Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-05-20
Ckpife giteratnre.
THE RASH MARRIAGE.
CHAPTER ~.
BIZ NEW cOsrnrBuroR.

CHAPTER ".
Oh cast thou not
Affection from thee In this bitter world,
Hold to thy heart, thai only treasnre fast,
Watch-guard it-suifer not a breath to din,
The bright gems purity.
And TO- his eye
There was but one beloved face on earth,
And that was shining on him.
Brnoz
Adelaide, my daughter. sas'a Mr. Linds.
lap tlss4ucss Sc.
last evening and told me that you had prom
ised to be his wife provided he could gain
my approval. This is very sudden affair
On your part. / told him, of course, that I
had no objection to receiving him as SON.
in-law, if it was your wish to become his
wife, but he must have seen that was sur
prised. Have you considered this matter
wellY
yes, sir, and I shall be ready to redeem
my pledge in very few we eks'
L thought perhaps there might be some
mistake about it,
There is none, SIR Adelaide had hith-
erto spoken coldly, almost haughtily but
now, with sudden revulsion of feeling, she
threw herself into her ia theirs arms and burst
into tears. oh, my dear father, do not re-
fuse to give me your blessing
1T is yours, my child he replied, as he
parted the hair upon her foreheadand looked
tenderly in her troubled face But, Ade-
laide, do not be hasty in this matter. I would
not have child of mine approach the altar
from any other than the purest and holiest
OF motives Willis Fletcher is very wealthy
you will move in very different sphere
from that you have hitherto filed, and with
many girls this would be a sufficient induce
ment to accept his hand. Are you sure that
it does not influence you?
l have never given it thought, father,
and could not sell myself. You surely do
not think that he possesses nothing but his
wealth to recommend him?
mo, Ada admire his character yery
much, and If you love him, have nothing
more to say
Adelaide did not answer Her fathers
keen, piercing eye was fixed steadily upon
her, and she felt the color mounting to hel
forehead.
Ada, will you not delay this marriage fol
few mon tbs p
Mr.. Fletcher urges a speedy union, sir
and have no go cd reason to give for object
ing. 1t may as well be one time as another
:! should be sorry to give you pain, my
child, but you must let me speak plainly this
once. believe that second love may be
as true ana as tender as first and Willis
Fletcher IS quite as worthy of your affection
as ever any one else was. But vine torr
around another. The bleeding tendri1s mus mus
have time to heal and grow strong again. d.
you understand me, my daughter p
Perfectly, sir; but in some cases the vint
is very strong in itself, and needs no support
Ii you will allow me to decide for myself, m,
dear father, l would prefer that the marriag'
should take place at the time already named.
Very well, Ada, it shall be as you choose.
1t is very possible th at if Mr. Fletcher ha
remained in Middleburgh during the fou
weeks that elapsed between the betrothal an
the day appointed for the wedding he Nigh
have suspected that Adelaide's feelings tx
ward him were not exactly what he woul
have them be. Yet even in that case he Nigh
have attributed any thing like coldness o
her part merely to maiden coyness and rt
serve. But on the day after their engagemer
he left the village, and they did not me-
again until few hours previous to the GER
mony.
After Mr.. Lindsey and Kate discovert
that Adelaide was fully resolved to follow Il
course she had marked out for herself, the
made no further effort to dissuade her. c
the contrary, they used every effort to cheril
and strengthen the attachment they cou
but hope she was beginning to feel for hi
who was SO soon to call her his wife.
Mr.. Fletcher, who himself resided in Ne
York, had friends in Middleburgh, and Fl
quently spent weeks with them. Adelai
had, therefore, known him for many yeal
and he had loved her long before she W
aware OF the fact. A heart more full of tr
and noble impulses than his never throbbe
and she knew it well and appreciated it full
10 do her justice, she gave him esteem, RI
erence, gratitude, even calm and quiet f;
fectlon-eyery thing in short but love a
as she stood by his side at the altar, and
voice low, tremulous, and full of feelir
uttered the responses, less credulous hei
> than his might have been justified in bell
= ing that he gave her that also.
I Kate watched her narrowly. Her che
was very pale, but that was nothing unusu
and gave her no uneasiness. Her voice v
calm, and she could discern no traces of
internal struggle.
o I am almost contented about you, dear
e Ada she said, as they were for the last I'll
e alone in their own little room. The cerer
I nies were all over, and Adelaide was exch
v ging the white dress, with its delicate Il
4 bertha, in which Willis had thought she 10
ed so very, very lovely, for one more suita
+ for travelling. You told me four weeks
that you did not love Mr.. Fletcher, bu
,r really believe you do little. Oh, Ada, &
z ingl do not be an unloving wife do
to repay the deep devotion of your husband VI
Indifference
q. DO not fear for me, dear Kate. You kr
~ that am not heartless, and l will try to
" all that Willis could wish
u But, Ada, once more I implore you to
frank with him. do not think he e
dreams you ever cared for another. It VIC
: pain him probably for little while to kr
.. it, but it would be best in the end. Tell
l that your heart has once bowed at anoth
1w shrine, but that henceforth it shall resp
rd only to the fond affection of his own. !
w. you not, dearest? / feel sure that he VIZ
\; love you none the less, and his generous
- bearanee, added to the mere fact that
us have confded in him, would go far to incr
nj your own attachment
on i cannot, Kate, it is too late now. al
Sc. hope he will never hear of it. But sis
nd she continued earnestly, I promise you
are will try to deserve his love, and to re
it also.'
'ur 'God grant that you may do both,
)ur laide, and may He direct and guide yo
om Do not forget to look to Him, dearest,
en- strength and wisdom
Ice. Il will mott will not-but oh, how
miss you, Kate'-and Adelaide threw
4 ! arms about her sisters neck, sobbing wi