The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-12-30

creature and the delicate beauty loVeu
in vain. - ,
hand with sympathetic cordially. stated
the object of my visit: :, or
"Well, my young FRIEND" SAID ne,
have anticipated your wishes, ana nave
lust been talking with the successful parry;
She is by no means memorable ; but, to tell
Won the truth, there is no ground OF com
promise left. You have lost-the WIDOW
has won all. If she accords you anything,
II will simply be donation-nothlng more
or less. L;.h T
uIs there no resource left by which
o,n for a time, ward off this final, and to
my mother, l fear, fatal DO"
"None in law"
"In what, then ?"
"In yourself"
"H How in myself ?'
"In your person. You arc young and
handsome. I don't say so to fiatter you,
but to make my meaning clear.
Well?"
uWell, marry the widow"
"Marry her? would rather hang my
self at once"
"You should know best how fit you are
to die. I am afraid your education and
habits have totally untitled you for bust
ness and usefulness"
"But this marriage is absurd impossi-
ble.'
81 am not in the habit of proposing alb
surdities and impossibilities. II you will
authorize me to act, you will find it no
such thing. VIII you do SOL"
"Not for the world! !"
understand that | have not urged this
matter on your behalf, but for the sake Of
your mother and sister-especiall on &C.
count of your mother, for whose life you
pretended moment ago to feel an amount
of solicitude that would enable you to make
any sacrifice"
"For the moment, did not think Of
them"
cit is time you did. Since my counsel
is so very unpalatable, perhaps you will
condescend to inform me what you propose
to do"
"Anything else but this is too horri-
| ble."
The old lawyer turned his chair round,
and commenced writing at his desk as
coolly as if he had been an ingenious ma
chine invented for no other purpose. 1
thought on his proposition until grew sick
and faint. The recollection Of the con-
summate charms Of her loved added a
horror to the aspect of hate, such as she
whom l was invited to make my own, and
! I could not bring my heart and lips to say
yes to such q destiny. At last rose and
said
81 will call tomorrow and give you my
decision.''
Very well,n replied tho old man,
without turning his head or ccasipg to
write.
I went homo and attempted to prepare
my mother for the ruin that had bcfallen
us, but in approaching the subject found
that it was more than she could endure,
and relinquished the effort in despair. To
my sister 7 volunteered to tell the truth,
and she wept bitterly, not for herself, but
for our only parent, who she assured me
would inevitably expire on hearing the
news.
"Is there nothing on earth that you can
do, Edward, to prevent this p
eyes"
"And you won't do it ?"
81 cannot bring my mind to it,
els it dishopest?"
"N-o, don't know that it is, but it is
very repugnant to my feelings"
CT am sure I would do anything for
mamma"
"Would you marry the man you most
abhor?"
"To save mammals life-yes."
"Well, then, / will not be outdonc by
you in fiial affection"
"What do you mean, Edward ?"
81 will tell you tomorrow. In the mean
time, cheer up. l will save our mother
and you, but at great sacritice-HeaVen
only knows how great"
NV sister flung her arms around my
neck, kissed me affectionately, called me
by many endearing names, and l felt as
if almost deserved them, exaggerated as
they were.
l communicated my decision to my law
YER the next day, telling him that since I
could not marry for love I would marry
for hate. He uttered a sort of grunt, and
replied:
"Few marriages begin in that way; but
with too many love is merged into antipa-
thy as soon as the honeymoon is well over
Your prospect Of connubial happiness is
the brighter, as it cannot change but for
the better. If you knew the lady as well
as 1 do, you would entertain no mis-
givings on the subject"
On the second day after this interview
I received Mrs. Barrington's card, and a
written request from my lawyer that
would call upon her without delay, as he
had settled the preliminaries in the most
satisfactory manner. l did not fly on the
"wings of love" to the stately mansion OF
nv bride elect, as there had been little
choice in the matter, but walked thither
like a man who had volunteered to be
| hanged.
On my arrival I was ushered into q
handsome drawing-room, in which was
kept waiting for about quarter of ar
hour, when at last the lady appeared. She
did not look handsomer than when met
her on the stairs leading to my lawyers
office. On the contrary, the relation II
which she now stood with respect to my
self, and the finery she had piled upon her
person, rendered her, in my eyes, more
hideous than ever.
I responded to her salutation, and re-
NAMED silent for few moments. she
appeared DESTROYS of manifesting certain
degree of maidenly coyness, and was IN
disposed to allow her the leisure she
required for the performance of the part.
When she had enacted the role to her salts
faction, and lost little patience, she
opened upon me with the voice of dying
screech owl, that made me shudder:
"Wen, Mr.. Ingleton, tbs object of your
visit is, presume"
eyes, madam, it is as you say, to pro-
nosa for your hand and heart; they are