Middletown transcript., 1870-08-13
gtlttt gtorp.
From the Lody's Friend, for august.
LOVE AND PRIDE.
BY ELLA WHEELER.


haughtiest, proudest woman 1 ever saw
| do not believe in pride of any descrip.
ton. Let us have unlimited self-respect,
and something Of self-estcem, but nc
pride; for all pride is false and sinful in
the sight of Heaven
Yet Edith St, Ledger had it in almost
every form. She was born with a taint
| of it, and it had been the daily and hour
ly lesson taugh her by her proud father,
until, at twcnty-onc years of age, she was
all his vain old heart could desire.
She was proud of her ancient and ro-
mantle name, brought down through many
generations from princess whose beauty
and accomplishments had made her the
envy of queens; proud of her aristocratic
home, of her untarnished name, of her
own fair self. Indeed, like Miss Mac
Bride,
-" She was proud of her beauty, and proud of
her pride"
Yet she was not at all supercilious or
overbearing, with all her pridc she was
too we'll bred and too proud for that.
And she had many friends, though no
intimatcs; and she had had many offers,
as one so fair an attractive must needs
have-eligible ones, too: young Wallace
son of retired merchant, and worth half
million-spotless integrity, and the beau
ty of an Apollo; Carroll James, widower
rolling in wealth; Albert MacLeon,
wealthy, and scion of nobility. But
Edith st. Ledger turned haughtily away
from these and many others, and still sat
beneath her fathers roof "in maiden
meditation, fancy Free" Waiting for a
king in a golden chariot, drawn by twcn-
ty-tour steeds, to come and call for her"
SO said some.
But whatever the cause might be, was
very glad that she still sat there, on one
morning in June when I received a note
from her.
" 1t is very lonely here just now," she.
wrote, "and l am pining for something of
society. | want you and few friends to
come down for fortnight or three weeks.
The country is at its best, and I promise
you pleasant visit. Jerold extends an
invitation to your brother, and requests
him to bring few of his friends.
Jerrold was Miss St. Ledger's brother,
gay, pleasant youth, one year younger
than his sister, and with only small por-
ton of the family pride.
showed the letter to John. 1--WE
will go, of course?" I asked.
"Of course" John responded. "It
SCENE to me Miss Edith has come down
peg to ask us, and we ought to encourage
her in her efforts to reform. Yes, we'll
go. will take Charley Doris, Jerome
Leicester, Leander Covil and Ben West.
That will be just nice little company"
Ben West!" I exclaimed. "Why,
John, he mustn't 60"
I'D like to know why?" demanded
John.
Plain enough" answered; "he is
neither rich nor aristocratic, and is not at
all with the St. Ledger set. He is a
wild, reckless wag and wit, and I am sure
they will never forgive you if he goes"
&c I can't help it, then," said John.
Jerrold said bring some friends, and
Ben West is my best friend, and he goes,
ifIgo."
I was vexed and alarmed, but knew
1T was useless to say more. Ben West,
the widest, strangest, most unceremo-
NOUS of mortals, who had nothing but his
handsome face to recommend him he to
be guest of the St. Ledgers "Not
bad fellow, l guess" people said of him,
&c but SO peculiar-but so wild," always
the after clause following whatever meagre
praise had been bestowed.
That he was peculiar, was undeniable.
He had been half around the world, and
worked his passage all the way. He had
been expelled from college when not half
way through for non-obeyance of rules;
had studied law and medicine, and after
six months at each, discovered that neith-
er was congenial to his tastes. Then he
became temperance lecturer. Ben's
father had died drunkard, and used to
think his only serious and earnest