Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-11-11

could have borne witness to; and amongs
its unfoldings the animal could have showr
how, fred by champagne and encouraged BY
tender clanccs, Augustus Headlong had the
temerity to propose TO Matilda Beddington.
We use the word ''temerity" adyisedly, 70,
We may as well tell the truth, which, for the
sake Of Mr.. Headlong's consistency, we have
hitherto kept back, and say at once, fairly
and openly, that it acas an act Of temerity on
his part; as he had already, in the course Of
the evening, proposed to every one Of her
sisters.
That this was secret to all but himself
If, indeed he really did let himself into it
may well be believed; for, though a young
lady never objects to supplant another, even
though the rival be her own sister, she sell
dom feels hattered by the knowledge that
her lovers vows of unalterable fidelity are
uttered to more than one at a time.
1t was not, therefore. the mere fact of
Mr.. Headlong's availing himsef-as others
had done before him Of the ingenious ZOO
logical continuance which had SO admirably
answered the end for which it was stuffed,
put the false position he had placed himself
IN, when two out Of his four ventures came
off in his favor. A gentleman Of the usual
way q thinking would have fancied he had
had enough oft, when, after two refusals
by the engaged sisters isabella and Emily
he found Charlotte, the third, less cbdurate
but it was not SO with Augustus Headlong.
He wished, perhaps, to balance the mega
tives more evenly; or, probably, to have two
strings to his bow, in case either Of the smi-
ling girls should change her mind; or be
might have acted on the principle that sen
ctoa chase paMrc, and SO have gone on pro-
posing to the end Of the chapter. Luckily,
however, for the peace Of mind Of Mr.. Bed
dington's family there were no more daugh-
ters left, and Matilda Beddington remained
therefore, the last Gancee.
Had Augustus limited himself to his ordi-
nary allowance Of one young lady per even
ing, he would not have made use OF the word
strong" in reviewing the manner in which
he came it, the night before. He would
have prepared himself for the usual conse-
quences BY anticipating the customary pa
rernal eplstle, conveying, in terms Of the
politest regret, the intimataon that ssother
views, long cherished, combined with the
inccmpasibility Of present circumstances,
must prevent an konor which, under other
and Tar dstereat circumstances, might have
LED to a correction which" &c. &C., and en-
Ding, a.4ter an allusion to ''a beloved daugh-
ter, peace Of mind" by "a candid appeal to
his honor as gentleman to abstain from re-
newing his visits until time had healed
wounds which too ready susceptibility had
occasioned"
But however much he might have suffer
ed himself to be carried away by vinous
impulse on the night in question, memory,
which always pertinaciously comes back
fresh and fresh" every morning, reminded
him that, having departed from the usual
rule, lie might possibly receive communi-
cation Of a somewhat different description
from that which generally followed his a.
vowals. Few men could stand rebuff bet
ter than Augustus, but in this instance the
reply with which he was threatened was a
double barreled one. Philosopher as he
generally was in these matters, he became
rather anxious on this occasion, and though
he scarcely thought he should find it, he
rose from his chair before he had quite fin
ished his last muffin to open his writing case
and search for a precedent.
Some men are in the habit of keeping
love-letters, locks of hair, withered rose-lea-
yes, and other menentoes of the tender pas
sion in the sacred recesses Of their desks,
which now and then, when they are desoeu-
vres, tired Of smoking, or at a loss for ex-
element, they take out and wonder at. In
like manner Augustus Headlong has his COL
lection, but it was a collection Of ''rejected
addresses In his carefully tape-tied bum
dies there were no passionate outpourlngs,
no mad superlatives Of affection, no unheard
Of immolations, no gloomy renunciations Of
al happiness here and hereafter; but in their
stead strings of phrases colby worded, alb
rurt, supercilious, Or ultra polite; none of
them encouraging; such phrases as fathers
alone can write.
The inspection Of these ,missives resulted
as be had anticipated. He gathered from
them the fact, of which he had previously
formed tolerable notion, that he had at
last got himself into fix. How to get out
Of it began to puzzle him extremely, but as
junior clerks of the Treasury cannot afford,
in these days Of retrenchment, when even
ministers are hacking away at their own SAL
aries, to pass their mornings in meditating
on their private affairs. he put on his hat,
and leaving word that if any letters arrived
during bis absence they were to be sent
down to his Office, made TIE best of his way
to Whitehall
WHAT PASSED AT MIR. B1DrrNGToa'g BREAK
FAsT-TABLE. 49,:
If the philpsophio temperament Of Au-
gustus Headlong was disturbed by the recol-
lection Of the past, it is no. to be wondered
al that the more exc;..able feelings which
dwell in female hosoms should be reused by
the step he lad taken.
a proposal, no matter from what quarter
it comes, is never subject Of Indifference to
Ia lady The proposer may-as in the pres
eut instanoe--he neither handsome nor rich
but he was, at all events, said that which
women always loves to hear; he has shown
that she is the object Of his preference, that
in his eyes she has value which no other
possesses, and that, whether he be worthy Of
her or, not, he has learnt to estimate he,
worth. The course he has adopted may be
"presumptuous, 'sunheard Of" crash,
ridiculous" in the highest degree alb.
surd," or Excessively insolent," but never
\ ~ II noc orI ,nb,+oron rL = -, =,