The Cottage Girl [pp. 275-280]

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have no doubt; also, your position in life will be a
splendid one, when you have united her wealth
with that you will inherit from me. Should you
not comply, sir, with this my first and last request,
I wish you to remember that you may never expect
to receive from me the recognition of a parent;
for, I would sooner see my fortune pass into the
hands of strangers, than to a disobedient son."
William was totally unprepared for such intelligence. He had never believed his father, with all
his strict notions of children's obedience, would
carry his ideas so far as to direct in so delicate a
matter, and of such paramount importance to his
happiness. He merely expressed the pleasure it
ju st a s th e happ y p air entered the bower. It was
an hour for the outpouring of the soul; it was an
hour when the lover speaks, with rapture, feelings
lon, cherished, thoug(h concealed; and it was an hour
when the Christian seeks a sweet commune with
his Creator. WIith the bright twilight of the west,
and the moonlit east, you seem to stand between
twso vast fires, divided by a wide expanse; here
and there, you saw a cloud passing in a slow and
graceful motion, transforming itself into beautiful
varieties. The wind, scarce rustled a leaf as it
breathed its soft breath on the fragrant jessamine.
And long and earnest was the conversation between
Williamn and Jane.
had ever given him to obey his commands, and
hoped never to incur h s is displeasure.
The father was satisfied; he did not expect an iimimediate acquiescence. He only wished to malke
known his wishes on that subject; the possibility
of his son going counter to those wishes had never
"And do you think you love me as you ought,
William!." said Jane. after they had been talking
some time. " Do you not remember that there is
a great difference between us. you are rich, and I
anm poor; you are high, and I am low born."
'Those thoughts, Jane, are unworthy of you.
Think you, I mind the false ideas of the world?
If wealth is the balance in which we are tried,
then partial is the test, and virtue and worth would
mourn their fate. Do you not see yon star? Behold how placidly and benignly it shines; and see
how beautifully the moon shone just then, when
that cloud passed slowly over it. They are types,
Jane, of the purity of my love."
Our lovers now rose to leave that sweet abode,
where they had just exchanged deep and unalterable vows. William returned home with his highly
moral principles more firmly engrafted on his heart:
for such is the effect of requited love on the virtuous. Those moral principles which we hitherto
cherished for virtue's sake, now receive a seal on
the beautiful envelope. William retired to rest
that night, satisfied with himself and all the world.
Next morning, at breakfast, he thought his father
appeared more affectionate than usual, who even
wsent so far as to jest with him on the subject of
matrimony. His complacency, however, ended
with an invitation to the library. William attended
with unpleasant presentiments.
"I have desired your company this morning,
William," observed the father, "for the purpose of
making known my wishes upon a subject of considerable interest to us both. You have now arrived to an age, at which we are apt to indulge our
thoughts upon matrimonial subjects to inconsiderate lengths. Fearing that you shall fall into some
of those rash amrnours, so incidental to the young, it
is my object to guard you against such follies, and
to inform you of the family to which I wish you to
become allied. The father and myself have conferred on the subject. It meets his entire approbation; nay, it is his highest wish. The young
lady is th e intellig ent and wealthy Miss Fielding.
It is useless for me to inform you of her beauty
and accomplishments, as you have seen her. That
you can love after becomingl better acqlua,inted, I
entered his min d.
So soon as William was to himself, and his astonishment had passed off, he commenced calmly
to reflect upon the course he s hould pu rsue. The
following week was the time his father had fixed
on for him to visit Miss Fielding. His f irst resolve
was to express to his father before that time, his
repugnance to such proceedings. His next was to
seek Jane and inform her o f his father's wishes,
and his deter min ation not to comply with them.
Early the next day, he made the visit, and found
Jane busily engaged in the garden. A few momeints, and they were seated under the bower where
they conversed in the most earnest manner.
" And is it possible, Jane," said William, after a
short time, " that this is the anoint of your loveyou, for whom I am willing to sacrifice every thin( —
to incur a father's displeasure and to forfeit immense
pecuniary expectations-to start in the world with
nothing save yourself, and to toil for a sustenance
with the most laborious exertions? I cannot think
it or believe it."
" It is for these very reasons, William, that I
object. It is for your sake-you, who have been
raised in affluence and ease, and taught to look
upon the world with the brightest prospects. Youi
are unqualified to descend from that high position
with humble Jane, not that I would not be yours
though you were the poorest in the world; nay,
had I your wealth and you my poverty, that wealth
and this heart should be given you with joy. There
is another reason, William, and not the least. Never
would my father consent to our union, knowing yo, r
father's disapprobation. And sooner would I sacrifice every earthly blessing, than mar, for one hour,
that more than parent. It were better for us to
abandon those hopes of happiness, which we s()
fondly dreamed of a few evenings ago, for there is
now no hope of their realization."
William deemed it best not to press Jane further
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