Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-03-26
cHAPTER XVI.


could be fittedup to transport her back to
New Orleans Steam boats were then
tunknown on the western waters, and the
craft in use, as means Of upward trans
port, admitted of little room for the COM
fort Of lady travellers But Gen. Holmes
made the best of the means at hand, and
con6ding Ida to her cousin and three
trusty boatmen, dismissed her with the
expression of a hope that she would be
prepared to comply with his wishes, when
he reached the city, which would be in
some six or eight weeks. She made no
promise and bade adieu to the fort with
a heavier heart than she brought into it,
and not only willing, but resolved never to
enter it again.
Her. reception at home was truly graft
flying. She had ever been favorite with
young and old, and previous to her visit
to the frontier, was the reigning belle Of the
city but, on her return, her position in
society was somewhat altered. Her tenn
} porary sojourn upon wild frontier, and
her adventures as an Indian captive, made
her celebrity, but without impairing her
popularity and her supposed engagement
to her cousin Edward made her less of
belle, but without diminishing the admira-
) ton, which she SO richly merited.
Living with her aunt and the mother
of her lover, Ida had delicate part to play
in maintaining the intimate relationswhich
had SO long subsistcd between Edward and
herself, and yet weigh every word, and
shape every action that might be con-
) strued by him into encouragement In
vain, though, did she deny the existence
of any engagement. Her friends knew
why Edward had gone to the fort, and her
return with him, and his hopeful demean-
) or induced the belief that Ida's denial was
a rusc of maiden modesty, and the public
decided that they would be married, in a
very short time.7 Finding that to deny
won no belief, she soon ceased the effort to
correct the erroneous impression, and suf-
fered popular opinion to shape itself, caring
little what form it might assume. iA
There arrived in the city, about the time
, of Ida's return, a Mr. Neville, who claimed
to have travelled extensively in Europe,
and, recently, to have returned froma pro-
tracted tour through the territory occupied
, by the various Indian tribes, with whose
habits and character he wished to become
thoroughly acquainted. Mr.. Neville was a
man of rather striking appearance-tall
and we'll formed, with features decidedly
G handsome, but not set off to advantage by
q his red hair and whiskers. His manners
T were gay and easy, and in conversation he
was fluent and self-possossed. These ad-
Y yantages, backed by great reputed wealth,
made him 'lion," and his society was
? courted by the best circles, and with the
more eagerness, because he rather stunned
$ than sought participation in those crowded
parties so common in the city. With
az Edward Holmes, he became great favorite
c though there seemed to be no particular
congeniality of temper or taste between
y them. .,.. I.Irs., -... pa.
|, Ida had been in the city, for weeks, and
|, heard Of the wealthy and accomplished
o Mr.. Neville, every day, and almost every
d hour, but they had never met 1t is true,
e he had been pointed out to her on The
e street, and she knew him by sight but
= they had never been together in the same
r: social circle. He seemed not to have
" sought her acquaintance, or nc would have
le accepted some of the many pressing invi
tations he had received from Edward, t.
J. visit his mothers house.
J. "Why don't you make the acquaintance
" of Ida Holmes, Mr.. Neyille?Y A youn3
, lady once asked him. "She is very beauti
e, full, accomplished and intellectual" ''
IF "I do not doubt it, Was his reply
"But she is engaged to be married, and j
lg would be unwise in me to expose mysel
ID to the temptation ofsuch an acquaintance
Do you think she really loves her cousin?'
Iy "Why Of course sho does, Mr.. Neville
s, What makes you ask such strang
Vo question:" 'aee
&c "Oh, 1 have no particular reason 70
: asking but have heard that the hear
ar and the hand do not always go tOgethe
ID in marriage. "lasl tuaE win,a
in s'You have reason, Mr. Neville, 70
ly asking the question, and you know, or sus
he pect more than you have cxpreasod-isi
n. not so?" 81 b asaft Ri h
81 knew young man, in ST. Louis, VIII
of is acquainted with Miss Holiness he re
3 plied 0and but express his opinion, tha