted to you tor
this Kindness" said Mr.. Widen. 1t is COM
fort to afflicted parents, such as we are, when
they have any one with whom they can advise
upon those subjects which are nearest their
hearts, and such are and must be the happiness
and earthly veal of their children. And do
you not find it very singular, indeed almost in
credible, that a girl of Rosa's sound sense, and
a heart at liberty, should refuse such an offer ?
at the same time, knowing that if she accepted
it, she would be able to assist her father In his
ruined circumstances for, with Gardens ex-
ception, there is nobody who would advance
me the necessary sum to enable me, even IN a
reduced way, to recommence business"
This is not so certain a point" said the
Professor, In tone which Appropriated toler-
ably near to the ideas which Madame Widen
had formed in her own mind, regarding the
music of angels on awakening in better
world-at least, in the ears of herself and her
husband, the voice sounded rather of Heaven
than of earth, as the old man added, 1 thought
myself that this was mainly the reason for
which my friend Mr.. Widen wished a union to
take place between Rosa and Mr.. Garben."
"Surely, surely, my highly respected friend,
what else could have made me wish it? Gar
ben, it is true, is fine, honorable man but it
never could be my wish exactly to see a child
that love as much as Rosa, and who is 80 ne
cessary to my own happiness, established in
another country, even one so near our own
and the more so, should it not accord with her
own inclinations, unless, as l said, it had been
dictated by a sense of my own advantage"
| "However," rejoined the Professor, :" Rosa
| told me. Yesterday evening, that you were not
inclined to use your paternal authority In tins
case-a power, indeed, which fathers too often
abuse, to the ruin of their children and their
own regret. find all this right and proper,
and know how to give you credit for it under
existing circumstances"
The Merchant saw himself in fix indeed
could he only have the smallest idea OF wha,
the Professor was aiming at; but the latter had
SO dexterously inserted hopeful word here
and there, without, at the same time, binding
himself to anything, that Widen hardly rightly
knew what he should say, in order to do neithe'