antics impart an interesting air to himself; but whose conversation is as coarse as his manners are absurd, and his whole social intercourse regulated by what he deems advantageous to his pitiful self, not by what may be agreeable to others. In a word, the majority of us are either coxcombs or boors, despite the boasted march of refinement. This is an unintentional digression. Mr. Huntley's manner was ceremonious without being stiff, cordial but not familiar; it inspired respect without creating embarrassment. Our conference was entirely satisfactory. He declared himself greatly flattered by the honor which I intended his family, and very good naturedly assured me that he did not require the production of my rent-roll, or certificates of stock. He spoke feelingly of his daughter-said she was a nice girl, the image of her departed mother, and hoped that she would make me as happy as I could wish. A warm grasp of his hand was the only, and, perhaps, most fitting manner, in which I could express my sense of so much kindness. He sent for his darling child, and my heart beat high when she made her appearance, Modest as morning, when she eyes The kind-hearted old gentleman joined our hands, and, after bestowing his benediction, left us to our bliss. How bitterly have I regretted my folly for allowing these brief moments of sincerity to pass without deciding on the day which was to crown my felicity! Let me counsel all men, who are in pursuit of Hymen, never, for a moment, to loosen the reins of love, or their imprudence may cost them their happiness. Heaven knows how much my false delicacy has cost me! A week elapsed before I mentioned the subject of our nuptials; but, before that time, my giddy mistress had, in a measure, relapsed into her coquettish habits. Perhaps she did not love me the less; but the excitement of novelty had passed away, and the hapless lover dwindled into a mere trophée de l'amour. When, finally, I did request her to appoint a day, she replied, that indeed she had not thought of such a thing, but would consider. A month slipped away, and she was still deliberating; but the charms of her society beguiled the time so pleasantly that I could not murmur. When, however, a second and a third succeeded, and her deliberations had still resulted in no decision, I thought it time to take more decisive measures. Accordingly, I gently upbraided her for the ill-usage I had sustained. But how will it affect a Christian community, to learn the manner in which my remonstrances were received? After the whimsical fashion of the sex, she thought proper to be angry, and was greatly shocked at my teasing her so perpetually! But this was not the only act of Miss Huntley which gave me pain. She was gradually returning to her former follies, in a manner quite unbecoming a betrothed lady. Her ancient circle of beaux began once more to cluster around her, and she treated them with scarcely less reserve than formerly. Often did I feel tempted to commit personal violence on these offensive animalculæ, but was forced to satisfy my jealousy by making them ridiculous to their idol. One creature, in particular, was the object of my hearty execration. This was an Italian adventurer, who wore a moustache, and peered through a quizzing-glass. It was notorious that this animal subsisted on credit and borrowed capital, and, in his own right, knew nothing of the delights of a hard currency. His impudence was matchless-his ingenuity unequaled. He enjoyed a tolerable education, had attained much varied information amidst the vicissitudes of life, and knew enough of human nature to gull one half of his acquaintance, relieve them of their spare cash, and bilk his tailor to a heavy amount. Such was the person, regarded by Miss Huntley with particular complacency-such the wretch, who, in a short time, became the object of my bitter jealousy. He seemed eternally mixed up in my parties of pleasure, and finally played a conspicuous part, first in a love-quarrel, and then in a rupture with my mistress, which I shall speak of hereafter. It chanced, one morning, that I called early on Miss Huntley, and found her alone. Being in a serious humor, I could not restrain my reproaches. The lady received them worse than before, and used broad terms. I thought proper to bide the pelting of the storm with apparent unconcern. She was mortified, and resolved to move me. "I shall go mad, Mr. B―," cried she. "I assure you it is quite a matter of indifference to me, Miss Huntley, what you do." 66 You say it is a matter of indifference, sir—” "Entirely so, madam," I replied, with the most phlegmatic calm ness. "Your coolness, sir, is certainly commendable. May I presume to ask if you go to the opera to-night?"-(the question awakened a new train of ideas.) "Certainly, madam; you probably have not forgotten our engagement to go together." "But I have forgotten, Mr. B- ; and, now that I think of it, am engaged to go with your friend, Count Lazzaroni." 68 My friend, Miss Huntley? You have been acquainted with me long enough to know what company I keep." "As you please, Mr. B; the Count is not here, it is true; you may speak safely "Miss Huntley!" "Mr. B-!" "Did you mean, young lady, to charge me with-with-" "O no, young gentleman, I of course meant nothing-you wait to be released from your engagement; sir, you are at liberty to go." "You treat me like a dog, madam!" cried I, unable to bear her taunts any longer. "I wish you a very good morning." I spoke in anguish, and the tear which stood in my eye was no disgrace to my manhood. I have read in some book that nothing stirs the heart so painfully as the tear of a man ;-it is a mighty grief, which can trouble the depths of that hidden fountain. My cruel mistress was touched to the quick; she earnestly called me back, and, clasping both my hands, fell on her knees before me. "Can you forgive me?" she cried; 66 can you forgive so many outrages?" Her tears flowed freely; it was my turn to relent; I raised her to my arms. "Forgive you? what the deuce shall I forgive you for? but if you say there is something, I do forgive you, freely, willingly." Bah! how like a woman I felt then. She, poor soul! wept like a child; and, if I had said another word, I am sure I should have blubbered like a great school-boy. We sat in silence for nearly an hour, and our emotions gradually subsided. We were both a little ashamed of the awkward predicament in which we were placed; but it was a pleasant bashfulness. At length I hazarded a remark upon the beauty of the weather. My dear Diana looked into my face with a sweet smile, and assented with the grace of an angel. Our eyes turned, almost involuntarily, to the window; it was raining torrents, and, to all appearance, had been for the last hour. This amusing mistake furnished us with conversation, and we were soon chatting away at our ease, as if nothing unpleasant had occurred. A golden opportunity now offered for pressing the appointment of the important day, and three months from that time was soon fixed upon. This triumph so elated me, that I rushed into the street without an umbrella, and had the satisfaction to reach my rooms without an inch of dry skin to bless myself with. The afternoon found me again in the society of my angel; the opera was forgotten; the Count shuffled off with a regret," and my spirits exalted into the seventh heaven. 66 All obstacles to happiness seemed now removed, and past misfortune added zest to present bliss. But this delightful state was destined to a brief existence. A few short weeks restored the fickle arbiter of my weal and wo to her former faults. I became desperate. There was nothing in my conduct that could have lost me her respect-the woman was a confirmed coquet; in the face of the bitter scene I have before described she had again deserted me-again received into favor that detestable, damnable, Italian knave. My friends (kind souls!) sneeringly complimented me on the attractions of my mistress-the frequent visits of that foreign puppy became the theme of common scandal. I endeavored to act as became a philosopher, but felt like one of the damned. My thoughts at length became so intolerable that I was weak enough to resort to the threadbare expedient of dissipation; but even the beastly carousals in which I participated could not drive away the fiend that haunted me. I soon became a pitiable object. In the morning I arose a desperate madman, from the bed which a few hours before had received me a senseless brute. I now no longer saw the author of my calamities, but shunned the house which contained her as if it were the habitation of the dark angel. One evening, in the dead of winter, when I was in the midst of an accustomed revel, in a state between sobriety and intoxication, the party was joined by a notorious debauchee, who had sacrificed health, friends, fortune, every thing, to the pursuit of that accursed illusion, which, with such bitter irony, we call pleasure! He approached me, and familiarly slapped my shoulder with his contaminating hand. "Ah, B-," he exclaimed, "I congratulate you from the bottom of my soul; here you sit at your ease, and leave others to make love for you. I just saw Lazzaroni sneak into old Huntley's, with that d-d intriguing smile of his; you are a lucky dog, by G-." A forced "ha! ha!" was all that I could utter in reply. I would have struck the insulting wretch, but, debased as I was, I felt that a quarrel with such a character was too humiliating for a slave. A thought struck me-it was a dark and desperate thought. I stole quietly from the room, and rushed, like a maniac, to my lodgings. It was the work of an instant to arm myself with my pistols, and be on the way to the dwelling of my false mistress. A pass-key, which had been used in happier days, admitted me. I made directly for the drawing-room; to my asonishment, it was perfectly dark, with the exception of a little spark of fire, resembling the burning wick of a lately extinguished candle, which appeared at the opposite end of the room; it seemed to recede as I advanced. It flashed across my mind like lightning that the light was held by my detestable rival. In my right hand I held a loaded pistol; for an instant I stood still-so did the apparition. "Who's there!" I cried, in a voice that startled myself." Speak! or I'll fire!" I advanced a step-the light moved—I became infuriated-the light trembled-" Speak!" I cried again, -once-twice-three times-there!" The faithful hair-spring obeyed the touch. The bright flash of powder, the loud roar of the explosion, and a crash, at the extreme of the apartment, like thousands of fragments of shattered glass, told that the instrument of destruction had done its duty. For an instant I stood like one petrified; but a smart pain on my thigh, occasioned by a cigar in my left hand, which had burned through the pantaloon, recalled me to a sense of my situation. The mystery of the light was solved in an instant; I moved towards the door, but, utterly overcome, fell senseless ere I could reach it. or The next morning I awoke in my own room. The adventure of the preceding night haunted me like a horrid vision. I could scarcely convince myself of its awful reality. My follies had now reached a climax; it became necessary, either that a reformation should take place, or that I should rush on headlong to destruction. A small occurrence often affects the tenor of a whole life; in critical cases, the most minute incident may turn the scale. Happily for me, when I arose from bed, I found it almost impossible to walk. The burn on my leg had inflamed it exceedingly, and rendered it extremely painful. This accident confined me to my room. Left entirely to the society of my own thoughts, my good genius seemed to return. I shed bitter tears of contrition and repentance over my past follies. I exerted all my philosophy to fortify my mind, and those exertions received their reward. I could soon revert, with calm regret, to the misfortunes which an overstrained passion had brought upon me in an evil hour; and when I thought of the being who had caused all my calamities, a sigh was the only reproach which I suffered myself to make. This turn of mind enabled me to receive with fortitude, and even with pleasure, a note, which was left for me in the course of the day, and which ran as follows: Sir,-After the occurrences of the last fortnight, and especially of last night, you probably will not be surprised that my daughter deems it proper to release you from the engagement which you have contracted with her, in which arrangement I fully concur. I will not trouble you with reproaches, as I am sufficiently impartial to believe that the blame in this affair does not lie so much with you, as with my daughter. Your letters and presents to Miss Huntley are herewith returned, and she requests that you will reciprocate. I have the honor to be your obedient servant, OSCAR HUNTLEY. I need not say that I did reciprocate with many warm thanks to the kind-hearted old gentleman, for his honorable way of proceeding. Years have elapsed since then, but never since have I felt any inclination to abandon the single state. I have not forgotten those unhappy days, nor the woman who so thoughtlessly gave them existence; her remembrance can never be effaced from my heart. She is now an inhabitant no more of this earth; but, if we had shared together, hand in hand, all the vicissitudes of life, I could scarcely have mourned her more sincerely than I do. I do not, however, exhibit my melancholy feelings to the world, but partake freely of its enjoyments, and appear as cheerful as other men. But, alas !— |