Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-05-14

hitherto but little excited in his nature, was in re-
ality more powerful than his feeling for Agnes.
q shall give it every farthing to YOU on one
condition p"
aWhat is it? | shall do it,
4 His mother looked on him earnestly, as ifanxious
to ascertain the exact limits of her power over him.
'sTell me-tell me, iii is not impossible.
| ''No, it is easily done. l shall tell you in the
morning; it is late now, and you must go to sleep
But YOU can dream of all the delights which money
can bestow on the young and unbroken in spirit like
you. Think of the world there is, away beyond
these bogs and mountains, which have shut you
in ever since you were born. You were not made
to live always as you have lived, my own boy. You
have the something in you that shows you were
made to be gentleman"
Roberts cheeks glowed, and his eyes kindled,
his mind drank in deep draughts of the intoxca-
ting essence of vanity which his mother administer
ed to him.
'tLet me know what am to do, now, mother
for pity's sake tell me before go to sleep, and
I'll promise"
"In the moraing when you are ready to go to
marry Agnes shall tell you what you must do, if
you wish to get allmy money"
"Marry Agnesi' he repeated, as if the words
brought him back from some new golden world,
in which Agnes and his love had been completely
forgotten but you told me something about her
and Sergeant Morton"
s'It is no matter; when you are going to marry
Agnes tomorrow you shall know what require OF
you.
"And the money shall be mine? he cried, impa-
tient to have it in his grasp.
'Yes, yes; and you have the will clever heart to
spend it happily, your poor mother could not do;
but now go to bed, or you will be beir-eyed
bridegroom to-morrow-go to bed -
She place the candlestick in his hand. lie hesi-
tated for little; but knowing by the expression of
her face that he would obtain further satisfaction
from her, he bade her good night, and went to
dream ofmoney and happiness.
All were noisy and myrthful, but in the loud and
reiterated laugh of the young bridegroom there was
something strange and mysterious His eyes glowed
and his cheeks burned, as if with feveri yet when
Agnes inquired softly if he well, he said Eyes
very we'll
They had been married by the Presbyterian
clergyman, in the BRIDES house, as was the custom
at that period The marriage had been performed
before dinner. and now a large and joyous party
were celebrating the happy event, by feasting and
drinking and talking, and jesting, with much zest
and energy. l studied refinement was wanting
there was warmth and cordiality, and sincerity,
and the palpable manifestations OF which are aften
banished from more polished circle. There was
n look of free and unthinking happiness on almost
every face except that OF the bridegroom. lie
did not seem sad either to a common observer; for
his face was one perpetual smile, and his voice had
the tone of unceasing laughter except at intervals,
Wlen IL DetuUle nuSky buu DTOhtls All HIS
mirth seemed the joy Of delrium his bride Agnes,
who was the only one Of the party gifted with any
degree of observation. She gazed wonderingly On
him. She looked for the glow oflove she had been
accustomed to see in his soft, fond eyes but those
eyes were now strange and hard to her and filled
with incomprehensible meanings. In place of the
long and earnest gaze she had been accustomed to
receive from him. his glances were quick and stolen,
and he seemed anxious to avoid meeting her eyes.
An expression of something-she knew not
what-of evil and gloom pervaded his whole
countenance, even whilst the features We're
writhing in forced smiles. She longed to
question him concerning what it all meant.
She would have asked him, with her natural
rank-heartedness, the meaning of every con-
strained smile and look, had they only been
in some solitary place-had they been but by
themselves two, in the little nook overshad-
owed by the large rock and the one solitary
old fir-tree, and the cluster of thick furze-
that place where they had so often met as
lovers hut in the close, crowded, small par
lor in her fathers house, with every eye on
her, and every ear listening, she could not
speak-she could only think her own deep
and sorrowful thoughts.
He would start away from her side in the
middle of sentence, and she would see him
laughing and talking to some other individual
of the company in the same mysterious and
aimless manner. This strange manner could
not be accounted for on the score of inebria-
tion, as he drank most sparingly of the native
beverage of Ireland-whiskey; which, at the
period in question, was indulged in, on occa-
sions of festivity, to much greater extent
than at present. Whilst pressing the guests
to partake freely he preserved a strict guard
over himself though every moment some kind
Il. - ..As.
more and more overpowering his mind.
The shades of the summer evening had |
come on; the mirthful strains of violin re- |
sounded from the room usually appropriated |
to the school kept by the BRIDES father. The |
young brothers of Agnes had arranged dance |
there and a brisk reel had been opened by the |
bride after much solicitation, for she felt few |
impulses fordancing. She had seated herself, |
and i'll a short period, Robert was seated by |
her; he took her hand suddenly, and looked |
in her face
''You and SERGEANT Morton-yourselve two
had pleasant conversation in the public /
house at L., last Friday-had you not 2" /
he said, speaking in her ear in a low, quick
voice.
''Serieant Morton |" she repeated, in much
81 never spoke to him in my
ife."
~ nave DBeH LOlu YOU ulu ldSC FTluHY, re-
terated the bridegroom.
''Last Friday SERGEANT Morton''-she said
''Ah let me, me see, there has
been some sad mistake here. was in L.
asst Friday, l and my two brothers, and we
lid see SERGEANT Morton and my poor cousin;
Door Agnes, you know, whom we have not
Visited with this while, because her conduct is
lot too correct, and she would not take my
ather's advice, who has done all he could for
his brothers daughter. We saw her going
nto a public house to drink, suppose, with
;erjeant Morton, and was so sorry-I could
lave given the world to have taken her away
With us; but You know she does not mind us
If late-poor cousin Agnes
"Then it was not my Agnes that was drink
ng with that SERGEANT
s'If you do not believe your poor Agnes, ask
ny brothers-ask SERGEANT Morton himself"
''It is no matter-it is no matter to me now
I've sworn to go--she made me swear it,
'et Pm glad you Were not with the SERGEANT,
Ignes.n He took her hand and pressed IL; +,
lis lips became white and trembled; he bes- !,
owed one lingering look on her face-then he
uddenly turned away, and she thought he ,
lad gone to speak with some of the company. ,
Her spirits became lighter, for she thought i
he new now why there had been cloud on /
lis brow. She believed her explanation con /
erning SERGEANT Morton had satisfied him '
is last look had something of his old kind 1
ess in I'll therefore here eyes frightened, and e
er cheeks glowed, as she listened to the gay Q
lusic, and looked on the mirthful. happy, I
ancing party. /
When about a quarter of an hour had 5
lapsed, she looked round for her bridegroom f
he gazed on every face and figure through g
ne small, crowded dancing-room, but he was I