The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1868-01-30

ahu look upon lC as toO ZealOuS lnteO-
tion to please you. 1 bring you the last
words of your brother, Lieutenant Ca
meon!"
Austin?" And her tones were
hoarse and choking, yet she turned not
her eyes upon him.
+" Yes, lady, he fell in a skirmish with
our troops, and attended him in his last
moments. He passed away like an in
FAINT In Its mothers arms, and more than
once he murmured your name, and prayed
that he might live long enough to see
you, or find some friend to bring you his
dying words"
What were they?"
That he loved you, and would have
made you his wife = that you were more
to him than a sister,
More" He spake the word in low
significant tone, and with an air of mys-
terry He continued: -
He would have you to remember him
kindly, but that his memory should not
lessen your convivial affection towards
the husband who should be chosen for
you by your father - he told you to re-
spect his judgment in all things"
She turned and confronted him with
a cold stare - her face whitened to
snowy pallor, and the blood stood still in
her veins. She regarded him with dis
dain, and then spoke in toaes bitter and
emphatic: =
Mr.. Edgerton, if make my bed on
cold iron [ must lay upon it, but while l
am free to choose, my will shall decide
for myself. Father is to choose me
husband = never! Provided his choice
is bad one, shall he have to bear all the
suffering, anxiety, and sorrow, that must
naturally devolve upon me = shall he, or
would he have to suffer for the impu-
dence, and depravity Of a drunkard? ?
Would he have to pine in want, if he
should select as my husband spendthrift,
or gamester? Shall he have to weep
when | suffer wrong, contempt, or shamey
No, = none but myself = and since it is
so, | shall choose my own husband def
ant of his authority = his authority ends
with my marriage, and the last dictates of
tyrant | will never submit to it,"
Edgerton was taken aback. He en-
tered upon a subject that checked at
once all the pre-conceived ideas Of mar
riage which he INDUCED in, and thwarted
him when he seemed most likely of sue
cess. Ee remained dumb for a moment.
" Pardon me, dear lady," he resumed,
4" am sorry to have spoken so, since your
trouble is so great. | only, as a friend,
bring you the consolation of the dying.
He impressed the subject upon me, and
extorted promise that L should deliver
it: suggesting that should make some
rational observations on the necessity and
obligation of children obeying their par
ents. Moreover, since it is likely that
you will not set aside the wisdom of your
father, he detailed me to state that hence |
forth he will be docile, and keep at heart |
every thing that tends to your happiness |
and advancement; besides exacting free
obedience, and confding behavior in you
Thus far [ have spoken to your father"
But she needed him not. The blush
of indignation had not yet paled on her
fair cheek, and the light of love dimmed
in the soft lustre of her eyes Her
thoughts were far away. BY the sand
swamp by the rude outlets of the
mountain waters, as they emitted the |
spray boiling torrents down the rocky |!
precipices, and tumbled them in roaring |
cascades into the dark bosom of the Rapi- |
dan = then upon the lake, the " Lovers
= Graded on the plateau of |
of Ellmount, and shaded from the sum-
mer beam by the thick mantled foliage of |
a hundred branches. She heard not the |
smooth outflow of falsehood from the vile |
betrayer, until he interrupted her refec-
tions by saying:
" 1t is exactly the same, Miss Cameon,
as when dying friend requests some
fervid duty on the part of the person he
loves; and the closer they are allied by
affection or kindred, the more earnest is
promise. We all are naturally frail, but
more so when trouble or pecunary cir
occur, which are the portion
able awards of position, made of life, or
other necessary things, operating around |
and within us. If your lamented brother
should have spoken but feebly of some.
thing that required privation or self-de
nial, you would probably be joyful in full |
filing it, but he has been more conside-
rate, and only desired that you should |
remember your duty, and obey your ia
ther in that which he deemed he had
most experience = ones settlement in !
life"
Still on the same harping subject. =
She avowed some scorn by the cold men
acing look which she cast upon him. He |
nerved himself for the conflict, and she
rejoined somewhat laconically:
-" Sir, you mock me. Are marriage
and mourning identical! Who shall l |
weep for who shall | wed?"
And she gazed upon him as she waited
for some reply; but he was a little stun