Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-07-29

Ou ILc uldHh zeal. lUaC is W0aC i call
an anachronism, spiritually. What do you
think about the book, Lefty ?" and she, turn
ing her 1.-THE figure round in the great chair
toward the little Quakeress, whose pretty red
head and apple-blossom of face bloomed out
| OF her grey attire and prim collar with a GER
tain fascinating contrast.
| think it has very good moral tenden-
cy, Cousin Jo"
The clear, hazel eyes flashed most amused
comment at me-
Well what do you call the moral, Lefty 2"
Why,-I should think,-I do not quite
know that the moral is stated, Josephine
but | think thee will allow it was great tri-
umph of principle for Jane Eyre to leave Mr.
Rochester when she discovered that he was
married"
10 flung herself impatiently in the chair and
began an harangue
That is true worlds Judgment And
you, you innocent little Quaker girl think it
is the height of virtue not to elope with mar
red man, who has entirely and deliberately de-
celved you, and adds to the wrong of deceit
the insult of proposing an elopemeHt Tri-
umph of principle | should call it the result
OF common decency, rather,-a thing that the
instinct of any woman would compel her to do
My only wonder is how Jane Eyre could con-
tinue to love him."
My dear young friend" said I, rather
grmy when woman loves man, it is apt.
L regret to say, to become fact, rot theO-
ry and facts are stubborn things, you know.
1t is not easy to set aside a real affection"
| know that, ma'am" retorted 10, in a
slightly sarcastic tone it is painful truth:
still, do think deliberate deceit practiced
on me by any man would decapitate any love
had for him, quite inevitably"
So it might, in your case" replied "for
yOu never will love man, only your idea of
one Yon will go on enjoying your mighty
theories and dreams till suddenly the juice of
that little western flower drips on your eve
lids, and then | shall have the pleasure of see
ing you careSs the fair large ears of some
donkey, and hang rapturousIy upon its bray,
till you perhaps discover that he has pretend
ed, on your account solely, to like roses when
he has natural proclvity to thistes and
then, pitiable child you will discover whot
you have been careSsing and-I spare you con-
clusions only, for my part, pity the ami
NAL Now Jane Eyre was a highly practi-
cal person she knew the man she loved was
only man, and rather a bad specimen at that :;
she was properly indignant at this further de-
veopment of his nature, but rejecting in cool
blood afterward, that it was only his nature.
and finding it proper and legal to marry him,
she did so, to the great satisfaction of herself
and the public You would have made new
ideal of St John Rivers, who was infinitely
the best material of the two, and possibly gone
on to your dying day in the belief chat his
cold and hard soul was only the adamant of
the Seraph, encouraged in that belief by his
real and high principle,-a thing that went
for sounding brass with that worldlywiSe little
philosopher, Jane, because it did not act more
practically on his Unborn traits"
Bah :" said Josephine "when did you
turn gypsy, Sally? You ought to sell dut-
keripea, and make your fortune. Why don't
you unfold Letty's fate p
NO" said |, laughing. Don't yOu know
that the aflatus always exhausts the priestcSs?
You may tell Letty'S fortune, or mine, if you
will but my power is gone"
I" can tell yours easily, o Sibyl !" replied
She You will never marry, neither for real
nor ideal YOu should have fallen in love in
the orthodox way when you were seventeen.
You are adaptive enough to have moulded
yourself into any nature that you loved, and
good and evil You would have been a model
wife, and blessed mother. But nOw-you
are too old my dear you have seen too much; +;
you have not hardened yourself, but you have
learned to see too keenly into other people
You don't respect mtn, except exceptions !;
and you have seen SO much matrimony that is
harsh and unIoveabe, that you dread it ; and
yet-Don't look at me that way, Sarah
shall cry My dear ! my darling | did not
mean to hurt you.--I am a perfect fool do
please look at me with your old sweet eyes
again How could p
Look at Lefty" said |, succeeding at last
in laugh And really Lefty was comicaI 20
look at she was regarding Josephine and me
with her eyes wide open like two blue iarkspur
flowers, her little red lips apart, and her whole
pretty surface face quite full Of astOnishment
Wasn't that nice little tableau, Lefty 2"
said Josephine, with preternatural cOolnesS.-
You looked so sleepy, thought I'd wake
you up with a bit of a scene from Lara Abou-
kir, the Pirate Chief ; you know we have a
great deal of private theatricals at Baltimore;
! you should see me in that play as Flashmoria,
/ the Bandits Bride"
| Lefty rubbed her left eye little, as if to
see whether she was sleepy or not, and look
ed grave for me, the laugh came easily enough
now 10 saw she had not quite succeeded, so
| she turned the current another way.
Shall | tell your fortune now, Lefty ?
Are y0u quite walked up p said she.
No, thee needn't, Cousin 10 thee don't
tell very good ones, ] think"
NO Lefty, she shall not vex your head
with nonsense think your fate is patient i;
you will grow on little longer like a pink
china-aster, safe in the garden, and in due time
marry some good Friend, Thomas Dugdale,
very possibly,-and live tranquil life here in
SIepington till you arrive at preacher bon
net, and speak in meeting, as dear Aunt AllIs
! did before YOU"