Year: 1860

CHAPTER I.


Cold and white as tho bridal BIOS
SONS in her hair, was the youthful
cheek, which glow of love and pride


should have kindled into color-for


Harriet Percy, though about to become
I the bride of one of the most admired


and distinguished men in the country,


was too well convinced of his indilfer-


ence to be happy in the prospect. She


knew that with him it was u marriage


Of expediency. That he was poor


that he required means to further his


ambitious views, and that, though uni


formly kind and respectful in his man.


ner when they met, he had scarcely


bestowed thought upon her mind,


heart or person, during the three weeks


which interviewed between their intro


duetion to each other and this their


bridal morning.


For years before that introduction,
even from childhood, she had worship
ped his lofty genius, and admired at a
distance his noble form. He was the
idol of her every dream--her hero-her
ideal His naughty bearing, his cold.
ly intellectual expression, which would
have repelled less ardent and roman
tic heart, had for her an inexpressiblc
charm. And when, at a party given
by mutual, matchmaking friend, du-
ring the first season of her entrance in
to society, he had been introduced to
her, she was so agitated and confused
by her various emotions, that she could
only bush and reply in monosyllables
to his polite attempts at conversation


Poor Harriet was angry and morti.
fed at herself; and utterly unsusplc
ious, in her own guicless truth, of any
mercenary motive on his part, she was
not less amazed than delighted when,
after two Or three interviews of the
same description, he formally proposed
to hcl father for her hand, and was at
orce accepted. Exulting in her con-
quest, yet awed by his distant demean.
or, she hardly knew at first whether to
be happy or the contrary; but loving
and gentle rs she was, there was Ia
tent spirit of pride and lofty resolution
in her soul, which she had never dream
ed of till it was awakened by her pres.
ent situation.


With a woman's instinct, she learned
to read his heart. She saw that tho de-
mon Ambition had obscured, without
obliterating, its nobler and more ten
der feelings, and she trusted to time
and her own truth to conquer the one
and arouse the other.


But in the meantime she would be no |
pining victim to neglect. Her sweet
lip curled-her dark eyes fashed--her
high spirit revoltod at the thought
She would sooner dio than humble her
self in his eyes She would love him.
il is true, dcar,y, deeply, dcvotedly;
but it should be in tho silent depths Of
a soul he could not tathom. Not till he
should own love, fervent and devoted
as her own, would she yield to the ten.
derness he inspired. Not till then
should be unveiled to him the altar on
which his image dwelt enshrined like
a deity of old, with the breath Of aifec.
ton for its incense, ever burning over
and around it, and the fruits and flowers
of feeling and of thoughts sacrifice.


She would wed him, because her for
tune could assist his efforts for the good
Of his country and his own distinction.
She would have bctowed that fortune
upon him without her hand, but she
knew his pride too well to dream he
would accept it, and her resolution was
.aken.


For his life, Mr.. William HarwooJ
could not have told whether his intend.
ID bride had any claims to beauty or
10 talent. He saw that her manners
we're refined, he knew that her fortune
was immense, and he was satisfied. He
needed not-he mover dreamed Of tho