The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1860-10-06
he PUBLIC GOOD
e Uortb Garolinian.
IFAYETTEvILLE. n. C..
Winning A Wife.

re Harbottic, of Harbottle Court, Of
tfangest humorists in county. Having
ys circumscrlbtd his desires to country l;te
urai pursuits, it is not wonderful that he de-
ali his ideas from thence; consisting OF a
stock of feelings and opinions, which, as
were OF the exclusive kind, and admitted of
anoVatlon, were probably the very same that
Employed the intellectual faculties Of his grand
aud great grandfather, and been used as
htary property from time immenlornl.
hong these crude doctrines one upon which
t1 qulre insisted with a vehemence quite apopec-
n and IN whose behoof and maintenance he had
oi lmes well nigh destroyed the table and his own
1es lneo the bargain. 1t was this That n
te sNeEe well acquainted and properly con-
VI Ae sports Of the field unless he de-
i; - y q SD faskball. and devoted
4f - ;s1stsz sc 81 e s',s ,s
cofiId no. in justice to the race be esteemed hu
man being. Upon these points he had not only
pinned his faith, but sewed it with the needle OF
strong behef ana it would have been as safe to
doubt the legitimacy Of the Hanover succession, or
the necessity of the laws. as to argue with the
squire upon the soundness of his premises III the
prouiuigat of the above doctrine
1t WAS accordingly, matter of much perpleNl-
ty and concern to Mrs Harbottle and her daughter,
Mabel, well knowing these obstinate and rrevo-
cable convictions, how the addresses OF Mr. Merton
would be countenanced by the squire.
Mr.. Merton a young West Indian of large
fortune who during the last London season had
tcen introduced to Mabel, and had succeeded i'll
creating what is usually termed 'reciprocul pas
Harbottle to spend few weeks at Harbottle
court.
That lady justly conceived that better match
Could not possibly be brought about but had al
together fore often overlooked the fulmnations
of the squire which threatened utter destruction to
her cherished scheme.
From that oracular authority in the meanwhile,
further consolation to be obtained than such
as could be extracted from sayings and intimations
of this nature: ''Ue would what was to be
made Of the young fellow-ten to one he is milk
sop " and invidious reflections of the like charac-
ter.
At length Mr.. Merton arrived at Harbottle, and
was received by the squire with an anticipate,
paternal grasp of the hand which he verify oe
lieved had paraiysed his whole frame. But in SPITE
of so core.l a greeting Mr. Harhottle encoura ged
mental reservations of his own, by no means pro-
pitious to his visitor.
Not at all like my friend Burley of the Grange
thought he. ''The lad doesn't weigh than
ten stone, and Eurey is sixteen and then he's as
thin hurdle He won't Go for son-in-law,
that's certain"
Merton was in truth a young man of fine taste
and elegant accomplishments, but by means
likely to conciliate the squire by forward pre-
suming exhibition of proficiency in the peculiur
practices feats with which the old gentleman had
been pIoae to invest his imag gnary idols Bat re-
Gently arrived from the West Indies he had not vet
Invested himself Of those habits Of luxurious indo-
lence and enjoyment common to the natives of Ba
ba2es, and he could no more reconcile it to his in
- lEs~EsiIlie the gloves with puglisti etc
"a 80 tadive into the my steries of the third bot
le3&han to encounter a triumvIrate of Titans, or
to See Silcnus himself under the table. 1t may
readily be conceived, then, that the two friends
were at first sight far from feeling that perfect
Gaity and good will toward each other little
pected, but anxiously hoped for 10y the ladies.
As they sat over their wine, however, after the
retirement of Mrs. Harbotte and her daughter the
squire thought it would be favorable opportunity
of sounding the West Indian, touching these indis
pensabie requirements. which he preceded by an
elaborate survey OF his victim.
pushing the decaltcr toward him. "No evasion, no
heeltaps-fair play, you know and he tipped u
wi Of meaning.
mo, Slr, replied Merton, 81 but poor
drnker at all times
All poor d1,nker-I thought so' growlcd the
squire, with glance of pity, but it's the fashion,
hear, 10 drink nothing nowadays, and you Of
course follow the ia a>hion
NO, indeed, said the young man, "fashion is
Il suppose" interrupted HarLottle, ''you never
put on the gloves eh -
Put on the gloves?-1 wear gloves, certainly"
answered the other, with inquiring smile.
"W ear gloves! pshaw y shouted the old gentle
man. testify. put on the gloves, | say-exercise
yourself IN Sparrlng-ln the manly exercise OF self
Defence
my dear sir, l never do put those gloves, I
assure you" said Merton, gravcy, with voice that
would have graced confessional.
You don't hunt. presume! = asked the squire,
drumming his fingers upon the table, he elevated
one eyebrow and directed an oblique look at his
compnnion which seemed as though his voice pro-
ceedcd from his eye-"You don't hunt Prefer the
road to cross-country? %
Il have never been used to hunting / confess. "
''!Ah very cll-I sec how it is" And bitter
y sardonc grin deor1ned the features OF the squire.
Look We, sir" said he after long pause, Il have
daughter-Mabcl. Mabel i. fine girl, SIR"
Miss Harbottle," said Merton, with rapturous
emphasis, lis indeed young lady. not only of the
greatest beauty, but of the most elegant taste and
the most exemplary principles. Might but hope
-4'No, no, you must not hope, sir, by any means y
quoth the squire doggedly, unless you are prepar-
ed to make yourself of those requisite
plshments without which the prince himself mis- ght
sue for her hand in vain,
What sir ; cried the astounled youth, des-
patching bumper down his throat, and falling
back in his char-"what. sir, would you have me
grovelling under your table, nightly! Would you
have me sa,urate myself wi h wine, until my Wis
reign of my existence? Would you have me
| drown myself, like Clarence in butt of Mahslcy,
before you could deem worthy of your daugh
ter!' And he swallowed second glass.
The squire nodded assent.
Nv ould you delight to me, he continued
rushing madly your acres like the Wild hunts
man OF Bohemia, or the hero of W Wordsworth 5
'HaTteap Well or coursing through the air like
him OF The w Wondrous Horse OF BrassE
why, yes, should like to see 1t very much,
quoth the squire, complacently.
| Nv ould you qualify ME for marriage, proceeded
the novice, ''by breaking every bone III my body
by pounding me more ruthei sly than physical par
i was meted out to Don QuXotte under the tende
batons Of the woolstaplers, or by edaeing pastim
| from my person. whereJo the tortures OF Phalarsl
| in his 'BraZen Bull were bHs soft and exquisite de