Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-07-23

happiness, but to the bosom of her friends.
Bright were their anticipations of the future;
yet it made them sad to think that they must
part with their southern relatives even for so
short period as was requisite to carry the
glad tidings to madam Strickland.
During their stay at Arthur Willis man
sion, Hugh Watson had paid incessant atten-
tion to Rosa.
There was no amusement his imagination
could invent or qualification that he could
impart but was cheerfully rendered to the
guests. Fishing excursions along the beau
tiful shaded streams where earth itself seemed
converted into paradise and was among the
innocent amusements. 1t was on the day
previous to their intended departure that
Hugh had contrived to divert them from their
gloomy thoughts about separation, by enlis-
ting them in one of his piscatory projects.
According to agreement they found them
selves on the margin of stream of peculiar
beauty shadedby memorable tropical trees
and fringed with myriads of flowers OF differ
ent species and colors. Lofty palm trees
stood like mighty giants at almost equal DIS
tance from each other, while here and there
an orange with golden fruit added wealth to
the foliage. Every preliminary had been ia
ken that was essential to crown their most
ardent anticipations of happiness.
The servants had disposed of the confec-
tions and refreshments, and were lazily loun-
ging about in the shade. The company had
already commenced their accustomed sport
The finny tribe, in great numbers were soon
transported from their watery elements to
contribute to the apetites and amusement OF
the adventures. Samuel and Ida had wan
dered away from the others to some distance; !;
the nogroes unconscious almost of existence
were soundly sleeping while awaiting for fur
ther orders.
Romance contributes considerably to facili-
tate the arrow of the blind God. Impelled as
if by instinct Hugh proposed short excur-
sion along the margin of the lmpid waters.
Rosa was also an enthusiastic admirer of ma
ture she willingly accepted.
Who has strayed through one of those
beautiful southern groves-particularly when
il is blessed with limpid stream rejecting
the surrounding objects and mirroring the
bright blue sky above-without feeling a
pleasing-yea, soothing sensation steal over
themi What man, of any imagination, what
soeyer, can, on such an occasion as this, look
around him and say to himself:
| "This world has no endearments for me. !"
The enthusiasts, as the soft zephyrs gently
famed their cheeks, drank in the poetry of
the scene. What their thoughts naturally
inclined to may be probably imagined.
Arriving at small natural cascade the two
seated themselves beneath the shade of mag
nifcent lime tree to gaze upon the infant cat
aract. The silyery waves, unconscious OF any
apprehended danger, moved slowly over
ledge Of rocks and were churned into foam
by the precipitate fall then moved onward
at their accustomed gait.
"That floating mass Of foam," commenced
Hugh, brings to my mind a certain class OF
human beings who figure largely in the affairs
of the world and then pass off the stage OF
existence and leave no trace behind them"
"No straight-coated philosophy, if you
| please, Mr.. Watson, on the present occasion /;
the time is passing by us very rapidly and
wish to make good use of it. Our friends are
ENJOYING themselves in the distance, and
wish to improve this opportunity by relating
to YOU an account of the adventures have
gone through since leaving my home"
Hugh Watson was all attention while Rosa
related the narrative Of her sojourn in Will
mington. This was done to the very minuta
Although Hugh Watson was man of CON
siderable muscle he trembled much as some
thrilling incident in that wonderful narrative
was portrayed in such glowing colors by the
| Imaginative narrator. She informed him OF
every particular, even to the attempt at muir
der in the old church yard. Except dark
scowl that introduced itself upon his brow
and hung like black cloud in a summer sky,
or an occasional gripping of the hands, or
slight grinding of the teeth, would betray the
inward working of Ills soul, Hugh Watson lis
tened attentively. Many were the subdued
curses that rose and died still-born in his
bosom.
But it would be useless to attempt to por-
tray the deep emotions that rose and fell in
the fiery Carolinian's breast as he listened to
the unvarnished story of Rosa.
The story told, Hugh Watson seemed more
enraptured with Rosa than usual. His eye
surveyed her pale but intellectual face with
that animation which none can experience ex-
cent those who have been spell bound by the
magnetism of pair of beautiful eyes that are
piercing the deepest recesses of their bosoms
and daguerreotyping pleasing images on their
| hearts.
II was along the margin of this beautiful
stream-studded with innumerable flowers
and shaded with the choicest trees-that Hugh
Watson declared his passion to Rosa in the
most eloquent and fascinating manner. That
she reciprocated that love, and in her turn
pictured their future happines in the most
chaste language is matter that the reader
must have already anticipated.
The hours flew swiftly on the wings of love
and the declining sun told too plainly that the
time had come to Join their companions. That
their conduct was little more reserved, when
in the presence of Samuel Irving and lda
Strickland, was subject for their notice.
Pleased with the gaiety of the occasion and
the turn that affairs had taken, the friends re'
turned to their homes.
CHAPTER XIV.