The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-08-18

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tiOning looks.
"Adeline, can you forgive an IN
willing listener in the little scene
that has so agitated you? l can
hardly regret nv involuntary i'm
prisonment, since it has given me
courage to say what I came here on
purpose to speak-eourage to ask
you TO be my wife-the wife of a
man more than double your age,
but who will strive to lavish upon
you every compensation in nv pow
er for such a sacrifice. Adeline. I
am rich-far more wealthy than
even your parents suppose, and if
you will give me your little hand.
both you and they shall share in
every luxury and indulgence that
money can give. Even before your
birth your father and 1 framed such
a wish. VIII you carry it outS'
A strange shiYer ran through her
frame, but there was almost a
ferceness in her tone as she re-
piled:
''No, no-nevef! 1 will not sell
myself for gold, as he said! You
cannot purchase me, Mr.. Penden-
nisp
"You are too young to appreciate
the advantages of wealth. he said
grayely. Il am sure you could be
happy, Adeline. Everything that
you could desire or dream would be
at your command. You would
reign as a fairy queen, and indulge
every taste-every practice. And
as you have rejected your young
lover, and are sensibly certain that
it would be rash imprudenee to mar
ry him, 1 do think you should pause
ere you reject my Offer"
''No, noP she reiterated, 'I will
not be bought! 1t is unkind-un-
manly to press me so cruelty, Mr..
Pendennis! As a gentleman ask
you to leave mep'
"No, not yet Adeline," he said.
81 have, at any rate, proved that
you are disinterested and true, and
that is some consolation for the
pangs you have innocently inflicted.
As it is, my foolish dreams are over.
would have done my best
would have tried to guard you from
sorrow-tO anticipate every wish,
watch for every passing caprice;
but you are right to rebuke my pre-
sumption in thinking I could recon-
pense such a gift as your love. But
l will atone, Adeline. Listen to me,
camly if you can. The wealth that
is now valueless to me shall be in
strumental TO your happiness. The
fortune Of my adopted child shall
not be worthy of Sir Ralph Dasant's
daughter-in-law; and, at least yOu
shall be happy"
s'No, cannOt-I will notp again
calculated poor Adeline, gaspingly.
"Mr. Pendennis, it is impossible.
1t would be of no use, for-for 1 can
never take it, or-do what you sayr'
81 do not understand you," said
Cuthbert, gravely. "Am I in error
in believing that the obstacle to your
accepting Mr.. Dasant was the want
of fortune on both sidesT
The girls head was averted, and
she did not speak; but her fingers
trembled so violently that she drew
them from her companions obser-
vation.
"If you hesitate on my account,
Lima, 1t is needless. I shall never
marTy-never want a hundredth part
of what I possess; and you will give
me some balm to my wounds by al
lowing me to give, during my life,
what must certainly be yours at my
death.
She turned her glowing face to
his own and her bright eyes blazed
through the tears as she spoke her
gratitude-perhaps something more.
"You are good and noble, but it
must not be! 1t would make me
miserable, for / Ieannot marry Hor-
ace Dasant. He is an old play-fel-
Iowa brother to me-but can
not love him.
"Adeline. why can you not love
him? Is there any one else you do
you could love!"
But the only reply was an increas-
ed trembling Of the slight frame,
and Cuthbert Pendennis could not
but feel a glimmering and delightful
insight into the truth.
"Adeline, do not trihe with me,
for 1 cannot bear it. / may be mad
vain, presumptuous; but 1 must
try my fate once again. Can you,
Adeline-is it possible you could
love me?"
''Yes, I do" was whispered, or
rather breathed on the air, and
never was music so sweet in Cuth-
bert's ears as that slight sound.
He was generous enough to ask
no more questions, but permitted
the girl to weep out her agitated
revolution of feelings on his shoul-
der.
"And, pray, why did my darling
so determinedly and formally reject
nv first humble offer?' he asked,
archly, when the first tumult of emo
ton was over.
"Because-because 1 did not
know that you loved me. I thought
it was because you had promised
papas and, besides, I fancied you
would believe 1 had only accepted
you for"
"For money, you would say, my
pet. Well, certainly might have
doubted the possibility of my own
happiness, though I never could
have suspected the truth and recti-
tude Of my little jewel. Still it was
very fortunate that I was so inquisi-
tive, Lina-at the risk Of seeming
an impertinent old fellow-or l
might have forfeited what will COM
pensate for dreary years Of waiting
and loneliness. All, my darling, I
will indeed make you happy|
| <
$50 that the young creature has
really sold herself-literally sold her
self for the old Indians bags of
rupeesp' said Sir Ralph Dasant, Bit
terly, when the engagement was
made public.
"My dear Sir Ralph" replied the
informant, the spinster lady of the
chief Manor House in the neighbor-
hood, "alloW me to correct an error.
Adelaide Tremaine could have had
i II II