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SCIENTIA
OF THE
CIRCUMSPICE
SI: QUÆ RIS PENINSULAM·AMⱭNAM
PARAMADA
ELINOR WYLLYS;
OR, THE
YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
A TALE.
BY
AMABEL PENFEATHER.
"Familiar matter of to-day;
Some natural sorrow, loss or pain,
That has been, and may be again.'
WORDSWORTH.
IN TWO VOLUMES,
VOL. I
EDITED BY J. FENIMORE COOPER.
PHILADELPHIA:
CAREY AND HART.
1846.
Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1845, by
J. FENİMORE COOPER,
in the clerk's office of the District Court for the Northern District
of New York.
STEREOTYPED BY J. FAGAN.
PRINTED BY T. K. AND P. G. COLLINS.
EDITOR'S PREFACE.
THERE is so much of mystification resorted
to, at the present time, in the publication of
books, that it has become proper that the editor
of Elinor Wyllys should explain what has been
his own connection with this particular work.
The writer of this book is a valued female
friend, who had a right to ask, and did ask, its
editor's advice and assistance, in presenting it
to the public. That advice and assistance
have been cheerfully afforded, though neither
has properly extended to the literary character
of the work. As the author has not wished to
appear, the name of the editor has been used
in obtaining the copy-right, and his assistance
given in forwarding and returning proof-sheets.
Over a few of the last, the editor has cast an
eye; but, believing the author of the book to
(3)
iv
EDITOR'S PREFACE.
be fully competent herself, to superintend her
own work, as it has gone through the press,
this supervision on the part of the editor has
been very slight.
The editor has great confidence in the prin-
ciples, taste, and intelligence of the real author
of Elinor Wyllys. She has seen much of that
portion of the world with which a lady becomes
acquainted, and has seen that much under the
most favourable circumstances. As usually
happens in such cases, her book will be found
free from exaggerations of every sort; and will
be more likely to be well received by persons
of her own class, than by those who are less
familiar with its advantages. Imagination,
feeling, sound principles, and good taste, are
all to be found in this book, though in what
degree, the public will necessarily decide for
itself.
J. FENIMORE COOPER.
Philadelphia, Oct. 8, 1845.
PREFACE.
Ir will be well, perhaps, that the reader bear in
mind, while running over the following pages, that
many passing observations, many trifles, which natu-
rally find their way into any sketch of social life,
refer chiefly to things and notions in favour some ten
years since; a period which is certainly not beyond
the memory of man, but very possibly beyond the
clear recollection of some young lady reader, just
within her teens. New opinions, new ideas, new
fashions have appeared among us since then, and
made their way perceptibly. Twenty years' posses-
sion constitute a legal title, if we may believe the
lawyers; but a single season is often sufficient for a
new fancy-fancies of a serious nature too, some-
times—to take full possession of the public mind,
and assume arbitrary control of the premises for the
time being, at least.
It will be more honest to confess at once, before
the reader undertakes the first chapter, that the tale
now before him is a first appearance in print-a first
appearance, too, of one who, even now that the for-
midable step is taken, feels little disposed to envy
the honours of authorship. Writing may be a very
pleasant pastime; but printing seems to have many
1 *
(v)
vi
PREFACE.
disagreeable consequences attending every stage of
the process; and yet, after all, reading is often the
most irksome task of the three. In this last case,
however, the remedy is generally easy; one may
throw aside the volume, and abuse the author. If
there are books which must be read, stupid or not,
owing to the claim of some great name on the bind-
ing, the present story is not one of the number; and
perhaps the perfect liberty enjoyed by the reader
under such circumstances to like or dislike inde-
pendent of critics, to cut every leaf, or skip a dozen
chapters at a time without fear of reproach-will
incline him to an amiable mood. It is to be hoped
so; it will be unfortunate if, among many agreeable
summer excursions both on terra firma and in the
regions of fancy, the hour passed at Longbridge
should prove a tedious one: in such a case the fault
will belong entirely to the writer of the narrative,
for there are certainly some very pleasant and very
worthy people among the good folk of Longbridge.
August, 1845.
ELINOR WYLLYS.
CHAPTER I.
"Enter the house, pr'ythee."-
ROGERS.
HAD there been a predecessor of Mr. Downing in the
country, some five-and-twenty years since, to criticise Wyl-
lys-Roof, the home of our friend Elinor, his good taste would
no doubt have suggested many improvements, not only in the
house itself, but also in the grounds which surrounded it.
The building had been erected long before the first Tudor
cottage was transported, Loretto-like, across the Atlantic, and
was even anterior to the days of Grecian porticoes. It was a
comfortable, sensible-looking place, however, such as were
planned some eighty or a hundred years since, by men who
had fortune enough to do as they pleased, and education
enough to be quite superior to all pretension. The house
was a low, irregular, wooden building, of ample size for the
tastes and habits of its inmates, with broad piazzas, which not
only increased its dimensions, but added greatly to the com-
fort and pleasure of the family by whom it was occupied.
The grounds were of the simplest kind. The lawn which
surrounded the house was merely a better sort of meadow,
from which the stones and briars had been removed with
more care than usual, and which, on account of its position,
received the attention of one additional mowing in the course
of the summer. A fine wood, of a natural growth, approached
(7)
8
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
quite near to the house on the northern side, partially shelter-
ing it in that direction, while an avenue of weeping elms led
from the gate to the principal entrance, and a row of locusts,
planted at equal distances, lined the low, rude stone wall
which shut out the highway. One piazza was shaded by
noble willows, while another was faced by a row of cherry
trees, flanked by peach and pear. Fruit trees, although so
common and so lavish of their blessings in this climate, are
often gathered about American country-houses, instead of
being confined to gardens devoted to the purpose, as in Eu-
rope; a habit which pleasantly reminds us that civilization
has made a recent conquest over the wilderness in this new
world, and that our forefathers, only a few generations back,
preferred the trees of the orchard to those of the forest, even
for ornament. Fruit trees are indeed beautiful objects when
gay with the blossoms of spring, or rich with the offerings of
summer, and, mingled with others, are always desirable about
a dwelling as simple and unpretending in its character as
Wyllys-Roof. Beneath the windows were roses and other
flowering shrubs; and these, with a few scattered natives of
the soil-elm, hickory, sycamore, and tulip trees—farther
from the house, were the only attempts at embellishment that
had been made. The garden, surrounded by a white paling,
was thought an ornamental object, and lay within full view
of the drawing-room windows; and yet it was but a mixture
of the useful and the beautiful, in which the former largely
predominated. As a kitchen-garden it was certainly excel-
lent; but the narrow flower-borders, which surrounded the
ample beds of melons and strawberries, asparagus and cauli-
flowers, would have appeared meanly furnished in the eyes
of a flower-fancier of the present day. There was not a
hybrid among them, nor a single blossom but what bore a
plain, honest name; and although there were lilies and roses,
pinks and violets in abundance, they would probably have
been all rooted out by your exclusive, fashionable gardener
of the last summer, for they were the commonest varieties
:..
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
9
only. There were but two walks on the lawn; one of these
was gravelled, and led to the garden-gate; the other was a
common foot-path leading to the river, where the gentlemen
of the family kept their boats, and where the cattle, who often
grazed on the lawn, went to drink. The grounds were
bounded on one side by a broad river, on the other by a
sufficiently well-travelled highway. What particular river.
and highway these were, through what particular state and
county they ran, we do not think it incumbent on us to reveal.
It may easily be inferred, however, that Wyllys-Roof belonged
to one of the older parts of the country, at no great distance
from the seaboard, for the trees that shaded the house were
of a growth that could not have been reached by any new
plantation in a western settlement.
The interior arrangements of Wyllys-Roof corresponded
very naturally with the appearance of things outside. The
ceilings were low, and the apartments small and numerous ;
much room had been thrown into broad, airy passages, while
closets and cupboards abounded. The whole of the lower
floor had originally been wainscoted, but Miss Agnes Wyllys
was answerable for several innovations in the principal rooms.
When Mr. Wyllys decided to make his country-place a per-
manent residence, his daughter, who was at the head of his
establishment, fancied that the furniture they had brought
from their house in town could not be advantageously dis-
posed of, without cutting folding-doors between the drawing-
rooms. It was fortunate that a couple of adjoining rooms
admitted of this arrangement, for at that day, two drawing-
rooms of equal size, united by wide folding-doors, were con-
sidered a necessary of life to all American families "
on hos-
pitable thought intent." It seems to have been only very
recently that any other arrangement has been found possible,
an important discovery, which, like many others that have
preceded it, was probably the happy effect of necessity, that
mother of invention. Mr. Wyllys having cut through the
partition, was next persuaded to take down the wainscoting,
10
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
and put up in its place a French paper, very pretty in its
way, certainly, but we fear that Miss Agnes had no better
reason to give for these changes than the fact that she was
doing as her neighbours had done before her. Miss Wyllys
was, however, little influenced in general by mere fashion,
and on more important matters could think for herself; this
little weakness in favour of the folding-doors may therefore
be forgiven, and justly ascribed to the character of the age
in which she lived and gave tea-parties.
For several years after they removed permanently to
Wyllys-Roof, the family, strictly speaking, consisted of Mr.
Wyllys, his unmarried daughter, and the usual domestics,
only. They were seldom alone, however; they had gene-
rally some friend or relative with them, and in summer the
house was often filled to overflowing, during the whole sea-
son, with parties of friends, or the different branches of a large
family connection; for the Wyllyses had their full share of
that free spirit of hospitality which seems characteristic of all
classes of Americans. After a time, however, another mem-
ber was received into the family. This was the orphan
daughter of Mr. Wyllys's eldest son, an engaging little girl,
to whom her grandfather and aunt were called upon to fill
the place of the father and mother she had lost. The little
orphan was too young, at the time, to be aware either of the
great affliction which had befallen her, or of her happy lot in
being committed to such kind guardians, in merely exchang-
ing one home for another.
The arrival of the little Elinor at Wyllys-Roof was the only
important event in the family for some ten or twelve years;
the Wyllyses were not much given to change, and during
that period things about them remained much as they have just
been described. We defer presenting the family more espe-
cially to the reader's notice until our young friend Elinor had
reached her seventeenth birth-day, an event which was duly
celebrated. There was to be a little party on the occasion,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
11
Miss Agnes having invited some half-dozen families of the
neighbourhood to pass the evening at Wyllys-Roof.
The weather was very warm, as usual at the last of Au-
gust; and as the expected guests were late in making their
appearance, Mr. Wyllys had undertaken in the mean time
to beat his daughter at a game of chess. Elinor, mounted on
a footstool, was intent on arranging a sprig of clematis to the
best advantage, in the beautiful dark hair of her cousin Jane
Graham, who was standing for that purpose before a mirror.
A good-looking youth, whom we introduce without farther
ceremony as Harry Hazlehurst, was watching the chess-
players with some interest. There were also two ladies sit-
ting on a sofa, and as both happened at the time to be
inmates of Wyllys-Roof, we may as well mention that the
elderly gentlewoman in a cap was Mrs. Stanley, the widow
of a connection from whom young Hazlehurst had inherited a
large property. Her neighbour, a very pretty woman, nei-
ther young nor old, was Mrs. George Wyllys, their host's
daughter-in-law, and, as her mourning-dress bespoke her,
also a widow. This lady was now on a visit to Wyllys-Roof
with her young children, whom, as she frequently observed,
she wished to be as much as possible under the influence of
their father's family.
Mr. Wyllys's game was interrupted for a moment, just as
he was about to make a very good move; a servant came to
let him know that a drunken man had been found under a
fence near the house. The fellow, according to Thomas's
story, could not be roused enough to give a straight account
of himself, nor could he be made to move.
"Is it any one you know, Thomas ?" asked Mr. Wyllys.
"No, sir, it's no one from hereabouts. I shouldn't wonder
if he was a sailor, by the looks of his trowsers and jacket. I
guess it is some loafer on his way to Longbridge.'
""
What could be done with him? was the question. The
ladies did not seem to like the idea of having a drunken man,
whom no one knew, brought into the house at night.
12
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"I dare say it is the same person I heard asking the way
to Wyllys-Roof this morning, when we stopped at the turn-
pike-gate," observed Mrs. Stanley. "He looked at the time
as if he had been drinking."
Elinor suggested that possibly it might be some old sailor,
who fancied he had a claim upon Mr. Wyllys's kindness—
Mr. George Wyllys having died a commander in the navy.
Harry volunteered to go out and take a look at him, and
the party in the drawing-room awaited the result of this re-
connoitring. At the end of five minutes Hazlehurst returned
with his report.
"As far as I can judge by the help of moonlight and a
lantern, it is no very prepossessing personage. He swore at
me roundly for disturbing him, and I take it the fellow ist
really a sailor. I asked him what he wanted at Wyllys-Roof,
but we could not make anything out of him. To keep him
from mischief, we locked him up in one of the out-houses.
It is to be hoped in the morning he will be sober enough to
tell his errand."
The matter thus settled, nothing farther was thought of it
at the time, and in another moment the game of chess was
won, and the flower secured in a becoming position. Mrs.
Stanley had been watching Elinor's movements with a smile.
"You are an expert hair-dresser; the flowers are much
prettier as you have arranged them," said the lady to her
young friend.
"Is it not a great improvement? They looked heavy as
Jane had arranged them before-I have taken out more than
half," replied Elinor.
Mrs. George Wyllys looked up from the newspaper she
was reading, and suggested a change.
"I think the clematis would look better on the other side."
"Do you really think so, Aunt Harriet? I flattered my-
self I had been very successful: it strikes me that it looks
very well."
"What is it that looks so well, ladies?" said Mr. Wyllys,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
13
rising from the chess-table and drawing near the young
people. "The flower? Yes, the flower and the face are
both very pretty, my dear. What is it? a honeysuckle ?"
"No indeed, grandpapa," answered Elinor, "it is a cle-
matis-this is a honeysuckle, a monthly honeysuckle, which
Jane had twisted with it; but to my fancy the clematis is
prettier alone, especially as it is so precious-the very last
one we could find.”
"Why don't you put the honeysuckle in your own hair,
Nelly? it is a very pretty flower. Being queen of the eve-
ning, you should certainly wear one yourself.”
Oh, I never wear flowers, grandpapa; I cannot make
them look well in my hair. This bouquet must proclaim
my dignity to-night."
"It is pretty enough, certainly, my child, for any dignity—”
"Is it not rather large ?" said Harry. "Why, Elinor, you
have smothered my humble offering in a whole wilderness
of sweets!"
"Not quite as bad as that," said Elinor, smiling-“I only
put with yours, a few Aunt Agnes and Miss Patsey gave me
-look at Jane's if you wish to see a bouquet of a reasonably
fashionable size."
Bouquets are worn very large this summer," said Jane
Graham, in a languid tone, resting her beautiful eyes on the
bunch in her hand.
<<
Fashion even in flowers!" exclaimed Mr. Wyllys.
"So it would seem," replied Elinor, smiling.
CC
And, pray," said Harry, taking a rose from a vase near
him, “if a friend were to offer a flower for your belt, since
you will not place one in your hair, would fashion permit it
to be worn?"
"I don't believe it would, Nelly," said her grandfather.
Elinor looked just a little embarrassed, and a little pleased.
"Thank you," she said, taking the rose Harry offered;
and while securing it in her sash, she felt that she coloured.
VOL. I.-2
14
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
But the flush was scarcely observed on a cheek as dark as
hers.
“Well, Agnes, it is high time your friends came, unless
they expect a rout," said Mr. Wyllys, stepping towards a
window to look out. "Who are we to have?"
"Your new neighbours, sir, the Taylors; your old friends,
the Hubbards, Van Hornes, Bernards-"
"I hope you will like the Taylors, Agnes; but I don't
know much about them. I am glad you thought of asking
them this evening, for he brought me a letter, you remember,
from New York."
"As there is a young lady in the family, and a son just
grown up, I thought they might like to dance," replied Miss
Agnes. She then turned to Mrs. Stanley, and asked that
lady, who lived in New York, if she knew anything of these
new neighbours of theirs.
'I never heard of them," replied Mrs. Stanley. "But
they may be very important people, and make a great deal
of noise, for all that; as I only see my old friends, and live
so quietly myself, I don't even know the names of half the
people who pass for fashionable.”
"I never suspected our new neighbours of being fashion-
able," replied Mr. Wyllys; "but I hope they will turn out
pleasant, sensible people, for your sake, ladies; and, then, if
Taylor is a chess-player, that will leave nothing farther to be
desired."
“Here comes somebody, at last!" exclaimed Mrs. George
Wyllys, hearing a carriage. "The Van Hornes, I suppose."
"I beg your pardon," said Hazlehurst, who was standing
near the window, "that is the Taylor equipage; why the
'tastiness' of the Taylor barouche is visible even by moon-
light."
The party in the carriage, consisting of father and mother,
son and daughter, soon alighted, and appeared in the drawing-
room. They were introduced by Mr. Wyllys, and received
politely by his daughter and her niece.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
15
"I am gratified, sir," said the tall and thin Mr. Taylor,
with a pompous tone, “in having so early an opportunity of
making our ladies mutually acquainted.”
"We shall hope to see your family often, Mr. Taylor,"
replied his host. "You must not forget that we are near
neighbours; and we country folk think a great deal of neigh-
bourhood, I assure you.”
"Yes; of course the restraints of society must be much
greater in a city, than in a more sparsely settled section."
"I hope your new purchase suits you on farther examina-
tion. The farm is certainly a very good one; but the house,
I should think, must want repairs."
It does, sir; I calculate to build, however, next year.
The present dwelling is much too small.”
"The house might suit us, I think," observed Mrs. Taylor,
who, with Miss Agnes, had taken a seat, while the young
people were standing, chatting, near them. "If husband
would put up a back-building, we should have room enough.'
Miss Wyllys remarked, that even a small addition, often
increased very much the convenience of a house.
""
66
Certainly, madam; but I apprehend, if I had added
wings and a back-building to the premises, as I first intended,
Mrs. Taylor would still have found the house not sufficiently
spacious. Now our young ladies and gentlemen are growing
up, we must have more room for company.”
Well,” added his wife, "I expect to see a good deal of
tea and dinner company, next summer, with the house as
it is."
"The young people will be much obliged to you for your
kind intentions, Mrs. Taylor; ours is not a very gay neighbour-
hood," said Miss Wyllys.
"So I should conclude," remarked Mr. Taylor.
"I don't know, Agnes," said her father; "if you include
Longbridge in the neighbourhood, I think we may call our-
selves a gay set.'
99
“True, sir,” said Miss Agnes; "but as we seldom go
16
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
+
there ourselves in the evening, it had not struck me in that
light. But very possibly, Mrs. Taylor and her young ladies
may be more enterprising than Elinor and myself.”
"Four miles, madam," interposed Mr. Taylor, "with a good
vehicle and good horses, is no great distance. Longbridge
seems to be in a very flourishing condition, sir;" turning to
Mr. Wyllys.
"Yes, the place is looking up; they are very busy just
now. They are building a good deal, this summer.”
“I observed several tasty mansions, in what may be called
the suburbs; in particular a brick edifice, being erected, I
understand, by Joseph P. Hubbard."
"The brick house near the bridge? Yes, it will be the
largest about here. Hubbard is building it more to please
his daughters than himself, I fancy."
"It promises a great display of taste-I observe he has
reserved half his lot, in front of the mansion, for a park.”
Hem-Yes, there will be just half an acre in it. Does
Hubbard call it a park?" asked Mr. Wyllys, with an amused
expression about his eyes.
"I applied the term myself," replied the knowing Mr.
Taylor. "I was altogether much pleased with the appear-
ance of your village, sir. It has a lively business for such a
small place-things really look quite citified there. If I had
seen Mr. Hubbard's mansion, before concluding my bargain
for my present location, I think I should have made him an
offer."
"I am very glad you did not, husband. I was brought up
on a farm, Miss Wyllys, and I am very happy that we have
got in the open country. Besides, Mr. Hubbard's house will
be too large for comfort."
66
Ha, ha!" faintly laughed Mr. Taylor; "you seem to like
room out of doors better than within, Mrs. Taylor."
At this moment two persons walked quietly into the room,
and were received very kindly by Miss Wyllys and Elinor.
One was a woman of about forty, plainly, but neatly dressed,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
17
with a pleasing face, remarkable for a simple expression of
common sense and goodness. Her manners corresponded
perfectly with her appearance; they were quiet and pleasant.
The lad who accompanied her was a boy of sixteen, small,
and slightly made, with good features, and an uncommonly
spirited and intelligent countenance. They might very natu-
rally have been taken for mother and son; but they were, in
fact, brother and sister.
“Well, Charlie, my lad," said Mr. Wyllys, placing a hand
on the boy's shoulder, "I hear the important matter is at last
under full consideration."
Yes, sir; my friends have all but consented; even sister
Patsey is coming round. It will be all settled next week, I
hope.
"I wish you joy of your success, Charlie," cried Hazle-
hurst.
66
"Not yet, if you please, Mr. Hazlehurst," said Miss Patsey
Hubbard, smiling good-naturedly. "It is only a conditional
consent, Charles, you must remember." Then turning to
Mr. Wyllys, she added—“All our friends seem to agree with
you, sir, and Miss Wyllys: my uncles think Charles ought
to show what he has done to some experienced painters,
and have their opinions. We feel very anxious on the
subject."
"Remember to persevere, young man, if you once begin,”
said Mr. Wyllys.
"No danger but I shall, sir," said the boy rather proudly.
"I hear, Charles, that half the fault of your obstinacy is.
thrown upon my shoulders," said Elinor. "Those Lives of
the Painters were an unfortunate present; they seem quite to
have turned your head; I am afraid Miss Patsey will not
soon forgive me.'
""
"I can't thank you enough for them, Miss Elinor-you
don't know what pleasure I have had with them."
2*
18
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
CHAPTER II.
"We'll measure them a measure, and begone."
THE arrival of guests again called the ladies away; they
were followed by others, until the drawing-room was half-
filled with the young people of the neighbourhood, and their
parents. Mrs. Stanley was soon talking with Patsey Hub-
bard, whom she liked particularly. The tall and thin Mrs.
Bernard, and her friend, the short and fat Mrs. Van Horne,
were regretting with Mrs. George Wyllys, that she should
think the air of Longbridge did not agree with her children;
and lamenting that she should not remain at Wyllys-Roof
until November, according to her first intention. Charlie
was deep in a volume of fine engravings. Young Taylor
was standing in a corner, looking handsome, but awkward,
and out of place. Mr. Taylor, the father, was aiming at
making himself affable' to everybody he knew; he liked to
be called the affable' Mr. Taylor. The last of the party to
arrive, were Mr. and Mrs. Clapp; a couple, who were by
no means equally liked by their hosts. The husband was a
Longbridge lawyer, whose views and manners were not
much admired at Wyllys-Roof; and he would probably
never have found his way there, had he not married one of
their old friends and favourites, Kate Hubbard, a younger
sister of Miss Patsey's-one who from childhood had always
been welcome among them. William Cassius Clapp had
curly hair, bright black eyes, and pink cheeks-and, conse-
quently, was generally thought an Adonis: his wife was a
diminutive little creature, quite pretty, and very amiable; a
sort of mixture of Miss Patsey and Charlie, without the
more striking qualities of either. Some of her friends had
thought her thrown away upon Clapp; but she seemed
perfectly satisfied after five years' experience, and evidently
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
19
believed her husband superior in every way to the common
run of men. Holding it to be gross injustice towards the
individuals whom we bring before the reader, to excite a
prejudice against them in the very first chapter, we shall
leave all the party to speak and act for themselves; merely
endeavouring to fill the part of a 'faithful chronicler,' our-
selves.
Mr. Taylor had been looking, with a mixed expression of
surprise and curiosity, at the person he had heard addressed
as Miss Patsey Hubbard, when the lady remarked his man-
ner, and, smiling quietly, she bowed to him. The bow was
returned; and Mr. Taylor crossed the room, to renew an
acquaintance with the woman, who, three-and-twenty years
before, had refused to become his wife. Mr. Pompey Tay-
lor had, however, risen too much in the world, since then-
according to his own estimation, at least he had become too
rich and too prosperous, not to look back with great equa-
nimity, on what he now considered as a very trifling occur-
rence. While he was addressing Miss Patsey in his most
polished manner, just marked with an extra-touch of 'affa-
bility,' for her especial benefit, he could not but wonder that
her countenance should still wear the same placid, contented
air as of old; it seemed, indeed, as if this expression had
only been confirmed by time and trials. He began to think
the accounts he had occasionally heard, of his old flame, must
have been incorrect; it was scarcely possible she should
look so calm, and even cheerful, if her father, the Presbyte-
rian minister, had actually left her not only penniless, but
burdened with the support of a bed-ridden step-mother, and
a house full of younger brothers and sisters. We leave him
to satisfy his curiosity as well as he could.
When was there ever an evening too warm for young
people to dance! Elinor's friends had not been in the room
half an hour, before they discovered that they were just the
right number to make a quadrille agreeable. They were
enough to form a double set; and, while they were dancing,
20
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
V
the elder part of the company were sitting in groups near the
windows, to catch the evening air, and talking over neigh-
bourly matters, or looking on at their young friends.
"Don't you think Elinor very graceful?" exclaimed Mrs.
Van Horne to her friend, Mrs. Bernard. "I like to watch
her, while she is dancing; her movements are all so pleas-
ing and easy, never, in the least, exaggerated — but, it is
in her very nature; she has always been the same, from a
little creature."
"Yes," replied Mrs. Bernard; "but it is a pity her face.
should be so ugly; for she has rather a pretty figure—”
"Do you think her really ugly? She does not strike me,
as so very plain-there is nothing repulsive in her face. I
have known girls called pretty, who had something far nearer
coarseness in their features. It is true, I have been accus-
tomed to see her from the time she was four years old; and,
I know, she is always thought very plain by strangers.
66
Why, my dear Mrs. Van Horne, she has not one feature
that can be called good; and her eye-brows are so heavy,
and her complexion is so thick and dark, too!"
"
Yes, it is true, she is very dark; and that is a pity; if
she were only fairer, her features would appear to greater
advantage.'
""
"Just look at her now," said Mrs. Bernard, "as she is
standing by her cousin, Jane Graham, who is dancing with
your son.
Was there ever a greater contrast?”
"But Jane is so remarkably pretty-"
""
61
Certainly, she is a perfect little beauty; and that is one
reason, perhaps, why Elinor strikes us as so plain; she is so
much with her cousin-"
""
"C
Well," said Mrs. Van Horne, "if you are going to
quarrel so much, with my little friend's face, we had better
find something else to talk about; for she is a very great
favourite of mine."
"And justly-I dare say.-But, I am a great admirer
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
21
་
of beauty, you know; and I cannot keep my eyes off Jane's
lovely face."
The conversation then turned upon the Hubbards.
"Charlie, it seems, is actually going to be a painter, ob-
served Mrs. Bernard. Miss Patsey tells me, he is so bent
on it, that she thinks there is no use in opposing it any
longer; though, Mr. Clapp says, it is a wretched plan."
"I hope Charles may succeed; he is a fine boy; and I
shall be very sorry, for Patsey's sake, if he turns out badly.
She is very anxious about him, I know."
"They have been so fortunate, with the rest of the family,
that, I hope, they will be able to keep Charlie straight. I
see Miss Patsey is talking to Mrs. Taylor; they are old
friends, perhaps. Do you know anything about these Tay-
lors?"
Nothing but what my husband told me.
He is a mer-
chant in New York, and very rich;-made his money quite
lately; and the business-men think a good deal of him."
66
"He seems to have a great deal to say for himself. Have
you called on Mrs. Taylor?"
"We were there yesterday. She is a quiet, plain wo-
man. The young man is good-looking, but very shy and
awkward. The daughter seems very lively."
“Yes, and she is quite pretty, too. She will be a belle,
I dare say."
"I hope Mrs. Taylor will send her younger children to
Patsey's school."
"I wish she may; it will be a good thing for Miss Pat-
sey, and make up her dozen. You know, she will not take
more than twelve, as she keeps the largest room in the house
for her mother."
"How kind and faithful Patsey has been to her step-mo-
ther! Just as she is, though, to everybody else; and she
does it all in such a quiet, consistent way. I am glad to see
her here to-night—she enjoys a little society, once in a while;
22
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
and yet no one can persuade her to go out, except Miss
Wyllys."
"She has come in honour of her pupil's birthday, I sup-
pose. You know, Elinor Wyllys was her first scholar. By-
the-bye, do you know what I heard, the other day? They
say, in Longbridge, that Mr. Hazlehurst is engaged to one
of the young ladies here; though, to which, my informant
did not say.'
""
“There is no truth in it, you may be sure-they are too
much like brother and sister, to think of it. Besides, Mr.
Hazlehurst is going abroad, shortly.”
"I did not know that. Where is he going ?"
"He told my son, yesterday, that he was going to Europe,
for two years, to take care of his brother, Mr. Robert Hazle-
hurst, who has never recovered from the fall he had last
winter; and the physicians have ordered him to travel."
At that moment the ladies were joined by Miss Agnes.
"I hear, Miss Wyllys," said Mrs. Bernard, "that Mr.
Hazlehurst is going to Europe. He will be very much
missed, at Longbridge.”
46
Yes, we shall miss him, here, very much," replied Miss
Wyllys; "Harry has been with us more than ever, this sum-
mer. But, his brother is not in a state to travel alone, nor
fit to take care of his wife and children, who go with him;
and, although the plan is a sudden one, and interferes with
Harry's law-studies, yet his friends all think a visit to Eu-
rope may be a great advantage to him.”
The ladies agreed that it was a very good arrangement,
and some inquiries were made as to Mr. Robert Hazlehurst's
health; and a discussion of bruises and falls, nerves and
dyspepsia, followed.
Soon after, the quadrille broke up.
Well, Miss Jane," cried Mrs. Bernard, as several young
people drew near, "I hear that your sister, Mrs. Robert
Hazlehurst, is going to Europe; if I were you, I would not
be left behind."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
23
t
I should like to go very well," said the beauty, in a lan-
guid tone; "but, I shall be at school, in New York, next
winter."
"Oh, that is a pity! I am sure, you could learn all you
want to know, much better, in Paris. Don't you think she
ought to go, Mr. Hazlehurst ?”
"Certainly, ma'am ; everybody should go to Paris, if they
have a chance."
"Miss Jane would be such a charming addition to your
party. Two young people together, you would enjoy your-
selves more, and make it pleasanter for your friends."
Young Hazlehurst made a civil bow to the lady; but he
looked as if he had an opinion of his own on the subject, for
a comical expression crossed his face at the moment. Jane
had turned in another direction, and was slowly lisping an
answer to a very animated question of Miss Adeline Tay-
lor's.
66
Yes; I was at Mrs. G's school, last year; and,
am going there again."
Well, I positively think I must go there, too, for my
last winter. Mrs. G's school is all the fashion, now.
All the young ladies she turns out, are very lively. Miss
Howard, the great belle, was there, you know, before she
came out. Don't you think it would be an excellent plan,
Mr. Hazlehurst, for your cousin and me to be chums? I
declare, I wish you were going, too, Miss Wyllys."
"Thank you. I have never been to school, in my life;
and, it is rather late, to begin now.”
"Never been to school! What dull times you must have
had at home! You don't know what fine fun we have, at
school; it is next to going into company. I wouldn't stay
at home, for the world. Why didn't you go?"
"Well, I really don't know why. Perhaps, I should have
wished to go, if I had thought it as pleasant as you seem to
do, Miss Taylor."
“And, pray, if I may ask, what made it so very pleasant?”
24
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
asked Harry Hazlehurst. "I should like to be initiated into
the delights of a young ladies' boarding-school. Of course,
they must be very different from the rude enjoyments of
collegians."
"Oh! it would take me a year, to tell you all about it."
"I shall be most happy to listen all the evening. But,
let me find you a chair, before you commence; you must be
tired of standing," said Harry, with a view to taking a seat
himself.
"Me? Oh, no; I never sit down, at a party; I always
stand. You lose half the fun, by sitting down." And,
having secured Harry's attention, the half-fledged belle
turned to another youth, within hailing distance. "Now,
what do you think Mr. Hazlehurst has given me to do, for
the next hour, Mr. Van Horne ?”
I am sure, I don't know. Is it something very difficult?
Listening to his pretty speeches, perhaps," said the other.
"Oh dear, no! I don't believe Mr. Hazlehurst can make
a tender speech; I don't believe he has got any heart,” said
Miss Adeline, looking an attempt at archness.
(6
‘And, pray, what makes you think So, Miss Taylor? Do
you judge from my savage expression ?"
"Well, perhaps, you have one;" said the young lady,
looking up bewitchingly. "I suspect, though, you take
very good care of it.”
But this is not fair; you are abusing me, instead of
giving us the delights of your school, as you promised."
"Oh, I had forgotten that. But, I should think, you might
guess what fun we have a set of wild girls together."
“How should I know anything about it? Pray, be more
explicit."
"Well, in the first place, we make a point of getting up
an excitement, at least once a week."
"Like our unruly spirits at college, you break the win-
dows, and roll cannon-balls, I suppose."
"How you talk! No, indeed. Our last excitement was
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
25
about the coat of our Professor of Mathematics. It was such
a quizzical cut, we told Mrs. A., it was morally impossible
for us to attend to the lesson, and study the problems, as
long as the man wore it."
It was unpardonable, in a professor of mathematics, to
wear a coat that was not cut according to rule."
"Now wasn't it? Well, you may be sure, we can al-
ways pitch upon something for an excitement, whenever
we're in the humour for it. And then, we have secrets to
tell about our beaux-and we quiz the new scholars-and
we eat candy-and we torment Mrs. A; but, I shan't
tell you any more, now; for I must go out on the piazza, and
have a walk-it looks so sweet, out there. You shall have
the rest of the story, if you'll come.”
And away tripped the young lady, followed, of course,
by the gentlemen.
Mr. Taylor, who had been moving about the room, making
himself popular by a very bland smile, and, what he con-
sidered very courtly manners, still had time to keep one eye
upon his son, who, after an awkward fashion, seemed de-
voting himself to one or two of the ladies, and the other, upon
his daughter. "Adeline will make herself conspicuous,”
thought the gratified father.
CC
Liny seems to enjoy herself," was the observation of her
mother, who had been sitting quietly at her daughter's elbow,
listening to the conversation just related.
"Two conquests!" thought the young lady herself.
"A lively girl!" was the opinion of young Van Horne.
“Fair game!” said Harry to himself.
While some of the young people were flirting, others
dancing, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Clapp, whose acquaintance
had commenced on board a steamboat that very morning,
were walking together up and down the hall, which they
had pretty much to themselves. They touched on busi-
ness, which was pronounced very active; and on politics,
which were declared to be particularly dull, just then: Mr.
VOL. I.-3
26
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Clapp, indeed, thought the people much too quiet-shame-
fully blind to their own interests, which always demanded
what he called a state of healthful excitement-meaning an
unreasonable excitement upon any subject whatever. There
can be no doubt that Mr. Clapp honestly believed such a
state of agitation far more conducive than quiet to his own
interest; for he was quite a fluent speaker, and very ambi-
tious of a seat in the State Assembly. He belonged to that
school of republicanism, which so completely identifies the
individual with the mass, that it cannot conceive of any in-
dependent opinions, tastes, or principles; and, very possibly,
he persuaded himself the good of the nation, as well as his
personal advantage, required a fresh brand to be thrown upon
the Longbridge council-fire. Having exchanged opinions
with Mr. Clapp upon politics and the market, Mr. Taylor
proceeded to make some observations and inquiries about the
company; he evidently felt some curiosity regarding his
new neighbours, while his companion seemed well disposed
to give him all the information he desired.
Mr. Wyllys is a man of large property, I conclude,”
said the merchant.
Mr. Clapp named the number of thousands usually
given to their host; the amount was much lower than Mr.
Taylor had supposed. He had already discovered that Mr.
Wyllys was highly respected by the Longbridge community
in general, and he had taken it for granted that he must be
the richest man in the neighbourhood; but he now found
that this was far from being the case. Mr. Wyllys, though
in easy circumstances, could not command half as much
money as several business men about him.
"There is a good fortune for you," said Mr. Clapp, "the
lady on the sofa; her property does not lie here, though.
The real estate is mostly in Carolina and Philadelphia. Did
you see the young gentleman who has just gone out on the
piazza with your daughter-Mr. Hazlehurst? At the de-
mise of the widow, it all goes to him; but in the mean time
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
27
he has only two thousand a year-it will be full twenty,
altogether, if well managed," said Mr. Clapp, running his
fingers through the black locks which his wife thought so
handsome.
"Mrs. Stanley is the old lady's name, is it not? The
young gentleman is her grandson, I conclude."
"Not at all; only a nephew by marriage," replied the
lawyer, pulling up his collar. "He may feel much obliged
to Mr. Stanley for feathering his nest so well. But Hazle-
hurst is a very good fellow; I always liked him from the
time he was a little shaver."
"The testator had no children of his own to inherit, I
suppose," remarked Mr. Taylor.
"No sir; the only child of the first wife died just before
his father—the lady in the other room had no family. Mr.
Stanley had not a single near relation in the world; he be-
queathed fifty thousand dollars to an Orphan Asylum, and
left his widow a life-estate in one-half the remainder; which,
at her death, goes in a lump, real estate and personals, to
young Hazlehurst, who is the son of an old friend, and a
nephew by marriage."
“Some four hundred thousand dollars, I think you said;
that would make a fine capital for a young man to open
business with !”
"But show me the young man who, with four hundred
thousand to begin with, will not spend it instead of making
more! No, sir; give me a man with small means and a
sharp wit for his stock in trade, rather than a hundred thou-
sand down; ten to one the first winds up the better man by
a good round sum. I should not wonder at all to find my-
self a richer man than Harry Hazlehurst by the time I am
fifty."
"What splendid operations he might engage in, though!"
"If he wanted to, he could not touch the money now; it
is all in the widow's hands until he is five-and-twenty, ex-
28
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
cepting the allowance of two thousand a year which she
gives him, now he is of age."
After a little more conversation of the same nature-in
which the Van Hornes and the Bernards came in for their
share of the appraisal, Mr. Clapp concluded by the offer of
an introduction.
“Shall I introduce Mrs. Stanley to you? I am very well
acquainted. I was raised in the same part of the country sho
came from. She is a very agreeable lady in conversation."
Mr. Taylor had not the least objection to make the ac-
quaintance of any human being enjoying an estate of four
hundred thousand dollars. He assented, and following Mr.
Clapp into the drawing-room, the introduction took place
without farther preface. Mrs. Stanley had been conversing
with Miss Patsey and Elinor; she was rather taken by sur-
prise when Mr. Clapp, advancing before her, said, with a
flourish, “Mr. Taylor, Mrs. Stanley." Both the gentlemen
were received by her with as much quiet coolness as was
consistent with civility to her friend's guests. She had lately
been often annoyed by Mr. Clapp's officious attentions, and
was at a loss to account for them, until she remembered he
might be wishing to obtain a share in the management of her
affairs.
Having succeeded in bringing about the introduction, Mr.
Clapp turned to Elinor.
"I hear strange stories in Longbridge about you, Miss
Wyllys," said Mr. Clapp.
There was as yet no individual in the little world known
to Elinor, more trying to her temper than the husband of her
friend, Kate Hubbard. There was a smirking impertinence
in Mr. Clapp's manner, of which it seemed impossible for
him to divest himself, for it was often most conspicuous
when he wished to make himself most agreeable; and no
wonder this was the case, for it was a quality natural to him.
The simple feeling of genuine respect and deference, so
grateful to the heart where sincerely felt, was one he had
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
29
never had the happiness to know. On the present occasion
Elinor was not a little provoked with him, and something of
the feeling might have been traced in her expression. We
have heard of brilliant black eyes, that never appeared more
beautiful than when flashing with passion. Those of our
friend Elinor were small and grey; indignation, therefore,
may not have been so becoming to them.
"Scarcely worth remembering, I fancy," she replied; and
then made some observation about Mrs. Hubbard, to turn the
conversation. The raillery and pleasantry of a man with no
more tact, or true delicacy, than William Cassius Clapp, was
more than even Elinor's sweet temper could have borne.
Mr. Wyllys had taken a seat near Mrs. Taylor.
“We have not seen all your young people yet, I believe,
Mrs. Taylor."
66
Oh, no, sir-I have six at home, besides the two here.
Thomas and Adeline are my eldest; the rest are hardly old
enough to go out to parties though Pompey is nearly
fifteen."
Battended
“You must bring Mr. Pompey, too, next time. Your
eldest son tells me he has just left Yale."
"He graduated last month. I want him to stay at home
now until winter, and then go into business. But his father
has taken a notion of having him go to Europe for six months.
Thomas does not care so much about it; but husband has a
great opinion of a European journey-he talks some of
going himself. Some young men go a whaling to see the
world; but Mr. Taylor thinks Thomas had better have a
chance to go to Paris."
"He will probably find Paris the pleasantest trip of the
two," said Mr. Wyllys, smiling. "Young Hazlehurst is
going abroad, too; he sails next week, with his brother.
What is the name of Harry's packet, Nelly?" asked her
grandfather, taking the young girl's hand affectionately, as
she passed.
3*
30
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
*
Elinor named the vessel; and, from Mrs. Taylor's an-
swer, it appeared, the young men were to sail in the same
ship.
"I am glad to hear that your grandson is going to France,
sir; it will be more sociable, for Thomas to have somebody
he knows, in Paris."
They will probably meet there. Harry is not my
grandson, however."
"I beg your pardon; but, I understood, that the pretty
young lady, with the white flower in her hair, and the young
gentleman talking to my daughter Adeline, were your grand-
children."
66
"Oh, no; Miss Graham is my great-niece; and, as for
Harry, if I remember right, he is no relation at all; though,
we call him cousin. I have a house full of little grand-
children, here, just now, from Baltimore; but they are too
young to be out of the nursery, at this hour. Does Miss
Taylor sing?"
"No, sir; Adeline performs on the piano; but she has
not any voice for music; which, I am very sorry for, as I
like to hear young people sing."
66
Perhaps, then, you would like to hear my grand-daugh-
ter; she sings me a song every evening, after tea," said Mr.
Wyllys, who, indeed, seemed to think something was want-
ing to an evening, in his own house, unless Elinor gave him
a little music, of which he was passionately fond; though,
like most American gentlemen, of his age, he had no know-
ledge of the art, and no other guide than a good ear, and
good natural taste. Elinor's voice was a full, sweet con-
tralto, which had been cultivated under the best masters in
Philadelphia; and, as she never attempted what she could
not perform with ease and grace, her music always gave
pleasure. One or two of the other ladies followed her, at
the piano-Mary Van Horne, and a friend who had come
with her; but their performance was very indifferent. It
was rarely that one heard anything approaching to really
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
31
good amateur-music, in this country, fifteen years ago, at the
date of Elinor's seventeenth birthday.
A light supper, and a Virginia reel, concluded the even-
ing; when the party broke up.
"I hope you are jealous, Elinor," said Harry Hazlehurst,
as he returned into the house, after having attended Miss
Adeline Taylor to the carriage.
“Jealous !—Of what, pray ?”
"Of the heart and affections of your humble servant, to be
sure. You must have observed the snare that Miss Taylor
laid for them."
“Nonsense.-Good night!" and Elinor accompanied her
aunt and cousin
up stairs.
M
CHAPTER III.
"Her playmate from her youth."
ROGERS.
ELINOR had been in her room for some minutes, and was
standing in thought, before an open window, when she
turned toward a little table near her, and, opening a Bible,
drew from it a letter. She raised it to her lips, and, moving
toward a light, unfolded the sheet. Tears soon blinded her
sight; she was much agitated; then, becoming calmer, she
continued to read. It was a letter of some length, and every
line seemed deeply interesting to the reader. Once she
paused, as if struck by some new thought, and then, again,
she read with some anxiety. She had just finished the last
words, when her door opened, and Miss Agnes entered the
room.
32
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"Be calm, my dear child," said her aunt; "it is indeed
a precious letter, and one which we both value highly; your
feelings are only natural, dearest; but do not indulge them
to excess." Miss Wyllys, by her gentle, caressing manner,
succeeded in calming Elinor, when, urging her not to sit up
later, she left her niece for the night.
When Miss Agnes was gone, Elinor fell on her knces,
with the letter still in her hand. She remained some time,
apparently in prayer, and then rising calmly, she folded the
sheet, and laid it on the Bible; and, before her head touched
her pillow, the letter was again removed, and placed be-
neath it.
We have not the slightest wish to beguile the reader into
believing that Elinor had a mysterious lover, or a clandes-
tine correspondence; and we shall at once mention, that this
letter was one written years previously, by the mother she
had lost; and her good aunt, according to the direction, had
placed it in her niece's hands, on the morning of her seven-
teenth birthday.
When Mr. Wyllys went down to breakfast, the next
morning; he inquired if their drunken visiter, of the previous
night, had shown himself again.
'I have just been out, sir, to look after him," said Harry,
"and the fellow does not seem to have liked his night's
lodgings. He broke jail, and was off before any of the men
were up this morning; they found the door open, and the
staple off-he must have kicked his way out; which could
easily be done, as the lock was old.”
Elinor suggested that it was, perhaps, some one who was
ashamed of the situation in which he had been found.
"More probably he was too much accustomed to a lock-up
house, to find it pleasant. But if he really had any business
here, we shall hear of him again, no doubt," said Mr. Wyl-
lys. The affair thus disposed of, the conversation took an-
other turn.
Mr. Wyllys, Elinor's grandfather, was decidedly a clever
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONG BRIDGE.
33
man. He had held a high position, in his profession, until
he withdrew from it, and had, at one time, honourably dis-
tinguished himself as a politician. He was well educated,
and well read; his library, at Wyllys-Roof, was, indeed, one
of the best in the country. Moreover, Mr. Wyllys was a
philosopher, a member of the Philosophical Society of Phila-
delphia; and the papers he read, before that honourable
association, were generally much admired by his audience.
It is even probable that Mr. Wyllys believed himself en-
dowed with a good stock of observation and experience in
human nature; but, in spite of all these advantages, we can-
not help thinking that, although well-versed in natural phi-
losophy, this excellent gentleman proved himself quite igno-
rant of boy and girl nature. Even his daughter, Miss Agnes,
feared her father had been unwise and imprudent on an
occasion which she considered of great importance.
A great deal might be said in favour of Harry Hazlehurst.
Few
young men, of his age, were more promising in charac-
ter and abilities. He was clever, and good-tempered; and,
with all the temptations of an easy fortune within his reach,
he had always shown himself firm in principles. There
was one trait in his character, however, which had already
more than once brought him into boyish scrapes, and which
threatened, if not corrected, to be injurious to his career
through life. He was naturally high-spirited; and, having
been indulged by his mother, and seldom controlled by his
male guardian, a brother some ten years older than himself,
Harry was rather disposed to be self-willed, and cherished
some false notions regarding independence of character. His
friends hoped, however, that as he grew older, he would
become wiser. Something of this feeling had been mixed
up with the motives which had lately led him to take a de-
cided step for the future.
*
From a boy, Harry had been more or less the companion
and play-fellow of Elinor Wyllys and Jane Graham, whom
he looked upon as cousins, owing to a near family connexion,
↓
34
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
រ
}
He had always felt very differently, however, towards the
two girls. Jane, a little beauty from her birth, had been an
indolent and peevish child, often annoying Harry by selfish
interference with their plans and amusements. Elinor, on
the contrary, had always been a favourite playmate. She
was an intelligent, generous child, of an uncommonly fine
temper and happy disposition. As for her plain face, the
boy seldom remembered it. They were both gay, clever
children, who suited each other remarkably well, in all their
little ways and fancies. Now, within the last year, it had
struck Harry that his brother Robert and his sister-in-law,
Mrs. Hazlehurst, were very desirous of making a match be-
tween Jane Graham and himself. He had overheard some
trifling remark on the subject, and had suffered an afternoon's
very stupid teasing and joking, about Jane, from a talkative
old bachelor relation. This was quite sufficient to rouse the
spirit of independence, in a youth of his years and disposition,
When, at length, he heard a proposition that Jane should
accompany them abroad, he went so far as to look upon it
as something very like manoeuvring. He was not a man
to be led by others, in the choice of a wife. Jane might be
a beauty—no doubt she was—but he had no such extrava-
gant admiration for mere beauty. There was Elinor, for
instance; she was a very different girl, though without any
beauty; she was just the kind of person he liked. She was
so warm-hearted and generous in her feelings-without a bit
of nonsense; she was so clever-could catch a thought in a
moment, and always understood and enjoyed a good thing.
Then her manners, too, were charming, so simple and natu-
ral; while Jane had no manners at all. Then, everybody
said she was remarkably graceful, in a perfectly natural.
way;-how well she rode! Jane was even afraid to mount.
And how pleasantly Elinor sang—and he was so fond of
music.-Jane would do very well to sit and look at all day
long; but, for walking, talking, riding, singing-ay, for
thinking and feeling, Elinor would make precisely such a
1
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
35
companion as a man of sense would wish for. By dint of
dwelling on Elinor's good qualities, and on what he fancied
the plans of his brother and sister-in-law, he came to the con-
clusion that the only thing to be done, under the circum-
stances, by a man of any character-by a man who had an
opinion of his own, was to go immediately to Mr. Wyllys,
and request his permission to address Elinor.
Harry was a great favourite with his uncle-from a child
the young man had always given this title to Mr. Wyllys-
and he had more than once expressed to his daughter, a wish
that Hazlehurst and Elinor might, some years thence, take a
fancy for each other. In the mean time he seemed to look
upon them as children, and left matters to take care of them-
selves. Harry's proposal was, therefore, quite unexpected
at the moment, and took him by surprise; he seemed to think
Hazlehurst decidedly too young, at present-he had not yet.
acquired his profession. This little difficulty in the opening
of the affair, merely served to rouse Harry's eloquence; and
as his youth was really the only objection against him, he
succeeded, before long, in obtaining Mr. Wyllys's cheerful
consent to his endeavouring, during the next two months, to
interest Elinor in his behalf.
Miss Agnes, when informed of what had passed, was quite
startled; she thought both parties too young to take so de-
cided a step. But her father had given his formal consent,
and she could not seriously oppose it; especially when she
remembered that she, also, had more than once indulged the
idea that some five or six years later, Harry would make a
very good husband for her adopted daughter.
No one in the family was more surprised at Harry's ad-
vances than Elinor herself. They had been so much toge-
ther, ever since she could remember, and had always been
such good friends, in an open, brother-and-sisterly way, that
even in the last year or two, when indistinct ideas of love
and matrimony had occasionally, like distant events, cast
their shadows before, Harry had never once presented him-
36
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
I
***
self to her fancy in the light of a suitor. It required a day
or two for her to comprehend the full meaning of Harry's
proceedings; she could say neither yes, nor no. This hesi-
tation very much increased Hazlehurst's perseverance; but
her aunt, who looked on anxiously, had stipulated that no-
thing decided should be required of her, until Harry left
them.
In the mean time, a day or two had been sufficient for Mr.
Wyllys to become not only reconciled to the idea, but so
well pleased with the appearance of things, that he amused
himself with looking on at Harry in his new character of a
lover; and generally once a day, had some little joke at the
expense of Elinor's embarrassment. But now, the two
months had passed; Harry was to sail the next week for
France and Elinor, the morning after her birth-day, was to
give a decided answer.
It was no longer very difficult to foresee that this answer
would be favourable. In fact, Harry, who was thoroughly
gentlemanly by nature and habit, had made his attentions
just what they ought to have been under the circumstances;
and, with the full approbation of her own friends, and all
Harry's good qualities appearing in their best light, the two
months had proved sufficient to direct Elinor's childish affec-
tion for him into another and a deeper channel. The letter
she had received on the night of her birth-day, caused a
moment's indecision when, the next morning, after breakfast,
as Mrs. Stanley and Mrs. George Wyllys left the room, her
grandfather playfully asked her "what they should do with
Harry?"
But she scarcely knew in what shape to express the
thought that arose in her mind, and the feeling merely gave
an additional touch of embarrassment to her manner, which
was only looked upon as quite natural at the moment.
"I shall think myself very badly treated, Elinor," said
Harry, observing her hesitation, "if you turn me off like a
common acquaintance, after we have been the best friends in
the world for nobody knows how long."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
37
"Well, Nelly," said her grandfather, "what is it, my
child? Shall we tell Harry to go to Paris and cultivate his
moustaches, and forget everything else?"
Oh, no;" said Elinor, smiling as she held out her hand
to Hazlehurst, though without looking up: "pray, don't come
back a dandy!"
The affair was settled. The young people parted with
the understanding that when Hazlehurst returned from Eu-
rope, and had acquired his profession, they were to be mar-
ried; and Harry went to Philadelphia, to join his brother,
and make the last arrangements for their voyage.
'S,
Jane, too, left Elinor a few days later; and Miss Wyllys,
who had charge of her—as Mr. and Mrs. Graham lived in
Charleston-placed her at one of the fashionable boarding-
schools of New York. Miss Adeline Taylor had, in the
mean time, informed her parents that she had changed her
mind as to the school which was to have the honour of com-
pleting her education: she should not return to Mrs. A
but go to Mrs. G-
to Mrs. G———'s, which was a more fashionable estab-
lishment. Not that she had anything to complain of at Mrs.
A's; but she thought the young ladies at Mrs. G's
dressed more elegantly, and besides, she felt the impossibility
of remaining separated from Jane Graham, her new bosom.
friend. These two young ladies had met twice previously
to the evening they had passed together at Wyllys-Roof;
Adeline had upon one occasion been in the same boat with
Jane, going and coming, between New York and Longbridge,
and she had already done all in her power towards getting
up a desperate intimacy. Her mother, as a matter of course,
did not interfere with the young lady's preference for Mrs.
G▬▬▬▬▬▬'s school—why should she? It was Adeline's affair;
she belonged to the submissive class of American parents,
who think it an act of cruelty to influence or control their
children, even long before they have arrived at years of dis-
cretion. As for Mr. Taylor, he had discovered that the
daughters of several fashionable families were at Mrs.
VOL. I. -4
388
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
G's, and was perfectly satisfied with the change; all
he had to do was, to make out the cheques in one name in-
stead of another. Adeline managed the whole affair herself;
and having at last been to a young party, for which she had
been waiting, and having satisfied some lingering scruples
as to the colours of the silk dresses which composed the
winter uniform of the school, and which she at first thought
frightfully unbecoming to her particular style of beauty,
Miss Taylor one morning presented herself at Mrs. G's
door, and was regularly admitted as one of the young band
in fashionable training under that lady's roof. Jane, it is
true, did not show quite as much rapture at the meeting as
Adeline could have wished; but, then, Miss Taylor had al-
ready discovered that this last bosom-friend was of a calmer
disposition than the dozen who had preceded her.
Harry had not been a day in Philadelphia, before he
announced to his brother, his engagement with Elinor; for
he was much too frank by nature to have any taste for unne-
cessary mystery.
"I have a piece of news for you, Robert,” he said, as he
entered the drawing-room before dinner, and found his bro-
ther lying on a sofa.
"Good news, I hope," replied Mr. Robert Hazlehurst.
May I not have my share of it?" asked Mrs. Hazlehurst,
whom Harry had not observed.
66
66
Certainly; it is a piece of good fortune to your humble
servant, in which I hope you will both be interested."
"Why, really, Harry," said his sister-in-law, "there is a
touch of importance, with a dash of self-complacency and
mystery in your expression, that look a little lover-like.
Have you come to announce that you are determined to offer
yourself to some belle or other before we sail?”
“The deed is already done,” said Harry, colouring a little;
as much, perhaps, from a mischievous satisfaction in the dis-
appointment he foresaw, as from any other feeling.
"No!" said his brother, turning towards him with some
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
39
anxiety. "Offered yourself-and accepted, then; or, of
course, you would not mention it.”
66
Pray, tell us, Harry, who is to be our new sister,” said
Mrs. Hazlehurst, kindly, and with some interest.
"I have half a mind to tease you," he replied, smiling.
"I never should guess," said Mrs. Hazlehurst. "I had
no idea you were attached to any one-had you, Robert ?”
"Not I! It must be somebody at Longbridge-he has
been there more than half his time lately. Come, tell us,
Harry, like a man; who is it?" asked Robert Hazlehurst,
naturally feeling interested in his younger brother's choice.
"No one precisely at Longbridge," said Harry, smiling.
“Who can it be?—And actually engaged?” added Mrs.
Hazlehurst, who saw that Harry would not explain himself
without being questioned.
66
·Engaged, very decidedly, and positively, I am happy to
say. Is there anything so very wonderful in my having
declared an attachment to Elinor; I am sure I have liked
her better than any one else all my life.”
66
Engaged to Elinor!" exclaimed Robert Hazlehurst, much
relieved. "I am delighted to hear it. It is a wiser step
than one would always expect from a young gentleman of
your years."
66
Engaged to Elinor! I wish you joy with all my heart,"
repeated his sister-in-law. "It had not occurred to me to
think of any one so near and dear to us already; you could
not have done better, Harry," she added, with a perfectly
frank, open smile.
To tell the truth, Hazlehurst was not a little surprised, and
rather mortified by this decided approbation—since it proved
he had been unjust, and that he had deceived himself as to
what he had supposed the wishes of his brother, and the
plans of his sister-in-law. He did not, however, for an in-
stant, regret the step he had taken; his regard for Elinor was
too sincere to allow of any other feeling than that of satis-
faction, in remembering their engagement. But it had now
40
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
become a matter of indifference whether Jane were to join
the European party or not.
On the appointed day, the Hazlehursts sailed. They
went abroad with more advantages than many others, for
they carried with them good sense, good principles, and a
good education, and were well prepared to enjoy the wide
field of observation that lay before them. There was every
reason to hope, from the encouraging opinions of his physi-
cians, that Mr. Robert Hazlehurst's health would be entirely
restored by travelling; his wife looked forward to the ex-
cursion with much pleasure, and Harry was delighted with
the plan. They had an old family friend in Paris, an excel-
lent woman, who was in every way qualified to redeem the
promises she had given, of soon making them feel at home.
in France. Madame de Bessières was the widow of a dis-
tinguished emigrè, and had passed a long exile with her
husband in America. They had been for years near neigh-
bours of Mr. Wyllys, and this gentleman had had it in his
power, at different times, to render services of some import-
ance to his French friends. Madame de Bessières and her
family were grateful for these acts of kindness: she had
known the young people at Wyllys-Roof, and felt an interest
in them all; for their own sakes, as well as from a sincere
respect and regard for Mr. Wyllys and his daughter, this
lady was anxious to show the Hazlehursts every friendly
attention in her power. Under these agreeable auspices,
the party left home, expecting to be absent for a couple of
years.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
41
CHAPTER IV.
"Farewell, my lord! Good wishes, praise, and prayers,
Shall Suffolk ever have of Margaret."
Henry VI.
THE arrival of letters from Harry, often accompanied by
something pretty or useful, as a souvenir for herself; were
the principal events of the next winter, to Elinor. Several
months of the cold weather were passed, as usual, by Mr.
Wyllys and his family, in Philadelphia; and Miss Agnės
thought it time that her niece should make her appearance
in society. But Elinor found less pleasure, than most girls,
in the gay world. She was seldom appreciated, in mixed
company; she was too young, at that time, and too modest,
for her intelligence to be generally known or cared for;
while her personal appearance exposed her to be entirely
overlooked and neglected by strangers; it had indeed occa-
sionally been the cause of mortifications, more deeply felt by
Miss Agnes, than by Elinor herself. People talk so lightly,
in what is called general society; heartless remarks are ut-
tered with so much careless indifference on all sides, that it
was not surprising some unkind observations should have
reached her ear. It was not until the season that she had
been introduced into a larger circle, that Elinor became bet-
ter aware of her disadvantages in this respect. She had
been so tenderly loved and watched over by her grandfather
and aunt; she was so generally liked by those who had been
hitherto her companions, that she had not been aware of all
the consequences of her position. She knew that her ap-
pearance was not attractive, while her young friends were
more or less pretty; still, she had thought but little on the
subject, until her introduction into a larger circle led her to
remark the great importance which the world attaches to
mere beauty, in women, at least. But, with this reflection,
4*
42
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
•
came also the gratifying recollection of Harry's regard for
her; and it served indeed to increase very much her attach-
ment to him, by giving it an additional feeling of gratitude.
Harry's letters were kind and affectionate, and Elinor
thought them very amusing. It was impossible that an
intelligent, well-educated young man, suddenly transported
from the New, to the Old World, should not find a great
deal to say; and Harry told his adventures very agreeably.
His letters to Elinor were almost as straight-forward and
matter-of-fact, as they might have been if she had already
become his wife. His brother's health was improving; so
much so, that they were talking of leaving Mrs. Hazlehurst,
and her children, in Paris, while Harry and the invalid
made a six weeks' excursion to England. Madame de Bes-
sières had been all kindness, and they were delighted with
the society they met at her house. "Madame de Bessières
remembers you perfectly," said Harry, in one of his letters,
"and as she is sure, under Aunt Agnes' care, you must have
grown up with all the good and agreeable qualities that she
loved you for when a child, she agrees with your humble
servant, in thinking him a very lucky fellow, and very pru-
dent, in having secured you before he left home. She is
really a most excellent and charming woman, as kind as
possible to Louisa. Her American friends have every
reason to be satisfied with her recollections of them, espe-
cially Mr. Wyllys and Aunt Agnes, whom she evidently
appreciates. Her nephew, young de Guivres, and I, are
very good friends already, and often take a gallop together
in the Bois de Boulogne. It is a settled thing, Elinor, dear,
that I am to bring you to France, one of these days; that is
to say, if you have no objections; which, of course, you will
not have. Tom Taylor is here still, and his progressive
steps in civilization are quite amusing, to a looker-on ; every
time I see him, I am struck with some new change-some
fresh growth in elegance. I was going to say, that he will
turn out a regular dandy; but he would have to go to Lon-
ته
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
43
don for that; he will prove rather a sort of second-rate petit-
maître à la Parisienne; which is entirely a different creature.
It would do your heart good to see Robert; he eats like a
ploughman, if ploughmen ever devour poulets à la Marengo,
or ortolans à la Provençale. I wish I could give as good
an account of Creighton, who arrived in the last packet;
poor fellow, he has not revived at all, and, I fear, will never
be better. His wife is with him; as pretty and agreeable
as ever. I hope Bruno behaves well, and remembers that
it is now his chief duty to devote himself to your service."
This was the last letter Elinor received in Philadelphia,
for early in the spring the family returned to the country.
She was never happier than at Wyllys-Roof, and resumed
with delight occupations and amusements, which would have
appeared very insipid to many elegant belles whom she left
behind her since the mornings were to be passed without
visiting or shopping, the evenings without parties or flirta-
tions. In a quiet country-house, with no other young person
in the family, there was of course, at Wyllys-Roof, very little
excitement that necessary ingredient of life to many people;
and yet, Elinor had never passed a tedious day there. On
the longest summer morning, or winter evening, she always
found enough to occupy her time and attention.
To her, Wyllys-Roof was home; and that is a word of a
broader and more varied meaning in the country than in a
town. The cares, the sympathies of a country home, em-
brace a wide circle, and bring with them pleasures of their
own. People know enough of all their neighbours, to take
part in any interesting event that may befall them; we are
sorry to hear that A., the shoemaker, is going to move away;
we are glad to find that B., the butcher, has made money
enough to build a new house. One has some acquaintance
with everybody, from the clergyman to the loafer; few are the
faces that one does not know. Even the four-footed animals
of the neighbourhood are not strangers: this is the Doctor's
Newfoundland dog; that is some old lady's tortoise-shell cat,
44
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
:
One knows the horses, as well as the little urchins who ride
them to water; the cows, and those who milk them. And
then, country-folks are nature's freeholders; they enjoy a full
portion of the earth, the air, the sky, with the thousand charms
an ever-merciful Creator has lavished on them. Every in-
animate object this hill, that wood, the brook, the bridge,
C.'s farm-house, and D.'s barn-to the very highway, as far
as eye can reach, all form pleasing parts of a country home.
In a city, on the contrary, we live surrounded by strangers.
Home is entirely restricted to our own fire-side. One knows
a neighbour's card, perhaps, but not his face. There may
have been a funeral or a wedding next-door, and we learn it
only from the morning paper. Then, even if a fixture
oneself, how is it possible for human sensibilities to cling
very closely to the row of brick houses opposite, which are
predestined to be burned or pulled down in a few years?
Nor can one be supposed to look with much pleasure at the
omnibus horses, or half-starved pigs that may belong to one's
street. No doubt, that with hearts warm and true, we may
have a fireside in town; but home with its thousand pleasant
accessories-home, in its fullest meaning, belongs especially
to the country.
Elinor was a country girl, born and bred. Though
banished from Chesnut Street, she would have been well
satisfied with the usual occupations of a country life, varied
only by quiet walks with her aunt, rides with her grandfather,
chatty meetings with a few young companions, or long visits
from old friends, whose names and faces had been familiar
to her all her life. The first few weeks after her return to
Wyllys-Roof, she had, of course, more than usual to see
and hear. Elinor had been absent from home but a few
months; yet, even in that short space, she found changes
had occurred in the neighbourhood-varied, as usual-some
of a sad, some of a pleasant nature. Miss Agnes and her
niece found one place vacant among those whom they were
in the habit of seeing often; the father of a family who lived
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
45
within sight of their own windows, had died suddenly, and
left a widow and children to struggle with the world: but
they were neither friendless nor repining, and submitted with
humble resignation to their severe affliction, prepared to meet
with faith and hope the additional cares and toils allotted to
them. One of Elinor's young friends, too, was lying on a
sick-bed at Longbridge-a beautiful girl of her own age-
wasted by consumption; but she was calm and peaceful,
though without hope this side the grave. We shall scarcely
forgive ourselves for making even a distant allusion to one
portion of Elinor's pleasures and labours, although more
especially connected with home; since none could perform
their religious duties with less ostentation, with more single-
hearted sincerity-none could more carefully follow the pre-
cept, to "give with simplicity," than Miss Wyllys, and the
niece she had educated.
Of course, the ladies had immediately resumed their inter-
course with their old friends; and they had many neigh-
bourly visits to pay. Not your formal, fashionable morning-
calls, lasting just three minutes, when you are so unfortunate
as to find at home the individual you are paying off; no,
indeed; good, honest visits of nearly an hour's length, giving
time to exchange many kindly inquiries as to the health of
all the members of the family, the condition of the garden,
and promises of the crops; and even occasionally allowing
Mr. Wyllys to take a look at some addition to the live-stock,
in the shape of calves, colts, or pigs. Then, Mrs. Bernard
had just moved into a new house, whose comforts and con-
veniences must certainly be shown by herself, and appre-
ciated by her friends. Then, Elinor had to kiss, and make
acquaintance with several tiny pieces of humanity, in white
frocks and lace caps-little creatures born during the past
winter; of course, the finest babies one could wish to see,
and the delight of their parents' hearts. Then, Alida Van
Horne was going to be married; as Elinor was to be her
bridesmaid, a great deal of talking and consulting took place
46
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
on the occasion, as a matter of course. But, although her
time was fully occupied in many different ways, no day was
too pleasant or too busy for more than one thought to be
given to Harry Hazlehurst.
CHAPTER V.
"Anch' io son pittore !"
CORREGGIO.
THERE was one subject, in which the family at Wyllys-
Roof felt particularly interested just then, and that was,
Charlie Hubbard's picture. This piece was to decide finally
the question, whether Charlie should be an artist, or a mer-
chant's clerk; a question which he himself considered all-
important, and which caused much anxiety to his friends.
The house in which the Hubbards lived was à grey,
wooden cottage, of the smallest size; curious gossips had, in-
deed, often wondered how it had ever been made to contain
a large family; but some houses, like certain purses, pos-
sess capabilities of expansion, quite independent of their ap-
parent size, and connected by mysterious sympathies with
the heads and hearts of their owners. This cottage belonged to
the most ancient and primitive style of American architecture;
what may be called the comfortable, common sense order-far
superior, one might suppose, to either Corinthian or Compo-
site, for a farm-house. The roof was low, and unequally
divided, stretching, on one side, with a long, curving slope,
over the southern front; which was scarce seven feet high:
towards the road the building was a little more elevated, for
a dormer-window gave it the dignity of a story and a half.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
47
Not only the roof, but the walls-we have classical authority
for wooden walls-were covered with rounded shingles, long
since grey, and, in spots, moss-grown. Twice the cottage
had escaped a more brilliant exterior; upon one occasion it
had been inhabited by an ambitious family, who talked of a
coat of red paint; fortunately, they moved away, before con-
cluding a bargain with the painter. Again, when the Hub-
bards took possession of the 'old grey house,' a committee of
ladies actually drove over from Longbridge, with the inten-
tion of having it whitewashed; but, the experienced old
negro engaged to clean generally, gave it as his opinion, that
the shingles were not worth the compliment. The windows
were very small; more than half the glass was of the old,
blue bull's-eye pattern, no longer to be found at modern
glaziers, and each heavy window-shutter had a half-moon
cut in its upper panel, to let in the daylight. When we
add, that there was a low porch before the door, with a sweet-
briar on one side, and a snowball on the other, the reader will
have a correct idea of the house inhabited by our friends, the
Hubbards.
The cottage stood within a little door-yard, near the gate
which opened on the lawn of Wyllys-Roof; and, imme-
diately opposite the place recently purchased by Mr. Taylor.
Here the family had lived for the last twelve years; and,
from that time, Miss Patsey had been obliged to struggle
against poverty, with a large family of younger brothers and
sisters, dependent, in a great measure, upon her prudence.
and exertions.
Mr. Hubbard, the father, a respectable Presbyterian minis-
ter, had been, for half his life, in charge of a congregation in
Connecticut, where, by-the-bye, Mr. Pompey Taylor, at that
time a poor clerk, had been an unsuccessful suitor for Pat-
sey's hand. After a while, the family had removed to Long-
bridge, where they had lived very comfortably and usefully,
until, at length, the minister died, leaving his widow and
seven children entirely unprovided for. Happily, they pos-
48
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
I
sessed warm friends and kind relatives. The old grey house,
with a garden and a little meadow adjoining, was purchased
for his brother's family by Mr. Joseph Hubbard, known to
the young people as Uncle Josie: he was a merchant, in
easy circumstances, and cheerfully gave the thousand dol-
lars required. The cottage was furnished by the minister's
congregation. Many useful presents were made, and many
small debts forgiven by kind neighbours. With this humble
outfit the family commenced their new career. Mrs. Hub-
bard, the second wife, and mother of the three younger chil-
dren, had lost the use of one hand, by an attack of paralysis.
She had always been a woman of very feeble character; and
although treated with unvarying kindness and respect by her
step-children, could do little towards the government or as-
sistance of the family. It was Patsey who toiled, and ma-
naged, and thought for them all. With the aid of two
younger sisters, mere children, at first, and an old black
woman, who came once a week to wash, all the work was
done by herself, including baking, ironing, cooking, cleaning,
&c.; and yet Patsey found time to give up four hours a day
to teaching a class of some dozen children, belonging to seve-
ral neighbouring families. This school furnished the only
money that passed through her hands, and contributed the
only regular means of support to the family. They received,
however, much kind assistance, in many different ways;
indeed, otherwise, it would have been scarcely possible to
keep a fireside of their own. There had been, in all,
nine children; but the eldest son, a missionary, died before
his father; the second had already gone to Kentucky, to seek
his fortunes as a physician; he had married young, and,
with children of his own to support, it seemed but little he
could do for his step-mother; he sent for a younger brother,
however, engaging to provide for him entirely. Another son
was educated by his rich Longbridge relative, kind Uncle
Josie; another uncle, a poor old bachelor, known to the
neighbourhood as Uncle Dozie, from a constant habit of nap-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
49
ping, did his utmost, in paying the school-bills of his niece
Catherine. In the course of a few years, Uncle Josie's pro-
tégé became an assistant in the school where he had been
educated; Kate Hubbard, Uncle Dozie's favourite, married
a quick-witted, but poor, young lawyer, already introduced
to the reader, by the name of Clapp.
Still, there remained in the family two younger daughters,
and Charlie, besides Miss Patsey and Mrs. Hubbard. By
the exertions and guidance of Patsey, the assistance of friends,
and their own good conduct, the young people, in due time,
were all growing up, endowed with good principles, good
educations, and with respectable prospects opening before
them. At the period of our narrative, the third daughter
hoped shortly to become an under-governess in the school
where she had been educated; and Mary, the youngest of
the family, had such a decided taste for music, that it was
thought she would have no difficulty in supporting herself,
by giving lessons, in the course of two or three years. Of
all the family, Charlie was the one that caused his friends
the most anxiety. He was a fine, spirited, intelligent boy;
and Uncle Josie had promised to procure a situation for him,
with his son-in-law, a commission-merchant and auctioneer,
in New York. This plan was very pleasing to Mrs. Hub-
bard and Miss Patsey; but, unfortunately, Charlie seemed
to have no taste for making money, and a fondness for pic-
tures and pencils, that amounted almost to a passion. Here
was an unexpected obstacle; Charlie was the pet and spoiled
child of the family. All the rest of the young people had
been quite satisfied with the different means of support that
had offered for each; and they had followed their respective
careers with so much quiet good sense, that Charlie's remon-
strances against the counting-house, and his strong fancy for
an artist's life, was something quite new, and which Miss
Patsey scarcely knew how to answer. There was nothing
in the least poetical or romantic about Patsey Hubbard, who
was all honest kindness and straight-forward common sense.
VOL. I. — 5
50
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
ļ
She had no feeling whatever for the fine arts; never read a
work of imagination; scarcely knew one tune from another;
and had never looked with pleasure at any picture, but one,
a portrait of her own respected father, which still occupied
the place of honour in their little parlour, nearly covering
one side of the wall. This painting, to speak frankly, was
anything but a valuable work of art, or a good likeness of
the worthy minister. The face was flat and unmeaning,
entirely devoid of expression or relief; the body was stiff
and hard, like sheet-iron, having, also, much the colour of
that material, so far as it was covered by the black ministe-
rial coat. One arm was stretched across a table, conspicuous
from a carrot-coloured cloth, and the hand was extended over
a pile of folios; but it looked quite unequal to the task of
opening them. The other arm was disposed of in some
manner satisfactory to the artist, no doubt, but by no means
easy for the spectator to discover, since the brick-coloured
drapery which formed the back-ground to the whole, cer-
tainly encroached on the side where nature had placed it.
Such as it was, however, Miss Patsey admired this painting
more than any she had ever seen, and its gilt frame was
always carefully covered with green gauze, no longer ne-
cessary to preserve the gilding, but rather to conceal its
blackened lustre ; but Charlie's sister belonged to that class
of amateurs who consider the frame as an integral part of
the work of art. It was, perhaps, the most promising fact
regarding any future hopes of young Hubbard's, as an artist,
that this same portrait was far from satisfying his taste, un-
cultivated as it was. Charlie was, for a long time, so much
ashamed of his passion for drawing, that he carefully con-
cealed the little bits of paper on which he made his sketches,
as well as the few old, coarse engravings he had picked up
to copy. But, one day, Miss Patsey accidentally discovered
these treasures between the leaves of a number of the Long-
bridge Freeman, carefully stowed away in an old chest of
drawers in the little garret-room where Charlie slept. She
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
51
found there a head of Washington; one of Dr. Blair; a
view of Boston; and an old French print called L'Eté, repre-
senting a shepherdess making hay in high-heeled shoes and
a hoop; there were copies of these on bits of paper of all
sizes, done with the pen or lead-pencil; and lastly, a num-
ber of odd-looking sketches of Charlie's own invention. The
sight of these labours of art, was far from giving Miss Patsey
pleasure, although it accounted for the surprising disappear-
ance of her writing-paper, and the extraordinary clipping,
she had remarked, of late, on all notes and letters that were
left lying about, from which every scrap of white paper was
sure to be cut off. She spoke to Charlie on the subject, and,
of course, he had to confess. But he did not reform; on the
contrary, matters soon grew worse, for he began to neglect
his studies. It happened that he passed the whole summer
at home, as the school where his brother had been assistant,
and he himself a pupil, was broken up. At last, Miss Pat-
sey talked to him so seriously, about wasting time on trifles,
that Charlie, who was a sensible, warm-hearted boy, and
well aware of the exertions his sister had made for him, pro-
mised amendment, and actually burnt all his own sketches,
though the precious engravings were still preserved. This
improvement only lasted a while, however, when he again
took to drawing. This time he resolutely respected Miss
Patsey's paper, but that only made matters worse, for he
became more ambitious; he began to sketch from nature;
and, having a special fancy for landscape, he used to carry
his slate and arithmetic into the fields; and, instead of be-
coming more expert in compound interest, he would sit for
hours composing pictures, and attempting every possible
variety in the views of the same little mill-pond, within a
short distance of the house. He soon became quite expert in
the management of his slate and pencil, and showed a good
deal of ingenuity in rubbing in and out the white shading on
the black ground, something in the manner of a stump-
drawing; but, of course, these sketches all disappeared be-
52
ELINOR WYLLYS; Or,
fore Charlie went to take his regular lesson in book-keeping,
from the neighbour who had promised to keep him in prac-
tice until the winter, when he was to enter the counting-
house.
At last, however, Charlie determined to have an explana-
tion with his mother and sister; he made a clean breast as
to the misdoings on the slate, and boldly coming to the point,
suggested the possibility of his being able to support himself,
one day, as an artist, instead of a commission merchant.
Poor Miss Patsey, this was a sad blow to her! It had been
her cherished ambition to see Charlie an upright, prosperous
merchant; and now that his prospects were brightening, and
a situation was provided for him, that he should be only a
painter! She had a very low opinion of artists, as a class,
and she would almost as soon have expected Charlie to
become a play-actor, or a circus-rider. When the boy found
that both Uncle Josie and Uncle Dozie thought his idea a
very foolish one, that Miss Patsey was very much distressed,
and Mrs. Hubbard could not be made to comprehend the
difference between an artist and a house-painter, he again
abandoned his own cherished plans, and resumed his com-
mercial studies. Unfortunately, one day, Elinor was choos-
ing a book as a present for her old play-fellow, at a book-
store in Philadelphia, when she laid her hand on the Lives
of the Painters. These volumes finally upset Charlie's
philosophy; he immediately set to work to convince Miss
Patsey and Uncle Josie, by extracts from the different lives,
that it was very possible to be a good and respectable man,
and not only support himself, but make a fortune, as an artist.
Of course, he took care to skip over all unpleasant points, and
bad examples; but when he came to anything creditable, he
made a note of it-and, one day, pursued Miss Patsey into
the cellar, to read to her the fact that Reubens had been an
ambassador.
Miss Patsey confided her anxieties to Mr. Wyllys, who
was already aware of Charlie's propensities, and, indeed,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
53
thought them promising. He advised Mrs. Hubbard and
Patsey, not to oppose the boy's wishes so strongly, but to give
him an opportunity of trying what he really could do; and
as the
expense was a very important consideration with the
Hubbards, he made Charlie a present of a palette and colours,
and kindly took him, one day, to Philadelphia, to see Mr.
S.
S—, who gave him some advice as to the way in which
he should go to work. This assistance Charlie received,
upon condition that he should also, at the same time, continue
his other studies; and in case any two artists that his friend
might consult, should declare, on seeing his work, that he
did not show talent enough to promise reasonable success, he
was, from that time, to devote himself to business. For a
while, Charlie was a great deal happier than a king. He
immediately began a view of his beloved little mill-pond, and
then attempted one of a small sheet of water in the neigh-
bourhood, called Chewattan Lake. These, after having been
touched and re-touched, he carried, with a portfolio of draw-
ings, to New York, and with a fluttering heart and trembling
hands laid them before two distinguished artists, Mr. C.
and Mr. I, to whom Mr. Wyllys had given him letters.
The decision of these gentlemen was not discouraging, upon
the whole; but they found that he had set out wrong in the
arrangement of his colours, and having corrected the mistake,
they proposed his painting another piece in oils, to determine
whether the faults in the first were the result of ignorance,
or of a false eye for colour; for on this point his judges dis-
agreed. It must be confessed that Charlie's clouds might
give some idea of such vapours as they may exist in the moon ;
but certainly the tints the youth had given them were very
remarkable for an earthly atmosphere.
It was upon this last picture—another view of Chewattan
Lake-that Charles was engaged, heart and soul, when the
Wyllyses returned home. One afternoon, Mr. Wyllys pro-
posed to Miss Agnes and Elinor, to walk over and call upon
Miss Patsey, and see what their young friend had done.
5*
54
ELINOR WYLLYS; Or,
"Here we are, Charlie, my lad; you promised us a look
at your work this week, you know;" said Mr. Wyllys, as he
walked into the neat little door-yard before the Hubbards'
house, accompanied by the ladies.
Charlie was at work in the vegetable garden adjoining the
door-yard, weeding the radishes.
"Everything looks in very good order here, Charles,"
observed Miss Wyllys. "You have not given up the garden,
I see, although you have so much to do now."
"Your beds and your flowers look as neat as possible,”
said Elinor; "just as usual. You don't seem to have gone
far enough in your career to have learned that, un beau dés-
ordre is the effect of art," she added, smiling.
"No, indeed; it is to be hoped I never shall, for that
would throw my mother and sister into despair, at once!"
Miss Patsey, who had heard the voices of the party, now
came from the little kitchen, where she had been baking, to
receive her friends.
"Elinor has just remarked that things do not look as if
you had an artist in the house; everything is neat as wax,”
said Mr. Wyllys, stepping into the little parlour.
Miss Patsey was beginning to resign herself to hearing
Charlie called an artist, although the word had still an un-
pleasant sound to her ear.
"Charles is very good," she replied, "about keeping his
things in their place; he does not make much litter.”
After some inquiries about Mrs. Hubbard—who, it seems,
was taking her afternoon nap-Mr. Wyllys asked to see
Charlie's work.
"You must let us look at it, Charles," said Miss Agnes;
we have been waiting, you know, quite impatiently for the
last week."
66
If we must go up to your studio for it, we'll rest awhile
first," said Mr. Wyllys taking a seat.
"You mortify me, sir," said Charlie, "by using such great
words about my little doings, even in pleasantry. I am half
afraid to show my work; but I will bring it down.”
· THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
55
"I hope we shall find some improvement-that is all we
can expect at present, my boy. We don't look for a Claude
yet."
Charlie blushed, in the excess of his modesty.
"Pray, bring all your sketches, too," said Elinor. "Mary
wrote me you were drawing all winter; you must have a
great deal that we have not seen."
"They are certainly not worth looking at; but such as
they are, you shall see them."
"And don't forget the Arithmetic, too," said Mr. Wyllys,
smiling; "we had better look a little into Compound Interest,
of course."
Charlie looked as if that were rather a sore subject, as he
left the room.
While he was gone, a carriage stopped at the little gate.
It proved to be the Taylors; and Mr. Taylor, with his wife,
and a couple of children, walked in. After a general salu-
tation had been exchanged, and two additional chairs had
been brought from a bed-room, to accommodate such an
unusual number of visiters, Mr. Taylor turned to Miss Patsey,
and observed, in a jocular way:
"It is not etiquette, I believe, to call twice in the same day;
but I hope you will excuse us; for on this occasion, Mrs.
Taylor has come to transact a little business.”
"As you seem to be engaged, Miss Hubbard, we will put
it off until another time,” said Mrs. Taylor.
"Just as you please," replied Miss Patsey. "I am always
glad to see my friends.”
Mr. Taylor, however, liked quick measures, and never
postponed business if he could help it.
"We came to see you, this afternoon, about our two
youngest children; if you can conveniently take them into
your school, it would suit us very well.”
Charlie, at that moment, returned with his picture in one
hand, and a portfolio in the other. He was rather sorry to
find the Taylors there, for he was far from admiring the
56
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
gentleman. Mr. Wyllys was really anxious to see the piece,
and asked to look at it at once. The canvass was placed
near a window, in the proper light, and the covering re-
moved. The Wyllyses were immediately struck with
Charlie's rapid improvement; there was, indeed, no com-
parison between the young man's first attempts at the art,
and this last piece. His friends all congratulated him on his
success, and Charlie was delighted.
"This settles the question, I think, Miss Patsey," said Mr.
Wyllys.
66
I suppose so," said Miss Patsey, with a shake of the
head, and a smile. "I think I can see myself that this
picture looks more natural than the first.'
""
"Quite a tasty painting," said Mr. Taylor, stepping up
with a decided air towards the canvass. "I should conclude,
however, that you would find portrates a more advantageous
business.
'I like landscapes best, sir," replied the youth; and turn-
ing to Mr. Wyllys, he added: "Mr. S advised me to
please myself as to the subjects 1 worked upon.”
66
Certainly," answered Mr. Wyllys; "and you seem to
prefer my mill-pond, Charlie, to the human face divine."
"But, here are sketches of faces," said Elinor, looking
over the portfolio; "very good, too;-this is excellent-
grandpapa, do you know yourself? And Miss Patsey—very
good-Aunt Agnes, too! Why, Charles, you must have
drawn all these from memory."
The sketches Elinor was looking at, were roughly done in
ink or lead-pencil; but were generally good likenesses. Mr.
Wyllys took up one, that had not yet been observed by the
rest of the party; he smiled, and passed it to his grand-
daughter. Elinor coloured, and her heart beat as she looked
at it, for it was a sketch of Harry. Mr. Taylor was stand-
ing behind her, and recognised it immediately.
"That is Mr. Hazlehurst, if I am not mistaken; and a
very good likeness, Miss Wyllys."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
57
"I
suppose, your son and Harry have met, in Paris, Mr.
Taylor," said Miss Agnes, by way of turning his attention
from Elinor.
66
'Yes, madam, Thomas mentions having had some inter-
course with Mr. Hazlehurst, and observes, that he sees him,
almost every day, in the Tullyrees; which, Thomas says, is
the rendy-vuss of the fashionable world, in Paris.”
"Will your son return home soon?”
Why, no; I think not. He went for six months; but
he calculates, now, to stay some time longer. I am told, Mr.
Hazlehurst will not return until next year: they might
make the European tower together. But Thomas seems
to like the caffies and the bully-vards of Paris, too much to
move from that city."
(C
M
Elinor was going to take another sketch from the table,
when Charlie quickly passed his hand between Mr. Taylor
and herself, and drew the paper away.
"I beg your pardon-but it is a wretched thing; I did not
know it was there," said the youth, hastily.
66
Pray, let me look at it," said Elinor, "for, I thought, I
recognised a friend."
"You must not see it, indeed, Miss Elinor; I dare say,
you took it for anybody but the right person;" said Charlie,
a good deal embarrassed, and hurriedly handing Elinor
something else to look at.
She was surprised at his nervous manner, but said nothing
more.
"I honestly think, Charlie," said Mr. Wyllys, who had
been examining the landscape, "that Mr. C, and Mr.
I——————, will tell you to persevere, after this. There is some-
thing about the water, in your picture, that strikes me as
unusually good."
"I am very glad to hear you say so; for there is nothing
I like to paint so much as water. I took great pains with
that part of my piece; but it does not satisfy me yet.”
"Do you intend to make use of water-colours altogether,
in your paintings?" asked Mr. Taylor.
58
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Charlie looked puzzled, and the merchant repeated his
question.
"I should think, you would find water-colours cheaper;
but oils must be more durable. Which are most generally
in use among painters ?"
Charlie, understanding the point, at last, explained that
water-colours, and oils, were two entirely distinct branches
of the art.
"Which is your picture, there, done in ?"
"I am learning to paint in oils, sir."
"And that portrate, overhead, which is your father, I pre-
sume; is that in oils, too?"
“Yes, sir.-There are very few pictures, of that size, in
water-colours, I believe. Here is a miniature, in water-
colours, which Mrs. Van Horne lent me; I am taking a
large picture, in oils, from it."
Mr. Taylor examined the miniature.
"It has puzzled me
considerably," he observed, "to know how painters could
change the size of an object, and be correct, without measur-
ing it off in feet and inches; but, I suppose, that is what you
term perspective."
One is sometimes surprised by the excessive ignorance, on
all matters concerning the fine arts, betrayed in this country,
by men of some education; very clever, in their way, and
quite equal to making a speech or a fortune, any day. In
Europe, just notions, on such matters, are much more widely
spread. But, after all, such a state of things is perfectly
natural; we have hitherto had no means of cultivating the
general taste, in America, having few galleries or even
single works of art, open to the public. With the means,
it is probable, that as we grow older, we shall improve, in
this respect. That there is talent, ay, genius, in the country,
sufficient to produce noble works of art, has been already
proved. Nor can it be doubted, that there is latent feeling,
and taste enough, among the people, to appreciate them, if
it were called forth by cultivation. It is only a brutal and
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
59
I
sluggish nation, who cannot be made to feel, as well as
think. The cultivation necessary, however, is not that which
consists in forcing the whole body of the people to become
conceited smatterers; but that which provides a full supply
of models for mediocrity to copy, and for talent to rival.
It is evident, that common sense requires us to pursue one
of two courses; either to give true talent, in every field-in
literature, in music, painting, sculpture, architecture-some
share of the honourable encouragement which is its due, or
else honestly to resign all claim to national merit, in these
branches of civilization; leaving the honour to the indivi-
dual. As neither the government, nor men singly, can do
much toward encouraging the arts, this would seem to be
the very field in which societies might hope to produce great
results. Would it not be a good innovation, if those who
often unite to present some public testimonial of respect to
an individual, should select, instead of the piece of plate,
usual on such occasions, a picture or work of sculpture?
Either, it is to be supposed, if respectable in its way, would
be a more agreeable offering, to a person of education, than
gold or silver in the shape most modern workmen give them.
Under such circumstances, who would not prefer a picture
by Cole or Wier, a statue like Greenough's Medora, Power's
Eve, or Crawford's Orpheus, to all the silver salvers in New
York? Who would not prefer even a copy from some fine
bust or head of antiquity, from some celebrated cabinet pic-
ture, to the best medal that has yet been struck in this coun-
try?
Thoughts like these were passing through Mr. Wyllys's
mind, as he sat looking at Charlie's picture. Mrs. Taylor
had, in the mean time, been making arrangements for her
younger children to enter Miss Patsey's school for the sum-
mer. Mr. Taylor having joined the ladies, something was
heard about terms,' and the affair appeared settled. Miss
Agnes having mentioned to Mrs. Taylor that she had intended
calling on her, but would now postpone it until another day,
60
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
she was so strongly urged to accompany them home, that
she consented to do so, aware that the visit should have been
paid some time before. Accordingly, they all left the Hub-
bards together.
It was not often that Miss Patsey's little parlour was so
full, and so much littered, as it had been that afternoon; it
generally looked crowded, if it contained two or three per-
sons besides the minister's portrait, and was thought out of
order, if the large rocking-chair, or the clumsy, old-fashioned
tea-table did not stand in the very positions they had occupied
for the last twelve years.
Very different was the aspect of things at Mr. Taylor's.
Not that the rooms were imposing, in size, but the elegance
of the furniture was so very striking. Of course, there were
two drawing-rooms, with folding-doors and Brussels.carpets;
while everything corresponded to a fashionable model. Mrs.
Taylor, good soul, cared very little for these vanities of life.
The window-blinds, in her two drawing-rooms, were never
opened, except for some occasional morning visiter or even-
ing tea-party; she herself used what she called the living
room,' where she could have her younger children about her,
and darn as many stockings as she chose. The drawing-
rooms were opened, however, for the Wyllyses, who were
urged to stay to tea. Miss Agnes declined the invitation,
though Mr. Wyllys and herself remained long enough to
look at the plan of a new house, which Mr. Taylor was to
build shortly; it was to be something quite grand, far sur-
passing anything of the kind in the neighbourhood, for Mr.
Taylor had made a mint of money during the past winter.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
61
+
CHAPTER VI.
"What say'st thou? Wilt thou go along?"
Henry VI.
JANE GRAHAM joined Elinor at Wyllys-Roof, after having
made her parting curtsey to Mrs. G———.
Her parents
lived at Charleston; but as her constitution was delicate,
and required a more bracing air than that of Carolina, Jane
had been more than once, for a twelvemonth at a time, en-
tirely under Miss Wyllys's charge, and was seldom absent
from Longbridge for more than a few months together. It
was now settled that she was to remain with Elinor until
the autumn, when her parents, who were coming north for
a couple of months, were to carry her back to Charleston.
Miss Adeline Taylor, of course, found it impossible to remain
longer at school, when Jane, her bosom-friend, had left it.
She, too, returned to her family in the country, prepared to
enliven the neighbourhood to the best of her ability. The
intimacy between these two young ladies was only riveted
more closely by the necessity of living under different roofs;
Adeline, indeed, protested that she found the separation so
distressing, that she thought it would be an excellent plan, to
divide the winter together, between Charleston and New
York; Jane to pass the first three months with her, and she,
in her turn, to accompany her friend to Charleston, later in
the season. But Jane thought her mother would now wish
to have her return home as soon as possible, as it was already
nearly a year since she had seen her family. This affair,
however, was not quite decided; Adeline declaring that she
could not bear to give up the idea, hinting that there were
all-important reasons for their remaining together during the
next winter.
Elinor often wondered that her cousin should find so much
VOL. I.—6
62
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
pleasure in this intimacy with Miss Taylor, whom she was
far from liking herself; and she could not help thinking that
Adeline was more persevering in pursuit of Jane, than was
agreeable. The dislikes of young girls of seventeen are
seldom violent, however, whatever their likings may be.
She made the best of it, and the three girls were often
together.
One evening, when they had been drinking tea at Mrs.
Taylor's, Elinor was much struck with a change in Jane's
manner, which she had already observed several times of
late, when they had been in society together.. As they were
coming home, and alone together in the carriage, she spoke
to her cousin on the subject.
"How gay you were to-night, Jane! I never saw you in
better spirits."
"Was I? Well, I'm very tired now; it is almost too
much for me, Elinor, to be so lively."
“Was it an effort? Did you not feel well?" inquired
Elinor.
I felt very well, indeed, before we went; but it tires me
so to be animated.'
'If it fatigues you to go out, my dear Jane, we had better
stay at home next time we are asked; but I thought you
wished to go this evening."
"So I did. It does not tire me at all to go out; there is
nothing I like so much as going to parties. If one could
only do as they pleased-just sit still, and look on; not be
laughing and talking all the time, it would be delightful."
"That is what I have often done at parties,” said Elinor,
smiling; "and not from choice either, but from necessity,"
Do you really think that a person who is engaged ought
not to talk?"
66
No, indeed;" said Elinor, colouring a little, as she
laughed at the inquiry. "I meant to say, that I had often
sat still, without talking, at parties, because no one took the
trouble to come and speak to me. Not here, at home, where
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
63
everybody knows me, but at large parties in town, last
winter."
Oh, but you never cared about being a belle. Adeline
says everybody knows you are engaged, and it is no matter
what you do or say. But Adeline says, to be a belle, you
must laugh and talk all the time, whether you feel like it or
not; and she thinks you need not be particular what you
talk about, only you must be all the time lively. The young
men won't dance with you, or hand you in to supper, unless
you entertain them. Adeline says she is too high-spirited to
sit by, moping; and so am I, too, I'm sure!”
"But Jane, you are so very pretty, there is no danger of
your being overlooked."
66
No, indeed, you are mistaken," said Jane, with perfect
naïveté. "I was at two or three small parties, you know,
in New York, while I was staying with Mrs. Stanley, this
spring; well, I missed more than half the quadrilles, while
those fat Miss Grants, and the Howard girls, were dancing
all the evening. Adeline says it is all because I was not
lively. They don't think anything of you unless you are
all the time talking, and laughing, and moving about; and it
does tire me so-I'm almost sick of it already. I'm sure I
shall never be able to be lively at Charleston, in warm
weather. I shan't be a belle, Elinor, I'm afraid!" said the
young beauty, with something like a sigh.
"Poor Jane!" said Elinor, laughing, though she really
felt provoked with Adeline for giving her cousin such
notions; Jane looked half worn-out with the evening's
exertions. "And I believed, all the time, that you were in
such good spirits! Charlie and I were looking at you with
surprise; we thought Mr. Van Horne, and John Bernard
must be telling you something very amusing, you were
laughing and talking so much."
No, indeed; it was I, who was trying to amuse the
gentlemen."
But Jane was not destined to try the effect of the Charleston
64
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
climate upon the energies of a belle. Her parents arrived
in New York, where she met them. She found letters there
from her sister, Mrs. Robert Hazlehurst, to her mother and
herself, strongly urging the propriety of Jane joining their
party, for the last year of their European visit. Mrs. Hazle-
hurst thought travelling would be of great service to her
sister, in every respect; it would, probably, restore her
health entirely; in Paris she would take lessons from the
best masters, if she wished it—besides enjoying the advan-
tages of seeing the Old World; at the same time that, in
her sister's family, she would be as well taken care of, as if
at her father's house, or at Wyllys-Roof. It was an oppor-
tunity which might not occur again, and Mrs. Hazlehurst
wrote so urgently, that her parents consented to the arrange-
ment, provided Jane, herself, liked the idea. An old friend
of the family, Mrs. Howard, was to sail next month for
France, and would willingly take charge of Mrs. Graham's
daughter during the voyage: everything was settled, it only
remained for Jane, herself, to decide. She was far less
anxious, however, to see the wonders of Europe, than many
other young persons would have been. Elinor congratulated
her warmly upon her good fortune, and dwelt upon the
pleasure she would, no doubt, enjoy; still, Jane appeared
rather indifferent to the plan, and it would probably have
been abandoned, had it not been for two circumstances.
Her father thought the voyage and change of air might
have a happy effect on her health, and improve it perma-
nently; and, at the same time, Miss Adeline Taylor threw
the whole weight of her influence into the scales; she had
a long private interview with Jane, which seemed to decide
the matter. The arrangements were made, and the first of
September, Jane, accompanied by her parents, Miss Agnes,
and Elinor, went on board the Hâvre packet, and was placed
under the care of Mr. and Mrs. Howard. Though the sepa-
ration took place under such happy auspices, there were
some tears shed, of course. Elinor felt quite sad at parting
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
65.
from her young friend, to whom she was warmly attached;
but time and tide soon separated the cousins, and the last
farewell, and waving of handkerchiefs, were exchanged.
Elinor had placed in Jane's hands a small package, and
a letter, for Harry. The last we do not think ourselves
privileged to open; but the little box we know to have con-
tained a purse of her own knitting, and a lock of hair,
which was sent at the special request of Harry, as he in-
tended to have it placed in a ring by a Paris jeweller. Jane's
baggage contained, moreover, in addition to her own para-
phernalia, several articles that one would not expect to find
among a young lady's trunks and hat-boxes. She carried
with her a barrel of buckwheat, a keg of cranberries, and a
couple of jars of ginger-dainties for which, it appeared,
some American friends of the Hazlehursts had sighed, even
amid all the delicacies of Paris.
In a few weeks, the family at Wyllys-Roof had the plea-
sure of hearing of Jane's safe arrival in Paris. The good
news came through Harry, and we shall give his letter, since
it was the last Elinor received from him in some months.
"Place Vendôme, October, 18—.
"MY DEAREST ELINOR:
"You will be glad to hear that Jane passed the barriers,
this morning, with the Howards. She has just finished a
letter to Mrs. Graham; and, as she dislikes writing so much,
has given me leave to announce her arrival to all at Wyllys-
Roof. As Jane enters Paris on one side, I leave it in the
opposite direction, for, the day after to-morrow, I am off for
Constantinople; a movement which will, no doubt, astonish
you, though, I am sure, you will wish me joy of such plea-
sant prospects. This letter will probably be the last you
will hear of me, for some time; not but what I shall write as
usual, but these long overland mails, through countries
where they suspect revolution or plague, in every letter,
often fail to do their duty. In fact, I delayed my journey a
6*
66
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
week or two, expressly to see Jane, and have a good supply
of Longbridge news before setting out. Everybody tells me,
I must expect to lose more than half my letters, both ways.
This is bad enough, to be sure; but a journey to Greece and
Constantinople, would be too full of delights, without some
serious drawback. I believe Jane is more tired by answer-
ing our questions, and hearing what we have to tell her, than
by her voyage. I cannot help wishing, my dear Elinor,
that it were you who had arrived in Paris, instead of our
pretty little cousin. How I should delight in showing you
my favourite view, the quais and the island, from the Pont
Royal-the Louvre, too, and the Madeleine. As for Jane,
she will, doubtless, find her chief pleasures at Delilles', and
the Tuileries-buying finery, and showing it off: it has
often puzzled me to find out which some ladies most enjoy.
"We are to be a party of four of us, on our eastern expe-
dition. In the first place, Ellsworth, whom you may have
seen; a very clever fellow, and brother-in-law to poor
Creighton. By-the-bye, Mrs. Creighton is still here, and
has been living, very quietly, with her brother, since her
husband's death; she is now going to the Howards, who are
her connexions, I believe; so says Louisa, at least. Ells-
worth, you know, poor fellow, lost his wife about a year ago;
he has left his little girl with her mother's friends, and has
come abroad for a year or two. Having been in Europe
before, he was very glad to make one, in our party to the
East, where he has not yet been. I mention him first, for
he is the most agreeable of our set. There is not much to
be said on the chapter of young Brown; and, I must con-
fess, that I don't quite agree with Col. Stryker, in the very
good opinion he evidently entertains of himself. By-the-bye,
American Colonels are as plenty, now-a-days, as the 'Mar-
quis' used to be, at Versailles, in the time of the Grand
Louis. Some simple European folk, actually believe that
each of these gentry has his regiment in the garrison
of 'Nieu Yorck,' I suppose; it would puzzle them, I
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
67
think, to find the army, if they were to cross the Atlantic; I
don't remember to have seen one of Uncle Sam's soldiers for
five years before I left home.
66
'Many thanks, dearest Elinor, for the contents of your
box; you cannot doubt but they will accompany your preux
chevalier on his pilgrimage. This Eastern movement has
been such a sudden one, that I have still a thousand things
to do, which will oblige me to make my letter shorter than
I wish. Ellsworth is waiting for me, at this moment. We
expect to be gone six, or, possibly, eight months. I shall
write again from Marseilles; and, I hope, the letter from
thence will reach you. Pull Bruno's ears for me, and don't
let him forget his master; which will be one way, my dear,
kind Elinor, of obliging you to remember that individual also.
Best respects to Mr. Wyllys and Aunt Agnes, with much
love for yourself, dearest Elinor, from
-
Your affectionate, present and futur,
H. H.
P. S.-Many remembrances for Mrs. Stanley, if she is
with you; I wrote to her last month.”
CHAPTER VII.
"What tidings send our scouts? I pr'y thee, speak."
Henry VI.
ABOUT the middle of the following March, the season, by
courtesy, called spring, but when winter sometimes reigns
de facto, in the neighbourhood to which Wyllys-Roof be-
longed, Mr. Wyllys proposed, one morning, to drive his
granddaughter to Longbridge, with the double object of
68
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
!
making the most of a late fall of snow, and procuring the
mail an hour earlier than usual.
The light cutter slipped through a track in which there
was quite as much mud as snow, and, it seemed, as if most
people preferred staying at home, to moving over roads in
that half-and-half condition: they met no one they knew,
excepting Dr. Van Horne.
"I was sure you would be out this morning, Mr. Wyllys,"
cried the Doctor, as they met, "your sleigh is always the
first and the last on the road."
"You generally keep me company, I find, doctor. I am
going for the mail. How far have you been, this morning ?”
To Longbridge, sir; but, with this sun, the snow will
hardly carry you there and home again; and yet, I dare say,
you will find something worth having, in the mail, for I saw
letters in your box; and there is a French packet in."
"Indeed! We'll make the best of our way, then, at
once;" and, wishing the doctor good morning, Mr. Wyllys
drove off. "We shall have letters from Paris, I hope, Nelly,"
said her grandfather.
"Certainly, I hope so," replied Elinor; "Jane's last let-
ter was shamefully short. I had half a mind not to answer
it; and so I told her; but my scolding has not had time to
reach her yet."
66
Jenny is no great letter-writer; and she is very busy
enjoying her year in Paris, I suppose. But I shall be
glad to have a sight of Harry's handwriting again. Where
was it he wrote from last, in December?"
"From Beyroot, sir. He was to be in Paris early in the
spring.'
""
Well, I hope we shall hear something from him to-day.
Before long, I suppose, we shall have the young gentleman
at Wyllys-Roof, trying to persuade you that he wants your
help in reading Blackstone. But, don't believe him, Nelly;
I shan't give you up for a year to come."
"There is time enough to think of all that," said Elinor,
blushing a little.
:
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
69
"Yes, time enough! and we can judge what sort of a
lawyer he will make, by the way in which he handles the
subject. As it is a bad cause, he ought to find a great deal
to say on the occasion. Suppose he manages the matter so
well, as to bring your aunt and myself over to his side, what
would you say?
?"
"I can only say now, grandpapa, that I cannot bear to
think of the time when I shall have to leave Aunt Agnes
and yourself," replied Elinor, with feeling. "Pray, don't
let us talk about it yet; I shall be very well satisfied with
things as they are, for a long time to come."
66
Well, you may be satisfied to have Harry in Egypt; but
I should like to see him here, once in a while. When is it
they are to be home ?"
"The last of the summer, sir. They sail in August, that
Louisa may see Mrs. Graham before she goes south."
"You have had a different sort of a winter, my child, from
Harry and Jane.”
It has been a pleasant winter to me, and to all three, I
hope."
"Yes; Jenny has had all the gaiety-Harry all the ad-
venture—and you, all the sobriety. But it was your own
wish, my dear, that has kept us in the country, this winter."
last six months had, indeed, passed very differently to
the young people. Jane had been dancing away her eve-
nings on the parquets of Paris; and dividing her mornings
between walks to the Tuileries, drives to the Bois de Bou-
logne, and visits to the shops. As for the lessons which hąd,
at one time, entered into the plan, they had never been even
commenced. Jane was too indolent to take pleasure in any-
thing of the kind; and her companions, the daughters of
Mrs. Howard, led her into so much gaiety, that she really
seemed to have little time for anything else. Mrs. Robert
Hazlehurst thought, indeed, that her sister was quite too dis-
sipated; still, Jane seemed to enjoy it so much, she looked
so well and happy, and Mrs. Howard was such an obliging
70
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
chaperon, that the same course was pursued, week after
week; although Mrs. Hazlehurst, herself, who had an infant.
a few weeks old, seldom accompanied her.
season.
Elinor, in the mean time, was passing the quietest of
country lives at Wyllys-Roof, where the family remained all
winter. Even the letters, which the previous year had given
her so much pleasure, had been wanting during the past
Jane never wrote oftener than was absolutely neces-
sary; and only two of Harry's letters reached their destination.
There was a package from Europe, however, in the Long-
bridge Post-Office, on the morning of the sleigh-drive we
have alluded to. It contained a long letter from Harry,
written at Smyrna, announcing that he hoped to be in Paris
some time in March; and one from Mrs. Hazlehurst, inform-
ing her friends of their plans for the summer-including an
excursion to Switzerland-after which they were to return
home late in August.
The very day Elinor received these letters, Harry returned
to Paris. After pitching his tent among Grecian ruins, and
riding on camels over the sands of Egypt and Syria, he had
returned to France through Turkey and Austria; thinking
himself a very lucky fellow to have seen so much of what
the world contains, worth seeing.
He found his brother entirely recovered, as well as he had
been before the accident which had injured him. He was
called upon to admire the little niece born during his absence;
she was a sweet little baby, and Mrs. Hazlehurst had named
her Elinor, after her future sister-in-law-a kind attention
for which Harry was much obliged to her, and which, he
declared, would make the child a favourite with him.
·
Jane was there, of course, and glad to see Harry, of course.
Hazlehurst had scarcely taken possession of a comfortable
fauteuil in his brother's drawing-room, before the thought
occurred to him, that all the party looked much as usual,
excepting Jane. During the first evening, he became con-
vinced that she was certainly altered by the air of Paris.
1
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
71
1
How very much she had improved in appearance and
manner! He had never before thought her so very beautiful
as many others had done-but he must now retract all he
had ever said on the subject. He supposed the good taste
with which she was dressed must have some effect; but it
seemed as if her beauty were now in its perfection. When
he last saw her, there was something almost childish in her
appearance and expression, which she had now lost entirely.
He was struck with the air of finish about her whole person,
from the rich glossy lustre on her dark hair, to the pearly
tint of her complexion. She was, indeed, a beatiful creature.
What a sensation such a face must create among the enthu-
siastic Parisians! Then, she must have more feeling than
he had given her credit for; she had received him quite
kindly, and seemed really glad to see him again.
Daily observation, while living under the same roof, only
confirmed Harry in this new opinion of Jane. He began to
admire the languid grace of her movements; and he dis-
covered that it is very possible to have too much warmth of
manner, and that some women certainly fatigue one by their
animation. He must tell the family at Wyllys-Roof how
much Jane had improved. He found he was not mistaken
in supposing that she must produce an impression wherever
she was seen. Whether they were walking in the Tuile-
ries of a morning, or went into society in the evening, the
effect was always the same; he saw her everywhere followed
by very evident and open admiration. And no wonder; her
beauty threw a charm over all her actions: it was even a
pleasure to accompany her in shopping excursions-which
he used to look upon as the greatest tax that a lady could
impose upon his gallantry; but then, few persons looked so
beautiful as Jane, when selecting a muslin, or trying on a
hat. He soon became proud of a place at her side, and
much more vain of her beauty than she was herself.
"I must let them know at Longbridge," he thought,
“what a sensation Jane is making. She is, indeed, a beauty
¿
72
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
to be proud of. I saw nothing like her in Greece. She
does credit to the country." Harry thought it patriotic to
admire her, and to lose no opportunity of enjoying the effect.
of her beauties among the gay world of Paris. American
patriotism, as we all know, often takes singular shapes.
Jane and himself became more intimate, and on more
friendly terms than they had ever yet been. She seemed,
indeed, to prefer him, as a cavaliere servente, to any of her
other admirers, American or European. But that might
easily be accounted for, on the score of connexion. Of
course, Harry was grateful for this preference, and after a
while he even began to look upon the excessive devotion of
one or two of her admirers, as impertinence on their part.
About this time-some weeks after his return-Hazle-
hurst gave himself very much to the study of aesthetics.
The beautiful, the harmonious, alone attracted him; he
could not endure anything approaching to coarseness. He
wandered up and down the galleries of the Louvre, delight-
ing more in the beautiful faces of the Italian masters, in the
Nymphs and Muses of the old Greeks, than he had ever
done before. He became quite a connoisseur. He had no
taste for the merely pretty; perfect beauty he admired with
his whole soul, but anything short of it was only to be tole-
rated. He felt the fact, if he did not reason on the discovery,
that beauty in the very highest degree, carries with it-we
do not say the expression-but the stamp of dignity, and
even of intelligence. Such was the impression produced by
Jane's perfectly classical head and features. It was impos-
sible, as you gazed upon her smooth polished forehead, and
noble dark eyes, to believe her wanting in character, or in-
tellect. Then, Harry remembered that talent of the highest
order bears a calm aspect; not frothy, sparkling cleverness,
which takes so well with the vulgar; not wit, exactly; but
that result of a well-balanced mind, in which all the faculties
harmonize so well, that they leave no one particularly pro-
minent. He had been much struck, lately, with several
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
73
remarks of Jane's-they showed a depth of observation, a
fund of good sense, which he had not formerly supposed
her to possess; but then, of old, he used to be unpardonably
unjust to Jane.
She was certainly improved, too; her
friends at Longbridge would be gratified by the change.
This course of aesthetics gradually carried Harry so far,
that after a profound study of the subject in general, and of
Jane's features in particular, he became a convert to the
opinion of the German philosopher, who affirms that "The
Beautiful is greater than the Good." There have been dis-
putes, we believe, on the subject of this axiom, some critics
giving it a deep mystical sense, others, again, attempting to
explain it in different ways. Our friend Hazlehurst, though
a pretty good German scholar, seemed disposed to adopt the
idea in its simplest interpretation.
Things were in this train, when the family set out for
Switzerland.
CHAPTER VI.
"Her dress, and novels, visits, and success.”
CRABBE.
LONGBRIDGE was quite a pleasant village, and surrounded
by a pretty country. Like most other American rural towns,
it received, in the warmest months, a large accession to its
population; for it seems to be a matter of course, that every-
body who is able to do so, runs away from brick walls in the
months of July and August, and selects some village in
which to rusticate, and set the fashions, enjoy the dust and
the fire-flies, fresh peaches, and home-made ice-cream.
Longbridge, in addition to the usual advantages of pure air,
VOL. I.—7
74
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
!
and brown fields, in the month of August, had something of
a reputation as a place for bathing; and its three taverns,
and various boarding-houses, were generally well filled with
families from New York and Philadelphia, during the very
warm weather.
Among others, during the season to which we allude, the
Grahams were there, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the
Hazlehurst party from Europe; for letters had been received,
informing their friends that they might be expected at any
moment. The Wyllys carriage was now seen at Long-
bridge every day, either at the house where their relatives,
the Grahams, had taken lodgings for the season, or before
the door of a neat little cottage, recently purchased by Mr.
Wyllys for the widow of his youngest son, Mrs. George
Wyllys. This lady, to whom the reader has been already
introduced, had been left, with four children, almost entirely
dependent on her father-in-law. Her character was some-
what of a medley. She was a good-hearted woman, attached
to her husband's family, and always asking advice of her
friends, particularly Mr. Wyllys, and Miss Agnes, for whom
she had a sincere respect. She was pretty, lady-like, rather
clever, and a pleasant companion to persons not particularly
interested in her welfare. On indifferent topics she could
converse with as much good sense as the rest of the world;
but her own affairs she mismanaged terribly. All her other
good qualities seemed unsettled by a certain infusion of
caprice, and jealousy of influence; and yet she really meant
well, and fancied herself a very prudent woman. She
thought she was capable of making any sacrifice for those
she loved, and therefore believed herself a model in all the
relations of life. As a mother, she had a system of educa-
tion, the theory of which was excellent; but there was little
consistency in its practice. As regards money-matters, she
talked and thought so much about economy, that she took it
for granted that she practised it. After having passed the
first years of her widowhood with her own family in Balti-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
75
more, she had lately become convinced that her income was
not sufficient to allow her living in a large town, without
running in debt. Mr. Wyllys was unfortunately too well
aware that his daughter-in-law's difficulties were not the
result of Baltimore prices, but of her own mismanagement.
Franklin advises his friends to "take care of the pence, and
the pounds will take care of themselves:" but this rule is by
no means infallible. Perhaps there is no species of extra-
vagance more common, than that often practised by well-
disposed people, which consists in being "penny-wise, pound-
foolish;" they will save a hundred cents on as many different
occasions, and throw away twenty dollars on one object.
It happens that such persons often succeed in persuading
themselves that they are models of prudence, and self-denial.
Such was Mrs. George Wyllys's plan; and, unfortunately,
she not only brought trouble on herself, but was a constant
source of anxiety to her father-in-law, who endeavoured, in
vain, to counteract the evil: but every succeeding year brought
a repetition of the difficulties of the former.
At present, Mrs. Wyllys was bent upon economy in a
cottage, with new furniture, purchased at a high price, at
New York auctions; and it was in vain to oppose her plan, so
convinced was she, that duty alone could have induced her
to leave her own family and old friends in Baltimore.
"We must make the best of it, Agnes," said Mr. Wyllys,
"it will be pleasant, at least, to have Harriet and her little
people near us—and we may be of use to the children.'
Miss Agnes agreed to the first part of her father's remark,
but was far from feeling sanguine as to their being of any
advantage to the children. It was a part of Mrs. Wyllys's
system, to consult her friends far more frequently than was
necessary, upon the education of her family, at the same
time that it also entered into her plan to follow their advice
very seldom indeed.
As for Elinor, she was very well pleased with her aunt's
arrival in the neighbourhood; of course, she was too young
76
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
and inexperienced to know the exact state of matters, and
she was attached to Mrs. Wyllys, and fond of her little
cousins.
One afternoon, Mrs. Wyllys had persuaded Miss Agnes.
and Elinor to drink tea with her, and not return home until
the evening. The ladies were sitting together, in Mrs. Wyl-
lys's pleasant little parlour, engaged with their needles, while
the children were playing under the windows, in the shady
door-yard.
"Shall I put the bow on the right or left side, Elinor?”
asked Mrs. Wyllys, who was re-trimming a hat for one of
her little girls.
"It looks very well as you have it now, Aunt;" replied
her niece.
"Perhaps it does; there is a stain, however, on the other
side, which must be covered," replied the lady, changing
the bow. "This riband was very cheap, Agnes," she added,
showing it to her sister-in-law. "Only twenty cents a yard.
I bought the whole piece, although I shall not want it until
next spring."
Quite cheap," said Miss Agnes, looking at the riband;
"but I don't know what you will do with so much of it."
Oh, I shall find some use for it; in a large family, no-
thing comes amiss.”
66
A pretty, little girl, about eight years old, ran into the
room, and, skipping up to her mother, whispered, "Here
comes a carriage, mamma, and some ladies.”
Who is it, Elinor?" asked Mrs. Wyllys, of her niece,
who was sitting near the window.
"The Hubbards," she replied.
"What, Patsey Hubbard ?"
"Oh, no; her cousins very different persons. The
Longbridge Hubbards, whose acquaintance you have not yet
made."
Two ladies, radiant with elegance, entered the room, and
were introduced, by Miss Agnes, to her sister-in-law, as Mrs.
.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
1717
Hilson, and Miss Emmeline Hubbard. They were both
young; quite pretty; very fashionably dressed; very silly
in their expressions, and much alike, in every respect.
After a few preliminary speeches, Mrs. Hilson remarked,
that she was very glad Mrs. Wyllys had come to join their
rustic circle.
“Thank you,” replied the lady; "Longbridge is a favour-
ite place of mine; but I have not yet seen many traces of
rusticity, here."
“Why, no, Julianna," observed Miss Emmeline, “I don't
think our village is at all a rustic place. We have too many
advantages of communication with the city for that."
"It is true," said Mrs. Hilson, "Longbridge has always
been a very aristocratic place. You know, Miss Wyllys,"
turning to Miss Agnes, "we have our West-End,' and our
'exclusives.'
"""
"I was not aware of it; but then I am really a rustic,”
Miss Wyllys added, smiling.
"Yes, it is unfortunate, you should be so far from the vil-
lage. Emmeline and I often pity you, Miss Elinor, for being
so far from genteel society."
"That is scarcely worth while, I assure you, for we have
several pleasant families, within a short distance."
"But only a very small circle, however. Now we have
quite a large set of aristocratic people, in the village. Some
of our inhabitants are very refined, I assure you, Mrs. Wyl-
lys."
The lady bowed.
"You will find your two next neighbours, Mrs. Bibbs and
Mrs. Tibbs, very fascinating ladies," observed Miss Emme-
line. Mrs. Bibbs is one of our beauties; and Mrs. Tibbs,
our most elegant dresser.”
"Emmeline is going over the Court Calendar, for you,
already," said Mrs. Hilson, laughing fashionably.
"Are these ladies the wives of judges ?" inquired Mrs.
Wyllys.
7*
78
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
L
"Oh, no; Mrs. Tibbs is the lady of our physician, and
Mrs. Bibbs is a marchande,'-she is a very fascinating lady,
and has a fine flow of conversation. She was a great belle,
at Saratoga, a year or two since; you may, perhaps, have
met her there?” inquired Mrs. Hilson.
"Not that I know of; but I have not been at Saratoga for
years."
Is it possible? I cannot live without three weeks at
Saratoga, and a fortnight at Rockaway, every year. Before
I ordered my wedding-dress, I made Mr. Hilson promise I
should have my own way about that. I said to him, one
day, 'Alonzo, before the settlements are drawn up, I shall
require you to pledge yourself to six weeks, every year, be-
tween Saratoga and Rockaway.""
“You are fond of a gay life, I suppose."
"Very naturally; having lived in the world of fashion
from my cradle, I do not think I could breathe any other
atmosphere. It must be a great change for you, Mrs. Wyl-
lys, from all the pleasures of a city-life to a small circle like
ours."
"A change, certainly; but a pleasant one, I hope."
It will be a relief to you, to find so much aristocracy
among us. We have a certain clique, that, I think, must
satisfy the most refined taste, and will console you, I hope,
for the loss of genteel society in Baltimore."
"Thank you. I shall scarcely miss any but my friends.
I go out very little."
"I regret to hear that. We must try to persuade you to
change your determination, and mingle more with society.
I feel confident, that our West-End clique must satisfy the
most refined taste. We expect to have a great deal of gaiety,
this fall; but, just at present, we have a scarcity of beaux."
"What has become of young Mr. Taylor; he was to have
been home by this time. Do you hear anything of him, Miss
Wyllys?" inquired Miss Emmeline.
"His family expect him soon, I believe."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
79
"I hope he will arrive before our summer parties are over.
Mr. and Mrs. Hazlehurst, too, and Miss Graham, when shali
we have the pleasure of seeing them?"
"We expect them every day."
"I hope," said Mrs. Hilson, "they will arrive while I am
here, which will be longer than usual, this season, for they
are painting our suit of apartments in the city. When I
came, Alonzo told Emmeline to keep me until October, and
she has promised me a round of entertainments, while I am
with her; so that I feel particularly interested in the arrival
of your friends."
""
"Miss Graham will dash a great deal, no doubt, when she
comes back," said Miss Emmeline; "I quite long to see
her. Miss Taylor must be expecting her impatiently. By-
the-bye, I understand, Mr. Taylor's new furniture is now all
arrived. His villa, as well as his city-house, will be very
stylish."
"Mr. Taylor is a very tasty gentleman," observed Mrs.
Hilson. "He seems to be very talented, in every way;
formed to figure in fashionable life, as well as in business.
His new house is a magnificent edifice."
"Your father tells me, he has quite finished his own house,
Mrs. Hilson; you must be glad to get rid of the workmen,"
remarked Miss Wyllys.
Yes they have been long enough about it; but Pa has
old-fashioned notions about having everything substantial,
and well done; he said Emmeline and I might choose the
plan, and have everything as we liked; but he must have
his own time to do it in. However, it is a delightful man-
sion, now. It has every convenience of the most fashionable
houses in the city; plate-glass, and folding-doors, and mar-
ble chimneys to the garret. Just such a house as I should
like in New York; though, to tell the truth, I would not
keep house for the world."
"Julianna is so delightfully situated, in her boarding-
house, Mrs. Wyllys, that she has nothing to wish for."
80
ELINOR WYLLYS: OR,
Yes, we have every luxury of fashionable life, united to
a very aristocratic set of boarders; and Mrs. Stone, herself,
is an extremely fascinating lady. Indeed, I have been
spoilt; I don't think I could endure the drudgery of house-
keeping, now; though I once told Alonzo, if he would
give me a four-story house, up town, with a marble front, I
would try."
66
You must find the situation of your father's new house
pleasanter than that he has left," observed Miss Agnes.
"By no means.-That is a serious objection to our new
mansion. Standing surrounded by the park, on three sides,
removes us so far from the street.
""
"I should have thought you would find it pleasant
to be removed farther from the noise and dust. What is
your cousin Charles doing? I suppose you see him often, in
town."
"I really do not know what has become of him,” said
Mrs. Hilson, languidly; for she always felt rather mortified
by any allusion to her unfashionable relations. "Though
Charles is in the city now, studying painting, yet I never
see him. He told Mr. Hilson that he called sometimes, but
I have never seen his card; in a large boarding-house like
ours, with a family of forty or fifty people, there is often
great confusion about visits. But, Emmeline, we are making
a very unfashionable call. I am quite ashamed, Mrs.
Wyllys: but we will relieve yon now-I see our carriage
has returned.” And after an exchange of curtsies, the ladies
glided out of the room. Miss Emmeline, as she passed,
touched the curly head of one of the children, exclaiming as
she did so, "fascinating cherub!" and then both vanished.
We have said that these two sisters were very much alike.
Mrs. Hilson, however, was the most distinguished of the
two, for she carried the family follies several degrees farther
than Miss Emmeline. Taken altogether, she was an absurd
compound. Personally, she was thoroughly American,
very pretty and delicate in form and features, and thus får
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
81
appeared to great advantage; but she had, also, an affected
mincing manner, and drawling voice. Of course, her dress
was as Parisian as possible; everything she wore was a
faithful copy from "Le Courier des Dames." Her feelings
and opinions, Mrs. Hilson was proud to call English in the
extreme, for she had chosen to imbibe a great love of “aris-
tocracy," and many other things which she did not in the
least understand. She had a set of common-place phrases
of this description in constant use, having borrowed them
from an intimate friend, living in the same boarding-house,
a Mrs. Bagman, an English woman, of a very equivocal
position. Then, she read nothing but English novels; these
were her only source of amusement and instruction in the
way of books; and as she followed the example of Mrs.
Bagman, in rejecting every tale that had not its due share of
lords and ladies, she called herself fastidious in the selec-
tion. She was a great talker, and not a day passed but what
cockney sentiments fell from her pretty little mouth, in
drawling tones, from under a fanciful Parisian coïffure.
John Bull would have stared, however, if called upon to
acknowledge her as a daughter; for Yankee vulgarity and
English vulgarity are very different in character-the first
having the most pretension, the last the most coarseness.
These ladies had scarcely driven from the door, before
Mrs. Wyllys exclaimed: "Is it possible, Agnes, that these
Hubbards are a good specimen of the Longbridge people!"
No, indeed; one such family is quite enough for any
place."
66
"How ridiculous they are! How can you tolerate them?”
"Now, pray, Aunt Agnes;" said Elinor, "do not say one
word in their favour."
No; as regards the ladies of the family, one can say
little. They are not perhaps, by nature, as ridiculous as
they have made themselves. Time may do something for
them. But their father is a very worthy, respectable man;
you must have seen him at our house last summer. Don't
66
82
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
¿
you remember one day two uncles of Patsey Hubbard
dining with us?"
Yes, I do remember them; one Charles Hubbard called
Uncle Josey, and he seemed quite a sensible man; the other
fell asleep I know, the one they called Uncle Dozie."
"The napping uncle is the old bachelor; Uncle Josie is
the father of these ladies."
"He seemed a sensible man; how came he to have such
daughters?"
"They are very like their mother, who died a year or two
since."
"They are very disagreeable, certainly. How often shall
we be required to encounter this desperate elegance? I
almost begin to repent having fixed myself at Longbridge."
"And between Mrs. Bibbs, and Mrs. Tibbs, too!" said
Elinor, laughing. "However, for your consolation, Aunt,
I can assure you these two ladies are far from being so very
fascinating' as the Hubbards. Mrs. Hilson and her sister
rise high above the rest of us in that respect-they are, de-
cidedly, our Corinthian capital.""
"
6
"You will find the Van Hornes, the Bernards, and several
other families, very pleasant neighbours, on farther acquaint-
ance,” said Miss Agnes. “You have really been unfortunate
in this specimen."
"And where did these ladies contrive to pick up so much
absurdity?"
"With a miserable education to begin with, no other
reading than the worst novels, and the chance association of
second-rate boarding-houses, that point, I think, is easily
accounted for," said Miss Agnes.
The conversation was interrupted by the hurried return
of Mr. Wyllys, who held a newspaper in his hand.
66
They have arrived!" cried Elinor, springing from her
chair, as she saw her grandfather enter the gate.
"Good news!” said Mr. Wyllys, as he joined the ladies.
"The Erie is in, and our friends with her! They must
66
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
83
have arrived in the night, and to-morrow morning we shall
have them here."
Of course, all the family were gratified by the good news.
Elinor was quite agitated, though her aunt had the pleasure
of seeing her look very happy.
"Here it is," said Mr. Wyllys, reading from the paper
the arrival of "the Packet Ship Erie, Capt. Funck, from
Hâvre, consigned to
& Co.;' that you won't care
about. But here is the list of passengers: Mr. Johnson,
Mrs. Johnson, and a dozen Masters and Misses Johnson, from
Natchez ;'—strangers, you will say, but here are acquaint-
ances: Mrs. Creighton, Mr. Francis Ellsworth, and ser-
vant, of Phil.; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hazleworth, and family,
of Phil.; Miss Graham, of Phil.; Madame Gigot, of Paris :'
wait a moment, Nelly, all in good time. Capt. Flint, of British
Army; Achille Bureau, of Paris; T. Davis, of Charleston;
Dr. Brackett, of St. Louis;' and, though last, not least in
our estimation, W. Hazleworth, of Phil.; with seventy-
nine in the steerage.' Of course, for W. Hazleworth, read
H. Hazlehurst; they never spell a name right. We shall
have them all here to-morrow I hope, Nelly."
C
If Elinor said little, she thought and felt a great deal.
•
""
They were still talking over the arrival, when Mrs. Wyl-
lys's little girl came skipping in, again, and said; "Here
comes a gentleman, mamma. She was followed in an
instant, by a young man, who, in a hurried, eager manner,
had kissed the hand of Miss Agnes, and Elinor's cheek,
before either had time to exclaim "Harry !”
It was, in fact, Hazlehurst, still in his travelling-cap. They
had arrived in the night, he said, and the rest of the party
was to follow him the next day.
84
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
CHAPTER IX.
How taught shall I return?”
CRABBE."
Of course, Harry was established at Wyllys-Roof. And,
after a few days passed with her parents at Longbridge,
Elinor persuaded Jane to pay her a short visit.
It is a pleasant moment, for people of mature years, when
they can sit idly by, as affectionate observers, while a gay
party of young people, in whom they are interested, are
chatting familiarly together, with the lively tone and light
spirits of youth, free alike from the restraints of childhood,
and the cares of middle age. Every varied shade of charac-
ter, unconsciously betrayed by the young group-the playful
remark-the just observation-the pleasing acquirement-
an act of good-nature-a graceful motion-the bright eye
and the careless smile-ay, even the proof of inexperience.
and want of worldly wisdom-all is attractive to the partial
friends. They feel such a moment to be the reward of
many a previous hour of care and anxiety; it is their happy
privilege to mark each improvement in person, mind and
heart-the fruit of past labours and prayers-the cheering
promise amid the doubts of the future. Happy they, who
can look upon the young people committed to their charge,
with the consciousness that no important duty towards them
has been neglected; happy the young person, who, with a
clear conscience and an open countenance, can meet the
approving smile of a parent; thrice happy the youth, who,
having taken a false step at the beginning of his career, has
had the courage and wisdom to turn, ere too late; that pre-
cious approbation of wise and true friends, may still be fully
his; he has turned from danger, temptation and shame, into
the sure and safe path that leads to everything most to be
valued, even in this world.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
85
As for our friends at Wyllys-Roof, the joy of re-union,
after a long absence, gave additional zest to the first pleasant
meetings of the young people, in whom Miss Agnes and Mr.
Wyllys were so warmly interested. Elinor was in gay
spirits—even Jane was more animated than usual, in her
expressions and manners. As for Harry, he was decidedly
improved; the last two years had done a great deal for him.
He was now a clever, well-educated, agreeable young man
of three-and-twenty, whose judgment and taste were much
improved by travelling.
"A very good-looking fellow, too, Agnes," remarked Mr.
Wyllys.
It was easy to gather, from the natural, healthful tone of
his conversation, that in more important points, while he had
gained much, he had lost nothing by wider observation of
the world.
As for Jane, Miss Agnes had not expected much from her,
and she was pleased with the changes she observed. Her
young kinswoman's temper seemed to have become more
even than formerly, and she was quite as much pleased to
return to her family, as she ought to have been. It appeared
natural, that everybody who saw Jane should be satisfied.
with looking at her. Beauty like hers disarmed their at-
tempts at severity, and disposed them to indulgence. It
seemed scarcely reasonable to expect any striking quality, or
great virtue, with beauty so rare. But if the Wyllyses had
thought her beautiful before she left them, they were really
astonished to find how much it had been possible for her to
gain in appearance. Her face was now perfectly lovely, in
the finest style of beauty. Miss Wyllys was pleased to find
her manners much improved; a change from the society of
Adeline Taylor, and her lively young friends, to that of older
and better-bred people, had been of great advantage. Jane's
labours of liveliness had annoyed Miss Agnes not a little;
and more than once she had ventured a remark on the sub-
ject; but her young relative had been too well advised, by
VOL. I.-8
ས
86
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Adeline and her school-companions, to believe that Miss
Wyllys could possibly know, as well as themselves, what
were the fashionable airs and graces of the day. Since her
visit to Paris, however, Jane's manner, without her being
aware of it herself, had become much more quiet and natu-
ral. During the last twelvemonth, she had not found it ne-
cessary to make perpetual exertions to attract, or retain
admirers. She had learned to look upon the attentions of
society as a matter of course.
The observations of Mr. Wyllys and his daughter were
not all confined to the two young travellers; they watched
the graceful movements of Elinor, and listened with interest
to the gay remarks made in her pleasant voice. She had
never been in better spirits, and was evidently happy. Elinor
was really attached to Jane; and yet, never were two girls
less alike, not only in person, but in mind and disposition.
Jane's beauty was a great charm, in Elinor's eyes. The
homeliness of her own features only increased her admiration
for those of her cousin, who had always filled, with her, the
place of a younger sister and pet, although the difference
in their ages was very trifling. If these feelings were not
returned as warmly as they deserved, Elinor had never
seemed to expect that they should be; it was not in Jane's
nature to do so. That Harry's arrival should have made her
happy, was, of course, only natural; she betrayed, at times,
a touch of embarrassment towards him, when Aunt Agnes
had smiled too openly, or Mr. Wyllys had rallied too
strongly; but it was graceful, like every shade in her
inanner.
Miss Agnes was well aware that the last two years had
not been lost with Elinor, although passed in quict every-day
life. She knew, from close observation, that the character
of her adopted child had been gradually approaching nearer
to all she wished it to be. As the two young girls sat chat-
ting together, Miss Wyllys could not but mark the striking
difference in their appearance; but she also felt that if Jane's
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
87
loveliness were a charm, even to her, knowing Elinor tho-
roughly, she loved her far more deeply for the want of
beauty. But, of course, the world would have decided dif-
ferently.
The morning after Jane's arrival at Wyllys-Roof, the
young people were engaged in one of the gay conversations
we have alluded to, when Mr. Wyllys called off Hazlehurst's
attention.
Harry, what was that clumsy contrivance about the
French horses, you were describing to Van Horne, last night?
I wanted to ask you, at the time, but you began to talk with
Miss Patsey. You said something about a wooden collar,
I think."
(C
Harry changed his seat, for one nearer Mr. Wyllys, and
began a long explanation of the harness used by the French
teamsters.
"I have several engravings in my trunks, that will show
you my meaning, sir, better than words can do.”
"I should like to see them. But, are these wooden wings
to the collars, as you describe them, used throughout France,
or only in Normandy, and the neighbourhood of Paris?"
"We saw them wherever we went. All the carters and
farmers seem to use them. They have, besides, a great deal
of clumsy, useless ornament, and they contrive to want twice
as much tackle as we do."
The gentlemen continued to discuss the subject of horses
and harness, Harry relating, for Mr. Wyllys's amusement,
many observations he had made, on these matters, in the
different countries where he had been.
Jane had brought down, from her room, an arm-full of
pretty things, evidently Parisian. She had just given Elinor
a very pretty bag, which Miss Agnes was called upon to
admire.
"My dear Aunt," cried Elinor, "do look at this; Jane,
I think we must call it a sac- 'bag' sounds too heavy.
Look at the material-the finest cachemere. And then the
colour. so rich and so delicate at the same time.”
g
88
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"Yes; it is a very pretty shade of ponceau," said Jane.
“And then the shape! so Parisian! And the ornaments—”
"It is very pretty, my dear," said Miss Wyllys, after due
examination.
"That is the way with everything that comes from Paris,'
said Elinor; "it is always so complete; not one part good
and others clumsy-or good in quality, but ugly in form and
colour. The French seem to have an instinct about these
things; they throw a grace about everything."
"Yes; they have a perfect taste," said Jane.
"While I was up-stairs, with Louisa, yesterday," said
Elinor, “we talked over Paris all the morning, Aunt Agnes.
I was amused with a great deal she told me.
Louisa says,
there is a fitness in all that a French-woman does and says,
and even in everything she wears-that her dress is always
consistent always appropriate to the occasion."
"That is true," replied Jane; "their dress is always of a
piece."
"And yet, Louisa insists upon it, that they do not bestow
more time and thought upon the subject, than the women of
other countries—and, certainly, not so much money."
""
"Everything is so easy to be had, and so much cheaper,
in Paris," said Jane.
66
But, she remarked, that they are never ashamed to wear
a pretty thing merely because it is cheap; nor to make
themselves comfortable, by wearing thick shoes in the mud,
and a coarse, warm shawl in a fog."
"We have not much mud or fog to trouble us, in this
country;" said Miss Agnes.
"No, aunt; but we have hard showers in summer, and
cold weather in winter; in spite of which, you know, our
ladies must always be dressed like fairies."
"I have often heard Madame de Bessières praise the good
sense of her countrywomen, on those subjects,” observed
Miss Wyllys.
“Louisa maintains that the French-women have a great
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
89
deal of common sense; she says, that is the foundation of
their good taste; and, I suppose, after all, good taste is only
good sense refined.”
"I suppose it is, my dear. Louisa seems to have come
back even more of a French-woman than you, Jane,” ob-
served Miss Agnes.
"Oh! I like the French very well, Aunt Agnes."
"But Louisa is quite eloquent on the subject."
"She was so very fortunate, Aunt, in having so kind a
friend in Paris, as Madame de Bessières. Louisa describes
the de Bessières as living in a delightful set of people—she
mentioned half a dozen persons whom she met habitually
there, as not only amiable, and highly accomplished, and
well-bred, but high-principled, too. She says she used
often to wish you could know them, Aunt Agnes."
"I can readily believe anything good of the intimate
friends of Madame de Bessières, for I never knew a woman
whose character was more worthy of respect.
It was a
great loss to us, when she returned to France. She was
very fond of you, Elinor.”
"How kind in a person of Madame de Bessières' age, to
remember me! I long to see the letter she wrote me;
Robert says I shall have it, certainly, to-morrow, when all
their baggage will be at Longbridge."
“Madame de Bessières often spoke of you, Elinor," said
Jane. "She bid me ask if you remembered all the pet
names she used to call you, but I forgot to mention it when
I wrote."
"Just as you forget many other things, naughty girl; I.
must say you are anything but a model correspondent, Jenny,
dear."
66
Well, I can't help it-I do dislike so to write!"
"You need not tell me that," said Elinor, laughing. “But
I do remember all Madame de Bessières' kind names very
well. It was sometimes, mon lapin, mon lapin doré, mon
chou, ma mère-they all sounded pleasantly to me, she
8*
90
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
spoke them so kindly. But sometimes to vex me, the other
children-Master Harry among others-used to translate
them; and, though rabbit, and golden rabbit, sounded very
well in English, I did not care to be called cabbage."
"Did you like the young people you met in Paris, Jane?"
asked Miss Wyllys.
"Oh, yes; the young men don't trouble you to entertain
them, and the girls are very good-natured and pleasant."
"Louisa seems to think the French girls are charming-
so graceful, and pleasing, and modest; really accomplished,
and well educated, too, she says-all that young women
ought to be."
66
Yes, she says that she hopes her little girls will be as
well educated as Madame de Bessières' grand-daughters,"
said Jane.
“Well, I hope my little namesake may answer her mother's
expectations. She is a sweet little puss now, at any rate.
Louisa was quite vexed yesterday, with Mrs. Van Horne,
who asked her if the French girls were not all artful, and
hypocritical. She answered her, that, on the contrary, those
she saw the most frequently, were modest, ingenuous, and
thoroughly well-principled in every way, besides being very
accomplished. She laid great stress on one point, the respect
invariably paid by the young to the old, not only among the
women, but the men, too."
66
Yes," observed Miss Agnes; "I remember to have
heard the same remark from Madame de Bessières; she
observed, that after having been in many different countries,
she could justly claim for her own, that in no other was so
much deference paid to age as in France.'
"That agrees precisely with Louisa's opinion. She says
it is a striking feature in French society, and appears tho-
roughly part of their character-not at all assumed for
appearance sake."
66
It is a duty too little remembered in this country. It
seems to be only in our very best families that the subject is
properly attended to," said Miss Agnes.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
91
"Louisa likes the manners of the men for the same reason;
she says that in society they are always respectful and
obliging, whatever other agreeable or disagreeable qualities
they may have. She remarked, that she had never met with
a rude Frenchman in society; but she had, repeatedly, met
with rude Englishmen, in very good company.
"What fault, pray, did Louisa find with the Englishmen
you met, Jane?" asked Miss Agnes.
“There is a certain set, who say and do rude things."
"I should not have thought that," said Miss Wyllys.
"Oh, they have a way of making themselves disagreeable;
now, a Frenchman never tries to be disagreeable.”
“One would think no one would try that," said Elinor.
“The English do, though, I assure you; at least a certain
set. I don't believe any other people do. I remember one
evening, Harry was very angry with a certain Mr. Ellery,
son of a Lord Greystone, who used to come to our house
quite often last spring. Do you remember him, Harry?"
she added, as Hazlehurst again approached the table covered
with French knicknacks, where the girls were sitting.
"Whom were you talking about?" he asked.
"Mr. Ellery ;-do you remember his manner?"
Ellery? To be sure I do!-Insufferable coxcomb!"
Pray, what was his great offence?" asked Elinor,
laughing.
Harry coloured violently. "Oh, it was his intolerable
English manner. I have known him stretch himself out
nearly full length on a sofa, on which Jane or Louisa was
sitting, and stare at them, with the most sickening expression,
for half an hour at a time.”
66
66
“Half an hour, Harry! how can you talk so? Half a
minute, you mean.'
“Well, until he drove you away, at any rate. I was
often surprised that you could endure it as long as you did.
But happily, Louisa cooled him off after a while; though I
had a strong inclination to undertake the job myself.”
92
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"It was much better as it was; it was Louisa's place to
do it," observed Miss Agnes.
"But I thought you liked the English," said Elinor, with
some surprise. "You were speaking very highly of several
of your English friends, last night."
"I do like the better sort very much. They are fine,
manly fellows, as ever breathed."
"What people did you like best?" asked Miss Agnes.
"A man who does not cherish prejudice, must naturally
like the best qualities and the best individuals of all nations.”
"But have you no preference ?"
"There cannot be a doubt, that society is more agreeable
in France, in Paris, than elsewhere."
"Are not the French too artificial?”
"I honestly do not think them more so than the English.
English simplicity often has a very artificial twist; with the
French it is just the reverse; art becomes a second-nature,
with them."
"We hear the French accused of selfishness—”
"I think you would find both French and English more
selfish than we are. But they have different ways of show-
ing it. The Englishman is exclusive, and reserved; the
Frenchman egotistical. Reserve may seem dignified; but
it often covers a great deal of cold self-love; while French
egotism—not egoïsme—is often mingled with much naïveté
and bonhommie. Both nations, however, are more selfish
than the Italians, or Germans, I should say."
"Still, you seem to like the French the best of the two.”
“Well, the French generally treat Americans more civilly
than the English. John Bull is very fond of giving himself
airs of superiority, after a disagreeable fashion of his own.
Now a Frenchman fancies himself so much more civilized
than the rest of the world, that he has a good-natured feeling
towards everybody but John Bull: he thinks he can afford
to be amiable and friendly.
""
"If you are speaking of the best people in each country,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
93
}
however,'
" said Mr. Wyllys; "that is not the surest way
We must take the average."
of judging national character.
“I am aware of that, sir.”
"At any rate, you don't seem to have liked this Mr. Ellery,"
said Elinor.
"Not in the least; I used to think him excessively imper-
tinent," exclaimed Harry, and as his choler rose, while cer-
tain recollections passed through his mind, he coloured again.
To change the subject, he took up the bag the young ladies.
had been admiring.
“What fanciful name may belong to this piece of finery;
for, of course, it is not a bag?" he asked.
66
Oh, it is too useful, not to have a straight-forward, com-
mon name; you may call it a sac, though, if you like. I
could not think of anything more imaginative; can you,
Jane ?"
"I dare say, there is another name; but I have forgotten
it; everything has a name of its own, in Paris."
“Your table looks like a fancy-shop, Aunt Agnes,” con-
tinued Hazlehurst; "gloves, bags, purses, boxes, muslins,
portfolios, and twenty other things, jumbled together."
"What sort of wood is the work-box that you chose for
Miss Patsey?" asked Elinor. "I am very glad you thought
of her."
(6
Harry does not seem to have forgotten any of his friends,
while in Paris," said Miss Agnes.
Hazlehurst looked down.
"It is some dark wood; not rose-wood, however. It is
rather plain; but a serviceable-looking box," he said.
"Just the thing for Miss Patsey," observed Elinor.
"Here, Elinor,” said Jane, "is the cape I spoke of ;" and
she unfolded a paper, and drew from it a piece of muslin
which had evidently received a very pretty shape, fine em-
broidery, and tasteful bows of riband from some Parisian
hand. “This is the one I spoke of.—Is it not much prettier
than any you have seen?”
94
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR
Elinor received the cape from her cousin, who was unu-
sually animated in its praises; it was held up to the light;
then laid on the table; the delicacy of the work was admired;
then the form, and the ribands; and, at last, Elinor threw it
over Jane's shoulders, observing, at the same time, that it was
particularly becoming to her. Harry seemed determined
not to look; and, in order to resist any inclination he may
have felt, to do so, he resolutely took up a Review, and
began turning over its pages. The young ladies' admira-
tion of the cape lasted several minutes, and, at length, Elinor
called upon the rest of the party to admire how becoming it
was.
"Well, really," exclaimed Harry, looking rather cross,
probably at being disturbed in his reading, "young ladies'
love of finery seems quite inexhaustible; it is sometimes
incomprehensible to the duller perceptions of the male sex.”
Don't be saucy!" said Elinor.
Why, you can't deny the fact, that you and Jane have
been doing nothing else, all the morning, but tumble over
this Paris finery ?"
66
"I beg your pardon-we have been talking quite sensibly,
too; have we not, Aunt Agnes ?”
"Much as usual, I believe, my dear," replied Miss
Wyllys.
"Pray observe, that the table contains something besides
finery; here are some very good French and Italian books;
but, I suppose, you will say, those you selected yourself."
"I certainly did,” said Harry; " and the music, too.”
(C
Well, I have half a mind not to tell you, that we like the
books and the music quite as well as anything here," said
Elinor, colouring; and then, as if almost fearing that she
had betrayed her feelings, she continued, in a gay tone.
"But, why are you so severe upon us this morning?"
"Unpalatable truth, I suppose," said Harry, shrugging
his shoulders.
Pray, remember, sir, that if finery be thrown away upon
66
•
THE YOUNG FÓLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
95
the noble sex, at the present day, it was not always so. Let
me refer you to certain kings, who, not content with study-
ing their own dresses, have condescended to compose those of
their queens, too. Remember how many great heroes
your Turennes and Marlboroughs-have appeared in dia-
monds and satin, velvet and feathers!"
“But that was two hundred years ago."
They were heroes, nevertheless; and, I suppose, une
fois caporal, toujours caporal. But, if you prefer some-
thing nearer to our own time, figure to yourself Horace Wal-
pole, and General Conway, some half-century since, con-
sulting, in their correspondence, upon the particular shade
of satin best suited to their complexions-whether pea-green,
or white, were the most favourable.”
(C
ing.
+
Hazlehurst laughed.
"There it is, in white and black!" said Elinor.
"Just
remember Goldsmith, strutting about Temple Gardens, in
his blush-coloured satin, and fancying everybody in love
with him, too!"
"Quarter! quarter! Nelly," cried her grandfather, laugh-
mdat
66
True, I must confess," said Harry, smiling; "but that was
more than fifty years ago. The world has grown wiser, now."
"Has it?"
"Look at our sober coats, to-day-the last Paris fashions,
too!"
“Yes-but what is the reason?" cried Elinor, laughing
herself. "You have just found out that finery, and a showy
exterior, are of no use to you—they do not increase your
influence with the ladies! We do not value a man more
for a showy exterior !"
I submit," said Harry; but he coloured, and seemed to
Miss Agnes, more embarrassed by Elinor's remark than was
necessary. He threw down his book, however, and crossed
the room to take a place near her.
96
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
$4
T
"What are you going to do this morning?" he said,
quietly.
A walk was proposed, and soon after the young people,
accompanied by Bruno, set out together.
CHAPTER X.
"Fashion, leader of a chattering train."
CowPER.
MISS PATSEY'S mother was more unwell than usual; and
after breakfast the following morning, Elinor prepared a little
basket of particularly fine peaches, which she proposed car-
rying to Mrs. Hubbard, herself. Harry offered to accompany
her, and Jane was persuaded to join them; although in
general, she disliked every kind of motion except dancing.
The travellers had already seen Miss Patsey and her
youngest sister, and they were now so fortunate as to find
Charlie at home. He had come from New York, the eve-
ning before, and, of course, was much pleased to see his
young friends; indeed, he showed so much emotion at the
meeting, as to change colour when he first saw the three
cousins enter the little gate.
(C
Why, Charlie, you have grown in inches as well as in
dignity, since we parted," said Hazlehurst, shaking him
warmly by the hand.
"I shall never arrive at any great elevation either way,"
replied the youth, after shaking hands also with Jane.
“I don't know that; you have grown half a foot since 1
saw you, and you have done wonders I hear, as a painter.
Mr. Wyllys, and Elinor, are both great admirers of your
pictures."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
97
"Wonders are comparative, you know; I believe I have
accomplished more, for instance, than my mother anticipated,
for she thought I was going to devote myself to signs and
window-blinds."
99.
"That is your account of the matter. But don't
But don't suppose
I have not learned that Mr. Charles Hubbard is looked upon
as one of our most promising young artists, and that several
of his pictures are thought the best of their kind that have
been painted this side the Atlantic."
1.
"You are very much improved in flattery by a visit to
Paris," said Charlie, smiling.
"Only sober truth, as you must well know, Mr. Charles
Hubbard. I hope you have something here for us to look
at; I am really very impatient to see some of your pictures.
I wish you could have enjoyed half the fine works of art
that I have seen in the last two years."
Hubbard replied that he had strong hopes of going abroad
himself before long, thanks to the liberality of his uncle,
and the promise of several orders from different gentlemen.
Harry congratulated him warmly, though he regretted that
Charlie should think of leaving home just as he himself
returned.
The young ladies paid their visit to Mrs. Hubbard in her
bed-room, while Harry and Charlie talked over a hundred
different things together; and after engaging Charles to dine
at Wyllys-Roof, they walked home again.
"Miss Patsey's parlour really looks neater and smaller
than ever,” observed Harry. "And I don't think I have
seen such an honest, good-natured, pleasant face as her's,
since I left Longbridge. She seems satisfied now, with the
idea of Charlie's being an artist.”
She is resigned to it, rather," said Elinor, "now that the
matter is entirely settled."
Charlie looks pale," observed Harry; "he has grown
though, and he is no longer so very slight as he used to be.”
"He seems to be well," replied Elinor; "but at times his
VOL. I.-9
.98
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
spirits are not good. He has been much interested in your
movements quite anxious about your return.'
""
“Charlie is a right good fellow," said Harry; "I was in
hopes to see a great deal of him, this winter." At this
moment Jane dropped a glove; of course Harry picked it
up, and he continued silent after doing so.
“There, you see, is Mr. Taylor's new house," observed
Elinor, as an opening in a grove of young trees allowed a
full view of a house of some size, and very great pretensions.
Jane looked at the home of her friend Adeline with inte-
rest-Harry exclaimed, "What architecture!"
"Don't abuse it," said Elinor, "for I assure you 'Mr.
Taylor's splendid mansion'-Mr. Taylor's magnificent
seat' is very much admired.”
Just as the party reached the piazza of Wyllys-Roof, Mr.
Taylor's barouche drove up to the door, and in an instant
Miss Adeline Taylor had thrown herself, and her fashionable
morning-dress, into Jane's arms.
"I was so glad to find you were staying here!" she ex-
claimed. "Pa and I only arrived from Saratoga last night;
I did not expect you for a month to come."
“We had a very short passage for the season," said Jane,
returning the embrace quite cordially.
"We seem to have taken all our friends rather by sur-
prise, Miss Taylor," said Harry.
"Well, if I had been in your place, I should have staid in
Paris till the last minute; though, I dare say, you were
in a hurry to get back to Longbridge, Mr. Hazlehurst; no
doubt you wanted to see me very much. But I wonder that
Jane did not contrive to stay there."
Harry looked a little embarrassed, and Jane, too, coloured
a little; though there seemed to be no very good reason that
either should do so.
B
Did you find Saratoga pleasant, this summer, Miss
Taylor?" asked Elinor, drawing a chair near the bench
where the two friends were sitting, hand in hand.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
99
“Oh, delightful!-Every house full, from the cellar to the
garret. How often I wished for you, Jane! if it was only
earlier in the season I would make pa take us there again,
just for the pleasure of showing off your new French
fashions-you would be the greatest belle of the season.'
""
"We need not inquire who was the belle," said Elinor;
"such important news reaches even sober, home-staying
people like us."
"Oh, we had half a dozen belles-all lively, pretty
girls. There was a young gentleman, from Savannah, at
Congress Hall, who wrote some verses about us, and called
us the Chime of Bells;' it was a sort of imitation of "Those
Evening Bells,' and was published in the Saratoga papers.
But if Jane had been there, I don't think we should have
stood much chance.
"You think the poet would have rung a bob-major, for
Jane ?"
"Certainly; with her trunks full of things from Paris,
she would have carried all before her."
"I don't think Jane has brought a very large share of
finery with her," said Elinor.
No, indeed," said Harry; "only five trunks and three
boxes, which I had the honour of getting through the Cus-
tom-House."
"But part of it was for her friends," said Elinor.
“You would have needed a large supply, I can tell you,
Jane," said Miss Adeline, "if you had wanted to out-dash
us; for we determined this season, some half-dozen of us,
to out-do the young ladies who were there last year."
"Did you succeed?" said Hazlehurst.
"To be sure we did. We made a firm resolve not only to
change our dress six times every day, but never to wear the
same dress twice. We drove several families away by that
manœuvre; but you have no idea what fun it was to us, who
entered into the spirit of the thing. For two days, though,
we were in great trepidation. There were a couple of
100
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Baltimore girls there, great dashers, who would not enter
into our agreement; and the spiteful things actually changed.
their dress seven times, the two first days."
"Seven changes!" said Elinor; "how did they manage
that?"
66
Why, they came down to breakfast in a white dress;
after breakfast they would drive in another, of course; then
they would show themselves in the drawing-room, after
driving, in a pink muslin, perhaps; at dinner, they wore
another; then, after dinner, they would change again; in
the evening they wore party-dresses, of course; and after
they went up stairs, they would visit each other in what
they called dress night-wrappers. Now, wasn't it mean in
them ?"
'Very," said Harry, laughing.
“To be sure it was. Changing six times was no more
than was necessary; all we 'evening bells' did, was never
to wear the same dress twice. Would you believe it, after
putting such a bold face on the matter, the third day they
disappeared suddenly! We had a good crow, I can tell
you. There was a poor little innocent there, at the same
time, from Boston, who tried to beat us on another tack, as
Lieut. Johnson said; they called her the blue-bell. Well,
she never changed her dress, morning, noon, or night-and
just to spite us. But, dear me, we only laughed-we didn't
care a fig for her; though she was very pretty, she couldn't
get a man to speak to her, excepting one old fossil professor,
who wore spectacles, and walked up and down with her on
the piazza all the time.”
"She was no worthy rival for the Chime of Bells!" said
Harry.
CC
66
Certainly not. But I can tell you, that after we had
been there a week, two of the Chime were in great danger,
and one of them no less a person than your humble servant;
the other was Anne Hunter Jane, you remember Anne
Hunter, who was at Mrs. G's with us? Well, Anne
Jump
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
101
and I were in great trouble, one day. Now, Mr. Hazle-
hurst, I hope you can keep a secret.
""
I
"A lady's secret?-Can you doubt me, Miss Taylor?"
“Well, mind now, you never mention it; but, Anne and
got down to our last dozen dresses, and we were pledged
to stay a week longer. This was Monday, and on Thursday
there was to be a pic-nic, given expressly to the Chime of
Bells. At first, I thought I was the only one in such a
deplorable state; but, happily, I discovered that Anne, whose
room was next to mine, was no better off. And now, how
do
you suppose we managed?"
66.
'Pray, what did you do?" said Elinor, laughing.
To tell the truth, I sat down and cried; for I am high-
spirited, and I could not bear the thoughts of such a morti-
fication. But Anne is an excellent manager, you know,
Jane-"
""
66
"Yes, I remember her."
“Anne had a plan that carried all off triumphantly. She
proposed to me, to persuade the other three 'evening bells,'
that to do honour to the pic-nic, we should be dressed alike,
in a sort of uniform. Well, of course, the others agreed;
but then, how to find the five dresses alike! Of course, we
couldn't wear anything made in Saratoga. The poet had
entreated us, in a sonnet, to be all dressed in white; so we
fixed upon white batiste but, how to get them, was the
question."
"I am all curiosity-" said Elinor.
"Oh! it was beautifully done.-Anne proposed we should
each write an advertisement for a trusty escort to New York,
and post it up on the curtains of the ladies' drawing-room.
What fun we had, while we were writing the advertisements!
We took an opportunity, when we and our beaux had the
drawing-room to ourselves, to vote the gentlemen out of it.
After a while, they went; but, what do you suppose the
wretches did, Mr. Hazlehurst ?"
"Nothing ungallant, I trust."
9*
102
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"Yes; to spite us, they crowded to the windows on the
piazza, till we dropped the blinds. Well, for a time, we
thought we were safe; but suddenly Anne Hunter shouted
out, and there comfortably seated in a tree close to the end
window, where the blind was broken, we saw one of the
young gentlemen with a note-book in his hand! We vowed
we wouldn't be defeated, so we pinned up our pocket-hand-
kerchiefs together, and, fortunately, they covered the peep-
hole; and so we shut him out, at last."
"Your perseverance, under such obstacles, was truly sur-
prising, Miss Taylor;" said Hazlehurst.
"Was it not? We soon wrote our advertisements. Mine
was very short: Wanted, an agreeable youth, as escort
between this and New York, apply this evening, at five
o'clock.' Some were very long and ridiculous; one was in
verse. Well, after we had written them, we opened the doors
and windows, and the young gentlemen flocked in again. Then
we went in procession, and pinned them up on the curtains.
Such a time as we had-talking and giggling-we were in
such a gale, that, at last, some of the married ladies came
out to see what was the matter. But, the best fun of all,
was choosing our escorts; a great many offered, and then
we examined them."
"
"I hope they had suitable qualifications for the office."
“Oh, yes.—I took Mr. Hunter, Anne's brother. Well,
sure enough, we all set out together, the next morning; staid
one day in the city; and, Thursday morning, we re-appeared
with the dresses. Of course, Anne and
Of course, Anne and I had taken the
opportunity to get a fresh supply, besides the white batiste.
We had a most delightful pic-nic. I forgot to say, that Anne's
escort, the Marquis Foletti, was missing; she had to do
without him-she
-she gave him up for lost, or absconded, and
we allowed her to choose another beau-when suddenly,
just as we were mourning over the Marquis, he appeared
on the ground, and threw himself on his knees, and made
us laugh more than ever. Anne had chosen him, because
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
103
he had the handsomest moustaches at Saratoga; but he could
not speak English very well, and had got on board the
wrong boat. What times we had! Jane, I wish you had
been there !"
"Your faithful esquires were rewarded, no doubt, by the
gallantry of the deed itself, Miss Taylor," said Harry.
“Of course; but we nevertheless gave them, besides, full
permission to say and do just what they pleased, all that day
—and you can't think how much nonsense we talked. Each
gentleman took the advertisement of the lady he had escorted,
and pinned it over his heart. There were several foreigners
there, and you can't think how they enjoyed it; they had
never had such a frolic with young ladies before, and they
thought it delightful; though, to be sure, they got at last to
be rather too free; and then we had to put a stop to it."
Elinor looked at Jane, to see if she seemed to sympathize
in Adeline's story; but her cousin's beautiful face was still
bright with the glow of pleasure from meeting her friend;
no other thought or feeling was to be traced there.
"I don't believe they have any such fun in Paris, Mr.
Hazlehurst."
"Not exactly. They have a pleasantry of their own,
however, which is quite agreeable."
“I don't think I should like it. They say, a young lady
dares not speak to gentlemen, nor walk with them, nor have
the least bit of a flirtation. How stupid it must be !”
"But the French girls do talk to gentlemen, I assure you,"
replied Jane, “only they are not intimate with everybody.
The young men are very attentive, too; they treat young
girls with much more respect, Louisa says, than in Ame-
rica."
Ú
“Who cares for respect! I want to laugh and amuse
myself, and have my own way," exclaimed Adeline.
"It is growing quite warm here-you will find it plea-
santer in the drawing-room, Miss Taylor;" said Elinor, not
caring to listen any longer to Jane's giddy friend.
104
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
66
Well, if you please, I'll run up to Jane s room, and look
at the fashions-I am dying to see some of her capes and
collars. By-the-bye, I had forgotten two very important
things. Here is a note for your aunt, Miss Elinor; some
private communication from Ma; the coachman will take
the answer. And then, I came over to ask you all to drink
tea with us, this evening, very sociably; nobody but your
own family and three or four friends !"
The invitation was accepted, as a matter of course.
"Good morning, Mr. Hazlehurst; I expect to be shut up
with Jane, for three hours to come; I have really talked
myself out of breath; but that is always the way, with me,
as you know, of old." And the two girls, hand-in-hand, ran
lightly up stairs, where Elinor, making an excuse of Mrs.
Taylor's note, left them to a confidential tête-à-tête.
CHAPTER XI.
"A soldier may be anything, if brave;
So may a merchant if not quite a knave.
COWPER.
"Trade his delight and hope; and, if alive,
Doubt I have none, that Barnaby will thrive."
CRABBE.
We have really been very remiss in omitting so long to
notice the rapid strides with which Mr. Pompey Taylor had
advanced on the road to fame and fortune, during the two
years in which we have lost sight of him. He might have
addressed, to the reader, the remark that the Emperor Na-
poleon applied to his secretary, after the conquest of Prussia
and Austria: “J'ai fait des progrès immenses depuis que
Bourienne m'a quitté !"
+
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
105
It is a rule, in composition, it was so, at least, when people
wrote by rule, to compare the little with the great. If we
were to follow the direction, it would be easy to prove that
these two individuals, the conqueror, Napoleon, and the spe-
culator, Taylor, were not too widely separated for many
points of resemblance to be traced between them. Ambition
was the ruling passion of both; and both were alike insa-
tiable. Bonaparte added kingdom to kingdom; Taylor,
house to house; the emperor might believe himself equal to
ruling half the world; the merchant felt capable of owning
the other half. The one raised army after army; the other
fitted out vessel after vessel. The energies of both were
inexhaustible, and both aimed at an ever-receding goal;
while each, in his own way, soon reached a height never
dreamed of by the mothers who rocked their cradles. Nor
would it be justice to Mr. Taylor, to suppose, that the love of
money, alone, was the main-spring of his actions; he, too,
was spurred on by the love of glory; dollars and cents were
not the end, with him; he looked upon his thousands, in
gold and paper, as Napoleon did upon his thousands in flesh
and blood-they were but the instruments which were to
open the road to fame. The man of commerce, and the man
of war, were alike lavish of their treasures, when the object
of their lives was in view. If one was the boldest of gene-
rals, the other was the most enterprising of merchants; and
Fortune favoured the daring of both. In short, Mr. Taylor
was no common, plodding trader, content with moderate
gains and safe investments, and fixing his hopes on probabili-
ties-he pursued traffic with the passion of a gambler, united
to the close calculation of a miser; and yet, he spent freely
what he had acquired easily.
There are merchants, who, by their education, their inte-
grity, their talents and their liberality, are an honour to the
profession; but Mr. Pompey Taylor was not of the number.
We have all heard the anecdote of the young man addicted
to the sin of swearing, whose conversation, during dinner,
106
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
6
was taken down in short-hand, and, when read afterwards,
shocked the individual himself. Could the thoughts and
words of Mr. Taylor, during a single day, have been as fairly
registered, perhaps he himself would have been astonished
to find how very large a portion of them were given to gain
and speculation, in some shape or other. At social meetings,
whether dinners or evening parties, he seldom talked long
on any other subject: he has been known to utter the word
'stocks,' just as he entered a church, on Sunday; while a
question about certain lots was the first sentence which
passed his lips, as he crossed the threshold on his way out.
Eating his meals under his own roof; walking down Broad-
way to Wall-Street, every morning, at nine o'clock, and back
again every afternoon at three; still the echo of Mr. Taylor's
thoughts and words was dollars,'' stocks,' and 'lots'-' lots,'
'stocks,' and 'dollars.' He had a value for everything in
dollars-his jokes turned upon stocks-and his dreams were
filled with lots. Let it not be supposed, however, that
Mr. Pompey Taylor was born with the phrenological organ
of the love of money more strongly developed than other
human beings. By no means. He was endowed by nature
with faculties and feelings as varied as other men. But,
from the time he could first walk and talk, precept and ex-
ample had gradually turned all his faculties in one direction;
for, such had been the opinions and views of his father and
elder brothers; and there was no other impulse in his
nature or education, sufficiently strong to give a different
bent to his energies. Under other circumstances, Pompey
Taylor might have been a quick-witted lawyer, a supple
politician, a daring soldier, or, with a different moral training,
he might have been something far superior to either; but
the field of commerce was the only one that opened to him,
at his entrance into life; and it was too well adapted to the
man, such as nature and education had made him, to be neg-
lected. He found full scope, in such a sphere, for all his
energies of body and mind-he delighted in its labours and
its rewards.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
107
Mr. Taylor had forgotten, if he had ever known the fact,
that the best pleasures of this world even, are those which
money cannot purchase, the severest wants those which it
cannot supply. He had no conception of any consideration
equal to that which riches give. Beauty unadorned was no
beauty in his eyes; and he chiefly valued talent as a means
of making good investments and wily speculations. He
looked upon Science as the hand-maiden of Commerce;
Armies and Navies existed only to defend a nation's wealth,
not its liberties, or its honour. The seat of his patriotism
was in his pocket; and the only internal improvement
in which he was interested, was that which opened new
facilities for acquiring money. It is surprising how totally
such a mind becomes unfitted to enjoy and admire any great
or noble quality in the abstract; in spite of a quick wit and
keen organs, such men become the most one-sided beings,
perhaps, in the whole human family. To moral beauty Mr.
Taylor seemed quite blind; his mental vision resembled the
physical sight of those individuals whose eyes, though per-
fect in every other respect, are incapable of receiving any
impression of an object tinged with blue-the colour of the
heavens. Even the few ideas he had upon religious subjects
partook of the character of loss and gain; the simple spirit
of true piety could never enter into a mind in the state of
his. And yet, Mr. Taylor was looked upon as a happy
man. Fortunate he certainly was, for wealth and luxury
had risen around him almost as readily as if possessed of
Aladdin's lamp. Had he been actually in possession of this
gift of the genii, he could scarcely have found a wish to
gratify, as money had already provided him with all it can
supply in this country, and the pursuit of wealth itself was
his delight. Deprived of this, Othello's occupation were
gone.
Justice to Mr. Taylor would require that we should follow
him to the counting-house, for it was there that he appeared
in the most brilliant light. His talents were undoubted; his
108
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
sagacity, his skill, and his daring were great; and his under-
takings were generally successful. Thus far all appeared
very well; but those who looked closer into the matter would
have found that his integrity was anything but unimpeach-
able, his love of money far surpassing his love of truth and
justice. This part of his career must be left, however, to
other hands; it is only what he was in social and domestic
life, that the merchant appears among our Longbridge friends.
The first few months after he had removed to New York,
the utmost extent of Mr. Taylor's ambitious dreams had been
the possession of a brick house in Broadway, on a lot of
ground twenty-three feet by seventy. According to the
favourite rule of New York architecture, the rule of three,
the building was to be three stories high, and three windows
wide. But the end of the first ninety days in Wall-Street,
brought an accession of several thousands, and the brilliant
promise of so many more, that this plan was enlarged several
inches each way. As every succeeding season brought an
increase of wealth and ambition, the projected dwelling
grew at last to be taller and broader by several feet, until, at
length, it had reached the limits which magnificence usually
attains on the island of Manhattan. Had Mr. Taylor built
his house in Philadelphia, or almost any other American
town, he might have laid rather a broader foundation for his
habitation; but New York houses, as a rule, are the narrowest
and the tallest in the land. Some of those three-story
dwellings, however, whatever may be their architectural
defects, contain inmates who are as much to be desired for
friends as any others in the world. But to return to Mr.
Taylor's new house; we have said that it was one of the
proud few which could boast its four stories and its four
windows. He was perfectly satisfied with the result when
finished, for his house from the garret to the cellar was a
faithful copy of one opposite to him, which had been built
some months earlier, and was pronounced the house of the
season.
**
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
109
The American people may have been perfectly original
in their constitution, but in most other respects they are
particularly imitative. An observer, at a first glance, wonders
that so much cleverness should be wasted in mere imitation;
but it is, after all, the simple result of the position of the
country. An intelligent people, we are furnished by books
with more ideas than we have models on which to shape
them. In an old state of society, there is always a class
who labour after originality, and are proud to be called
eccentric; but a young nation, cut off from the rest of the
civilized world, must necessarily be imitative in its character
until it has arrived at maturity. This spirit of imitation, to
a certain extent an advantage, is, to be sure, often carried to
a laughable extent when it loses sight of common sense.
People seem to forget the fact that propriety must always be
the first step to true elegance. As a proof of it, we see
men who appear to have consulted their neighbours' tastes,
habits, and means, instead of their own, in building the
house they themselves are to inhabit; like Mr. Taylor,
without any very good reason, they imitate their opposite
neighbour. Again, it is surprising to see what time and
toil are spent in following every variation of fashion in dress,
by many women who certainly can ill afford it; we do not
mean fashion in its general outlines, but in its most trifling
details. If one could watch the progress of an idle fancy of
this nature, from the moment it springs from the caprice of
some European élégante, with more time and money than
she knows how to throw away, until it becomes a necessity
to an American housemaid, earning a dollar a week—we
have no doubt the period would be found surprisingly short.
The habit of imitation just alluded to, is more striking
perhaps in architecture than in anything else, for in that
shape it is always before our eyes; and no place in the
country is more marked with it than New York. In no
town in the world are there as many dwellings so much
alike; and this fact is not the result of necessity, or of any
VOL. I. - 10
110
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
}
plan of architectural unity-it is not that the plan first hit
upon proved to be the most rational, or best suited to the
spot and its inhabitants-but it is chiefly the consequence of
a spirit of imitation.
To return to our story: this new house of Mr. Taylor,
this successful imitation of his opposite neighbour, had been
opened the first of May, the general moving day in New
York. It was fitted up in the richest manner, young Taylor
having received carte blanche from his father to purchase
handsome furniture in Paris. Rosewood and satin, gilt
bronzes and Sévres vases, were all of the best kind-and
Mr. Taylor was perfectly satisfied with the effect of his two
drawing-rooms. It was determined they should be shown
off during the following winter, by a succession of dinners.
and parties. He had already tried his hand at entertaining;
after having eaten a dozen great dinners with different com-
mercial notabilities, he had given one himself just before
leaving town. The affair, a man-dinner, of course, had
gone off brilliantly-thanks to his beautiful porcelaine de
Sévres, his candelabras and his épergnes, his English plate
and English glass; all of which showed off to great advan-
tage the best of the good things abounding in the New York
market, cooked by a Frenchman, and washed down by wines.
from the most famous vineyards of France, Germany, and
Spain. His entertainment was pronounced as handsome as
any given that winter in town; and Mr. Taylor determined
that it should be only the first of a long series.
His country-house rivalled his establishment in town. By
his first plan, he had intended that it should equal that of
Mr. Hubbard, at Longbridge; but eighteen months had
made a material change in his affairs, which produced cor-
responding alterations in the building. First one large wing
was added, then another; Mr. Hubbard's house had but one
Corinthian portico, Mr. Taylor's had two. He was born in
a house which had been painted only on one front, and he
was now of the opinion of the old tar, who purchased a
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
111
handsome jacket like his commanding officer, but ordered
the back as well as the front to be made of satin, and meeting
the admiral, pulled up his coat-tails to show that there was
"no sham." Mr. Taylor could not outdo the plate-glass,
and mahogany doors of Mr. Hubbard's house, but he had
great satisfaction in showing him his portico on the south
front, and in proving there was no sham. When the wings
were added, they were completely surrounded on three sides
by a colonnade. Mr. Taylor having happened, just at the
moment, to make thirty thousand dollars by one successful
speculation, he sent orders to the master-builder for a double
set of columns; and as a consequence, the colonnade was so
very conspicuous that it became the pride of the neighbour-
hood. Mr. Taylor, himself, was so much struck with the
first view, when completed, that he decided to name
the place "Colonnade Manor." There is no accounting
for taste in names, we suppose, any more than in other
matters. Like No. five hundred and Broadway, Colon-
nade Manor was furnished with rosewood and satin from
Paris.
Mrs. Taylor, good soul, entered very little into the spirit
of this magnificence. She still sat in her nursery with her
younger children as much as possible, darning all the stock-
ings of the family; an occupation which Adeline thought
very ungenteel, for she never condescended to use her
needle at all. To make Mrs. Taylor a fine lady had been
one of the least successful of Mr. Taylor's efforts; she was
much too honest by nature to assume a character for which
she was so little qualified. There was but one way in which
she could succeed in interesting herself in all the parade
which gratified Mr. Taylor's taste; she found it gave plea-
sure to her husband and children, and she endeavoured to
make the best of it. She wore the fine dresses purchased
for her by Adeline, and drove out once in a while in her
handsome carriage, to pay at least a few of the many visits
urged by Mr. Taylor. Among the new acquaintances she
112
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
had made in the last ten years, there were few Mrs. Taylor
liked as well as Miss Wyllys; and Miss Agnes, in her turn,
respected all that was honest and straight-forward in the
character of her new neighbour; indeed, the whole family
at Wyllys-Roof very much preferred her to the more pre-
tending husband and daughter. The note, of which Adeline
was the bearer, was an application to Miss Wyllys for
advice in some domestic difficulty. It ran as follows:
"MY DEAR MISS WYLLYS :—
"You have been so kind to me, ever since we moved into
your neighbourhood, that I hope you will excuse me for
asking your assistance, this morning. I have been a good
deal plagued in my kitchen ever since we came into the
country this spring. My cook and chamber-maid, who are
sisters, are always finding some excuse for wanting to go to
the city; and last night they got a letter, or pretended to get
one from New York, saying that their father was very sick;
and as I didn't know but it might be true, I couldn't refuse
them, and they have gone for a week-though I won't be
sure it was not for a mere frolic. As it happened, Mr.
Taylor and Adeline came back from Saratoga, last night,
and brought a house-full of company with them; an old
friend of mine whom I had not seen for years, and some new
acquaintances of Adeline's. To make matters worse, my
nurse, a faithful, good girl, who has lived with me for years,
was taken sick this morning; and John, the waiter, had a
quarrel with the coachman, and went off in a huff. You
know such things always come together. So I have now
only the coachman and his daughter, a little girl of twelve,
in the house; happily they are both willing, and can do a
little of everything. If you know of anybody that I can
find to take the place of cook, or housemaid, I shall be truly
obliged to you for giving the coachman their names and
directions.
"Adeline is to have a little party this evening; she met
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
113
several of our Longbridge friends on board the boat yesterday,
and took that opportunity of asking them, as she is very
anxious to make the house pleasant to her company. I dare
say she has already invited all your family, and I shall be
very sorry if you are not able to come, for we always miss
you more than any others of our neighbours.
66
Hoping you will excuse the trouble I give you, I remain,
dear Madam,
"Very respectfully and truly yours,
"HESTER TAYLOR."
Miss Wyllys had no sooner read the note, than, full of
sympathy for Mrs. Taylor's difficulties, she held a consulta-
tion with her female factotum, Elinor's nurse, or Mammy
as she was called. All the men, women, and children in
the neighbourhood, who might possibly possess some quali-
fications for the duties of cook, chamber-maid, or footman,
were run over in Miss Agnes' mind; and she succeeded at
last, by including one superannuated old woman, and another
child of ten, in making out a list of some dozen names for
her neighbour's benefit. The whole morning was spent by
the coachman, scouring the country with the Taylor barouche
and horses-for no time was to be spent in changing harness
-in pursuit of Dianthy This, and Araminty That. Mrs.
Taylor, of course, awaited his return with trembling anxiety;
the Saratoga party had gone off to fish, escorted by Mr.
Taylor and a younger daughter; Adeline having taken that
opportunity to go to see Jane, excusing herself from accom-
panying the fishing set, on account of the arrival of this
very intimate friend of hers. The mistress of the house,
after having administered a dose of medicine to the sick
nurse, and sent the little girl of twelve to make the beds and
sweep, gave one melancholy look at things in the kitchen,
and then remembered that she could no longer leave this
particular old friend of her's alone in the drawing-room.
While talking over past times, Mrs. Taylor chose a rocking-
10*
114
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
I
chair commanding a view of the approach to the house:
just at the moment when she began to fear the horses had
run away, killed the coachman, and broken the carriage,
she saw the barouche driving up the avenue, but, alas, sans
cook! She kept her seat womanfully, and heard out the
end of a long story which the old friend was relating about
a family of relations. But at length Mrs. Taylor found that
the moment for action had come; and giving her friend the
choice of her own knitting-work, or a walk in the garden
with her youngest child, a pretty prattling little boy, she ex-
cused herself for a few moments, under pretext of looking
after the sick nurse. The old friend was quite a talkative
person, and one to whom a listener was very necessary; she
preferred the little boy to the knitting-work, and set out to
look at the garden.
Mrs. Taylor instantly disappeared in the direction of the
kitchen.
“Well, John!"
“Well, marm, I couldn't pick up nobody, for love or
money."
"Didn't Miss Wyllys know of any one in the neighbour-
hood?"
Yes, marm, I have got a list here; but some of 'em had
got places already; there was two that was sick; one, Ara-
minty Carpenter, I guess, would have suited Mrs. Taylor
very well, for, I know the young woman's father; but she
has gone over to Longbridge, to work at the Union Hotel,
for a week. There was one name written so I couldn't
make it out; and two of 'em I couldn't find; folks couldn't
tell me where they lived. There is a young thing down at
the Mill, who looks handy, but doesn't know anything of
cooking; but, I engaged her to come to-morrow, and Mrs.
Taylor can see if she suits.”
66
Why didn't you bring her with you at once, John?"
"She couldn't come, no ways, till to-morrow; she was
washing; and, if she left the work, there was no one to do
it."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
115
Let it not be supposed that Mrs. Taylor sunk under these
difficulties. The fishing-party returned; and, by means
known only to herself, the coachman, and the little girl of
twelve, a dinner, much as usual, was provided for her guests,
who were left in happy ignorance of the desertion in the
kitchen.
It must be surprising, to those unaccustomed to such
things, to observe with what courage and cheerfulness the
mistress of an American family encounters the peculiar evils
of her lot—evils undreamt of by persons in the same station
in any other part of the world. Her energies seem to rise
with the obstacles that call them out; she is full of expe-
dients-full of activity; and, unless fairly worn out by exer-
tions for which she has not the physical strength, always
manages to keep up appearances, and provide for the comfort
of her household, until her troubles are surmounted, for the
time being, and she gathers strength, in a moment of respite,
for fresh difficulties, when they present themselves. Even
her husband and sons are seldom aware of the full extent of
her toils and vexations. Many persons are ignorant of the
number of virtues that are included, at such moments, in that
of hospitality; could a plain, unvarnished account, be made
out, of the difficulties surmounted, at some time or other, by
most American matrons, the world would wonder at their
fortitude and perseverance. Not that difficulties like those
of our friend, Mrs. Taylor, are of constant duration, but they
occur oftener than the uninitiated are aware of. Yet even
obstacles like these seem never to interfere with that constant
intercourse, from tea-parties to visits of weeks, which are
exchanged between all American families and their friends.
But then no people in the world are more truly hospitable-
none are more social in their feelings, than the inhabitants
of these United States.
116
:
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
CHAPTER XII.
"Come, come; deal justly with me; come,
Come; nay, speak!"
Hamlet.
"Madam, the guests are come, supper served up, you called, my
young lady asked for, the nurse cursed in the pantry, and everything
in extremity."
Romeo and Juliet.
Of course, nothing interfered with the party at Colonnade
Manor. Thanks to Mrs. Taylor, the coachman and the lit-
tle girl of twelve-quite a womanly, precocious, little thing,
by-the-way-all went off very well. Some curious person,
uninitiated in similar domestic mysteries, may wish to know
how things were managed at such a trying crisis. Well, in
the first place, Mrs. Taylor congratulated herself that her
guests had been asked to spend the evening,' and not in-
vited to tea.' This was a piece of good luck, which di-
minished her cares, and prevented the deep mortification she
must have felt had the tea and coffee been cold. The coach-
man, of course, officiated as footman; a duty to which he
was already somewhat accustomed. The little girl of twelve
began the evening as ladies'-maid, appearing in the dressing-
room in that capacity, helping the ladies to take off their
shawls and smooth the folds of their dresses, before they
made their entrance in the drawing-rooms. The company
soon collected-about fifty or sixty persons, altogether-and
in party dress; each having been invited quite sociably, by
Miss Adeline. They were not at all surprised to see each
other, however, for they had often already practised the same
agreeable deception, themselves. The company once assem-
bled, the little girl of twelve rolled up her sleeves, and took
her station in the pantry, where she replenished the cake-
baskets, the lemonade and sangaree-glasses handed about by
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
117
her father, the coachman. A supper-table was already
spread in the dining-room; it had been very prettily orna-
mented with flowers by Adeline, and her Saratoga friends;
and a plentiful supply of fruits, ices, jellies, syllabubs, creams,
and other delicacies for a light supper, had been prepared, in
the course of the morning, by Mrs. Taylor and her coadju-
tors, the coachman and the little girl of twelve. The talka-
tive old friend had been admitted behind the scenes so far, as
to learn that the mistress of the house would be obliged to
make all the good things herself; and she had shown that,
besides telling a long story, she could make very excellent
sponge-cake; for, unfortunately, it was discovered that it
would be necessary to increase the supply of that delicacy.
Adeline did her share; while her Saratoga friends were taking
a morning siesta, with a novel in their hands, she had made
the syllabub, and prepared the fruit. These arrangements
having been made, the little girl of twelve had received
orders to station herself near at hand, where she could be
sent of errands up and down stairs. The coachman was told
to take his place by the side-table, ready to be called upon,
if necessary. Mrs. Taylor herself-alas! that we should be
obliged to reveal the fact, expected to slip out of the drawing-
room at about half-past ten, and superintend the delicate ope-
ration of removing the jellies from their moulds; this would
require ten minutes to do, and she hoped to make her exit
and ingress unnoticed; a matter easily managed, in summer,
when the doors and windows are all open, and couples arm-
in-arm, are loitering about, in and out in all directions. This
task performed, when she had returned to the public notice,
some ten minutes after having seen everything in its place,
the coachman was expected to appear at the drawing-room
door, with composed manner, to announce that supper was
ready-a fact she was prepared to hear with the expression
of sublime indifference, required by etiquette. From that
moment, everything would become easy; for, of course, the
gentlemen would, as usual, take care of the ladies first, and
118
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
then help themselves. The gallant way in which these
light, standing suppers are always managed, among us, is,
by-the-bye, a pleasant and sensible arrangement; nothing
better could be devised, under the circumstances.
The plan
of operations thus sketched, we may as well say, at once,
that everything succeeded to admiration.
The evening was pronounced very pleasant; and, as seve-
ral of our friends were present, we shall follow them. There
was a great deal of talking and laughing; a reasonable
quantity of flirtation; and, once or twice, some romping in
the corner of the room where Miss Adeline happened to be
at the time. Among those who had excused themselves
from accepting the invitation, were Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Hazlehurst, who disliked the idea of going so far, and Mr.
and Mrs. Graham, the lady being detained at home by a
headach, the gentleman by a particular dislike to Mr. Taylor,
who, he thought, had behaved in an ungentlemanly manner
about a mortgage, in which they both happened to be inter-
ested. Mr. Graham was a man of a violent temper, and
unsocial habits, generally taking little pains to conceal his
feelings; and accordingly, his manner to Mr. Taylor was
anything but flattering, though their acquaintance, at best,
was but trifling. Mrs. Graham also disliked the whole
family; and yet the intimacy between Jane and Adeline was
allowed to continue, as a sort of matter of course, between
school companions.
Miss Wyllys accompanied her niece to the party-she
generally made it a point to go with Elinor; for, she had
old-fashioned notions on the subject, and thought that the
presence of their elders was an advantage and a protection that
well-educated young girls have a right to expect from their
friends. She seldom spoke on the matter, however, but
contented herself with giving, what she thought, a good
example. Both Miss Agnes and Elinor were rather sur-
prised to find that Jane's partiality for her giddy friend Ade-
line, had not been in the least diminished, by her visit to
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
119
6
Europe. Miss Wyllys disapproved of the intimacy; but, as
Jane's mother had no objections, she herself could say no-
thing. The two young ladies were a great deal together, in
the course of the evening, as became bosom-friends after a
long separation. Mrs. Taylor's old friend, the talkative lady,
was introduced to several of the elder portion of the company,
and was thus happily provided with listeners. Miss Ade-
line's fashionable acquaintances from Saratoga, were also
supplied, each with a couple of attendant beaux, upon whom
to try the effect of their charms. Everything thus happily
arranged, Miss Adeline proposed a march,' which was
managed as usual. Young Van Horne, who had some
musical capabilities, was placed at the piano, and played
Washington's March, when the young people paired off in
a line, and began to walk, moving in time up and down the
two drawing-rooms, through the folding-doors-each gentle-
man, of course, offering his arm to a lady; chaque chacun,
avec sa chacune. Adeline was not quite satisfied with her
cavalier, Charlie Hubbard; she did not care much about
him, at any time; and, on the present occasion, he seemed
less interested in listening to her own conversation, than in
watching the movements of some one else; who it was, she
could not say. She reproached him with this inattention.
I declare, I don't believe you hear half I say. I never
saw anybody like you."
Charlie blushed a little, rallied, and devoted himself more
exclusively to the duty of being entertained. After the
second or third turn in the march, Adeline discovered Hazle-
hurst, who, instead of being in motion with the rest, was
leaning in a door-way. As she passed him, she snapped
her embroidered handkerchief in that direction, and sum-
moned him to join the promenade.' Harry excused him-
self by saying, he was afraid he could not find any one to
walk with him.
6.
+
"How can you talk so! There is Miss Wyllys, I declare;
I had not seen her before.”—And Adeline crossed the room
120
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
to a window where Elinor was sitting quietly as a looker-on,
having just escaped from a long conversation with the talka-
tive old friend.
Now, Miss Wyllys, I am sure you must wish to prome-
nade !"
(C
"Would you like to walk?" quietly asked Hazlehurst,
who had followed Miss Taylor.
"No, indeed," said Elinor, smiling and shaking her head
good-naturedly. "I have had one long walk, already, this
afternoon, and much prefer sitting still, just now.”
"You should follow Jane's example; you see, she is pro-
menading, and, I dare say, she took the walk with you,
too," said Adeline.
"Did you ever know Jane take a long walk, when she
could help it?" asked Elinor, smiling. "I had really rather
sit still, Miss Taylor."
Adeline, finding that on this occasion she could not succeed
in setting all her friends in motion, which she generally en-
deavoured to do, returned to the ranks; leaving Elinor to do
as she chose. Hazlehurst took a seat by her, and made
some inquiries about several of their old acquaintances in the
room.
"Don't you think those two young ladies both very pretty,
Mr. Hazlehurst," said Dr. Van Horne, approaching the spot
where Harry was standing near Elinor, after having given
up his chair to one of the Saratoga belles, when the march
was finished.
"Which do you mean, sir ?" asked Harry.
"Miss Taylor and Miss Graham, who are standing toge-
ther near the piano."
"Yes," replied Hazlehurst, "Miss Taylor is even prettier
than I had supposed she would be.”
Το
"She will not compare, however, with Miss Jane.
my mind, Miss Graham answers the idea of perfect beauty.
In all your travels, did you meet with a face that you thought
more beautiful ?”
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
121
"I believe not,” said Harry, laconically, and slowly colour-
ing at the same time.
"Is it Jane you were speaking of, Doctor?" inquired Eli-
nor, turning towards him. "Don't you think she has come
back twice as beautiful as she was last year? It is really
a pleasure to look at a face like hers."
"I am afraid, it will prove rather a dangerous pleasure,
Miss Elinor, to some of the beaux, this winter."
"No doubt she will be very much admired; but she takes
it all very quietly. I don't believe your great beauties as
much disposed to vanity as other people."
"Perhaps not;" replied the doctor, drawing near her.
"A great deal depends on education. But what do the
travellers tell you about the sights they have seen, Miss
Elinor?"
66
Oh, we have only gone as far as the first chapter of their
travels," she replied. They have not half said their say
(C
""
yet.'
66
"Well, I should like to have a talk with you on the sub-
ject, Mr. Hazlehurst. I was in hopes of meeting your
brother here, to-night, but he has not come, I find; I shall
have to bore you with my questions, unless you want to dance
this jig, or whatever it is, they are beginning."
"Not at all, my dear sir; I shall be glad to answer any
questions of yours."
"Thank you. Suppose we improve the opportunity, Miss
Elinor, and give him a sharp cross-examination; do you
think he would bear it ?"
"I hope so," said Elinor, smiling quietly, as if she felt
very easy on the subject.
“Don't trust him too far. I dare say you have not been
half severe enough upon him," said Dr. Van Horne, who
had a very high opinion of Harry. "But to speak seriously,
Mr. Hazlehurst, I don't at all like a notion my son Ben has
of going to Europe."
"What is your objection?"
VOL. I. — 11
122
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"I doubt if it is at all an advantage to send most young
men to Europe. I've seen so many come back conceited,
and dissatisfied, and good-for-nothing, that I can't make up
my mind to spoil Ben by the same process. He tries very
hard to persuade me, that now-a-days, no doctor is fit to be
trusted who has not finished off in Paris; but we managed
without it thirty years ago."
"You must know much more than I do on that subject,
doctor," said Hazlehurst, taking a seat on the other side of
Elinor.
"Of course, I know more about the hospitals. But as I
have never been abroad myself, I don't know what effect a
sight of the Old World has on one. It seems to me it ruins
a great many young fellows."
"And it improves a great many," said Hazlehurst.
"I am by no means so sure of that. It improves some, I
grant you; but I think the chances are that it is an injury.
We have happened to see a great deal, lately, of two young
chaps, nephews of mine, who came home last spring. Three
years ago they went abroad, sober, sensible, well-behaved
lads enough, and now they have both come back, worse
than good-for-nothing. There was Rockwell, he used to be
a plain, straight-forward, smooth-faced fellow; and now he
has come home bristling with whiskers, and beard, and
moustaches, and a cut across the forehead, that he got in a
duel in Berlin. Worse than all, his brain is so befogged,
and mystified, that he can't see anything straight to save hist
life; and yet, forsooth, my gentleman is going to set the
nation to rights with some new system of his own.”
"I know nothing of the German Universities, doctor,
from my own observation; but I should think it might be
a dangerous thing to send a young man there unless he
was well supplied with sound common sense of his own.'
Well, there is Bill Hartley, again, who staid all the time
in Paris. He has come back a regular grumbler. If you
""
66
would believe him, there is not a single thing worth having,
▸
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
123
from one end of the Union to the other. He is disgusted
with everything, and only last night said that our climate
wants fog! Now, I think it is much better to go plodding
on at home, than to travel for the sake of bringing back
such enlarged views as make yourself and your friends un-
comfortable for the rest of your days."
"But it is a man's own fault, my dear sir, if he brings
back more bad than good with him. The fact is, you will
generally find the good a man brings home, in proportion to
the good he took abroad.”
"I'm not so sure of that. I used to think Rockwell was
quite a promising young man at one time. But that is not
the question. If, after all, though it does sharpen a man's
wits, it only makes him discontented for the rest of his life,
I maintain that such a state of improvement is not to be de-
sired. If things are really better and pleasanter in Europe,
I don't want to know it. It would make me dissatisfied,
unless I was to be a renegade, and give up the country I
was born in; would you have a man do that?”
"Never!" said Harry. "I hold that it is a sort of de-
sertion, to give up the post where Providence has placed us,
unless in extreme cases; and I believe a man can live a
more useful and more honourable life there than elsewhere.
But I think travelling a very great advantage, nevertheless.
The very power of comparison, of which you complain, is
a source of great intellectual pleasure, and must be useful if
properly employed, since it helps us to reach the truth."
The doctor shook his head. I want you just to tell me
how much of this grumbling and fault-finding is conceit, and
how much is the natural consequence of travelling?
Is
everything really superior in Europe to what we have here?"
"Everything? No;" said Harry, laughing. "But you
would seem to think a man dissatisfied, doctor, if he did not,
on the contrary, proclaim that everything is immeasurably
better in this country than in any other on the globe. Now,
confess, is not that your standard of patriotism?”
124
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"Ah, you are shifting your ground, young gentleman.
But we shall bring you to the point presently. Now tell
us honestly, were you not disappointed with the looks of
things when you came back?"
¡¡
"If by disappointed, you mean that many things as I see
them now, strike me as very inferior to objects of the same
description in Europe, I do not scruple to say they do.
When I landed, I said to myself,
«The streets are narrow and the buildings mean;
Did I, or fancy, leave them broad and clean ?""
"I feared so!" and the doctor looked much as a pious
Mahometan might be supposed to do, if he were to see a
Frank seize the Grand Turk by the beard. "I should have
thought better of you,” he added.
"My dear sir,” said Harry, laughing, "how could I help
it! I must defend myself from any desire to be disappointed,
I assure you. On the contrary, I wish very sincerely that
everything in my native country were as good as possible in
its way; that the architecture of the public buildings were
of the noblest kind; the private houses the most pleasant
and convenient; the streets the best paved, and best lighted
in the world. But I don't conceive that the way to bring
this about is to maintain le pistolet à la gorge, that perfection.
has already been attained in all these particulars. To speak
frankly, it strikes me as the height of puerility to wish to
deceive oneself upon such subjects.
On the contrary, I
think it is the duty of every man, so far as he has the oppor-
tunity, to aim at correct notions on everything within his
reach."
66
Well," remarked the doctor, "you only confirm me in
my opinion. I shall be more unwilling than ever to let Ben
go; since even you, Harry Hazlehurst, who are a good deal
better than most young men, confess the harm travelling has
done you."
66 But, my
dear sir, I confess no such thing. I'm conscious
that travelling has been a great benefit to me in many ways.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
125
I shall be a happier and better man for what I have seen, all
my life, I trust, since many of my opinions are built on a
better foundation than they were before."
If I were you, I would not let him say so, Miss Elinor.
His friends won't like to hear it; and I, for one, am very
sorry that you are not as good an American as I took you
for."
"It is quite a new idea to me, doctor," said Hazlehurst,
"that mental blindness and vanity are necessary parts of the
American character. We, who claim to be so enlightened!
I should be sorry to be convinced that your view is correct.
I have always believed that true patriotism consisted in
serving one's country, not in serving oneself by flattering
one's countrymen. I must give my testimony on these
subjects, when called for, as well as on any other, honestly,
and to the best of my ability."
"Do you know, doctor," said Elinor, "poor Harry has
had to fight several battles on this subject already. Mrs.
Bernard attacked him the other evening, because he said the
mountains in Switzerland were higher than the White
Mountains. Now we have only to look in a geography to
see that they are so."
"But one don't like to hear such things, Miss Elinor."
"Mrs. Bernard asked him if he had seen anything finer
than the White Mountains; what could he say? It seems
to me just as possible for a man to love his country, and see
faults in it, as it does for him to love his wife and children,
without believing them to be the most perfect specimens of
the human family, in body and mind, that ever existed. You
will allow that a man may be a very good and kind husband
and father, without maintaining everywhere that his wife
and daughters surpass all their sex, in every possible par-
ticular?"
"You will not, surely, deny, doctor," said Hazlehurst,
"that it is reasonable to suppose that Europe possesses some
advantages of an advanced state of civilization, that we have
11*
126
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
not yet attained to?
We have done much for a young
people, but we have the means of doing much more; and it
will be our own fault if we don't improve."
"We shall improve, I dare say."
"Do you expect us to go beyond perfection, then?"
"I can't see the use of talking about disagreeable subjects."
"But even the most disagreeable truths have their uses."
"That may be; and yet I believe you would have been
happier if you had staid at home. While he was away
from you, Miss Elinor, I am afraid he learned some of those
disagreeable truths which it would have been better for him
not to have discovered."
Harry stooped to pick up a glove, and remained silent for
a moment.
Shortly after, supper was announced; and, although the
coachman was not quite as much at home in the pantry as
in the stable, yet everything was very successfully managed.
It is really mortifying to hear a man like Dr. Van Horne,
fancy it patriotic to foster conceited ignorance and childish
vanity, on all national subjects," exclaimed Harry, as he
took his seat in the carriage, after handing the ladies in.
"And that is not the worst of it; for, of course, if respectable,
independent men talk in that tone, there will be no end to
the fulsome. nauseating, vulgar flatteries that will be poured
upon us by those whose interest it is to flatter!”
I heard part of your conversation, and, I must confess,
the doctor did not show his usual good sense," observed
Miss Agnes.
"You are really quite indignant against the doctor," said
Elinor.
"Not only against him, but against all who are willing,
like him, to encourage such a miserable perversion of truth.
Believe them, and you make patriotism anything, and every-
thing, but a virtue.”
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
OF
127
(6
CHAPTER XIII.
Why, how now, count? Wherefore are you so sad?"
SHAKSPEARE.
"WELL, Jenny, you are going to leave us to-day, it seems,"
said Mr. Wyllys, the next morning, at breakfast. “I am
sorry for it; but, I suppose your mother has a better right to
you than we have."
"I promised mamma I would not stay after to-day, sir.
Aunt Agnes is to carry me over to Longbridge, before din-
ner."
"You must come back again, as often as you can, child.
It always seems to me, that Harry and you belong here, as
much as you do anywhere else. How long do you suppose
your mother will stay at Longbridge ?"
"We are going to New York next week. Father wishes
to be in Charleston early in October."
"I can't bear to think of your going so soon. If you are
once in Carolina, I suppose, we shan't see you again until
next June; but, mind, you are to pass all next summer
with us," said Elinor.
"That is to say, Nelly, if she has no more important en-
gagement," added Mr. Wyllys, smiling.
"Even a very important engagement need not interfere,”
said Miss Agnes. "We shall be very happy, Jane, to see
any Charleston friend you may see fit to bring with you.”
I don't think there is the least danger that any Charles-
ton friend will come with me;" said Jane, blushing a little.
"Have you selected a friend from some other place,
Jenny?” asked her uncle.
Oh, no, sir!" was the answer; but her colour continued
to rise, and she appeared a little uneasy. As for Harry, he
had taken no part in the conversation, but seemed very busy
with his knife and fork.
128
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"C
Pray remember, Jane," said Elinor, "I am to have
timely notice of a wedding, in my capacity of bridesmaid."
“Who knows, Nelly, but you may call upon Jane first.
You have fixed upon your friend, I take it; eh, Harry?"
"I hope so;" Hazlehurst replied, in a low voice, and he
drank off a cup of hot coffee with such rapidity, that Miss
Wyllys looked at him with astonishment.
Elinor made no answer, for she was already at the other
end of the room, talking gaily to her birds.
As Harry rose from table and walked into the next room,
he tried to feel very glad that Jane was to leave them that
day; he sat down, and took up a paper; but, instead of
reading it, silently followed a train of thought by no means
agreeable.
In the course of the morning, according to the arrange-
ment which had been made, Harry drove the ladies to Long-
bridge. He thought he had never passed a more unpleasant
morning in his life. He felt relieved when Elinor, instead
of taking a seat with him, chose one inside, with her Aunt
and Jane; though his heart smote him whenever her sweet,
cheerful voice fell upon his ear. He tried to believe, how-
ever, that it was in spite of himself he had been captivated
by Jane's beauty. Was he not, at that very moment, carry-
ing her, at full speed, towards her father's, and doing his
best to hope that they should meet but once or twice again,
for months to come? Under such circumstances, was not a
man in love to be pitied? For some weeks, Hazlehurst had
not been able to conceal from himself, that if he occupied the
position of the lover of Elinor, he felt like the lover of Jane.
As he drove on, in moody silence, the party in the carriage
at length remarked, that he had not joined in their conver-
sation at all.
66
Harry does not talk so much as he used to;" observed
Miss Wyllys; "don't you think he has grown silent, Jane?'
Perhaps he has," she replied; "but it never struck me,
before."
66
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
129
"Do you hear, Harry?" said Elinor; "Aunt Agnes
thinks the air of Paris has made you silent. It ought surely
to have had a very different effect."
"This detestable road requires all a man's attention to
keep out of the ruts;" he replied. "I wish we had gone
the other way."
"If Aunt Agnes has no objection, we can come back by
the river road," said Elinor. "But your coachmanship is
so good, you have carried us along very smoothly; if the
road is bad, we have not felt it."
Harry muttered something about holes and ruts, which
was not heard very distinctly.
“Out of humour, too; very unusual!" thought Miss Ag-
nes. There was a something unnatural in his manner,
which began to give her a little uneasiness; for she saw no
good way of accounting for it.
The ladies were driven to the door of the Bellevue Hotel,
where the Grahams had rooms. They found several visiters
with Mrs. Graham, among whom, the most conspicuous, and
the least agreeable, were Mrs. Hilson and her sister, both
redolent of Broadway, elegant and fashionable in the ex-
treme; looking, it is true, very pretty, but talking, as usual,
very absurdly.
Mrs. Graham had scarcely kissed her daughter, before
Mrs. Hilson gave Elinor an important piece of information.
“I am so delighted, Miss Wyllys, to hear this good
99
news-
66
'My cousins' return, do you mean? Did you not know
they had arrived ?”
66
Oh, yes; we heard that, of course, last week; but I
allude to this morning's good news, which I have just heard
from this fascinating little creature;" added the lady, catch-
ing one of Mrs. Graham's younger children, as it slipped
past her.
Elinor looked surprised, when Mrs. Hilson condescended
to explain.
130
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
“Mrs. Graham is to pass the winter in New York, I hear."
“Indeed!” exclaimed Elinor, turning with joyful eager-
ness towards Mrs. Graham. "Are you really going to stay
so near us?"
Mrs. Graham was thus obliged to inform her friends of
the change in her plans; she would, of course, have pre-
ferred waiting until alone with Miss Agnes and Elinor, to do
so; but, Mrs. Hilson's officiousness obliged her to say some-
thing immediately. One of her children, a little boy, had
been suffering with some disease of the spine, during the
last year, and a consultation of physicians, held the day
before, in New York, had decided that a sea-voyage, or a
long journey, was more than the poor little fellow could bear,
in the present state of his health, as he had been much worse,
during the last three months, since the Grahams had been
at Longbridge. It was therefore settled that Mrs. Graham,
Jane, and the younger children, were to remain in New York,
while the boy was under the care of Dr. S. in whom his
parents had great confidence. Mr. Graham and his oldest
boy were to pass part of the winter on their plantation, and
then return to his family.
Miss Wyllys and Elinor, though regretting the cause, were,
of course, much pleased with this arrangement; Jane, too,
appeared perfectly satisfied.
“I should not be surprised, Miss Graham," continued Mrs.
Hilson, “if some of your New York admirers had bribed
Dr. S― I'm sure, we are very much obliged to him
for having detained you. I hope you will be somewhere
near us, in the city. Emmeline is to pass part of the winter
with me; and, I dare say, you will be very intimate. I wish,
Mrs. Graham we could persuade you to come to our board-
ing-house. Mrs. Stone is really a fascinating lady, herself;
and she always manages to have a charming clique at her
house.-Quite exclusive, I assure you."
"I hope to find more private lodgings-I have too many
little people for a boarding-house."
1
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
131
"Not at all. Mrs. Stone could give you an excellent nur-
sery. She has several lovely little darlings, herself. Her
little Algernon would make a very good beau for your
youngest little Miss. What do you say, my dear," catching
the child again; "won't you set your cap for Algernon?"
The little girl opened her large, dark eyes without answer-
ing. Mrs. Hilson, and her sister now rose to take leave of
Mrs. Graham, repeating, however, before they went, the
invitation they had already given, to a ball for the next week.
It was to be a house-warming, and a grand affair. The
ladies then flitted away on tip-toe.
The door had scarcely closed behind them, before Mrs.
George Wyllys, who had been sitting as far from them as
possible, began to exclaim upon the absurdity of the whole
Hubbard family.
"They are really intolerable, Agnes;" she said to her
sister-in-law. (6
They attack me upon all occasions. They
brought Mrs. Bibbs and Mrs. Tibbs to see me, and joined me
in the street, yesterday: they are almost enough to drive me
away from Longbridge. I can't imagine what makes them
so attentive to me-plain, sober body, as I am-what can
they aim at ?"
66
They aim at universal fascination, I suppose ;” said
Elinor, laughing.
“And must we really go to this house-warming?" asked
Mrs. Wyllys.
"Elinor and I have already accepted the invitation;" said
Miss Agnes.
My father wished us to go, for he really has a
great respect for Mr. Hubbard.”
66
"Well, I can't say that the gentlemen strike me as so
much superior to the ladies of the family. Uncle Josie'
seems to admire his daughter's nonsense; and Uncle Do-
zie' never opens his lips."
"There is not a shade of fascination about them, how-
ever," said Elinor.
“I grant you that," said Mrs. Wyllys, smiling. "I shall
decline the invitation, though, I think."
132
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"That you can do very easily;" said Miss Agnes.
The ladies then followed Mrs. Graham to an adjoining
room, to see the little invalid, and talk over the new arrange-
ment for the winter.
It was fortunate for Harry, that they had left the drawing-
room before he entered it; for he no sooner appeared at the
door, than the same little chatter-box, who had betrayed the
change in her mother's plans to Mrs. Hilson, ran up to him
to tell the great news that they were not going back to
Charleston, but were to stay in New York all winter, ‘mam-
ma, and Jane, and all of them, except papa and Edward.'
The varying expression of surprise, pleasure, and distress,
that passed over Hazlehurst's face, as he received the intelli-
gence, would have astonished and perplexed Miss Agnes,
had she seen it. He had depended upon Jane's absence to
lighten the course which he felt it was his duty to pursue;
and now she was to be in New York! Of course, she
would be half her time with Elinor, as usual. And, if he
had already found it so difficult, since they had all been to-
gether, to conceal the true state of his feelings, how should
he succeed in persevering in the same task for months?
He determined, at least, to leave Longbridge, for a time,
and remain in Philadelphia, until the Grahams were settled
in New York.
The same evening, as the family at Wyllys-Roof, and
himself, were sitting together, he announced his intention.
"Can I do anything for you, in Philadelphia, Elinor?” he
asked; "I shall have to go to town, to-morrow, and may be
detained a week or ten days."
"Are you really going to town?—I did not know you were
thinking of it. I wish I had known it this morning, for I
am very much in want of worsteds for the chair-pattern Jane
brought me; but, unfortunately, I left it at Aunt Wyllys's
Did you say you were going to-morrow?"
"Yes, I must be off in the morning."
"Then I must give up my pattern, for the present."
"Is there nothing else I can do for you?"
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
133
"Nothing, thank you-unless you bring some new books;
which, we will leave to your taste, to choose."
"Is not this rather a sudden move, Harry?" said Mr.
Wyllys, who had just finished a game of chess with Miss
Agnes. "I haven't heard you mention it before?"
"I intended to put it off, sir; but, on thinking the matter
over, I find I had better go at once."
"I wish you would look about you a little, for lodgings
for us; it is time we secured them. I suppose, you will
want us to go to town early, this winter, Nelly, won't you?
It will not do for Master Harry to be wasting half his time
here, after he has once taken seriously to law; you know he
will have two mistresses to wait upon, this winter."
It is to be hoped they will not interfere with each other,"
said Miss Agnes, smiling.
"That is what they generally do, my dear. By-the-bye,
Nelly, I suppose Louisa will have Jane in Philadelphia, with
her, part of the winter.”
Yes, sir, after Christmas; it is already settled, much to
my joy."
"So much the better!" said her grandfather.
"So much the worse!" thought Hazlehurst.
"Your Paris party will be all together again, Harry ?"
continued Mr. Wyllys.
Yes, sir;" was Hazlehurst's laconic reply. I wish I
could forget it,' thought he. So much had he been annoyed,
throughout the day, that he soon after took up a candle, and,
wishing the family good-night, went to his own room.
"I am afraid Harry is not well," said Miss Wyllys, after
he had left them. "He seems out of spirits."
Elinor looked up from her work.
“Now you speak of it," replied Mr. Wyllys, "I think he
does seem rather out of sorts."
Nothing more was said on the subject; but some un-
pleasant thoughts suggested themselves to Miss Wyllys; for,
during the last day or two, Hazlehurst's manner had repeat-
VOL. I. — 12
134
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
edly struck her as unnatural, and she feared that something
weighed upon his mind. As for Elinor, her nature was as
far as possible from being suspicious; and, least of all,
would she have mistrusted Harry; she merely reproached
herself for having laughed once or twice, during the day, at
his expense, when he had been very absent. She remem-
bered he seemed a little annoyed, at the time, though he
never used to mind such things-'I am afraid he thought it
unkind, if he was not well,' she said to herself, and deter-
mined to make amends, the next morning, by presiding at
his early breakfast, before he set out.
CHAPTER XIV.
"What loud uproar, bursts from that door?"
COLERIDGE.
WE shall follow the example of the good people of Long-
bridge, its party-going inhabitants, at least, and discard, for
the moment, all other topics, in order to give due justice to
the expected ball at the Hubbards. It was understood that
this house-warming was to be the most brilliant affair, of its
kind, that had taken place, in the neighbourhood, within the
memory of man. Mrs. Hilson and Miss Emmeline Hubbard
had staked their reputations, for elegance and fashion, upon
the occasion. The list of invitations was larger than any yet
issued at Longbridge, and all the preparations were on a
proportionate scale of grandeur.
About ten days before the eventful evening, Mrs. Hilson
and Miss Emmeline were closeted with their intimate friends,
Mrs. Bibbs and Mrs. Tibbs, engaged in drawing up a plan.
of operations for the occasion. Probably the city-lady,' as
6
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
135
Mrs. Hilson always called herself, had invited the two friends
as counsellors, more with a view of astonishing them by a
display of her own views of magnificence, than from any
idea that their suggestions would be of importance.
Miss Emmeline was seated, pencil in hand, with several
sheets of paper before her, all ready, to take notes of the
directions as they were settled. Mrs. Bibbs and Mrs. Tibbs
were placed on a sofa; and Mrs. Hilson threw herself into
a rocking-chair.
"In the first place, Emmeline," said the 'city-lady,' we
must have boned turkey: put down boned turkey."
"I thought you were going to make out the list of invita-
tions first," said the sister.
"Just put down the boned turkey, for that is absolutely
necessary; and then we can run over the names.”
Miss Emmeline wrote as she was directed. A long list
of names was then put down; there had already been a
private family meeting upon the subject, at which, after many
endeavours of Mrs. Hilson to unite the two advantages of
extreme exclusiveism, and the largest number of invitations
ever heard of at Longbridge, Mr. Hubbard had decided the
matter by insisting that his daughters should ask every person
who had ever been a guest at their house before, and all
those from whom they themselves had accepted invitations.
"Don't talk to me of fashionable people, and exclusives
and inclusives—I choose to have all my old neighbours, do
you hear, girls, and any one else you please."
This was the only point upon which their father insisted;
and as he left the expense of the arrangements entirely to
themselves, the ladies thought it most prudent not to argue
the matter. Instead, therefore, of aiming at having their
party very select, it was now agreed that it should be very
general.
"It will be a regular mob," said Mrs. Hilson, as she
finished reading to her sister scraps of lists of which her lap
was full; "but with so large a visiting circle as ours, it was
136
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
not to be avoided, I suppose. Have you put down the boned
turkey, Emmeline? that at least will give to the entertain-
ment an aristocratic character, at once.
""
Yes, to be sure, here it is," said Emmeline, taking up
another sheet of paper. "We must have boned turkey, of
course.'
99
Now it so happened that neither Mrs. Bibbs nor Mrs.
Tibbs, though such fascinating ladies, had ever seen, tasted,
or heard of boned turkey before. But, of course, they did
not confess such shameful ignorance. Boned turkey had
never yet figured at a party at Longbridge. We say figured
at a party, and we speak advisedly, as all must know who
are aware of the all-important position occupied at an Ame-
rican party by the refreshments, in the opinion of both host
and guests. The brilliancy of the lights, the excellence of
the music, the wit and gallantry of the gentlemen, the grace
and beauty of the ladies-would be of no avail in giving
fame to a party if the refreshments were not as abundant,
and as varied as possible. It is true these good things are
generally excellent in their way, which is probably one
reason why they receive so much attention. The highest
distinction to be attained in these matters is the introduction
of some new delicacy; next to this, is the honour of being
one of the first to follow so brilliant an example; but, of
course, those unfortunate individuals who have neglected to
procure the favourite dainty of the season, after it has once
appeared on fashionable tables,.lose all claim to honourable
mention, and sink beneath notice. In this way, each dish
has its day; a year or two since, Charlotte Russe was indis-
pensable at an entertainment; last winter Bombes were in
high request; and at the period of the Hubbard house-
warming, Boned Turkey had received the place of honour
on the New York supper-tables. People could neither flirt
nor dance, they could talk neither pure nonsense, nor pure
speculation, without the Boned Turkey in perspective. The
fashion had indeed spread so far, that it had at last reached
what Mrs. Hilson generally called her clique.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
137
"Pa thinks we shall have some difficulty in getting boned
turkey at this season; it is rather early; but I am determined
to have it if money can procure it. You know I am very
ambitious, Mrs. Tibbs-I am not easily satisfied."
Mrs. Tibbs, a pretty little woman with light hair, wearing
a fashionable lilac muslin, assented, of course.
"Taking for granted then, that we have the boned turkey,
what shall we put down next?" asked Miss Emmeline.
"Terrapin-soup, pickled-oysters, lobsters, chicken-salad, and
anything in the way of game that can be found in the
market; do you think that will do for the substantial dishes,
Mrs. Bibbs ?"
Mrs. Bibbs, a pretty little woman with black hair, wearing
a fashionable green muslin, assented, of course.
"I think that will do, Emmeline, said Mrs. Hilson; "a
large supply of each, you know. By-the-bye we must have
four dishes of boned turkey; nothing so mean as to have a
small quantity.”
Then followed a long list of lighter delicacies; gallons of
ice-cream with every possible variety of flavour; flour and
eggs, cream and sugar, prepared in every way known to
New York confectioners. Kisses and Mottoes were insisted
upon. Then came the fruits, beginning with peaches and
grapes, and concluding with bananas and other tropical pro-
ductions, until at length even Mrs. Hilson's "ambition” was
thus far satisfied.
"I think our set-out will have quite an aristocratic appear-
ance, Emmeline; including, of course, the boned turkey.
Then we must have coloured candles, they are so much more
tasty—all green and pink. Alonzo will secure the orchestra,
the best in the city; 's band. We must have two
dressing-rooms in the third story, one for the gentlemen, one
for the ladies-and a little fainting-room besides; the small
east room will do for that—we can put in it the easy-chair,
with the white batiste cover I brought over from the city,
with a pitcher of iced-water, and restoratives, all ready. It
12*
138
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
is always best, Mrs. Bibbs, to have a pretty little fainting-
room prepared beforehand-it makes the thing more com-
plete."
The lady in the green muslin agreed entirely with Mrs.
Hilson; she thought it would be unpardonable not to have
a fainting-room.
"The third story will be reserved for the dressing-rooms,
the second entirely devoted to the supper and refreshments,
and the first floor given up to the dancers and promenaders.
I declare I shan't know how to look if we can't procure the
boned turkey."
The lady in the lilac muslin agreed that when everything
else was so genteel, it would be unfortunate indeed to fail in
the boned turkey.
The disposition of the furniture, the variety of lemonades,
&c., was then settled, as well as other minor matters, when
the four ladies sat down to write the invitations on the very
elegant and fanciful note-paper prepared for the occasion.
"The first thing I shall do, Emmeline, will be to write a
letter expressly to Alonzo, to insist upon the confectioner's
procuring the boned turkey."
We shall pass over the labours of the ensuing week,
devoted to the execution of what had been planned. Various
were the rumours floating about Longbridge in the interval;
it was asserted by some persons that a steamboat was to bring
to Longbridge all the fashionable people in New York; that
it was to be a sort of "Mass-Meeting" of the "Aristocracy."
By others, all the fiddlers in New York and Philadelphia
were said to be engaged. In fact, however, nothing was
really known about the matter. Mrs. Bibbs and Mrs. Tibbs
had confided all the details to a score of friends only, and
every one of these had, as usual, spread abroad a different
version of the story. We have it, however, on the best
authority, that every day that week a letter in Mrs. Hilson's
handwriting, directed to the most fashionable cook and con-
fectioner in New York, passed through the Longbridge post-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
139
office, and we happen to know that they were all written
upon the negotiation for the boned turkey, which at that
season it was not easy to procure in perfection.
The eventful evening arrived at length. The fanciful
note-papers had all reached their destination, the pink and
green candles were lighted, the fainting-room was prepared,
the kisses and mottoes had arrived, and though last, surely
not least, four dishes of boned turkey were already on the
supper-table. Mrs. Bibbs and Mrs. Tibbs had gone the
rounds with the two ladies of the house, and admired every-
thing, after which they returned to the drawing-room. Mrs.
Bibbs in blue, and Mrs. Tibbs in pink, were placed in full
array on a sofa. Mrs. Hilson and Miss Emmeline stationed
themselves in a curtseying position, awaiting their guests.
Mr. and Mrs. Clapp, with Miss Patsey and Charlie, were
the first to arrive. Our friend, Patsey, looked pleasant,
good-natured, and neatly dressed, as usual; the silk she
wore was indeed the handsomest thing of the kind she had
ever owned—it was a present from Uncle Josie, who had
insisted upon her coming to his house-warming. Patsey's
toilette, however, though so much more elegant than usual,
looked like plainness and simplicity itself, compared with the
gauzes and flowers, the laces and ribbons of Mrs. Tibbs and
Mrs. Bibbs, who were sitting on the sofa beside her.
Presently, a thin, dark, sober-looking young man walked
in at a side-door; it was Alonzo, Mrs. Hilson's husband.
Honest, warm-hearted Mr. Hubbard soon followed, looking
as usual, in a very good humour, and much pleased with
the holiday he had provided for his daughters, and the satis-
faction of seeing all his old friends in his new house, which
he had prepared for himself. If ever there was a man who
spoilt his children, it was Mr. Joseph Hubbard. Had he had
sons, it might possibly have been different; but his wife had been
a very silly, very pretty, very frivolous woman; the daughters
resembled her in every respect, and Mr. Hubbard seemed to
have adopted the opinion that women were never otherwise
140
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
than silly and frivolous. He loved his daughters, laughed
at their nonsense, was indulgent to their folly, and let them
do precisely as they pleased; which, as he had made a
fortune, it was in his power to do. As for Uncle Dozie, the
bacheler brother, who had lived all his life with Mr. Joseph
Hubbard, he was already in the drawing-room, seated in a
corner, with folded arms, taking a nap. It was singular
what a talent for napping this old gentleman possessed; he
had been known to doze over a new book, pronounced by
the papers "thrillingly interesting," and "intensely exciting;"
he has slept during a political speech, reported as one con-
tinued stream of enchaining eloquence, delivered amid
thunders of applause; and now, under the blaze of astral
lamps, and pink and green candles, while the musicians
were tuning their fiddles, and producing all sorts of discordant
sounds, he was dozing as quietly as if in his own rocking-chair.
Uncle Dozie seldom talked when he could help it; the chief
business and pleasure of his life consisted in superintending
his brother's vegetable-garden; he had never been known
to take a nap among his beets and cabbages, which he
seemed to admire as much as he did his nieces. The vege-
tables, indeed, engrossed so much of his care and attention,
that three times in the course of his life, he had lost by care-
lessness a comfortable little independence which his brother
had made for him.
The company began to pour in. Mrs. Taylor and the
talkative old friend were among the earliest, and took their
seats on the sofa, near Miss Patsey, Mrs. Bibbs, and Mrs.
Tibbs. Adeline, with the Saratoga fashionables, soon fol-
lowed; having remained longer in the dressing-room, in
order to wait until each could appear with a beau to lean on.
The Longbridge élite arrived in large numbers; Uncle
Dozie woke up, and Uncle Josie shook hands as his friends
wished him many happy years in his new house. Miss
Emmeline and Mrs. Hilson flitted hither and thither; while
the dark and sober-looking Alonzo occasionally bent his
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
141
head gently on one side, to receive some private communi-
cations and directions from his more elegant moiety. No
one was received by the ladies of the house with more fasci-
nating smiles, than a tall, slim Englishman, with a very
bushy head of hair, who had made Mrs. Hilson's acquaint-
ance at their boarding-house not long since, and being tired
of occupying a third or fourth-rate position in his own
country, was now determined to show off what he thought
airs of the first water, in this. He was just the attendant in
whom Mrs. Hilson gloried.
"I think the West-End is fully represented here, this
evening, Emmeline," said the fair lady as she tripped past
her sister, followed by Captain Kockney, after the rooms
were uncomfortably full.
"Some very pretty women 'ere, Mrs. 'Ilson," observed
Captain Kockney; "that's really a lovely creature just
come in, and what a piece of ugliness it is alongside of her."
"Miss Graham? Yes, she is our great beauty. Shall I
introduce you?”
"Not now, for pity's sake; wait till that ugly face has
moved out of sight."
"Do you think Miss Wyllys so very ugly? Perhaps she
is; but she is one of our country neighbours, and I have
seen her so frequently that I am accustomed to her appear-
ance-indeed we are quite intimate. When one knows her,
her conversation is excessively delightful; though she wants
more association with city-life to appear to advantage.'
66
Now, pray don't introduce me there, I beg. I saw too
many ugly women the last season I was at 'ome. Our
colonel had three daughters, 'orrid frights, but of course we
had to do the civil by them. It almost tempted me to sell
out; they were parvenues, too-that made the matter worse,
you know."
99
66
‘Oh, yes, I hate parvenoos; I am thoroughly aristocratic
in my nature. Indeed, it is a great misfortune for me that I
am so, one is obliged, in this country, to come so often in
142
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
contact with plebeians! I am afraid you must suffer from
the same cause, while travelling in the United States."
"What, from the plebeians? Oh, I made up my mind to
that before I came, you know; I believe I shall enjoy the
change for a time. One doesn't expect anything else from
you Yankees; and then I had a surfeit of aristocracy in
London, the last season. We had half-a-dozen crowned
heads there; and first one met them everywhere in town,
you know, and then at every country-house.'
""
"How delightful it must be to live surrounded by royalty
in that way!"
"There you 're quite out. It's a great bore; one has to
mind their p's and q's. at court, you know-I never go to
Windsor if I can help it.”
Well, I should never tire of a court-I am thoroughly
patrician in my disposition. I have a good right to such
tastes, Captain Kockney, for I have a great deal of noble
blood in my veins."
66
Now, really! what family do you belong to?"
"The duke of Percy; a noble family of Scotland. Pa's
name is Joseph P. Hubbard. Don't you pity people who
have no nobility in their families ?”
'Pon my soul, I don't know how a man feels under such
circumstances. It's a queer sensation, I dare say."
Dr. Van Horne," continued Mrs. Hilson, to a young
man who came up to make his bow to her, "I have a great
mind to ask a favour of you. Will you undertake to bleed
me?"
"I should be sorry if you required my services in that
way, Mrs. Hilson.”
“Ah, but it would be a real obligation; I want to get rid
of all but my Percy blood. Perhaps you don't know that
our family is distinguished by its descent ?"
"From old Mother Hubbard,'" thought young Van
Horne; but he merely bowed.
66
Yes, our ancestors were dukes of Percy, who were
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
143
beheaded in Scotland for being faithful to their king. It is
very possible we might claim the title of a Scotch Peer."
Mrs. Hilson had read too many English novels, not to have
a supply of such phrases at command. "If you could only
find the right vein, I would insist upon your taking away all
but my patrician blood."
"Would not the operation leave you too perfect, Mrs.
Hilson ?"
"Perhaps it might make me vain. But it could scarcely
unfit me more for living in a republic. How I wish we
were governed by a despot!-don't you?"
"Not in the least," but I wish you were,' the young
man added, to himself, as he moved away towards Jane and
Elinor, who were in a corner talking to his sisters. "All
the fools in this country are not travelled fools, as I wish my
father would remember," he continued, as he edged his way
through the crowd.
"And he that aye has lived free
May not well know the misery,
The wrath, the strife, the hate, and all,
That's compassed in the name of thrall."
"You have mustered quite à pretty set of little plebeians
'ere to-night. Now, that's quite a nice-looking little creature
standing by the door," continued Captain Kockney; "what
do
you call her?"
"Her name is Taylor-Adeline Taylor; they belong to
the aristocracy too; shall I introduce you?”
"Is she married? If she is, I've no objections; but if she
isn't, I had rather not. It's such a bore, you know, talking
to girls-bread-and-butter misses !”
"How ungallant you are!"
Ungallant! Why? I suppose you know it's a settled
thing that none of us talk to girls in society. Most of them
are so milk-and-water, and the rest are so deep, they're
always fancying a man means something. Why, last spring
66
.
144
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
we cut Lord Adolphus Fitz Flummery, of ours, just because
he made a fool of himself, dangling after the girls."
"But don't gentlemen ever speak to an unmarried lady
in England?"
"The saps do—but not your knowing ones. We make
an exception though, in favour of a regular beauty, such as
that little girl on the other side of the room; that Thomson
girl, didn't you call her. ?”
"Miss Graham-you are difficult to please if nothing else
will suit you. But of course it is natural for aristocratic
minds to be fastidious.'
""
"To be sure it is, that's what makes us English aristocrats
so exclusive. If that little Graham girl comes in our way
though, I've no objection to making her acquaintance. And
if you have got a great fortune 'ere to-night, I'll make an
exception for her-you may introduce me. Is there such a
thing as an heiress in the room ?”
No, I believe not but Miss Taylor is
"An heiress?
quite a fortune.”
Batt
"Is she? Well then, you may introduce me there too.
We have to do the civil to the rich girls, you know; because
after a while most of us are driven into matrimony. That's
the governor, I take it, near the door.”
"".
"The governor? Oh, no, our governor does not live at
Longbridge."
"Doesn't he? Well, I thought you introduced him just
now as the governor, and I fancied some one called him
'Ubbard; that's the governor's name, isn't it?"
"No, indeed. "That's Pa you are speaking of."
"Just so that is what I said. You call your paternities
Pa, do you?—we always call the old fellows governors, in
England."
"Do you call your father Gov. Kockney? I did not know
that governor was an English title; it sounds very plebeian
in my ears.
66
Now, what do you mean? ha! ha!-you are delightful,
""
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
145
You put me in mind of a good scene at the drawing-room,
last June. Though, perhaps, you don't know what the
drawing-room is?"
"Oh, yes; I know that it means Court. My tastes are so
exclusive, that I may say I have lived in English High-Life
from the time I married, and became intimate with Mrs.
Bagman. I feel quite at home in such scenes, for I read
every novel that comes out with Lords and Ladies in it.
What were you going to tell me about Court?"
The story was interrupted by Miss Hubbard, who tripped
across the room to carry her sister off with her.
"Now you are not going, I hope? Why not stay 'ere;
I am sure this sofa is the most comfortable thing in the
room."
"I must go to receive some friends of mine, come over
expressly from the city."
66
Pray, keep me clear of the cits! But now, if you will
go, just leave me your bouquet as a consolation. Thank
you.-Oh, yes, I'll take good care of it."
I hope you will, for it's a ten dollar bouquet, and I'm
very proud of it. You must not steal a single flower, mind."
“Mustn't I? - Do you dare me?" and the agreeable
Captain began to pull out several flowers. Mrs. Hilson,
however, was hurried away.
Mr. Taylor, Mr. Hubbard, and Alonzo moved towards the
sofa where she had been sitting.
"Do you think that Stewart will be chosen President of
the Franklin Insurance?" inquired Mr. Hubbard.
“I think not, sir—he rather mismanaged the affairs of the
Hoboken Bank. Lippincott will be the President, I take it.
He has magnificent talents for business. You know he has
purchased the thirty lots in 50th street, that were sold at
auction, yesterday."
"A good purchase, I should say."
"How's the Hoboken stock now?" inquired Alonzo.
A murmuring about five per cent.'-six per cent.'
VOL. I.-13
146
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
'par'—' premium,' followed, and was only interrupted by
the approach of young Van Horne and Elinor.
"I beg your pardon, Miss Wyllys," said Mr. Hubbard,
making room for her. “Oh, yes, Mr. Van Horne, here is a
place for you, and another couple besides. Whom are you
looking for?"
"Charles Hubbard, sir; I want him for a vis-à-vis.”
"Charlie is already placed, I see; but here is a gentle-
man; perhaps you would like to dance, sir?”—addressing
Captain Kockney, who was still in possession of the sofa
and the flowers. "I hope my daughter has introduced you.
to some of the young ladies.”
Now, really; if I am to dance, I prefer Mrs. 'Ilson."
And, accordingly, the Captain, by no means sorry to be
forced to dance, rose with a victim-like look, half strode, half
sidled towards Mrs. Hilson, and putting his elbow in her
face by way of an invitation, led her to the quadrille. The
contrast between these two couples, placed opposite to each
other, was striking, and yet common enough in a mixed ball-
room. Captain Kockney was desperately nonchalant, his
partner full of airs and graces; their conversation was silly,
ignorant, and conceited, beyond the reach of imagination—
such things must be heard to be believed. Young Van
Horne was clever, and appeared to less advantage in dancing
than in most things. Elinor the reader knows already; it
was a pleasure to follow her as she moved about with the
happy grace which belonged to her nature.
Her partner,
half in joke, half in earnest, was engaging her interest
with his father in behalf of the visit to Europe. Elinor
promised to do all in her power; and they chatted away
cheerfully and gaily, for they were young and light-hearted;
and yet, even in a ball-room, they meant what they said, and
knew what they were talking about, for both were sensible
and well educated. Jane and young Bernard were next to
Mrs. Hilson; Adeline and Charlie Hubbard next to Elinor.
Miss Taylor had declared that she would allow no one but
66
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
147
herself to fill the place opposite to Jane, causing by her
decision no little flirtation, and rattling merriment; but, of
course, this was just what the young lady aimed at. These
two pretty, thoughtless creatures, the belle and the beauty,
held a middle position between Mrs. Hilson and Elinor.
Frivolous as they were, there was more latent good about
them, than could be found in the city lady,' who was one
frothy compound of ignorant vanity, and vulgar affectation.
The class she represented was fortunately as small in its
extreme folly, as that to which Elinor belonged, in its simple
excellence.
Any one, indifferent to dancing or speculation, seeking
amusement as a looker-on, would have been struck, at Uncle
Josie's house-warming, with the generally feminine and
pleasing appearance of the women; there were few faces,
indeed, that could be called positively ugly. Then, again,
one remarked, that puerile as the general tone might be,
mixed as the company was, there were no traces whatever
of coarseness, none of that bold vulgarity which is so revolting.
There was a certain proportion of elderly men collected
on the occasion-they were seen, with a few exceptions,
standing in knots, talking great speculations and little politics,
and looking rather anxious for supper, and the boned turkey.
Of the mothers and chaperons, who filled the sofas, as re-
presentatives of a half-forgotten custom, some were watching
the flirtations, others looking on and enjoying the gaiety of the
young people. Both fathers and mothers, however, were
very decidedly in the minority, and, according to American
principles, they allowed the majority undisputed sway. The
young people, in general, held little communication with their
elders, and amused themselves after their own fashion; the
young ladies' bouquets afforded a favourite subject for small-
talk; they were all carefully analysed-not botanically, but
according to the last edition of that elegant work, the Lan-
guage of Flowers, which afforded, of course, a wide field
for the exercise of gallantry and flirtation.
148
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Among the dancers, the four young ladies we have pointed
out were acknowledged the most conspicuous. According
to Mrs. Tibbs and Mrs. Bibbs, Jane's was the most beautiful
face in the room, although there were two or three competi-
tors for the title; Adeline was pronounced the most successful
of the rival belles; Mrs. Hilson the most elegant and airy;
Elinor the plainest of the gay troop. Probably, most of
those who thought about the matter, would have decided as
the Longbridge ladies did-although, on the point of Mrs.
Hilson's elegance, many would have protested. There was
one person, at least, who followed Elinor's graceful figure
with partial interest; Miss Agnes found so much that was
pleasing to her, in the fresh, youthful appearance of her
adopted child—in the simple good-taste of her white dress-
in the intelligence and character of her expression-in her
engaging manner, that she forgot to regret her want of
beauty; she no longer wondered, as she had sometimes
done, that Harry should so early have appreciated her niece.
Those who knew Elinor thoroughly, loved her for the ex-
cellence of her character; strangers neglected her for any
pretty face at her side; but every one thrown in her society,
must have acknowledged the charm of her manner. This
pleasing manner, however, so frank, yet so feminine, so
simple, yet so graceful, was only the natural result of her
character, and her very want of beauty. She was never
troubled by the fluttering hopes and fears of vanity; she
never seemed to think of effect; when in society, her atten-
tion was always given in the simplest and most amiable way
to others. Forgetful of self, she was a stranger to every
forward affectation, to every awkwardness of mauvaise honte ;
her good sense, her gaiety, a sweet disposition, and an active
mind were allowed full play, under no other restraints than
those of a good education; those of principle, and those of
youthful, womanly modesty. Such was Elinor in the eyes
of her aunt, but it must not be supposed that this was the
general opinion of Uncle Josie's guests; by no means; many
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
149
remarks were made upon Miss Wyllys's being so decidedly
plain; and even her dancing was thought inferior by some
of the company to the more laboured graces of Mrs. Hilson,
or the downright indifference of Adeline: as for Jane, she
unfortunately never danced in time.
At the proper moment supper was announced-the boned
turkey appeared in full glory. "What is that?"—" Boned
turkey"-" Shall I give you boned turkey ?"-"I'll thank
you for a little boned turkey"—were sounds heard in every
direction. It was very evident the boned turkey was fully
appreciated, and gave great satisfaction-thus putting the
finishing touch to the pleasures of Uncle Josie's house-
warming. We must not forget to mention the mottoes,
which were handed about in silver baskets, for, as usual,
they caused many tender and witty speeches.
This was a
part of the entertainment in which Adeline delighted; Jane
seemed quite satisfied with it, and Mrs. Hilson was in her
element among these little bits of pink paper and sentiment.
Before the supper was more than half over, however, the
rattling of spoons and plates, the requests for "boned turkey,"
and the flirting over mottoes were suddenly interrupted, and
everything hushed for a moment, by calls for a doctor!
"Where is Dr. Van Horne ?” "Have you seen Dr. A ?"
"There is Dr. B.”
"Alonzo, the fainting-room; remember," said Mrs. Hilson.
But it proved to be none of the company who required a
physician. A stranger, a sailor, some one said, who had
been for the last week at a low tavern opposite, had been
seized with a fit. Dr. Van Horne was soon found, and
hastened to the relief of the sick man. The interruption
was soon forgotten; the mottoes and boned turkey were
again in demand. Dr. Van Horne did not return, however;
his family went home without him; and Mrs. Clapp, on
looking around for her husband, found that he also had dis-
appeared.
I saw Clapp going into the tavern last evening," observed
13*
150
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Uncle Josie. 66 Perhaps this poor fellow is some client of
his; he may have gone to look after him."
Mrs. Clapp was obliged to ask Uncle Dozie to accompany
her home; and as he was no somnambulist, with all his
napping, he carried his niece safely to her own door.
Miss Wyllys was one of those who left the house imme-
diately after supper. Adeline and Jane ran up stairs before
Elinor and herself-like the Siamese twins, each with an
arm encircling the other's waist. The close intimacy between
Jane and Adeline continued to surprise Elinor. She began
to think there must be something more than common, some-
thing of the importance of a mystery which drew them so
often together, causing so many confidential meetings. Even
when the two girls were in society, she could not but observe
that Adeline often made some allusion, or whispered some
remark that seemed both pleasing and embarrassing to Jane.
Miss Taylor was evidently playing confidante, and occasion-
ally Jane appeared to wish her less open and persevering in
the affair. As for Mrs. Graham, she was too much occu-
pied with the care of her younger children to pay much
attention to her daughter's intimacies. She rather disliked
Adeline and all her family, and Mr. Graham had a real
antipathy for Mr. Taylor; still Jane was allowed to do as
other young girls about her, select whom she pleased for her
associates. Mrs. Graham was one of those mothers who
devote themselves with great assiduity to the care of their
childrens' bodies, their food and raiment, pains and aches—
leaving all anxiety for their minds to the school-mistress,
and their characters to themselves. With the eldest daughter
this plan had succeeded very well; Louisa Graham was
clever and well-disposed, and had taken of her own accord
what is called a good turn; and Mr. Robert Hazlehurst had
every reason to congratulate himself upon his choice of a
wife. Mrs. Graham seemed to take it as a matter of course
that the same system would succeed equally well with all her
family. But Jane's disposition was very different from her
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
151
sister Louisa's; she had no strength of character, and was
easily led by those about her. The greatest fault in her dis-
position was thought by her family to be indolence; but
Miss Wyllys sometimes wished that she had less selfishness,
and more frankness.
Elinor was not a little startled at something which passed
in Miss Hubbard's dressing-room, between Jane and Miss
Taylor, and which she accidentally overheard, before she
was aware the conversation was confidential.
"Don't pretend any longer, Jane, that you didn't know it,”
whispered Adeline, as they were stooping together over a
bundle of hoods and shawls. Jane made no answer.
“Now,
confess that you knew he was serious before you left Paris."
"I did not think much of it for some time," said Jane.
"Well, I supposed from your letters that you knew long
ago that he was desperately in love with you. Trust me,
we'll settle it all between us.
""
66
Oh, hush," said Jane, "there is somebody coming-I
know it's wrong-"
“Nonsense—wrong indeed! I should like to know where
is the great harm if he does break his engagement ?"
Elinor moved away when she found the conversation was
meant to be private. But she had unintentionally heard
enough to make her anxious for Jane. "Was not Adeline
leading her into difficulty?" She felt uneasy, and thought of
nothing else during her drive home. It would not do to consult
Miss Wyllys; but she determined to speak to Jane herself,
the first time she saw her. Unfortunately, her cousin was
going to New York, and nothing could be done until she
returned to pass a fortnight at Wyllys-Roof before going to
town for the winter.
152
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
CHAPTER XV.
"the reward
Is in the race we run, not in the prize."
ROGERS.
MISS PATSEY had never, in her life, been to a regular ball,
before this house-warming of Uncle Josie's; but not even
the novelty of a ball could keep her in bed an hour later
than usual. Charlie and herself had returned home some
time after midnight, with the Wyllyses; but the next morning
she rose with the chickens, and before the October sun, to
pursue, as usual, her daily labours. It was truly surprising
how much Patsey Hubbard found time to do in a single day,
and that without being one of your fussy, utilitarian busy-
bodies, whose activity is all physical, and who look upon
half an hour passed in quiet thought, or innocent recreation,
as so much time thrown away. Our friend Patsey's career,
from childhood, had been one of humble industry, self-forget-
fulness, and active charity; her time in the gay hours of
youth, as well as in the calmer years of mature experience,
had been devoted to the welfare and happiness of her parents,
her brothers and sisters. From a long habit of considering
the wants and pleasures of others first, she always seemed
to think of herself last, as a matter of course. She had had
many laborious, anxious hours, many cares; but it is far
from being those who have the most trouble in this world,
who complain the loudest; no one had fewer wants, fewer
vanities, fewer idle hours than Miss Patsey, and, consequently,
no one could be more generally cheerful and contented.
There is nothing so conducive to true, healthful cheerfulness,
as the consciousness of time well-spent: there is no better
cure for the dull spirit of French ennui, or the gloom of
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
153
English blues, than regular, useful occupation, followed by
harmless recreation.
Any one who had followed Patsey Hubbard through the
varied duties of a single day, would have acknowledged
that there is no spectacle in this world more pleasant, than
that of a human being, discharging with untiring fidelity,
and singleness of heart, duties, however humble. The
simple piety of her first morning prayer, the plain good
sense of her domestic arrangements, and thorough perform-
ance of all her household tasks, her respectful, considerate
kindness to her step-mother, and even a shade of undue
indulgence of Charlie - all spoke her character — all was
consistent.
Happy was Patsey's little flock of scholars. Every
morning, at nine o'clock, they assembled; the Taylor children
usually appeared in Leghorn gipsies, and silk aprons; the
rest of the troop in gingham "sun-bonnets," and large aprons
of the same material. There were several little boys just
out of petticoats, and half-a-dozen little girls-enough to fill
two benches. The instruction Patsey gave her little people
was of the simplest kind; reading, spelling, writing, and
arithmetic, learning a few simple verses, with sewing and
marking for the girls, made up the amount of it. Most
people, in these days of enlightenment, would have been
very much dissatisfied with her plan, for it actually excluded
all the sciences, and all the accomplishments. Patsey had
two reasons for confining herself to the plainest branches of
education only; in the first place, she did not think herself
capable of teaching anything else; and, secondly, she doubted
whether her scholars were capable of learning anything better
or more useful for themselves. Mr. Taylor thought she had
very low views of infant education; and yet, you could not
have found anywhere a set of children, between three and
ten, who were more thoroughly taught what their instructor
professed to teach. Happy would it be for these little crea-
tures, if they never acquired any worse knowledge than they
154
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
gained under Patsey's care! She had an eye to their
tempers, their morals, and their manners; she trained the
little girls to be modest and gentle-the little boys to be
respectful and obliging; while she endeavoured to make all
alike honest, open, cheerful, and sincere. Were not these
lessons quite as important to most children, between the ages
of three and ten, as chemistry, astronomy, and natural phi-
losophy?
The day following Uncle Josie's house-warming, Miss
Patsey released her little flock an hour earlier than usual;
they were allowed to pass the time playing in an adjoining
meadow, until sent for by their parents. There was to be a
tea-party at the "old gray house" that evening-a very un-
usual event; ten invitations had been sent out. The fact is,
Miss Patsey had received a basket of noble peaches, the day
before, from one of her neighbours; and Uncle Josie had
already, early in the morning, sent over a wagon-load of
good things to replenish his niece's larder-the remains of
the last night's supper; among other delicacies there was a
bit of boned turkey, for Mrs. Hubbard's especial benefit.
Patsey scarcely knew what to do with so many luxuries.
She sent a basket of fruits and jellies to a couple of sick
neighbours, by Charlie; still, there was more than her
mother, Charlie, and herself, could possibly do justice to in a
week. She determined to give a little tea-party; it was
eighteen months since she had had one, and that had been only
for the Wyllyses. Dr. and Mrs. Van Horne, the Taylors, the
Wyllyses, and the Clapps were accordingly invited; and
Patsey proceeded to burn some coffee, and make short-cake.
The little parlour was more carefully swept and dusted than
ever, five additional chairs were brought in, and a fire was
made, on account of Mrs. Hubbard. Then, about four
o'clock, the ladies made their toilette; Mrs. Hubbard was
dressed in a smart new calico, with a cap, made by Elinor,
and was then seated in the best rocking-chair. As for Patsey,
herself, she could not think of wearing the elegant new dress,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
155
Uncle Josie's present-that was much too fine; she preferred
what had now become her second-best-a black silk, which
looked somewhat rusty and well-worn. To tell the truth,
this gown had seen good service; it had been not only turned,
but re-turned-having twice gone through the operation of
ripping and sponging; and doubtful as the fact may appear
to the reader, yet we have Miss Patsey's word for it, that a
good silk will bear twice turning, but then it must be a silk
of a first-rate quality, like her own. It had been, indeed,
the standing opinion of the family for the last five years, that
this particular dress was still "as good as new." As for the
changes in fashion that this black silk had outlived, who
shall tell them? It was purchased in the days of short
waists and belts, "gig-ohs," and "pal-reens," as they were
called by the country damsel, whose scissors first shaped
the glossy "gro de nap." Waists, long, longer, longest,
succeeded; sleeves, full, fuller, fullest, followed; belts were
discarded, boddices began to appear; still Miss Patsey's silk
kept up with the changes, or rather, did not entirely lose
sight of them. If you had seen her at a little tea-party at
Wyllys-Roof, wearing this silk, "nearly as good as new,"
with a neat and pretty collar of Elinor's work, you would
have been obliged to confess that her dress answered a rule
given by a celebrated philosopher-you would not have re-
marked it. Had you chanced to meet her of a Sunday, in
Mr. Wyllys's carriage-the Wyllyses always stopped on
their way to St. John's Church, at Longbridge, to offer a
couple of seats to the Hubbards, who were set down at the
door of their father's old Meeting-house-had you seen her
of a Sunday, with a neat straw hat, and the black silk gown,
you would have been obliged to acknowledge that her dress
had the double merit, by no means common, of according
with her circumstances, and the sacred duties she was going
to fulfil; the devotion of her neighbours would not be dis-
turbed by admiration of her toilette.
At five o'clock, Miss Patsey's company began to assemble ;
156
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
the Wyllyses were the first to appear; then came Mrs.
Taylor, Mrs. Van Horne, and Mrs. Clapp; Adeline excused
herself, she thought it a bore, Charlie was not worth flirting
with. The doctor, Mr. Taylor, and Mr. Clapp, were ex-
pected after tea. And a pleasant, good-natured evening it
proved to be. Miss Patsey's coffee was excellent; the little
black girl, engaged for the occasion, performed her duties to
admiration. Mrs. Taylor thought that she had scarcely
passed such a quiet, pleasant afternoon, since the halcyon
days before her husband was a rich man; she was much
interested in discussing with Miss Patsey, and Miss Wyllys,
and Mrs. Van Horne, various recipes for making bread, hoe-
cake, and other good things, As for Elinor, she told Charlie
she had left her work at home, on purpose that she might
have time enough to look over all his sketches-everything
he had to show, old and new. The drawings, and several
oil-paintings were accordingly produced, and looked over by
the young people, and Mr. Wyllys, who had taken a chair
by the table, and joined them. Elinor knew nothing of
drawing, but her general taste was good; she asked many
questions about the details of the art, and was amused and
interested by Charlie's remarks.
"Show us everything, Charlie," said Mr. Wyllys. "I
befriended your genius, you know, in the days of the slate
and compound interest; and, of course, I shall think it due
to my own discernment to admire all your works."
"Of course, you are not afraid of my criticisms,” said
Elinor; "I don't know enough to be severe.”
"People who know little, my child, generally make very
severe critics," said Mr. Wyllys.
"When they know little, grandpapa; but mine is honest,
humble ignorance. I know nothing at all on the subject.”
"Do you remember, Miss Elinor, that Hogarth said any-
body possessing common sense was a better judge of a pic-
ture than a connoisseur ?"
“Did Hogarth say so?—I shall begin to feel qualified to
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
157
+
find fault. That is a very pretty group of children, grand-
papa."
66
Very pretty;—some of Miss Patsey's little people. And
here is another, quite natural and graceful, Charlie.”
"I never see my sister's little scholars but I am tempted
to sketch them. Children are such a charming study; but
I am never satisfied with what I do; a picture of children
that is not thoroughly childlike is detestable.
Those are
mere scratches."
"What are these faint outlines of figures, with dashes of
colouring here and there?" asked Elinor.
“Oh, those are mere fancies, made entirely for amusement.
They are rude sketches of my own ideas of celebrated pic-
tures that I have never seen, of course; only as exercises for
idle moments—one way of practising attitudes of figures, and
composition. I keep them more as a lesson of humility than
anything else, for me to remember my own poor conceits
when I see the originals, if that happy day ever come."
"I thought you gave yourself up entirely to landscapes,
Charlie-do you think seriously of pursuing both branches?"
asked Mr. Wyllys.
(6
No, sir; I give the preference to landscapes; I find, at
least, that field quite wide enough. It seems scarcely pos-
sible to unite both, they are so different in character and
detail, and require such a different course of study."
"That is the great point with you, my boy; you must not
waste too much time upon the ideal portion of the art; you
must remember that the most beautiful ideas in the world
will be lost, if the execution is not in some measure worthy
of them."
"I am so well aware of that, sir, that I have done nothing
but study the practical part of my trade for the last three
months, and I feel that it has been of service to me."
"There is water in all your sketches, I believe,” said
Elinor. "You must be very partial to it."
"I am, indeed—it is a most delightful study-I should be
VOL. I. - 14
158
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
afraid to tell you all the pleasure I have in painting water-
you would laugh at me, if I once set off upon my hobby.”
"Not at all; you have made me an honest admirer of
every variety of lakes and rivers, since I have seen your
pictures."
"When did you first take to water, Charlie ?" asked Mr.
Wyllys.
66
Oh, long ago, sir, when I was a little bit of a shaver.
Have you never when a child, Miss Elinor, received great
pleasure, perhaps a lasting impression, from some natural
object that you still remember distinctly?"
(6
Yes, I know what you mean-I recollect perfectly
several things of the kind. I believe children have more
observation, and feeling for what is beautiful, than is gene-
rally supposed."
"It is very probable that most children have similar sensa-
tions. I am glad that you do not laugh at me; there are
few persons to whom I confess my violent partiality for water;
most people would think it ridiculous.”
"You are right, Charlie; one can talk to the world in
action only; it never believes the truth in any shape, until
forced to acknowledge it. You are pursuing the right course,
however; you have spoken quite clearly in your view from
Nahant-your friends have every reason to urge you to
persevere. But does not Mr.
tell you to pay more
attention to your foliage and buildings? you rather neglect
them for the water.'
""
Yes, sir; I am well aware of my defects in that respect,
and next summer I hope to devote a great deal of time to
foliage."
The conversation was here interrupted by the arrival of
Dr. Van Horne and Mr. Taylor, followed shortly after by
Mr. Clapp.
(6
"You are late, William," said pretty little Mrs. Clapp to
her husband. "Did you leave the children all safe? Did
the baby cry for me?"
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
159
Perfectly safe-all sound asleep," replied Mr. Clapp,
passing his fingers through his curls. But his wife, who
knew every expression of the face she thought so handsome,
fancied William looked pale and uneasy; some business
had gone wrong, perhaps.
Quite a select circle," observed Mr. Taylor, sitting down
by Miss Wyllys, leaning his chair back, and rolling his
thumbs, one over the other.
I have not had a pleasanter evening in a great while,”
said Mrs. Taylor. "It puts me in mind, husband, of old-
fashioned tea-parties, when we lived altogether in the country.
We used to go at two o'clock, and stay until sunset. I think
such sociable parties are much pleasanter than late, crowded
balls."
66
“Ha! ha!—that may be your opinion, Mrs. Taylor; a
quiet party does very well where one is intimate, no doubt
but I conclude that younger ladies, Adeline, and her friends
Miss Graham and Miss Wyllys, would give a different
verdict."
"Miss Taylor seems quite partial to large parties,” said
Elinor, quietly, for the remark was addressed to her.
Yes, Adeline and her chum' both like plenty of balls
and beaux, I reckon."
What has become of your patient, doctor?" inquired
Miss Patsey. "The poor man at the tavern-do you think
he will get well?"
"I have no doubt the fellow will outlive half-a-dozen such
fits. I left him last night under guard of two men, to keep
him from hanging himself; and this morning, when I went
to look after him, he was off. He was so much better, that
he had been persuaded by some messmate to ship for a
cruize-only a three years' whaling voyage. Regular Jack-
tar fashion—a frolic one day, a fit the next, and off for the
end of the world the third.”
"He has left Longbridge, has he?" said Mr. Wyllys. "I
was just going to inquire after him, for they have a story
160
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
going about, that he used very threatening language in
speaking of myself and Hazlehurst. Did you happen to hear
him, doctor?"
"He did use some wild, incoherent expressions, sir, to
that effect, when I was with him; but the threats of a raving
man are not of much consequence.”
"Certainly not. But I have no idea who the man can be;
I don't know a single common seaman by sight or name— -at
least, the only one I ever knew is long since dead. It is
singular that this fellow should have known my name even;
they say he was a stranger at Longbridge."
66
Entirely so, I believe.”
"What was his name?"
"William Thompson, they told me.”
If he is a sailor, he probably has a dozen aliases," inter-
posed Mr. Clapp, who had been listening very attentively.
"By-the-bye, Clapp, they say he included you in his kind
wishes."
"Yes, sir, so I understand."
66
William, you never mentioned it to me!" said his wife.
No, my dear; I did not attach any importance to the
story," replied the lawyer, pulling out his handkerchief with
one hand, and running the other through his hair-looking
a little nervous and uneasy, notwithstanding,
"He did not exactly threaten you, Mr. Clapp, while I was
with him, said the doctor; "he seemed rather to depend upon
you as an ally."
"Still more singular," said Mr. Clapp, with a glance at
Mr. Wyllys.
"That was very strange!" exclaimed his wife—“ what
could the man mean?"
It is by no means easy to explain the meaning of a
drunken man, my dear. It is just possible he may have
heard my name as a man of business. I have had several
sailors for clients, and one quite recently, staying at the same
tavern."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
161
"I dare say, if explained, it would prove to be Much ado
about Nothing," said Mr. Wyllys. "Since the fellow was
drunk at the time, and went off as soon as he grew sober, the
danger does not seem very imminent.”
66
Precisely my opinion, sir," said Mr. Clapp.
Grandpapa, do you remember the sailor who was found
near our house, one night, about two years ago? It was my
birth-day, and we had a little party-have you forgotten?"
"True, my child; I have never thought of the fellow
since; but now you speak of him, I remember the fact.”
"Do you not think it is probably the same person ?—you
know Harry had him locked up: perhaps he owes you both
a grudge for the treatment he received at Wyllys-Roof, upon
that occasion.”
66
"That accounts for the whole affair, Miss Elinor-you
have cleared up the mystery entirely," said Mr. Clapp, look-
ing much relieved. He not only appeared grateful to Elinor
for the explanation given, but seemed to extend the obliga-
tion to all the family; for he was particularly attentive to
Mr. Wyllys, and Miss Agnes, during the whole evening-
and the next morning, early, drove out to Wyllys-Roof, ex-
pressly to carry some brook-trout, for Mr. Wyllys's break-
fast. The lawyer informed several persons, who alluded to
the story, of this simple explanation, which seemed to satisfy
all who heard it. The whole affair was soon forgotten, for
a time, at least.
14*
162
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
A
CHAPTER XVI.
"Weak and irresolute is man;
The purpose of to-day
Woven with pains into his plan,
To-morrow rends away."
COWPER.
AFTER an absence of a week, or ten days, Harry returned
to Wyllys-Roof, not at all sorry to hear that he was too late
to see the Grahams, as they were going to New York the
next morning. He was very attentive to Elinor-pointedly
So. Once or twice she was going to jest with him upon the
subject, and inquire the cause of this studied gallantry; but
observing he was still a little out of spirits, she contented
herself with thanking him for the books he had brought her.
The next day proved so mild, so hazy, and Indian-summer-
like, that Hazlehurst proposed to take advantage of it, to
give the ladies a row on the river. They were out for a
couple of hours, landed on the opposite bank, and paid a
visit to their friends, the Bernards, who lived a mile or two
below them. The air was delightful, the country looked
beautiful—fresher, perhaps, than at midsummer; for the heat
was no longer parching, and the September showers had
washed away the dust, and brought out the green grass again.
Harry had become interested in the conversation, and was
particularly agreeable; Miss Agnes was pleased with his
remarks, and Elinor thought she had never passed a plea-
santer morning; she was little aware that it was to be fol
lowed by many anxious, painful days.
They landed, as usual, at the boat-house; and the ladies
prepared to walk slowly across the lawn, while Harry se-
cured the boat and oars. As they approached the house,
they were surprised to see several of the servants collected
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
163
on the piazza, listening so intently to a lad that they did not
see the ladies. Old Hetty, a superannuated negro cook,
who had lived all her life in the family, was wringing her
hands, and wiping her eyes with her apron; while Mammy
Sarah, Elinor's former nurse, a respectable white woman,
was talking to the boy.
Elinor quickened her pace, and hastened before her aunt,
to inquire into the cause of this distress.
"What is it, Mammy?" she asked, on reaching the piazza.
"What is the matter?"
“Oh, dearie me; Miss Elly, Miss Elly!" exclaimed old
Hetty, with a fresh burst of tears.
"Tell us-Hetty-Mammy-what has happened?" said
Miss Wyllys, as she approached.
"Oh, Miss Aggess, Miss Aggess-dreadful news!" said
the old negro woman, burying her face in her apron.
"My father?" asked Miss Agnes, faintly, and trembling
with alarm.
"No, ma'am," said Mammy Sarah, looking very sad,
however; "Mr. Wyllys is very well, and we were hoping he
would come in before you, so that we could get at the truth."
Let us hear what you have to say, at once, Mammy,"
continued Miss Agnes, anxiously.
"Billy, here, has brought bad news from Longbridge."
"Dreadful news!" interposed old Hetty. "Oh, Miss
Aggess! Billy say Miss Jane-"
"What is it?-Speak plainly!" cried Miss Wyllys,
"There's an accident happened to the steamboat," added
Mammy.
"B'iler bust dearie me-Miss Jane's scall to death!"
exclaimed Hetty.
A cry of horror burst from Elinor and her aunt, and they
turned towards Mammy Sarah.
“I hope it isn't quite so bad, ma'am," said Mammy; “but
Billy says the steamboat boiler did really burst after she had
got only half a mile from the wharf.”
164
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
A second sufficed for Miss Agnes and Elinor to remember
Hetty's fondness for marvels and disasters, and they hoped
ardently that the present account might be exaggerated.
They turned to the boy: "What had he heard ?" "Whom
had he seen?" Billy reported that he had seen the boat
himself; that he had heard the cries from her decks, which
the people in the street thought had come from some horses
on board, that must have been scalded; that another boat
had gone out to the Longbridge steamer, and had towed her
to a wharf a few rods from the spot where the accident hap-
pened; that he had seen, himself, a man on horseback,
coming for the doctor; and the people told him five horses
had been killed, two men badly hurt, and Mr. Graham's
eldest daughter was scalded so badly that she was not ex-
pected to live.
Miss Wyllys's anxiety increased on hearing the boy's
story; she ordered the carriage instantly, determined that
under any circumstances, it would be best to go to Long-
bridge at once, either to discover the truth, or to assist Mrs.
Graham in nursing Jane, if she were really badly injured.
At this moment, Harry returned from the boat-house.
"What is the matter?" he exclaimed, springing up the
piazza steps, and looking round upon the sad and anxious
faces.
"We have heard bad news from Longbridge," said Miss
Wyllys; but before she could explain herself, old Hetty
burst into tears again, and turning to Hazlehurst, exclaimed:
Oh, Massa Harry !—dreadful news!-Miss Jane scall to
death in steamboat!"
66
Miss Wyllys was so much struck with the effect of these
words on Harry, that for an instant she forgot to say "she
trusted the story had been exaggerated." Hazlehurst lost all
colour-stood speechless and motionless for a moment.
Elinor was too much agitated herself to speak. Suddenly,
Harry met Miss Agnes's eye; he turned from her, rushed
through the house, and continued walking rapidly up and
.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
165
down the avenue, apparently forgetful of everything but his
own feelings. Amid all her anxiety for Jane, Miss Wyllys
could not but remark Hazlehurst's manner-he seemed en-
tirely overcome by his emotion; and yet he had not asked
one question, nor made one offer to do anything for Elinor,
or herself; and one would have thought it more natural that
at such a moment he should have remained with them, pained
and distressed as they were. Elinor only thought that Hazle-
hurst's feelings did credit to his heart; her own was full of
grief for the suffering of her playfellow and companion,
whom she had loved almost as a sister.
Some twenty minutes were passed in this manner by the
aunt and niece, with feelings better understood than described.
They were waiting for the carriage, and nothing could be
done in the mean time; it seemed an age to Elinor before
the coachman could be found, and the horses harnessed.
While her aunt and herself were in tears, pacing the piazza
together, they were surprised by the appearance, on the
Longbridge road, of the old-fashioned chair in which Mr.
Wyllys usually drove about his farm. Miss Agnes distinctly
saw her father driving, with a lady at his side. They were
approaching at a very steady, quiet pace. As they entered
the gate, Miss Agnes and Elinor hastened to meet them; they
saw Harry stopping to speak to Mr. Wyllys, and then Miss
Wyllys heard her father's voice calling to herself.
"All safe!" he cried.
"It was a misunderstanding; Jane
is quite well; though a poor young woman, bearing the same
name, has been scalded.”
"We were in hopes the news had not reached you yet,"
said Mrs. George Wyllys, who accompanied her father-in-
law.
"We were all dreadfully alarmed, at first, for the acci-
dent was very much exaggerated."
Miss Wyllys and Elinor were too thankful for Jane's
escape, to express anything but the relief they felt on hearing
of her safety.
"No one killed," continued Mr. Wyllys. "They lost a
166
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
couple of horses; two of the men were hurt, but not danger-
ously; and the new chambermaid, whose name is Jane Gra-
ham, had her feet badly scalded. But there is so little harm
done, considering what might have happened, that we have
reason to be very thankful for every one on board.”
"You may imagine how much alarmed I was," continued
Mrs. Wyllys; "for I happened to be sitting at my own window,
which overlooks the river, you know, and I heard the noise
and cries from the boat, and knew the Grahams were on
board."
Long explanations followed: Mr. Wyllys had had his
fright too. He had heard at the saddler's, that half Mr.
Graham's family were killed. Now, however, it only re-
mained for them to be thankful that their friends had all
escaped, and to hope Jane's namesake would soon recover.
"But how long is it since you heard the story? why did
you not send Harry off at once, to get at the truth?” asked
Mr. Wyllys.
"We were going ourselves," replied Miss Agnes.
"What has become of Harry?-Where is he?" asked
her father.
But Harry had disappeared.
"He was much distressed at the news," said Elinor.
"No wonder; it was a horrible idea. But he should
have jumped on horseback, and rode over to Longbridge to
find out the truth.”
Elinor looked round once more for Hazlehurst, as they
entered the house; but he was certainly not there.
"And what are the Grahams going to do?" asked Miss
Wyllys.
"They are off again this afternoon," replied her father,
taking a seat on the sofa.
Hazlehurst was not seen again all the morning. Dinner
came, and he had not joined the family.
"He is in his room," said Elinor; "I heard him walking
as I passed his door. I am afraid he is not well."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
167
The servant who was sent to let him know that dinner was
on table, returned with the answer, that Mr. Hazlehurst had
a bad head-ache, and begged Miss Wyllys would excuse him.
"That long row in the sun must have given Harry a head-
ache, Aunt Agnes," said Elinor; "I am sorry we went so
far."
"Perhaps so," said Miss Agnes; although she did not
seem wholly to be of Elinor's opinion.
"Hazlehurst is no such tender chicken, Nelly; you must
not spoil him, child-do you hear?" said her grandfather,
smiling in a way that made Elinor colour. Miss Agnes was
silent during dinner; but as the whole family had scarcely
recovered from the alarm of the morning, the shade of
anxiety on her face was not remarked.
Harry remained in his room. As he had requested not
to be disturbed, he was left alone. Once, however, in the
course of the evening, a knock was heard at his door, and a
servant appeared.
“Miss Elinor sends you a cup of tea, sir, and hopes your
head is better," said Thomas.
"Miss Elinor is very good-I am much obliged to her,"
was Harry's answer, in a low, thick voice; but the cup of
tea remained untasted, while Hazlehurst resumed his walk
across the room. When, shortly after, Elinor's voice was
heard singing her grandfather's favourite air of Robin Adair
in lower tones than usual, Harry again started from the table,
where he had laid pen and paper preparatory to writing, and
striking his hand against his forehead, he exclaimed:
65
Ungrateful wretch, that I am!"
The next morning Elinor was up early, and taking the
garden basket, she went out to gather all the late flowers she
could find, to fill a jar for the drawing-room-singing gaily,
as she went from bush to bush, and gathering here a sprig
of honeysuckle, there violets or a late rose, blooming out
of season, and a few other straggling blossoms. After loiter-
ing about the garden for half an hour, she returned to the
168
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
house. She was surprised to see the coachman, at that early
hour, driving up the avenue in the little wagon used for
errands about the country.
"Where have you been, Williams?" she asked, as he
drove past her towards the stable.
"To carry Mr. Hazlehurst over to Upper Lewiston, in
time for the six o'clock boat, Miss."
Elinor could scarcely believe what she had heard. At
the same moment, Mr. Wyllys stepped out on the piazza.
"What is this, Elinor?" he asked. They tell me Harry
is off;-did you see him this morning?”
Elinor was obliged to say she had not.
“What can it mean! did he get any letters by last night's
mail?"
"Not that I know of," said Elinor, much surprised, and a
little alarmed.
They found Miss Agnes in the drawing-room; she, it
seemed, already knew of Hazlehurst's departure. She said
little on the subject, but looked anxious and absent. Elinor
scarcely knew what to think; she was afraid to trust herself
to make any inquiries, preferring to wait until alone with her
aunt after breakfast. The meal passed over in silence. Mr.
Wyllys looked uneasy; Elinor was at a loss to know what
to think; neither of the ladies paid much attention to the
morning meal that day.
Miss Agnes rose from table, and went to her own room;
Elinor, neglecting her usual task as housekeeper, hastened
to follow her aunt, her mind filled with indistinct fears and
anxieties. Miss Agnes was walking about her room, looking
pained and distressed. Several letters were lying on a table
near her; two were unopened; one she had been reading.
"Letters !—my dear Aunt, from whom? Tell me, I con-
jure you, what you know! Has anything happened to
Louisa-to Jane? Did Harry leave no message for me?"
cried Elinor, hurrying towards her aunt, whose face she
watched for an answer to each question, as she asked it.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
169
Miss Wyllys made an effort to compose herself, and held out
her hand to Elinor.
"My dearest Aunt!-pray tell me what distresses you-
Ha! Harry's handwriting!" she exclaimed, as her eye fell
on the open letter by Miss Wyllys-"I know that letter is
from Harry; do not conceal anything; is it for me?”
"This letter is to me, my child," replied her aunt, taking
up the one she had been reading; wishing to give Elinor all
the preparation in her power, for a blow which she knew
must fall heavily, since it was so entirely unexpected.
"But there are two other letters," cried Elinor, "one of
them is for me, I am sure. Let me see it at once, Aunt;
you cannot deny that it is for me-and if it contain bad
news, you know that I can command myself when necessary.”
Miss Agnes's hand trembled as she took the letters.
"My child! My beloved Elinor!" she said.
"Dearest Aunt, you torture me!
you, what we have to fear!"
Tell me, I beseech
"You shall know all," Miss Agnes replied, seating her-
self, and endeavouring to be calm. "You will be much
distressed, my child; but I know that you will be now, what
you always have been, reasonable, and true to yourself—to
your grandfather-to me," added Miss Wyllys, in a voice
almost inarticulate.
A thousand indistinct ideas passed through Elinor's mind
with the rapidity of lightning, while her aunt was speaking;
illness of some absent friend suggested itself—yet who could
it be? Not Harry, surely, for he had gone over to Upper
Lewiston that morning - yet her fears instinctively centred
upon Hazlehurst.
It is something relating to Harry, I am sure," she said.
"Is he ill?—is he in trouble?" she asked in a faint voice,
while a prayer for resignation sprang from her heart, with
the words.
"You are right," replied Miss Wyllys, in a faltering voice;
and seating herself by her niece, she continued, "He is well.
Vol. I.-15
170
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
If he is in trouble, it is from his own choice. Have you no
suspicions, my dearest child, of what has happened ?”
Suspicions!"-exclaimed Elinor, in astonishment, "what
is there for me to suspect? My dearest Aunt, I am more
and more perplexed-explain it all yourself-who is it you
are concerned for ?”
66
(6
My only concern is for you, dearest; my only regret,
that trouble should have been brought on you by those dear
to you by your grandfather, by myself, by your cousins."
By you!-by my cousins-what cousins?"
"Harry-Jane-Have you remarked nothing?"
66
Harry! what can he have done?”
66
"You must forget him," said Miss Wyllys; and as Elinor
looked eagerly in her aunt's eyes, she read there all that
Miss Agnes had not courage to tell in words.
Half starting from her seat, she exclaimed, "Harry !-and
Jane too!" and as a deadly paleness came over her face, she
fell back, unconscious, on the sofa. Her faintness lasted but
a moment; too short a time, indeed, to allow the impression
of what she had heard to pass from her mind. She burst
into tears. “Oh, Aunt Agnes! - Is it really true?-Can
Harry have changed? can he have been so unkind to me ?—
And Jane, too!" she exclaimed at intervals.
Her aunt answered only by her caresses, silently pressing
her lips upon Elinor's forehead.
Elinor threw her arms about Miss Agnes's neck, weeping
bitterly.
"But is it really true? Is there not some mistake? Is it
possible he felt so little for me? Oh, dearest Aunt !—And
Jane, too!"
Miss Wyllys said that she knew nothing of Jane's feelings;
but that the manner of both Jane and Harry had struck her
several times as singular; though now but too easily ac-
counted for. During the last ten days, she had begun to fear
something wrong.
Never, for one second, had I a doubt of either!? cried
66
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
171
Elinor. She now dreaded to receive the letter, she had
before asked for so eagerly.
A package had been given by Harry to the chambermaid,
that morning, requesting her to place it in Miss Agnes's
hands as soon as she left her room. It contained three letters.
That to Miss Agnes herself, was full and explicit. He now
wrote, he said, because he felt concealment to be no longer
possible, after the manner in which he had betrayed himself
on hearing of the steamboat accident. He felt convinced that
his emotion had been observed by Miss Wyllys, and he
almost hoped the suspicions of Elinor had been aroused:
He hoped it, for he felt that longer concealment would be
unworthy of Elinor, and of himself, since he had not been
able to control his feelings. He acknowledged that a frank
confession was now due to her.
66
I know," he said, "that you will reproach me severely
for my want of faith, and I feel that I deserve far more than
you will say. But do not think that I erred from deliberate
forgetfulness of all that I owed to Elinor. I was for a long
time unconscious of the state of my own feelings; and when
at length I could no longer deceive myself, the discovery of
my weakness was deeply painful and mortifying. You
know what has been my situation since last spring-you
know to what I have been exposed. Greater caution might
no doubt have been used, had I not been misled by blindness,
or self-confidence, or vanity, call it what you please. No
one can reproach me as severely as I reproach myself. But
although my feelings had escaped my own control before I
knew it, yet I determined from the first that my actions should
at least be worthy of Elinor. I instantly became more
guarded. No human being, I believe, until to-day, suspected
my folly. Do not reproach Jane. The fault is entirely with
me; Jane has been blameless throughout.'
99
He concluded by hoping that his letter would not for a
moment be considered by Miss Wyllys or Elinor, as an at-
tempt to break his engagement, which he was still anxious
172
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
to fulfil. But he thought that, now the explanation had
been made, a separation for some time would be preferable
for all parties. He proposed to travel for six months, and at
the end of that time he hoped to have conquered his own
weakness, and to be forgiven by Elinor.
Bitter tears were shed by Elinor, in reading this letter.
The note to herself was short. He had not the courage to
repeat to her directly, what he had said to Miss Wyllys.
"I feel unworthy of you, Elinor, and I cannot endure
longer to deceive so generous a temper as yours. You must
have remarked my emotion this morning-Miss Wyllys now
knows all; I refer you to her. I shall never cease to re-
proach myself for my unpardonable ingratitude. But painful
as it is to confess it, it would have been intolerable to play
the hypocrite any longer, by continuing to receive proofs of
kindness which I no longer deserve. It is my hope, that in
time you will forgive me; though I shall never forgive myself.
"H. H."
There are said to be young ladies with hearts so tender,
as to be capable of two or three different love affairs, and an
unlimited number of flirtations, in the course of a twelve-
month; but Elinor's disposition was of a very different stamp.
Her feelings were all true and strong; her attachment for
Harry little resembled that mixture of caprice and vanity to
which some young people give the name of love. With
something of fancy, and a share of the weakness, no doubt,
it was yet an affection to which every better quality of her
nature had contributed its share. Hazlehurst's determina-
tion never to forgive himself for the sorrow he had caused
her, was a just one. His fickleness had deeply wounded a
heart, warm, true, and generous, as ever beat in a woman's
bosom.
Bitterly did Elinor weep, that first day of grief, humilia-
tion, and disappointment. She did not hesitate, however, for
a moment, as to the course to be pursued, and even felt in-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
173
dignant that Harry should have believed her capable of hold-
ing him to his engagement, with the feelings he had avowed.
She answered his note as soon as she could command herself
sufficiently to write.
"I do not blame you-your conduct was but natural; one
more experienced, or more prudent than myself, would pro-
bably have foreseen it. Had you left me in ignorance of the
truth until too late, I should then have been miserable indeed.
My aunt will take the first opportunity of letting our mutual
friends know the position in which it is best we should con-
tinue for the future. May you be happy with Jane.
"ELINOR WYLLYS."
Elinor, at this moment, felt keenly the disadvantages of
homeliness, which she had hitherto borne so cheerfully, and
had never yet considered an evil. Beauty now appeared to
her as a blessed gift indeed.
"Had I not been so unfortunately plain," thought Elinor,
"surely Harry could not have forgotten me so soon. Oh,"
she exclaimed, "had I but a small portion of that beauty
which so many girls waste upon the world, upon mere vanity;
which they are so ready to carry about to public places-
through the very streets, to catch the eye of every passing
stranger, how highly should I prize it, only for the sake of
pleasing those I love! What a happy thought it must be to
those blessed with beauty, that the eyes of their nearest and
dearest friends never rest upon them but with pleasure!
How willingly would I consent to remain plain to ugliness,
plain as I am, in the eyes of the world, for the precious
power of pleasing those I love!"
Mr. Wyllys and Miss Agnes, of course, approved the step
Elinor had taken. They were both deeply pained by Harry's
conduct; they both regretted having allowed the engagement
to take place so early, and at the moment of Harry's absence.
Miss Wyllys, indeed, blamed herself severely for not having
15*
174
ELINOR WYLLYS; Or,
used all her influence to prevent it. With her father, on the
contrary, indignation against Harry was the strongest feeling.
"Heartless young coxcomb!" he exclaimed; "to dare to
trifle with Elinor. I had a good opinion of him; I thought
he had too much sense, and too much feeling, not to appre-
ciate Elinor, though her face may not be as pretty as some
others. Agnes, he must never be asked to Wyllys-Roof
again. I can never forget his treatment of my grandchild."
"C
CHAPTER XVII.
May this be so?"
SHAKSPEARE.
WHILE the family at Wyllys-Roof were in this distress,
Miss Agnes had received the parting visit of the Taylors.
The porticoes of Colonnade Manor rose before closed win-
dows; the house was abandoned for the winter; while Mr.
Taylor and Miss Adeline were engaged in putting the finish-
ing touch to the elegance of No. five hundred and
Broadway, preparatory to the display of the winter.
Mr. Taylor was getting at home in New York. The
atmosphere of a large town, thoroughly commercial, was just
fitted to his nature. He had certainly every reason to be
satisfied with the rapidity with which he had mounted to-
wards the top of the Wall-Street ladder. He was already
cheek-by-jowl with certain heavy men of the place; he
walked down Broadway of a morning with "Mr. A. of the
Ocean," and up again of an afternoon with "Mr. B. of the
Hoboken;" he knew something of most of the great men of
the commercial world; and as for the rest of the community,
he cared little enough for them or their interests. His house
was as handsome and as finely furnished as he could wish,
I
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
175
his children were as expensively dressed, as expensively
schooled, as any in the land. He had become accustomed to the
first burst of luxury, and began already to look upon a hundred
things as necessaries, of the uses of which he had been
ignorant five years before. He thought New York a com-
mercial paradise; not only the place to make a fortune, but
the very spot to spend it in. He wondered at Mr. Hubbard,
who could be satisfied to retire from business so early, and
was content to live at Longbridge, the village where he was
born. Mr. Taylor looked upon himself as already a great
man, but he intended to be a greater man still, by a million,
or more.
About a week after the Taylors arrived in town, they gave
a party—quite a small affair, very sociable, some eighty or
ninety people only. The following morning, Mrs. Taylor,
fatigued with the toils and cares of gaiety, went to her own
room to refresh herself by darning more stockings than
usual; while Mr. Taylor, who had laboured hard the eve-
ning before by endeavouring to be very 'affable' to some
twenty new acquaintances, sought the relief of his counting-
house. As he walked down Broadway, his thoughts were
divided between two subjects. He had purchased some lots
the previous week, which proved so indifferent a bargain,
that he was anxious to persuade a particular friend to take
them off his hands. He had also just received a letter from
his son, lately Tom Taylor, now T. Tallman Taylor, Esquire.
The young man had made very heavy demands upon his
father's banker lately. Mr. Taylor was perfectly satisfied
that his son should spend his money freely, and had given
him a very liberal allowance, that he might be enabled to
cut a figure among his countrymen in Paris. But his pro-
gress in acquiring habits of extravagance had become of late
rather more rapid than was desirable. As he was to return,
however, in the course of a few weeks, his father hoped that
he would be able to play the dandy in New York at less cost
than in Paris.
176
ELINOR WYLLYS; Or,
Mr. Taylor's meditations were interrupted by Mrs. Hilson,
who stopped to speak to him as he passed; she wished to
inquire if Miss Adeline were at home, as she was anxious to
see her, having a piece of news to communicate. Having
given a satisfactory answer, the merchant pursued his course.
towards the regions of commerce, at one extremity of Broad-
way, and the city-lady went her way towards the regions of
fashion in the opposite direction.
:
Mrs. Hilson had already returned to her suite of apartments,
and her intimate friend, Mrs. Bagman, at the boarding-house
she patronised and every morning between the hours of
twelve and three, she might be seen at the window of the
drawing-room, if it rained, or flitting up and down Broadway
if the sun shone, generally attended by Captain Kockney,
the long Englishman, whom she took great pleasure in
showing off to the public. On the present occasion she was
alone however, and fortunate enough to find Miss Adeline
and the French furniture visible, for it was the first time she
had been in the new house. The rose-coloured damask, and
the pea-green satin of the two drawing-rooms was much
admired, and many compliments were lavished upon the gilt
clocks, the Sèvres vases, &c., when Mrs. Hilson remembered
she had a piece of news to share with Miss Taylor.
"And such news-so unexpected to us all; you will be
so surprised! The engagement between Miss Wyllys and
Mr. Hazlehurst is actually broken off!”
Adeline was not so much astonished as Mrs. Hilson sup-
posed she would be.
"I am very quick at seeing such things," she said. “I
was sure it would come to that; though Miss Wyllys did
not seem to suspect anything herself. But no wonder-an
engagement of two years is too long for anybody. I am
sure that in two years I should get tired of the handsomest
beau in New York."
The ladies had each their surmises as to which of the
parties had taken the first step, and what was probably the
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
177
cause; but although Miss Taylor had a pretty correct idea
of the state of things, she did not express her opinion on the
subject very decidedly. Mrs. Hilson soon made her curtsey,
expressing the hope that they should see each other very often
during the winter; a hope which Miss Adeline was deter-
mined not to gratify, for Mrs. Hilson's standing was not suf
ficiently fashionable to satisfy her. The visitor had no sooner
left the room, than she ran up stairs to put on her last Paris
hat, and her handsomest cashmere, and then hurried off to
Barclay-Street to enjoy a confidential meeting with Jane.
The young ladies were closeted together for an hour. We
have no authority for revealing what passed, and can only
observe that Jane returned to the drawing-room with a
heightened colour, and there was a certain expression of
mystery still lingering about Miss Adeline's face.
"Have you any commands for Boston, Mrs. Graham ?”
the young lady inquired in her usual flippant manner.
"I
think I shall go there next week, to pay a short visit to a
friend of mine; I wish I could hear of an escort."
Mrs. Graham thanked her civilly, but declined the offer
of her services.
"Have you really made up your mind to go to Boston ?”
asked Jane.
Why, not positively. It depends, as I said before, upon
my finding an escort. I have six pressing invitations from
different quarters, most of them acquaintances that I made
last summer at Saratoga; and I have been hesitating between
Albany, Boston, or Baltimore. I am determined to go some-
where to spend the next three weeks, till the gaiety begins
in earnest, and Tallman comes back."
66
"Is your brother expected so soon?" asked Mrs. Graham.
"Yes, he must have sailed now. We heard from him
last night; he will be here next month, I hope, just in time
for the first great parties. What would you advise me to
do, Jane, to get rid of the time until then ?”
178
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"I had much rather you would stay at home; if you go,
I shall miss you very much."
"But then we shall have the pleasure of corresponding-
I like the excitement of receiving a good long letter, full of
nonsense, above all things."
"You must not forget to let me know which way you are
really going," said Jane. "I will write, though I can't pro-
mise you a long letter; I never wrote a long letter in my
life."
"Well, you must write, at any rate. I shall see you half-
a-dozen times between this and Monday. I rather think I
shall decide upon Boston. Miss Lawrence says there are
some delightful young gentlemen there, and has promised to
give me a ball. If I go, I shall try hard to bring Miss Law-
rence back with me. Mind, Jane, you don't make too many
conquests while I am gone. You must reserve yourself for
the one I have recommended to you. Oh, by-the-bye, Mrs.
Graham, I forgot to tell you the news I am astonished you
have not heard it already."
66
Pray, what is it?" asked Mrs. Graham.
"It seems the engagement between Miss Wyllys and Mr.
Hazlehurst has been broken off.”
“You are mistaken, surely! We have heard nothing of
it, and it is highly improbable. If there be such a story, let
me beg you will not mention it again, Miss Taylor!"
"C
Oh, there is no mistake, I'm quite sure. I have heard
it three times already this morning, from Longbridge people ;
first Mrs. Hilson told me, and then I met John Bibbs, and
Edward Tibbs, who said the same thing. Mrs. George
Wyllys, it seems, contradicted the engagement openly; Miss
Hubbard heard her, and wrote it to her sister."
"How grieved I should be if this story were to prove true;
you surely never remarked anything, Jane ?"
"Elinor seemed to me just as usual; but Adeline thinks
there has been some change," said Jane, a little embarrassed.
"Oh, yes give me credit for being quick-sighted; I
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
179
·
suspected something the first time I saw them together after
Mr. Hazlehurst came back."
"It is what none of their other friends appear to have
done, Miss Taylor," said Mrs. Graham, a little severely.
"I dare say not; but I am very quick at seeing such
things. If Jane has any mysteries, she had better not pre-
tend to keep them from me. But it is no wonder that the
engagement was broken off—I don't believe in long engage-
ments. We must not let Jane drag matters on at that rate
when her turn comes;" and then kissing her friend tenderly,
and making a curtsey to Mrs. Graham, without remarking
the disapproving expression of that lady's face, the lively
Adeline left the mother and daughter alone.
"I dislike that Miss Taylor, excessively, Jane," observed
her mother," she is very disagreeable to me; I wish you
would find some better companion while we are in New
York. There are the Howards, and de Vaux's-very
amiable, pleasant girls, and for a great many reasons far
better associates for you."
"But I don't know them so well. Adeline is a great belle,
mamma, as much so as any girl in town."
"She is not at all to my taste, I confess. Your father, too,
dislikes the Taylors very much. The way in which she
spoke of this story about Elinor's engagement was really
unfeeling. Not that I believe it; but breaking off an en-
gagement without good reason, is no such trifle in my opinion,
as it seems to be in that of Miss Taylor."
Jane looked quite agitated; she blushed so much that her
mother would probably have remarked it, had she not been,
at the moment, stooping over her little invalid boy, who was
lying on the sofa near her.
"Miss Taylor has no claim whtaever upon you, that I can
see," continued Mrs. Graham. "It is true she was kind to
you when you were ill with the whooping-cough at school;
but so were your other companions-and I am sure she has
· 180
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
not been half so considerate and good to you as Elinor, and
yet you seem to prefer Miss Adeline now.”
Poor Jane looked down, and coloured still more.
"Adeline would do anything for me, mother," she said, in
a low voice; "you don't know how much she is attached to
me; I can't help liking her,” and Jane began to shed a few
tears.
Foolish child!" said her mother, beginning to relent, as
she usually did on such occasions, "I don't wish you to be
uncivil to her; but I should like you to be more with Kate
Howard, and Anne de Vaux ;" and the conversation ended,
as several others of the same description had done, by leaving
things precisely as they were before. Mrs. Graham, indeed,
looked upon herself as having showed much decision on the
occasion, and acted as a watchful mother, by having made
these objections, fruitless as they proved to be.
The report that the engagement between Elinor and Harry
had been broken off, was soon known to be correct. It
caused some surprise to all who knew them, and much
regret to their friends. Mrs. Stanley, who felt a warm inte-
rest in both Harry and Elinor, was grieved and disappointed.
The Grahams, and Mrs. Robert Hazlehurst, felt very un-
pleasantly when the cause of the rupture came to be
suspected. Mrs. Graham was, however, relieved' by finding
that there was no understanding between Harry and her
daughter-thus far at least all was right; no explanation
had taken place between them, and Jane even assured her
mother that when in Paris, she had had no idea that Hazle-
hurst was attached to her. Still there were many blushes
whenever the subject was alluded to, there were confidential
meetings with Adeline, and other symptoms which left little
doubt to her friends that Jane's feelings were interested.
Mrs. Graham was obliged to console herself with the idea,
that the mischief had, at least, been unintentional on the part
of her daughter.
Harry, himself, was much mortified by the reception of
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
181
Elinor's note, which, by showing the full consequence of his
conduct, made it appear more culpable in his own eyes than
he had yet been willing to believe it. He even wrote a
second time, begging Elinor to re-consider her decision
Full as his fancy was of Jane, yet his regard, one might say
his affection, for Elinor, was too well-founded, and of too
long standing, for him to endure quietly the idea of having
trifled with her. She remained firm, however; her second
answer was as decided as the first. Harry's self-reproach
was sincere, at least, and he had never before felt so much
dissatisfied with himself.
He was less eager than one might suppose, to profit by
his newly-acquired liberty. He was in no hurry to offer
Jane the attentions which had so lately been Elinor's due.
It is true that his position was rather awkward; it is not
every faithless swain who is obliged to play the lover to two
different individuals, within so short a period, before the same
witnesses. At length, after doing penance for a while, by
encouraging humiliating reflections, some fear of a rival
carried Hazlehurst on to New York, in his new character
of Jane's admirer. The first meeting was rather awkward,
and Harry was obliged to call up all his good-breeding and
cleverness, to make it pass off without leaving an unpleasant
impression. "Ce n'est que le premier pas qui coûte," how-
ever, as everybody knows. The sight of Jane's lovely face,
with a brighter colour than usual, and a few half-timid and
embarrassed glances from her beautiful dark eyes, had a
surprising effect in soothing Harry's conscience, and con-
vincing his reason that after all he had not acted so unwisely.
He soon showed himself very much in earnest in seeking
Jane's favour; though he persuaded himself that he must
always do justice to Elinor's excellence. "She is just the
woman for a friend," he observed to himself, "and friends I
trust we shall be, when the past is forgotten. But Jane, with
her transcendant beauty, her gentle helplessness, is the very
creature that fancy would paint for a wife!"
VOL. I. — 16
g
182
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
CHAPTER XVIII.
"Be patient, gentle Nell, forget this grief.
(6
Henry VI.
THE Wyllyses remained later than they had intended in
the country. Elinor, indeed, proposed to her aunt that they
should pass the winter at Wyllys-Roof, but Miss Agnes and
her grandfather were unwilling to do so. The variety of a
life in town would be preferable for her sake to the quiet
monotony of a country winter. They knew she had too
much sense to wish to play the victim; but it was only
natural to believe, that in a solitary country life, painful
recollections would force themselves upon her oftener than
among her friends in town, where she would be obliged to
think less of herself, and more of others.
It had been a great relief to her to find, that Jane had not
acted as unworthily as Miss Agnes had at first feared; in
spite of what she herself had overheard at Miss Hubbard's
party, Elinor threw off all suspicion of her cousin, as soon
as she learned that Jane denied any previous knowledge of
the change in Harry's feelings. Hazlehurst, himself, had
said in his letter that she was blameless.
Then," she exclaimed, "I shall at least be able to love
Jane as before!" She immediately sat down, and wrote her
cousin a short, but affectionate letter, containing only a slight
allusion to what had passed. Jane's answer, of course,
avoided wounding her feelings, and their intercourse was
resumed.
"The time will come, I trust," she thought, "when Harry,
too, will be a friend again." But she felt the hour had not
yet arrived. She could not so soon forget the past. It was
no easy task, suddenly to change the whole current of feeling
which had filled her mind during the last two years. In
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
183
spite of her earnest resolutions, during the first few weeks,
thoughts and feelings of the past would recur too often.
For some time Elinor was very unhappy; she felt that the
strongest and deepest affections of her heart had been ne-
glected, rejected, undervalued, by one whose opinion she
had learned to prize too highly. She wept and blushed to
think how much she had become attached to Harry, since
she had looked upon him as her affianced husband. She
could not but feel herself free from all reproach towards him;
it was he who, unsought by her, had wished to draw a closer
tie between them. He had succeeded but too well, and then
he had forgotten her. The temptation which had proved too
strong for him, would not have deserved the name, had the
case been reversed, had she been exposed to it. And yet
she did not reproach him; men think so much of beauty,
and she was so very plain! It was but natural at such a
moment, that she should be oppressed by an over-wrought
humility. She accused herself of vanity, for having at one
time believed it possible Harry could love one like herself.
But how happy was Jane!
Her efforts to struggle against low spirits were the greater,
for the sake of her aunt and her grandfather. She made it
a duty to neglect no regular task, and much of her time was
occupied as usual; but the feelings which she carried about
to her employment, were very different from what they had
been heretofore. It was her first taste of sorrow; well
might her aunt deeply reproach Hazlehurst for his versatile
conduct towards her beloved child. Elinor flattered herself
that Miss Agnes knew not half of what she felt. In general
she succeeded in being quite calm, and attentive to others;
she was always sweet-tempered, and unrepining. But she
could not read, herself, the expression of her own counte-
nance, so tenderly watched by her aunt. She was not
aware that the musical tones of her voice were no longer
cheerful; that instead of the gay, easy conversation in which
she used to bear her part, she was now at times absent, often
184
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
silent; she whose graceful wit and youthful spirits had been
until lately the joy of her family. Mr. Wyllys's indigna-
tion against Hazlehurst would have been boundless, if he
could have seen him at such moments, as was often now the
case, sitting by the side of Jane, admiring the length of her
eye-lashes, the pearly smoothness of her complexion, and
the bright colour of her lips, as she uttered some very
common-place remark. Such had now become Hazlehurst's
daily pleasure, his daily habit.
Miss Agnes purposely left to her niece, this year, all the
arrangements for their removal to town; and Elinor was
obliged to be very busy. It happened too, quite opportunely,
perhaps, that just at that time Mrs. George Wyllys was
coming over oftener than usual, to consult her father-in-law
and Miss Agnes. Against Mr. Wyllys's advice, she had to
withdraw her eldest boy from the school where he had been
first placed, and now a new choice was to be made. Mr.
Wyllys recommended a small establishment in their own
neighbourhood, recently opened by Miss Patsey's brother;
he thought it equally good with the one she had in view,
and with the additional advantage of more moderate terms,
and a smaller number of boys. But Mrs. Wyllys had a
great deal to say on the opposite side of the question; the
low price was an objection in her eyes.
There, my dear sir, you must allow me to differ from
you. I have always intended to devote a large portion of
my means to the education of my children; economy in
such a case, I cannot look upon as economy at all.”
66
Certainly, Harriet, you are perfectly right to secure to
your children every advantage in your power.
your power. But this is
not a case in point. Thomas Hubbard, you know, was a
principal in the very school which you have in view, and
only withdrew last spring on account of ill health. He still
continues the same system, and has the same masters, with
the advantage of only four boys besides Evert, to occupy his
attention."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
185
This was too plain to be contradicted. "But in my opinion,
sir, a large school is very much to be preferred for a boy. I
have thought a great deal on the subject, since Evert has
been of an age to leave me.”
"But what are your reasons for preferring a large school
to a small one?"
I think it a better preparation for their entrance into life.
And then they have the advantage of choosing their intimates
from a larger number of boys; Evert's disposition will make
it particularly desirable for him. I am sure, if he were shut
up with two or three boys only, he would find it so dull that
he would be disgusted."
Well, my dear, I view the matter in a different light,"
replied Mr. Wyllys, who would never allow himself to be
silenced, or forced to advise anything against his conscience;
though many men would have been worried into it by such
a woman. Unfortunately, Mrs. Wyllys was the only guar-
dian of her children, and Mr. Wyllys was often obliged to
see his daughter-in-law act in a manner that he thought ill-
judged; but though very good-natured, he could never be
talked into being a party to such plans. "It is precisely on
account of Evert's high spirits that I should like a small
school for him. He would be less likely to get himself and
others into scrapes; he would be more under his master's
eye."
"I think, sir, from the conversation I had with Mr. Stone,
he is just the man to obtain an influence over Evert."
“You would like Hubbard still better, if you knew him.”
“I doubt it very much, sir; I am sick of the very name
of Hubbard. Those Longbridge Hubbards are enough to
spoil a paradise."
66
Well, Harriet,” said Mr. Wyllys, "you seem to have
made up your mind; so have I; now what is to be done?"
"Of course, sir, your opinion has great weight with me;
you know I am always guided by you."
"Then the matter is settled, and Evert goes to Hubbard's."
16*
186
ELINOR WYLLYS; Or,
Mr. Wyllys thought he had succeeded, on this occasion,
in gaining his point, by taking his daughter-in-law at her
word; but the very next morning she drove over to Wyllys-
Roof, with a new view of the subject; and it was not until
after half-a-dozen more conversations, that the matter was
finally settled, by Mr. Wyllys refusing to give any more
advice; when his daughter-in-law, of her own accord, deter-
mined to send her boy to Mr. Hubbard's school. It must be
confessed that some women, endowed too with certain good
qualities, are very trying, and possess a most vexatious vein
of caprice. In the mean time the child was taken sick; he
was ill for several weeks, and Elinor assisted in nursing him.
Independently of these consultations, and cares about her
little cousin, there were other claims upon Elinor's attention
at this time, and those the least romantic in the world.
Within the last few weeks, all the men of Longbridge
seemed to have their heads full of a new rail-road, one of
the first that were made in this country. All the property
Elinor had inherited from her father was in this village, and
so placed as to have its value very much increased by this
intended piece of internal improvement. Mr. Hubbard was
one of those most interested in the project, which was of
some importance to Mr. Wyllys, also. The gentlemen had
many meetings on the subject, and Elinor was obliged to
hear a great deal that was going on; which houses were to
be pulled down, which streets widened, what engineer was
to be employed, where the rails were to come from, at what
time they hoped to get the act through the Assembly. Mr.
Taylor, of course, was not the man to allow anything ap-
proaching to speculation, to take place in his neighbourhood
without having something to do with it himself. He came
over to Longbridge expressly to help matters on; and as
Colonnade Manor was shut up, Mr. Wyllys, always hospi-
tably inclined, asked him to his own house for a day or two.
With such a spirit under their roof, little else was heard of
besides stocks and lots, wharves and stores. Elinor's pro-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
187
perty was known to be much interested in the affair, and
Mr. Hubbard and Mr. Taylor thought it necessary to con-
gratulate her. Mr. Taylor, indeed, would have been much
shocked had he known how very little she cared about the
matter.
“We shall have to consult you, Miss Elinor, in our pro-
ceedings," said Mr. Hubbard, as they were sitting at the
dinner-table; "perhaps you don't know it, but you will be
one of our stockholders, and much interested in our success,
I assure you."
66
My grandfather tried last night to give me some notions
on the subject, Mr. Hubbard; but I am afraid he was not
very successful.”
(6
Oh, I don't know that," said Mr. Wyllys; "I shall make
quite a business woman of you, yet, Nelly." In fact, her
grandfather had taken the moment to assure Elinor that it was
high time she should have some just ideas on such subjects,
and insisted on her listening to all his explanations, and doing
her best to comprehend them. Elinor tried to be a docile
pupil, and really acquired some useful information, which
may appear singular to romantic young ladies, who set up
for broken-hearted; as her only object, however, was to
gratify her grandfather, we hope she will be forgiven for
anything so much out of character in a heroine.
"It is a beautiful speculation, Miss Wyllys," observed Mr.
Taylor. "I suppose you know enough about these things,
to be glad to hear that in a year or two, you will probably
realize two hundred per cent. on your lots in Water-Street,
where the dépôt is to be built.'
"It all sounds very grandly, certainly," said Elinor, smiling.
"We shall make a fortune for you, Miss Elinor," added
Mr. Hubbard. "You will be the great lady of Longbridge."
"I dare say, Nelly, you will find some way of spending
the money; young ladies know very well how to get rid of
it, let it come ever so fast.”
66
Yes, sir, my daughters are very expert at that; Emme-
188
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
line thinks nothing of giving fifty dollars for a flimsy pocket-
handkerchief, and as much for a flighty-looking hat. But
I've no objections; I'll tell you in confidence, that is what
we make our money for, Miss Elinor-for our children to
spend,” added Mr. Hubbard, smiling good-naturedly. “I
dare say you will find a right use for some of yours. It will
be in good hands, and I hope you may long enjoy it,” said
he, making a bow to Elinor, as he drank off a glass of
Madeira.
Mr. Taylor, though he joined in the toast with some
“affable” remark, as usual, could not help regretting that so
much money, and consequently the power of making so
much more, should not be in the hands of one who could
turn it to better account than Miss Elinor Wyllys. He had
a very poor opinion of Mr. Wyllys's money-making abilities,
and thought him very "unenterprising." That gentleman,
on the contrary, when brought in closer contact with Mr.
Taylor, began to have a clearer insight into his character,
and while he found him uncommonly clever, discovered that
several of his propositions betrayed anything but high prin-
ciples. He began to believe that Mr. Graham's dislike was
not ill-founded.
Mr. Hubbard, in the mean time, who had known Elinor
from a child, was thinking how he could say something
agreeable about love and beaux, supposed always to be
pleasant subjects to young ladies. He felt some doubts
about hinting at Hazlehurst, for he thought he had heard
the engagement was broken off. Happily for Elinor, the
party rose from table before anything had suggested itself.
--
At length Mrs. Wyllys's boy recovered, and was sent off
to school; and this rail-road matter was also satisfactorily
settled. As there was nothing more to detain the family in
the country, the Wyllyses went to Philadelphia, and took
possession of their lodgings for the winter.
"
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
189
CHAPTER XIX.
"Had you not lately an intent, speak truly,
To go to Paris ?"
SHAKSPEARE.
MISS TAYLOR paid her visit to Miss Lawrence. One
morning at breakfast she informed her parents that she in-
tended to make an excursion to Boston. "Whom was she
going to see?" asked her father.
“Miss Lawrence, a young
lady who had passed three days at the Springs, at the hotel
where they stayed, and with whom she had become very
intimate." "How long was she going to be absent?"
inquired her mother. "She thought of remaining a fort-
night; perhaps three weeks, if she found it very pleasant.
Mr. Powell, the young gentleman who was to be her escort,
had been introduced to her the evening previous at a ball,
and she thought him sufficiently fashionable in his appear-
ance, to have the honour of taking charge of herself and
her baggage." Her father observed that he would bring a
supply of money for her, when he came home to dinner; her
mother offered to look over her stockings. Everything thus
settled, the next morning Mr. Taylor and Miss Adeline drove
to the East-River wharf, where the Boston boat lay: here
they met with a slight difficulty; the gentleman engaged as
an escort could not be found; something had interfered with
his journey. Nothing was easier than to pick up another,
however. Mr. Taylor looked about him, saw a face he
knew slightly, and remembered the name that belonged to it.
"Good morning, sir; are you going to Boston, Mr.
Hopkins?"
Mr. Hopkins bowed, and declared that he was going to
Boston.
"I have a daughter on board, sir; and the young gentle-
190
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
man who was to be her escort is not here; will you be so
good as to look after her?”
Mr. Hopkins would be very happy to take charge of Miss
Taylor. But Adeline was almost in despair when she saw
him. How could one of the most dashing belles in New
York, consent to sit, in view of all the passengers, side-by-
side with such a fat, rusty, snuffy, little old gentleman, who
wore green spectacles, and had a red silk handkerchief spread
on his knee? Suppose he should ask her to walk, how
could she pace up and down the promenade-deck arm-in-
arm with such a figure? She, Adeline Taylor, whose travel-
ling dress was faultless, and who had expected to have a
charming flirtation with Albert Powell! What could she
do? The fates, and the warning bell, decided the question;
it was too late to look out for some better-looking escort.
Mr. Taylor had hardly time to shake hands with his daughter,
and jump on the wharf, ere the whizzing of the steam had
ceased, and the plashing of the wheels was heard. Adeline
sank on a bench beside the rusty old gentleman for a moment,
but soon fled to the ladies' cabin for refuge.
During the whole jaunt, the fat, snuffy Mr. Hopkins was
kind and good-natured to Adeline, whenever she would allow
him. He thought she must be lonely, and she had been
obliged to confess that she knew no one on board; so the old
gentleman held it incumbent on him to be sociable. He took
some pea-nuts out of his pocket, and offered her a handful;
he gave her a couple of newspapers to read; asked her
questions about her family, brothers and sisters, and seemed
to look upon her as a school-girl. He was not the least im-
pressed with her elegance and finery, and quite unaware of
her belle-ship; he even once called her “ my dear." Then,
the red silk handkerchief was always either on his knee, or
in his hand! It would be difficult to say whether Adeline
would have survived the mortification of such an escort, had
it not been for two circumstances, which changed the current
of her thoughts. There were several elegantly dressed
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
191
young ladies on board, and she soon succeeded in getting up
an intimacy with two of them; they exchanged cards, and
invitations to each other's houses, and through the same
means Adeline was introduced to a couple of beaux. Be-
tween breakfast and dinner, these new bosom-friends and
herself were inseparable, but, unfortunately, they were only
going half-way. The grief of separation was, however,
somewhat assuaged with Miss Taylor by sea-sickness, which,
as every one knows, is very destructive to sentiment and
sensibility. As long as they were tossing about near Point
Judith, the snuffy old gentleman, who was not in the least
sea-sick himself, was very faithful in his inquiries after
Adeline, and proposed several remedies to her, through the
stewardess. At length they reached Boston. As they drove.
to the door of Miss Lawrence's father, Mr. Hopkins asked
"how long she intended to remain in Boston?" "About a
fortnight," Adeline replied.
"I shall be going back to New York about the same time,
my dear, and if you have not got some one more to your
taste, I'll take care of you on your way home, with plea-
sure," said the fat old gentleman, sprinkling a handful of
snuff on Miss Taylor's grey silk, and brandishing the red
handkerchief at the same time.
Adeline's thanks were very faintly uttered; but gratitude
is not a fashionable virtue. It was fortunately so dark that
the rusty old gentleman could scarcely be seen as he took
leave of the elegant Miss Taylor at Mr. Lawrence's door,
and thus the young lady's mortification was over.
At the end of the three weeks, Adeline returned home,
bringing glowing accounts of the delights of Boston, and
talking a great deal about several "delightful young gentle-
men," and occasionally mentioning a certain Theodore St.
Leger. She had heard that the Boston people were all blue ;
but it must be a calumny to say so, for she had had a very
lively time-plenty of fun and flirtation. Miss Lawrence
returned with her, and of course a party was given in her
192
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
honour; there were some eighty persons present, all free
from the shackles of matrimony, apparently to give the
Boston young lady an opportunity of meeting a representa-
tion of her peers, the marriageable portion only of the New
York community. The evening was pronounced delightful
by Miss Lawrence; but all the guests were not of the same
opinion.
“What an absurd custom it is, to have these young people
parties," said Harry Hazlehurst, who was on one of his
frequent visits to New York at the time, and was sitting in
Mrs. Graham's drawing-room, with that lady, Jane, and Mrs.
Stanley.
"I agree with you; it is a bad plan," observed Mrs.
Stanley.
"The first of the kind that I went to, after we came home,
made me feel ashamed of myself; though Dr. Van Horne,
I suppose, would accuse me of high-treason for saying so."
"But most young people seem to enjoy them," said Mrs.
Graham.
"It is paying us but a poor compliment to say so. One
would think the young people were afraid to laugh and talk
before their fathers and mothers. I really felt the other
night as if we were a party of children turned into the
nursery to play, and eat sugar-plums together, and make as
much noise as we pleased, without disturbing our elders. It
is a custom that appears to me as unnatural as it is puerile.
I hope you don't like it," he added, turning to Jane.
"I care very little about it."
“I am glad, at least, you do not defend it.”
"There are a few families you know, Harry, who never
give those kind of parties," observed Mrs. Stanley.
Hazlehurst's conscience felt a twinge, for he knew she
was thinking of Elinor, whom Miss Wyllys had never allowed
to give these unmarried parties; though she went to other
houses, when asked.
"Miss Taylor had collected a tribe of Europeans of all
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
193
sorts, last night; half-a-dozen Englishmen, and a vulgar
Frenchman," observed Harry, by way of changing the con-
versation. "I was surprised when my friend Townsend
told me he was invited; he did not know the Taylors, and
only arrived a week since."
“Adeline invited him on purpose; Miss Lawrence is very
fond of foreigners, and you know Mr. Taylor calls on all the
strangers who arrive,” said Jane.
Harry's lip curled a little.
"How disagreeable that Captain Kockney is," continued
Jane.
“More than disagreeable,” replied Harry. "I should not
have used so soft a word. I was not a little amused, by-the-
bye, to see how the fellow cooled off when Townsend and
Ellery came in. Your low set of English have such a
thorough awe of those a few degrees above them."
“That Mr. Kockney is so very forward and vulgar," said
Mrs. Graham, "that I wonder anybody can endure him. I
was disgusted with his manner on board the steamboat from
Longbridge, the other day."
"He is beneath notice," said Harry.
“I am not sure, either, that I like your friend, Mr. Ellery,
Harry."
66
Ellery is no friend of mine; but, pray, don't name him
in the same breath with that Kockney."
“Oh, no, Mr. Ellery is a gentleman, evidently; but I
don't like his manners, there is something affected about him.”
Certainly, he knows how to play the coxcomb, and con-
descends to do so quite too often. But I hope you like
Townsend; he is really a fine fellow."
""
Mr. Townsend has very different manners.
Yes, he has the best English manner; quite natural,
and not afraid to be civil. It is only the best of the English
who are quite free from nonsense. Ellery aims at effect,
half the time; Townsend has too much sense to do so."
VOL. I.-17
99
194
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
•
Well, I really wonder," said Jane, "how Mrs. Hilson
can endure that Captain Kockney."
"The silly little soul knows no better."
“To be sure, she is quite as ridiculous as he is.”"
"She is really very silly," said Mrs. Stanley. "It is a
pity that good, worthy Mr. Hubbard should have daughters
so little like himself, and so much like their mother."
"She is very pretty, though, and dresses very well," said
Jane. "Would you believe it, mamma, the other day, when
she called at Adeline's she wore a collar precisely like the
prettiest of those I brought from Paris.”
“Does she visit a great deal at Mrs. Taylor's ?” inquired
her mother.
"Oh, no; Adeline can't endure her. But she cannot get
rid of her entirely, because they meet in the country. Ade-
line would like to drop the acquaintance altogether, but she
says Mrs. Hilson won't let her, because Mrs. Taylor's is the
only fashionable house where she visits.”
"These Taylors have really done wonders in the last few
years,” said Mrs. Stanley, smiling.
"They have been quite as persevering, I dare say, as Mrs.
Hilson can be. They are a very vulgar, pushing family,"
observed Mrs. Graham.
Jane coloured, and Harry feared she would shed a tear or
two. She was quite agitated. "Dear Jane," he thought," what
an affectionate heart she has !" By way of consoling her,
probably, and at the same time obtaining a better view of her
downcast face, he took a seat beside her. He even refrained
from making an observation which he had in petto, upon the
volatile character and manners of Miss Taylor, reserving it
for the future; determining that when they were man and
wife, Jane should have the full benefit of his opinion of her
friend.
Let it not be supposed that Harry was too sure of success,
in thus looking forward to his marriage with Jane as no very
improbable event. Since he had appeared in the family as
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
195
her suitor, her manner had been encouraging. There were
blushes and moments of embarrassment which looked very
favourably; and had he been obliged to proclaim all his
hopes, he would have confessed that the same flattering signs
had been observed by him in Paris, and had contributed not
a little to increase the warmth of his own feelings. There
was now a rival in the field, and one by no means to be
despised; but, although young de Vaux was good-looking,
agreeable, and very much in love, Jane did not seem disposed
to smile upon him. To do her justice, she was no coquette;
she was too indolent by nature, to labour very hard to secure
several conquests at the same time. Miss Graham was very
much admired, however, and was generally proclaimed the
beauty of the season; while Harry soon began to feel the
vanity of the favoured man.
But if Jane were a beauty, Adeline was a belle; a pretty,
and a rich belle, moreover, and Miss Taylor's train of ad-
mirers was much larger than that of Miss Graham. So
numerous, indeed, were her followers, that she was seldom
seen alone. If she visited, it was with an attendant beau;
if she were walking in Broadway, she had generally one on
each side of her; and at a party she was always talking to
half-a-dozen young men at a time. Miss Adeline was, un-
deniably, a very popular belle. But all this homage was
sometimes attended with difficulties: one morning she wrote
an urgent note to her friend Jane, requesting that she would
come to see her, for she was unwell herself, and wanted
advice in a momentous affair.
The sympathising Jane had no sooner appeared, than
Adeline exclaimed,
"I am so perplexed, that I really don't know what to do!
You must decide for me.'
39
"How can I help you? What is the matter?" inquired
Jane.
"Why you know to-night is Mrs. Thompson's great ball,
and I am going, of course; though I have a very bad cold.”.
196
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"Yes, you are really quite hoarse.”
"No wonder! I have been so pestered by serenades for
the last fortnight, that I have not had one good night's rest.
I had to get up and show myself at the window, until I
caught one cold after another."
"Perhaps you had better not go to-night."
“You may be sure I shan't stay at home unless I have to
keep my bed; I am already engaged for five dances. But
just look at the centre-table."
Jane turned her eyes towards the table, which was covered
with flowers.
"How beautiful they are!" she exclaimed, going to look
at them. "One, two, four, six bouquets!-Where did they
all come from ?”
"Don't ask me; I am sick of the very sight of flowers!"
"This, with the variegated camellias, is beautiful!"
"Yes, it's pretty enough; but what shall I do with it?”
Why, take it to the party this evening, of course.
"No, indeed; it came from Mr. Howard, and I can't
endure him."
66
""
• Which have you chosen, then?"
"That is the very question; I don't know how to settle it."
"Take this one with the passion-flower."
"No, that I shan't; for it was sent just to spite me.
Mr.
Grant sent it-and I told him last night that I hated passion-
flowers, and everything else that is sentimental. What shall
I do?-It is so provoking!"
CC
Suppose you put them all in water, and go without any."
"My dear Jane, how you talk! That's what I never did
in
my life. Go to a ball without a bouquet!-I can't think
of such a thing!"
“We can untie them, and make up one ourselves, taking
the prettiest flowers from each."
"That won't do, either; for it 's only the gardeners that
can do up these things decently. I wouldn't, for the world,
carry one that looked as if I had made it up myself.”
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
197
"Well," said Jane, in despair, “I really don't know what
else to advise."
"I do believe the young gentlemen have leagued together
to provoke me! And this is not all, there are three more in
water up-stairs."
"You might take the first that came; perhaps that would
be the best plan."
"Would you have me take this ridiculous-looking thing,
with only one camellia in it? No, indeed;" and for a
moment the two young ladies sat down by the centre-table,
looking despondingly at each other and at the flowers.
"If I could only take the one I like best, it would be the
easiest thing in the world; but, you know, all the other
gentlemen would be offended then."
34
“Which do you like best?" asked Jane.
Why this one, with the white camellias; it came from
Theodore St. Leger; he told me he would send one with
white flowers only." Adeline's colour rose a little as she
spoke, and as that was not a common occurrence with her,
it looked suspicious.
"Did Mr. St. Leger dance with you last night?”
Why, no, child, he never dances; I didn't see him dance,
all the time we were in Boston."
66
46
"I thought you liked him," said Jane, with innocent
surprise.
"I like him well enough, after a fashion; as well as one
can like a man who never dances, and don't talk much. He
is very stupid, sometimes, and dresses very badly too."
"Is he handsome?" asked Jane.
66
No, he is as ugly as he can be; I really think he looks
just a little like that old Mr. Hopkins, his uncle."
"What in the world makes you like him then ?”
I am sure I don't know. But don't fancy I really care
about the man. He is going back to Boston next week, and
I don't suppose I shall ever see him again; but I thought I
would take his bouquet, to-night, because he was so polite to
17*
198
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
me; and he will be there. Oh, my dear Jane, talking of
Boston, I have hit upon an idea!"
*Well, what is it?”
"I saw a girl-at a party there-by-the-bye, it was Theodore
St. Leger's sister-who had her dress trimmed with natural
flowers; that's just the thing for me !" cried Adeline, clap-
ping her hands. The difficulty thus happily removed, the
young ladies ran up stairs, to determine more fully upon
trimming a certain white crape with the eight bouquets,
divided for the purpose. The white one, the offering of Mr.
St. Leger, was reserved for the place of honour, in Adeline's
hand.
CHAPTER XX.
Thy young and innocent heart,
How is it beating? Has it no regrets?
Discoverest thou no weakness lurking there ?"
ROGERS.
SISTERS' children, though bearing different names, and
classed by the world in different families, are generally much
more alike than those of brothers; they are apt to have more
habits, tastes, and feelings in common. And the reason is
evident; it is usually the mother who controls the internal
family policy, who gives the colouring to what may be called
the family atmosphere. The father may pass a statute once
in a while, but the common-law which regulates the every-
day proceedings of the little community flows from the
mother; and we all know that the character is moulded
rather by daily practice in trifles, than by a few isolated
actions of greater importance in themselves. The aims and
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
199
views which people carry with them through life, generally
spring up from seeds received in the nursery, or at the family
fire-side. Even with men this is the case.
The father may
inculcate this or that political creed into his son, he may
direct his choice to this or that profession; but the manner
in which the youth carries out his political principles, the
way in which he fills his profession, will depend on the
impulses and motives cultivated in childhood, and early
youth; for it is then that the character receives its bias.
The mother's influence and example are often to be traced
in those minute shades of taste and opinion, which are the
foundation of our partialities, or our dislikes; and, of course,
the daughters of a family, from being more constantly subject
to this influence, imbibe a larger share of it. It is imma-
terial whether the mother be aware of the importance of her
duties, of the weight of this responsibility, or not; for good
or for evil, the effect will still be felt, though varying, of
course, in different circumstances.
Elinor had not seen her cousin, Mary Van Alstyne, her
mother's niece, for several years, and she now met her in
Philadelphia with great pleasure. Miss Van Alstyne was
some five or six years older than herself; this difference in
years had, indeed, been the chief reason why they had never
yet been very intimate. But the same distance which sepa-
rates girls of twelve and eighteen, is, of course, less thought
of at twenty and six-and-twenty, when both are fairly launched
into the world. Mary Van Alstyne and Elinor found much
to like in each other on a closer acquaintance; and Miss
Wyllys observing that the two cousins suited each other
so well, drew them together as much as possible, in order
that Elinor might have some one to fill the empty places of
her former companions, Jane and Harry.
Mrs. Robert Hazlehurst was a near neighbour of the Wyl-
lyses in Philadelphia; but Elinor had too much dread of
meeting Harry, to go there often; and it was only when she
knew that he was in New York, that she went to his brother's.
200
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
The change in their position was too recent to allow of her
seeing him with composure; their family connexion, and
the intimate terms upon which they had hitherto lived, only
made their present estrangement much more awkward than
usual. Elinor tried to think it fortunate that he should now
be so often in New York.
The first time he was in Philadelphia after the Wyllyses
were settled there for the winter, Elinor escaped seeing him.
As she came in one morning from a ride with her grand-
father, she found his card on the table. It told the whole
story of what had passed; for she could not remember his
having ever left a card at their house before; he had been
as much at home there as herself, until the last six weeks.
The sight of it caused her a very painful feeling, and did
away all the good effect of the pleasant ride she had just
taken on the banks of the Schuylkill. As she walked
slowly up-stairs to change her habit, her eyes filled with
tears; and had she been endowed with the proper degree of
romance for a regular heroine, she would probably have
passed the morning in hysterical sobs. But as she had quite
as much good sense, as fancy and feeling, she was by no
means romantic; she had never fainted but once in her life;
and although it must be confessed she had wept during the
last few weeks, yet it was always in spite of herself, at
moments when the tears were forced from her by some sudden
recollection of the past, or some distressing glimpse of the
future. On the present occasion, instead of encouraging
solitary grief, she returned to the drawing-room, and read
aloud to her aunt, who was busy with her needle.
But Harry's second visit to Philadelphia was not to pass
without their meeting. Mr. Wyllys, Miss Agnes, and Elinor
were spending the evening at the house of a friend, when,
to the surprise and regret of all parties, Hazlehurst walked
in with one of the young men of the family, with whom he
was intimate. It was the first time they had met since the
alarm on the piazza at Wyllys-Roof. Poor Elinor, at the
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
201
first glance, when the door opened, turned deadly pale, as she
always did when agitated. Harry, as he crossed the room to
make his bow to the lady of the house, felt excessively uncom-
fortable; when he turned, not a little embarrassed, towards the
rest of the party, he received a slight and cool movement of
recognition from Mr. Wyllys, who was standing at a corner of
the fire-place. Miss Agnes made an effort to say good evening,
in her usual tone; and Harry replied that he was very glad
to find they were to be in Philadelphia for the winter, words
which were as far from the truth as possible. Elinor would
have given much to look and speak as calmly as her aunt;
but she could only bow in silence, for at the moment she
dared not trust her voice. The lady of the house, who knew
very well how to account for a meeting which seemed very
ceremonious between near connexions, who had always been
so intimate, did her best to make matters go off well; and
her son, who was also in the secret, rattled away to Elinor
to the best of his ability. But there was a very perceptible
touch of cool disapprobation in Mr. Wyllys's manner, and a
something that was not quite natural, in the tones of Miss
Agnes's voice. Harry felt as if he were doing penance, and
he felt, moreover, as if he richly deserved it. But the worst
was to come. There was another lady present, a New
Yorker, who had lately seen Hazlehurst very often with
the Grahams, in his character of Jane's admirer, and she
innocently asked him when he was going to return to New
York. "In a day or two," he replied.
"You will not
leave the post vacant very long, I dare say," observed the
lady. Harry's answer was not very distinctly heard, and he
coloured as much as it is in the power of man to do. The lady
happily observed how much he was annoyed, and changed
the conversation. Hazlehurst was not in a mood to pay
a long visit: he soon rose to take leave. Elinor, in the mean
time, made a great effort for self-command. She knew that
she was the injured party, and yet she felt superior to all the
littleness of resentment-she acquitted Harry and Jane of
I
202
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
J
all intentional trifling with her feelings. The gentle, quiet
dignity of her manner gradually expressed what was passing
in her mind. As Harry passed near her, and bowed, col-
lecting all her self-possession, she wished him good-evening,
with a calm, sweet voice.
It was now Hazlehurst's turn to be much the most em-
barrassed of the two; he bowed, and muttered something
about calling, in a voice much less clear than her's had been;
then fairly giving up the matter in despair, he quitted the
ground with another bow. On leaving the house, he walked
rapidly down Walnut-Street, very much dissatisfied with
himself, and out of humour with his friend, for having brought
him into such an awkward scene.
The next day, when Elinor thought over what had passed,
she felt relieved that the first meeting, which she had so
much dreaded, was over; although she knew it must be a
long time before she could see Jane and Harry with perfect
composure; she knew there must be other unpleasant mo-
ments in store for her. There was no danger but that Elinor
would do all in her power to subdue her feelings for Harry,
and yet she sometimes reproached herself with having done
too little; her interest in him was still too strong. She
shrunk sensitively from longer encouraging any weakness
for him; it had now become a want of delicacy to do so, it
would soon be almost sinful. She knew that if she did not
succeed in the endeavour it would be her own fault only;
for her whole education had taught her that there was no
passion, of whatever nature, too strong to be conquered by
reason and religion, when their aid was honestly sought.
Miss Agnes, on the contrary, who knew how unexpectedly,
and how deeply, Elinor's feelings had been wounded, was
fearful that her adopted child was making too great an effort
for self-control; with a girl of her principles and disposition
there was danger of this. Elinor, since the first day or two,
had sensitively avoided every approach to the subject when
conversing with her aunt. Miss Agnes knew that time
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
203
alone could teach her the lesson of forgetfulness, and she
now dreaded some reaction; although admiring Elinor's
courage and resolution, she wished her occasionally to give
a more natural vent to her feelings. It struck her that the
time for one open conversation on the subject had come, and
the result proved that her opinion was correct. Elinor threw
off a constraint that was not natural to her character, and
which had been kept up from an exaggerated sense of duty.
She now spoke with perfect frankness, nothing was con-
cealed; grief, regrets, struggles, all were confided to her aunt,
whose sympathy was grateful to her, while the advice given
with kindness and good sense, was of real service.
Many young people who knew Miss Wyllys, would have
smiled at the idea of her being a good counsellor on such an
occasion, for her own life, though useful and happy, had
been quite uneventful. The death of her mother, and the
marriage of her brothers and sister, had left her, when still a
young and pretty woman, the only companion and solace of
her father. These duties were soon increased by the charge
of her orphan niece, and her time and attention had since
then seemned engrossed by these cares and pleasures. Miss
Wyllys was actually never known to have had a regular
suitor. Whether she might not have had her share of de-
clared admirers had she chosen to be encouraging, we cannot
say; it is a subject upon which we have no authorities.
Of course Miss Agnes could not be expected to know
anything about love, beyond what she had learned from
books, or from observation. She was, nevertheless, a much
better adviser than many a younger and more experienced
friend. Where the head and the heart are both in the right
place, instinct soon teaches us how to sympathize with our
fellows in all troubles that really belong to our nature.
It appeared to Elinor as if, in future, there would be an
additional tie between her aunt and herself; for she looked
forward to leading a single life, hoping to pass her days
204
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
like Miss Agnes, in that sphere of contented usefulness
which seemed allotted to her.
When Elinor had returned to her own room, after the
conversation to which we have alluded, she went to a writing-
desk, and drew from it a letter. It was the same she had
received on her seventeenth birth-day. It was from her
mother. During the lingering illness which caused her
death, Mrs. Wyllys, deeply anxious for the welfare of her
orphan daughter, had written several of these letters, adapted
to her child's capacity at different ages, and placed them in
the hands of Miss Agnes, with the request they might be
given to Elinor at the dates marked on the envelope of each.
They had proved a precious legacy for the young girl, and
a guide to Miss Agnes in her education; for the aunt had
never forgotten that she was the mother's representative only;
Elinor having always been taught to give the first place to her
parent's memory. It seemed, indeed, as if her mother's
spirit had never ceased to linger near her, exerting its silent
influence. The letter to which Elinor attached so high a
value is given below.
66
Wyllys-Roof, August 13th, 18—.
"MY OWN BELOVED Child,
"You will not receive this letter until you have reached
the age of womanhood, years after your mother has been
laid in her grave.
"To separate from you, my darling child, has cost your
mother a bitter pang. There is no severer trial of faith to
a Christian woman, than to leave her little ones behind her,
in a world exposed to evil and sorrow; and yet, although
so near death myself, it is my wish that you may live, dearest,
to taste all that is good in life. Few mothers are blessed in
death, as I am, with the power of leaving their orphans to
such kind and judicious guardians as your grandfather and
aunt; should they be spared, you will scarcely feel the loss
of your parents. Oh, how fervent is my prayer that they
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
205
may live to guard, to cherish you! And when the task they
have so piously assumed is fully completed, may they long
enjoy the fruits of their cares!
"It is with singular feelings that I write to you as a woman,
my child, and appeal to thoughts and sentiments, of which
you are at this moment so utterly unconscious; sitting, as
you now are, at my feet, amid your playthings, too busy with
a doll, to notice the tears that fall upon these last lines I shall
ever have it in my power to address to you. But the hope
that this letter may, one day, long after I have left you, be a
tie between us, my Elinor, is grateful to your mother's heart,
and urges me to continue my task. I have a double object
in writing these letters; I wish to be remembered by you,
dear, and I wish to serve you.
66
During the last few months, since my health has failed,
and since you, my child, have been the chief object of
interest to me in this world, I have often endeavoured to
pass over in my mind, the next dozen years, that I might
fancy my child, what I trust she will then be, qualified in
every essential point to act for herself, in the position to
which she belongs. I trust that when this, my last letter, is
placed in your hands, you will already have learned to feel
and acknowledge the important truths that I have endea-
voured to impress on you, in those you have previously re-
ceived. You are already convinced, I trust, that without a
religious foundation, any superstructure whatever must be
comparatively worthless. I should be miserable, indeed, at
this moment, if I could not hope that sincere, single-hearted
piety will be the chief influence of your life; without it, you
could never know true happiness, or even peace. Rest
assured, my child, that while it sweetens every blessing, it
soothes under every evil. Many have given the same testi-
mony when they stood, like your mother, within the shadow
of death. I have every reason, my beloved daughter, to
hope that under the guidance of an humble, sincere Chris-
tian, like your aunt, you also will arrive at the same blessed
VOL. I. - 18
206
ELINOR WYLLYS; or,
2
conviction; I know that so long as she lives, her example,
her prayers, her vigilance will never be wanting. I have
every reason to believe that you will be led to seek that
which is never earnestly sought in vain.
"I must be brief, dear child, lest my strength should fail.
From the many thoughts that crowd upon me, I can only
select a few, which my own experience has taught me to
value as important. In the first place, let me warn you never
to forget the difference between Christian education, and all
others. Remember that Christian education has for its foun-
dation the heart-felt conviction of the weakness of human
nature; for a being bearing the name of a Christian to lose
sight of this truth, is the grossest of all inconsistencies. The
great and the learned among those who are merely philoso-
phers, preach, as though to know what is good, and to prac-
tise it, were equally easy to mankind. But the Christian
alone knows that he must look beyond himself for guidance,
and for support. He knows only too well, that there are
times when the practice of some plain and evident duty,
costs his feeble nature a severe struggle-in no instance will
he dare trust his own strength alone. He knows that even in
those cases where duty is also a pleasure, he must still be
watchful and humble, lest he fall. One would think this
truth so obvious, from daily observation, as to be undeniable;
but it is now the fashion to laud human nature, to paint
flattering pictures only. Humility is thought debasing; but
Truth alone is honourable, and Humility is Truth. You
will find the actions of those who acknowledge this truth,
more honourable to the human race, than the deeds of those
who deny it. The true dignity of human nature consists,
not in shutting our eyes to the evil, but in restraining it;
which, with our Maker's help, we may all do, for the bless-
ing of our Creator is still within our reach, still vouchsafed
to the humble Christian. If such be your views, my daughter,
you will be prepared to find difficulties in acquiring and
practising those virtues which it is the duty of life to culti
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
207
vate; you will be prepared to meet those difficulties with
the sincere humility of a Christian, and with Christian
exertion.
"C
My child, love the Truth, and the Truth only.
"Cultivate daily a pious, thankful, humble disposition,
"Love those near you heartily; live for them as well as
for yourself.
"Eschew all envy, and petty jealousies, and rivalries;
there is perhaps no other evil that so often poisons our daily
blessings.
“Cultivate your judgment. Never forget the difference
between things of importance and trifles; yet remember that
trifles have also their value. Never lose sight of the differ-
ence between form and spirit; yet remember that in this
material world, the two should seldom be put asunder. The
true substance will naturally have its shadow also.
"Cultivate a sweet, frank, cheerful temper, for your own
sake, and for the sake of those you love.
"Cultivate your abilities in every way that comes natu-
rally within your reach; it is seldom worth while for a
woman to do more than this. In all you learn, aim at giving
pleasure to others, aim at being useful to them, as well as
at improving your own faculties.
Enjoy thankfully all the blessings of life; and they are
innumerable.
"There is one subject, of some importance to you indi-
vidually, my child, which I have not yet alluded to in either
of my letters; I have purposely deferred it until you will be
better fitted to understand me. You will have one personal evil
to contend against, my dear Elinor; your face will be plain,
your features will be homely, darling. It is a weakness, my
child, and yet I regret you should suffer from this disad-
vantage; rest assured, that in every little mortification to
which you may be exposed, your mother, had she lived,
would have felt with you. I trust that this will be the first
time your attention will be seriously fixed upon the subject,
wie,
66
$
208
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
and that as a child you will scarcely have thought upon it.
Let us then, dear, look upon the matter together for a moment,
calmly and steadily; we will not blind ourselves to the ad-
vantages of beauty, neither will we exaggerate the evils of a
want of it. You will soon discover, from your own observa-
tion, that beauty in women, as in children, is delightful in
itself; it throws a charm over the words and actions of the
favoured person. In a worldly sense it is also a woman's
power; where other qualifications are equal, you will often
observe that beauty alone confers a striking superiority. In
some respects its advantages are even greater than are usually
allowed, in others again they are far less. Were we to judge
by the space it fills in general observation, and in conversa-
tion, we should believe it the one all-important qualification.
in women, that nothing else can be compared with it. But
to adopt this opinion would be grossly to exaggerate its im-
portance. Nor can we believe, on the other hand, what some
prudent writers for the young have affirmed, that the supe-
riority of beauty is only momentary; that the eyes tire of a
beautiful face which they see daily, that in all cases it vanishes
with early youth. No, my child, I do not wish you to be-
lieve this, for I cannot believe it myself. For years, the
beauty of my sister Elizabeth has been a daily source of
pleasure to me, and I doubt not to others also. My aunt,
Mrs. Graham, though past fifty, is still a handsome woman,
and her appearance must be pleasing to every one who meets
her;
while, on the contrary, people still amuse themselves
at the expense of Miss Townley, whose face is strikingly
plain. Hundreds of examples might be cited to prove that
the charm of beauty does not generally vanish so soon, that
one does not tire of it so easily. And then if a woman lose
her beauty entirely, still the reputation of having once pos-
sessed it, gives her a sort of advantage in the eyes of the
world. If mere notoriety be an advantage, and in the
opinion of the worldly it is so, the superiority of beauty
over ugliness lasts longer than life; many women are remem-
•
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
209
bered, who had nothing but beauty to recommend them to
the notice of posterity. But observe, my child, that if these
advantages are evident, they are chiefly of a worldly nature.
A beautiful woman may receive general admiration, and that
homage which gratifies vanity, but she must depend on other
qualities if she wish to be respected, if she wish to be loved
through life. I hope, my child, you will always be superior
to that miserable vanity which thirsts for common admiration,
which is flattered by every offering, however low, however
trivial. I trust that the mere applause of the world will
have no influence upon your heart or your understanding.
Remember what it is that we call the world-it is a ground
governed by a compromise between the weaknesses of the
good among us, and the virtues of the bad; the largest por-
tion of vanity and folly-sometimes even vice-mingled
with the least portion of purity and wisdom that a commu-
nity bearing a Christian name will tolerate. You, I trust,
will learn to seek a higher standard.
"If borne in a right spirit, my dear Elinor, the very want
of beauty, or of any other earthly good, may be the means
of giving you the benefit of far higher blessings. If it make
you more free from vanity, from selfishness, it will make you
far happier, even in daily life. It may dispose you to enjoy
more thankfully those blessings actually in your possession,
and to make a better use of them.
"Under this and every other disadvantage, my child, re-
member two things: to give the evil its just importance only,
and to make a right use of it.
"I trust that your temper will be such, that you will not
for a moment feel any inclination to repine that others should
enjoy a blessing denied to you, my love. Refrain even
from wishing for that which Providence has withheld; if you
have a right faith, you will be cheerful and contented; if you
are really humble, you will be truly thankful.
"Do all in your power, my Elinor, towards making your
home, wherever it may be, a happy one; it is our natural
18*
210
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
shelter from the world. If in public you meet with indiffe
rence and neglect, you can surely preserve the respect of
those who know you; and the affection of your friends may
always be gained by those quiet, simple virtues, within the
reach of every one.
'In one way, my dearest child, the want of beauty may
affect your whole career in life—it will very probably be the
cause of your remaining single. If I thought you would be
united to a husband worthy of your respect and affection, I
should wish you to marry; for such has been my own lot in
life-I have been happy as a wife and a mother. But I am
well aware that this wish may be a weakness; the blessings
of Providence are not reserved for this or that particular
sphere. The duties and sorrows of married life are often
the heaviest that our nature knows. Other cares and other
pleasures may be reserved for you, my child. In every
civilized Christian community there have always been num-
bers of single women; and where they have been properly
educated, as a class they have been respectable-never more
so than at the present day. They often discharge many of
the most amiable and praiseworthy duties of life. Under-
stand me, my child; I do not wish to urge your remaining
single; that is a point which every woman must decide for
herself, when arrived at years of discretion; but I would
have you view a single life with sufficient favour to follow
it cheerfully, rather than to sacrifice yourself by becoming
the wife of a man whom you cannot sincerely respect.
Enter life prepared to follow, with unwavering faith in Pro-
vidence, and with thankfulness, whichever course may be
allotted to you. If you remain single, remember that your
peace is more in your own hands than if married—much
more will depend solely on the views and dispositions you
encourage. As appearance has generally so much influence
over men, and marriage is therefore a less probable event to
you than to others, my love, let your mother caution you to
watch your feelings with double care; be slow to believe
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
211
any man attached to you, unless you have the strongest
proof of it.
“Whatever be your position, never lose sight, even on
trifling occasions, of common sense, and good-feeling. Re-
meinber, in any case, to guard carefully against the peculiar
temptations of your lot, to bear patiently its evils, and to
enjoy thankfully its peculiar blessings.
"There are many things that I should still wish to say to
you, my beloved daughter; and yet I know that the cautions
I give may be unnecessary, while other evils, which I have
never feared, may befall you. My inability to guide you as
I wish, my darling child, directs us both to a higher source
of wisdom and love. Let us both, at all times, implicitly
place our trust where it can never fail, though blessings be
not bestowed in the way we fond creatures would choose."
[Here followed a sentence, in words too solemn to be.
transferred to pages as light as these.]
"Love your aunt, your second mother, truly and gratefully.
She has already bestowed on you many proofs of kindness,
and she has always been a faithful friend to your father, and
to your mother. Love the memory of your parents, my
child; think of us sometimes-think of your father-think
of
your mother.
Honour their memory by a recollection of
their instructions, by a well-spent life. Since your birth, my
child, I have scarcely had a hope or a fear, unconnected with
you; if I were to ask to live, it would be only for your
sake, my darling daughter.
"Your mother's tenderest blessing rests upon you, my
beloved Elinor, through life!
"MARY RADCLIFFE WYLLVS."
This letter had been often read and studied by Elinor,
with the gratitude and respect it deserved, as a legacy from
her mother; but lately she had been disposed to enter more
fully into the feelings by which it had been dictated. Every
word which applied to her present situation, sunk deeply into
her heart.
212
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
sc
CHAPTER XXI.
Merrily, merrily dance the bells,
Swiftly glides the sleigh!"
Newspaper Verses.
EARLY in December, a new glazed card was to be seen on
most of the fashionable tables in New York. It was of the
particular tint most in favour that season, whether bluish or
pinkish we dare not affirm, for fear of committing a serious
anachronism, which might at once destroy, with many per-
sons, all claim to a knowledge of the arcana of fashionable
life. Having no authorities at hand to consult, the point
must be left to the greater research of the critical reader.
This card bore the name of T. TALLMAN TAYLOR; but
whether in Roman or Italic characters we dare not say, far .
the same reason which has just been frankly confessed. It
was, however, a highly fashionable bit of pasteboard, as
became the representative of a personage who returned to
New York, claiming the honours of fashion himself. This
was no less a person than the son of Mr. Pompey Taylor.
But the T. Tallman Taylor, whose whole appearance was
pronounced unexceptionable by the New York belles, from
the points of his boots to the cut of his moustaches, was a
very different individual from the good-looking, but awk-
ward, ungainly youth, introduced to the reader two or three
years since, at Wyllys-Roof. He had, in the mean time,
learned how to stand, how to sit, how to walk, how to talk
in a drawing-room. He had learned what to do with his
cane and his hat, how to manage his pocket-handkerchief
and his gloves; branches of knowledge which an American
who sets about acquiring them, usually learns quite rapidly.
He was also very much improved in riding and dancing, and
was said to fence well. These, with the addition of a much
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
213
better French accent, were the principal changes perceptible
to the ladies, who pronounced them all for the better. Among
the young men he was soon found to be an excellent judge of
Château Margaux and Rüdesheimer; some also thought him
knowing in horse-flesh, while others doubted his qualifica-
tions in that respect. His father, moreover, soon discovered
that he had become an adept in the art of spending money;
among his intimates, cards, and the billiard-table, with other
practices of that description, were hinted at, as the way in
which he got rid of his dollars. But as these were subjects
not mentioned in general society, it was as yet the initiated
only, who were aware of young Taylor's Paris habits of this
kind.
His father had, of late years, learned to set too high a
value upon the world, and everything worldly, not to be
much gratified by the change that had taken place in his son.
As for Adeline, she gloried in his six-feet and his black
moustaches, his Paris waistcoat and London boots; while
his honest-hearted mother would have loved him just as
much under any other metamorphosis he had chosen to
assume. Such as he was, young Taylor soon became quite
a favourite beau with the New Yorkers, and was invited to
most houses. He proved himself quite a ladies' man; no
lazy, grumbling dandy, but a smiling, assiduous beau. He
had not been in New York a month, before he was known
to have sent a number of bouquets to different belles, and
was supposed to have given more than one serenade to his
sister's friend, Miss Hunter.
The last day of December, all New York was set in mo-
tion by a fall of snow, sufficient to allow of pretty good
sleighing for four-and-twenty hours. Like such occasions in
general, it became a sort of holiday. And really, the novelty,
the general movement, the bustle and gaiety, the eagerness
to enjoy the pleasure while it lasts, always render such
scenes very enlivening. Every vehicle with runners, and
every animal bearing the name of a horse, are put in requi-
241
ELINOR WYLLYS; Or,
sition for the day. The dashing sleighs crowded with gaily-
dressed people, the smiling faces and flying feathers of the
ladies, the rich cloths and furs, the bright colours of the
equipages, and the inspiriting music of the merry bells, give
to Broadway, at such times, quite a carnival look. The
clear, bracing air disposes people to be cheerful; even the
horses feel the spirit of the moment; they prance their heads
proudly, and shake the bells about their necks, as if delighted
with the ease and rapidity of their motion; sympathizing
foot-passengers stop to give their friends a nod, and follow
their rapid course with good-natured smiles. Young people
and children are collected for a frolic, and family parties
hurry off to drink coffee and mulled wine, to eat plum-cake
and waffles at the neighbouring country-houses. It is alto-
gether a gay, cheerful sight, enjoyed with all the more zest
from its uncertainty.
Hazlehurst was delighted, as he went to his window, the
morning in question, to find the roofs and pavements covered
with snow.
For several years he had had no sleighing, and
he promised himself a very pleasant day. Mrs. Stanley
was going to remain quietly at home. He sent to a livery-
stable to secure a good horse and a pretty cutter for himself,
and immediately after breakfast hurried off to Mrs. Graham's
lodgings, with the hope of obtaining Jane as a companion.
"And who knows," thought he, "what may happen before
evening."
He had just reached Mrs. Graham's door, when a very
dashing sleigh, drawn by four fine horses, drew up from the
opposite direction. Young Taylor was in the coachman's
seat; Miss Hunter, Adeline, and a quiet-looking young man,
whom we shall introduce as Theodore St. Leger, were in
the sleigh. Miss Adeline threw off her over-cloak, and as
she gave her hand to Mr. St. Leger, to jump from the sleigh,
called out to Harry in her usual shrill voice,
"Good morning, Mr. Hazlehurst, you are exact at the
render-vous, for of course you got my note. But you ought
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
215
to have brought a lady with you; you mustn't run away with
Jane; she is to be of our party in the sleigh, do you hear?"
continued the young lady, trying hard to look pretty and
positive, at the same time. I hope you didn't mean to ask
her to go with you."
"Yes, I did," replied Harry, rather stoutly. "Miss Gra-
ham told me the other day, she quite longed for sleighing,
and made something very like a promise to go with me if
we had any snow.”
66
Oh, but not to-day; I must have her in the sleigh with
me! Now, Jane, dear," continued the young lady, tripping
into the drawing-room, followed by her brother and Harry,
put on your hat at once, that's a good girl; we wouldn't
miss having you for the world.”
66
Harry had often been provoked with Adeline's constant
appropriation of Jane to herself, when they were together;
and he determined, if he could prevent it, she should not
succeed this time.
"Miss Taylor is very decided," he said, "but so am I.
And I think you must remember you were pledged to me
for the first sleighing, if we were so fortunate as to have any.”
"It's no such thing, I'm sure ;—is it, Jane ?"
"Pray, remember we are two to one, Miss Graham,” said
young Taylor, on the other side, in an insinuating voice.
"But we can all go together," said Jane, blushing, and
scarcely knowing what to do.
"If Mrs. Graham were here," added Harry, "I think she
would certainly trust you with me. I have a very good
horse, one that I have driven all along, and he is perfectly
safe."
"So are ours, all four of them," said Adeline; "and I'm
sure there must be more safety with four safe horses, than
with one!"
Perfectly safe, Miss Graham, I assure you,” added young
Taylor. "Of course I should not press you unless I felt
sure you would run no risk.”
CC
216
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"Pshaw !" said Adeline. Why should we stand here,
talking about the risk and danger, like so many old grey-
beards. Put on your hat, dear, that's a darling, without any
more palaver. Anne Hunter and Mr. St. Leger are waiting
for us at the door; you know we are going to Bloomingdale,
to lunch, at Mrs. Hunter's. We shall have a charming
time; and Mr. Hazlehurst is going with us too. Of course
you got my note," she added, turning to Harry,
66
No, I did not; but I should have been obliged to decline
your invitation, Miss Taylor," said Hazlehurst, bowing a
little stiffly. "I have made arrangements for going on Long-
Island."
66
66
Oh, that's a pity; I am really sorry, for I wanted you
to be of our party; only I couldn't have you run away with
my friend Jane. Silence gives consent, Jane. You didn't
answer my note, this morning."
66
Perhaps I had better not go at all," said Jane, not a little
perplexed. "Mamma is not at home, and will not know
what has become of me."
Nonsense, child; Mrs. Graham will know you are in
very good hands. You have been out with me a hundred
times before, and you surely don't think there is any more
danger because Tallman is of the party.”
"I hope not," added young Taylor, in an insinuating
manner; ““I'm a first-rate whip, Miss Graham.”
“Now, just tell the truth; didn't you mean to
you mean to go with me,
before Mr. Hazlehurst came in ?" said Adeline-" no fibbing,
mind."
"I only received your note ten minutes since,” replied
Jane; "but I did think of going with you."
"I should like to know why you hesitate, then. First
come, first served. Now, the best thing you can do, Mr.
Hazlehurst, is to change your mind, and ask one of the Miss
Howards, and join our party, too. I really wish you would !"
"You are very good," said Harry, coldly; "but I must
beg you to excuse me."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
217
Jane allowed herself to be shawled and cloaked by young
Taylor, and the affair was settled. But Harry thought she
did not seem quite satisfied with herself, for she changed
colour several times, and he even remarked that her fingers
trembled as she tied the strings of her hat. This rather
softened his feelings towards her; but he still felt extremely
provoked with the meddling Adeline, and her officious.
brother. As he did not wish to play the worsted man, how-
ever, he tried to put a good face on the matter, and accom-
panied the party down-stairs, helped the ladies into the
sleigh, wished them a pleasant drive, and went off himself,
at a rapid pace, towards the Long-Island ferry.
He was exceedingly out of humour with Adeline, and
reproached Jane not a little for allowing herself to be so often
guided by her trifling friend. The occurrence of the morn-
ing, hastened his determination to bring matters to a conclu-
sion. That very evening should decide the point. He
must have been more than modest to have doubted the result;
Jane's manner he had long thought just what he could wish
from one so little demonstrative as herself. Hubert de Vaux,
it is true, had been very assiduous of late, but Jane had
never given him any sign of preference, sufficient to excite
Harry's jealousy. Mr. Graham was expected every day
from Charleston, to pass the remainder of the winter with
his family; as he had already given one daughter to the elder
Hazlehurst, and no serious objection could be raised against
Harry, his prospects were very promising. Before long,
the gentle, lovely Jane would be his own; his would be the
enviable lot, of carrying off the beautiful prize.
Hazlehurst had time to make these reflections, and disperse
his ill-humour, before he reached the wharf at Brooklyn.
Here he met Charlie Hubbard, whom he had not seen for
some time, not, indeed, since his rupture with the Wyllyses.
Charlie's greeting was not quite as warm as usual; he did
not seem as much pleased at this unexpected meeting, and
the offer of a seat in Harry's cutter, as one might have sup-
VOL. I.-19
218
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
posed. Hazlehurst was so cordial, however, and urged the
young painter so much to take a turn with him on the
Island, that, after a little hesitation, Hubbard accepted.
“Come, Charlie; I am sure you haven't any very good
reason for not making the most of the snow, like the rest of
us."
Perhaps not," said Charlie; and he took his seat with
Harry.
Hubbard gave a good account of himself and his family.
He had received several orders; and his pet picture of the
moment was going on finely. His youngest sister was in
town, taking music lessons, to fit her for her future occupa-
tion; and he had just sent Miss Patsey a pair of globes for
her school, as a New Year's gift; the most expensive pre-
sent, by-the-bye, Charlie had ever made in his life.
66
“I feel quite rich," said the young man," since I pocketed
a hundred a-piece for my two views of Nahant. To be
sure, I never expect to make a fortune; if I can earn enough
to support my mother and sister, and paint only such pic-
tures as I please, that is all I want of the good things of this
world."
"It's all very well to say so now, Charlie, that you have
received your two hundred; but wait till you are the great
Mr. Hubbard, and expect two thousand for your last view of
Coney-Island."
"That day will never come, to me, or to any other man,
perhaps, in this country,” replied young Hubbard. “I go to
work with my eyes open, as you well know. My uncles
have talked the matter over with me a hundred times, if they
have once; they have showed me what I could do if I took to
making money, and what I could not do if I took to painting.
They have offered to help me on; Mr. Taylor would take
me into his counting-house, to-morrow; and Hilson offers to
make me an auctioneer. But I have chosen my profession,
and I shall abide by it. I have no wish for wealth. I should
never be tempted to sell my soul for money-no, nor my
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
219
good name, or my independence: for I do not feel willing to
barter even my time and tastes for riches. I can honestly
say, money has no charms for me. A comfortable subsist-
ence, in a very moderate way, is all I should ask for."
"I know it, Hubbard, and I honour your decision," said
Hazlehurst, warmly. "It is impossible, however, but that
genius like yours should make its way; and I hope you
may meet with all the success you deserve, even though it
bring you more money than you wish for: one of these days
when there is a Mrs. Hubbard, you may want more than
you require now.”
A shade of feeling passed over the young artist's fine face,
as Harry carelessly uttered these words; it seemed to spring
from some painful thought. It was unobserved by Hazle-
hurst, however, who was not looking at his companion at the
moment. Charlie was soon roused by Harry's inquiries as
to his plans for travelling in Europe. The young men then
spent a pleasant hour in discussing different works of the
great masters, which Hubbard, as yet, knew only from en-
gravings and books. Surrounded by snow and ice, they
talked over the atmospheres of Italy and Greece.
CHAPTER XXII.
"Happy New-Year !"
THE streets had been cleared of the snow for New-Year's
day, by a thaw, and a hard shower in the night. The sun
rose bright and clear; and, as usual, early in the morning,
that is to say morning in its fashionable sense, the greater
part of the male population of the town were in motion,
220
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
hurrying in all directions towards the houses of their female
friends and relatives. It appeared as if the women had
suddenly deserted the city, and the men were running about,
half-distracted, in pursuit of them. After the markets and
churches were closed, few indeed were the females to be seen
in the streets; while, on the contrary, troops of men of all
ages, were hurrying over the side-walks of Broadway,
usually enlivened by the gay dresses and bright faces of the
ladies. There were young men running a race against time,
carrying lists in their hands with an impossible number of
visits to be paid during the day; there were boys taking
their first steps in this yearly course of gallantry; there were
elderly men walking more leisurely from one favoured house
to another. All, but a few grumblers here and there, looked
smiling and good-humoured. As the black-coated troop
hastened hither and thither, they jostled one another, now
nodding, now shaking hands; here, old friends passing with-
out seeing each other; there, a couple of strangers salute
one another in the warmest manner. The doors of the houses
seemed to open of themselves; men were going in, men
were coming out. The negroes looked more lustrous and、
light-hearted than ever; the Paddies, cleaner and more
bothered; the regular Knickerbockers, to the manner born,
were, of course, in their element.
We have heard nice calculations as to the precise number
of calls, that an able-bodied, well-trained New-Year's visiter
can accomplish between midnight and midnight; allowing,
of course, a couple of hours for the toilette, and a moment
to snatch a mouthful at breakfast and dinner: it is affirmed,
however, that as great generals have passed days of battle
without food, so your chivalrous Knickerbocker should be
willing to forego, on such an occasion, even a sight of the
roast turkey and cranberries. Allowing the individual, how-
ever, something to sustain nature, that he may be the better
enabled to perform his duties, it is supposed that a beau, in
good visiting condition, should pay his court in not more than
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
221
three hundred, nor less than fifty drawing-rooms. But, then,
to do this, a man must have method; he must draw up his
plan of action before-hand; he must portion out his districts,
as they lie on each side of that longest of streets, Broadway;
he must not only study the map of the city closely, but he
must possess an accurate knowledge of the localities; he
must remember that some houses have stoops of twelve steps,
that some drawing-rooms are not on the first floor. He must
not allow himself to be enticed into any flirtation whatever,
beyond a glance or a smile; he must not indulge the hope
of calling twice upon the sweet creature he most admires;
he must not be tempted to sink, even for a moment, upon
the most comfortable of ottomans or divans; he must not
return home to re-adjust his locks, to change either boots,
gloves, or handkerchief. We have heard it asserted, that
owing to some unfortunate weakness of this kind, many a
promising youth, unaccustomed, probably, to the hardships
of such visiting, has been distanced in the gallant race of the
day, by more methodical men-by men who were actually
encumbered with over-shoes and great-coats!
It is amusing to watch the hurried steps of some expe-
rienced visiter without doors; the decision of his movements,
the correctness of his calculation in passing out of one house
into another; and one is sure to know a raw recruit, by his
anxious, perplexed manner and expression.
The scene within doors is quite as amusing as it is without.
Everything wears a holiday look; it is evidently no common
morning reception; the ladies' dresses look gayer and fresher,
their smiles brighter than usual; the house, the furniture,
and the inmates, all wear their most agreeable aspect. The
salver of refreshments speaks at once the occasion; for there,
in the midst of richer cakes, stands the basket of homely
"New-Years' cookies," bequeathed to their descendants by
the worthy vrows of New-Amsterdam. The visiters appear,
first singly, then in parties. Here comes a favourite partner
of the young ladies, there a mere bowing acquaintance of the
19*
222
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
master of the house. This is an old family friend, that a
neighbour who has never been in the house before; here is
a near relative, there a passing stranger. The grey-haired
old gentleman who has the arm-chair wheeled out for him,
announces his fiftieth visiting anniversary; the buckish youth,
his grandson, has already made his bow, and off again; so
finish his gallant duties. Now we have a five minutes' visit
from a declared lover; and who follows him? One who
advances slowly and steadily, with a half-inquiring look;
the lady of the house sees him, gives a glance of surprise,
is gratified, accepts the offered hand immediately. That is
a reconciliation; old friendship broken off, now renewed, a
misunderstanding forgotten-that is one of the pleasantest
visits of the day. All come, bow, look, and speak their
friendly good-wishes, and are off again to make room for
others.
Long may this pleasant, cheerful, good-natured, lively
custom be perpetuated among us! As long as the side-walks
of Manhattan and the canals of Amsterdam last, so long may
Santa-Claus bring his Christmas gifts to the little folk; and
so long may the gallant Knickerbockers pay to their female
friends the homage of a personal visit at New-Year's. Cards
on every other day in the year, if necessary; but, on New-
Year's, carry your good wishes in person. Should not, in-
deed, a custom so pleasant spread throughout the whole
country, like crackers, waffles, Dutch blood, and many other
good things brought originally from Holland?
***
On the particular New-Year's day at which we have
arrived in our narrative, an individual of the reader's ac-
quaintance, instead of joining the busy throng of visiters,
was seen turning his steps through a bye-street, towards the
Battery. He walked slowly through Greenwich-Street,
apparently busy with thoughts of his own, and entering the
Battery-Gate he continued for some time pacing the paved
walk near the water.
"There is a fellow who seems to have nothing to do to-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
223
day," said a young man to his companion, as they were
hurrying across the Battery from one end of State-Street to
the other. "I should like to hire him as proxy, to show
himself in a score or two of houses in my place. I should
hand him over half my list at once, if I thought the ladies
would submit to the exchange; he looks like a presentable
chap, too."
66
Why, it is actually Harry Hazlehurst! What can he
be doing, moping about in that fashion?"
Hazlehurst, is it? Oh, ho!-you have heard the hub-
bub they have had at the Graham's, I suppose?"
"Not I-What is it?"
"There was quite a scene there, yesterday; my sister had
the news from Adeline Taylor, a great friend of her's; so it
comes very straight."
"I thought all was going on there as smoothly as possible.
I expected an invitation to the wedding before long."
“To be sure; so did everybody.. But it seems the beauty
has ideas of her own. In the first place she refused Hazle-
hurst, rather to the astonishment of himself and all his
friends, I believe.”
"Refused Hazlehurst !-You don't say so!"
"And that is only half the story. She took the same
opportunity, while weeping and trembling, to confide to her
mamma that her heart had been for some time, how long I
cannot tell you precisely, the property of Tall. Taylor."
What, Tallman Taylor? That is news, indeed-I never
should have dreamt of such a thing."
“Miss Adeline Taylor is the authority. It seems the
affair has been going on, no one knows how long, and Miss
Taylor has had the management of it. These girls are sly
minxes; they are not to be trusted, half of them."
"And what says Taylor to all this?
“What does he say? Why he is in a sort of ecstasy of
despair, I suppose; for the Grahams won't hear of the match.
224
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
It was no news to him; they have been engaged, I tell you,
for months."
At that moment the two young men entered the door of
a house in State-Street. Although their story was, upon
the whole, correct; yet, we happen to be still better informed
on the subject, and shall proceed to account, in our own way,
for Hazlehurst's solitary walk.
When Miss Adeline and her party had returned from
sleighing, Harry went to Mrs. Graham's, and finding Jane
alone, he immediately seized the moment to explain himself,
beginning by a lover-like remonstrance upon her having
joined the Taylors, instead of going with him as she had
already promised to do. Jane was excessively embarrassed.
As Harry proceeded, she became more and more agitated.
Her manner was so confused, that it was some time before
Hazlehurst could understand that she wished to refuse him.
Had she not actually wept, and looked frightened and dis-
tressed, he might have given a very different interpretation
to her embarrassment. At length, in answer to a decided
question of his, she confessed her attachment to another
person; and, never was lover more surprised by such an
acknowledgement. Pained, and mortified, and astonished
as Harry was, the name of "Hubert de Vaux!" passed his
lips before he was aware he had spoken.
"I never cared at all for Mr.
"Oh, no; no;" said Jane.
de Vaux."
Harry's astonishment increased. He could scarcely be-
lieve that he had heard her correctly. To whom could she
possibly be attached?
“Oh, I wish I had some one here to advise me! Adeline
may say what she pleases, I cannot conceal it any longer."
Harry listened in amazement.
"Is it possible,” he said, at length," that there is some dif-
ficulty, some embarrassment, that prevents your acting as you
would wish? My dear Jane, confide in me. You cannot
doubt that I love you, that I have long loved you;" and
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
225
Harry then ran over a variation of his first declaration. But
Jane's trouble seemed only to increase.
“Oh, stop, Harry; don't talk in that way," she said; “I
ought to have told you before. I wished to tell you when
you first came on to New York, but Adeline said we should
risk everything by it.”
"What can you possibly risk? What is it you wish to
tell me?"
66
I was very sorry when you broke with Elinor-I never
can have any other feeling for you than I have always had:
I have been for some time, almost-engaged-to-to-
Mr. Taylor-"
"You
engaged to Mr. Taylor!"
“No—not engaged- -only I have not refused him-
We know father and mother dislike Mr. Taylor's family so
much-"
It was but natural that Harry should feel indignant at
having been deceived by the under-current of plotting that
had been going on; that he should feel mortified, ashamed
of himself, and disappointed, at the same time; vexed with
Jane, and almost furious against the meddling, officious.
Adeline, and her presuming brother. From a long acquaint-
ance with Jane's character, it flashed upon his mind in a
moment, that she must have been misguided, and gradually
led on by others. But the mischief was done; it was evi-
dent that at present, at least, she cared no more for him than
she had always done; while, on the contrary, young Taylor
had insinuated himself into her affections. He could not
endure to think, that while Jane was indifferent to himself,
his successful rival should be one whom he so much disliked.
Yet, such was the fact. It was infatuation on the part of
Jane, no doubt; and yet how often these deceptions have
all the bad effects of realities! He had been silent for some
minutes, while the tears were streaming freely from Jane's
beautiful eyes.
226
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
“Oh, if I had not been so afraid that father would never
give his consent, I should not have waited so long. If I only
knew what to do now?"
Harry came to a magnanimous resolution. "I forgive
you, Jane," he said, "the pain you have caused, since I
cannot but think that it is not the fruit of your own sugges-
tions. You could not deliberately have trifled with me in
this way; I owe it, no doubt, to the goodness of Miss Taylor,"
he added, bitterly. Jane made no answer, but continued to
weep. Harry felt some compassion for her, in spite of her
unjustifiable conduct towards himself. In the course of half
an hour, she had fallen very much in his estimation; but he
determined to return good for evil, by urging her to take the
only step now in her power-the only one proper under the
circumstances. He begged her, as she valued her future
peace, to reveal everything to her mother; and to be guided
in future by Mrs. Graham. But Jane seemed terrified at
the idea.
Oh," said she, "father will be so angry! And we ex-
pect him every day. Mother, too, I know, will think I have
behaved very badly to you."
It is probable she might not have had the courage to follow
his advice, had not Mrs. Graham accidentally entered the
room at the moment. Her attention was immediately at-
tracted to the unusual expression of Harry's face, and the
tearful, woe-begone look of her daughter, which she could in
no way account for. Harry, merely answering her inquiries
by a bow, arose and left the room, leaving the mother and
daughter together.
Poor Mrs. Graham was little aware of what awaited her.
She could not be called a woman of very high principles,
but she had more feeling, and, of course, more experience
than Jane. When she discovered the true state of things,
she was very much shocked. She had never had the least
idea of what had been going on around her; far from it,
indeed, she had never for a moment doubted that, before
(6
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
227
long, her daughter would become the wife of young Hazle-
hurst.
Little by little she gathered the whole truth from the weep-
ing Jane. It appeared that the two or three meetings which
had taken place between Jane and young Taylor, just before
he sailed, had been sufficient for him to fancy himself in love
with her. He made a confidante of his sister Adeline,
who, as one of the older class in her boarding-school, con-
sidered all love-affairs as belonging to her prerogative. Her
friend, Miss Hunter, was a regular graduate of the Court of
Love, according to the code-not of Toulouse-but of a
certain class of school-girls in New-York. This young lady
had gone through the proper training from her cradle, having
been teased and plagued about beaux and lovers, before she
could walk alone. She had had several love-affairs of her
own before she was fifteen. "All for love," was her motto;
and it was a love which included general flirtation as the
spice of unmarried life, and matrimony with any individual
whatever, possessing a three-story house in Broadway, as
the one great object of existence. Adeline had, of course,
profited by such companionship; and, at the time her bro-
ther confessed himself in love with Miss Graham, after having
met once on board a steamboat, and once at an evening party,
she was fully equal to take the management of the whole
affair into her own hands. It is true, young Taylor had
entered into a boyish engagement at college; but that was
thought no obstacle whatever. She delighted in passing her
brother's compliments over to Jane; in reporting to him her
friend's blushes and smiles. With this state of things, young
Taylor sailed for Europe; but Adeline gloried too much in
her capacity of confidante, to allow the matter to drop: not
a letter was written but contained some allusion to the im-
portant subject. In the course of the year she had talked
Jane into quite a favourable state of feeling towards her
brother; he would probably himself have forgotten the affair,
had not Miss Graham arrived in Paris at the moment she did.
228
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
They saw each other, of course, and the feelings which
Adeline had been encouraging during the last year, and
which otherwise would have amounted to nothing at all,
now took a serious turn. Young Taylor was very hand-
some, and astonishingly improved in appearance and man-
ners. Jane, herself, was in the height of her beauty, and
the young man had soon fallen really in love with her.
Unfortunately, just at the moment that he became attentive
to her, Mrs. Robert Hazlehurst, who was confined to the
house that winter, had confided Jane to the care of Mrs.
Howard, the lady who had brought her from America.
Young Taylor soon found out that he was rather disliked by
Mr. and Mrs. Hazlehurst, and preferred securing Jane's
favour, if possible, without attracting the attention of her
friends. Adeline, on her part, had discovered that her own
family were no favourites with Mr. and Mrs. Graham; of
course she recommended the proper degree of mystery, under
the name of prudence. Young Taylor left Paris for Eng-
land, about the time that Harry returned from his eastern
journey; but before parting from Jane, he explained himself;
and if he had not been accepted, he had certainly not been
refused. Thus matters stood when the whole party returned
home. Mr. Graham was known to be a violent, passionate
man, and as he had taken no pains to conceal his dislike to
Tallman Taylor's father, the young people had every reason
to believe that he would refuse his consent. The idea of a
clandestine marriage had once occurred to Adeline, but never
with any serious intention of proposing it. Had she done
so, she would not have been listened to. Jane had not lived
so much with Miss Wyllys and Elinor, without deriving
some good from such association; besides, she did not think
the step necessary. She believed that Mr. Graham would
give his consent after a while; and young Taylor was
obliged to submit for the present. As for his college en-
gagement, he had paid it no more attention than if it had
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
229
never taken place; it had been long since forgotten, on his
part.
Little by little, Mrs. Graham gathered most of these facts
from her daughter, whose weeping eyes and pale face
would have delighted Adeline, as being just what was proper
in a heroine of romance, on such an important occasion.
But Adeline could not enjoy the sight of all the misery
which was the fruit of her two years' labours, for Mrs. Gra-
ham insisted that Jane should see none of the family until
her father had arrived, and knew the state of things.
Harry Hazlehurst, although not quite as well informed ast
the reader, knew essentially how matters stood. He knew
at least, that Jane and young Taylor were all but pledged to
each other; he knew what had been Adeline's conduct—
what had been his own treatment; and as he walked slowly
from one end of the Battery to the other, his reflections were
anything but flattering to himself, or to any of the parties
concerned. He blamed Mrs. Graham for her want of ma-
ternal caution and foresight; he blamed his brother, and
sister-in-law, for their blindness in Paris; Jane, for her weak-
ness, and want of sincerity to himself; Adeline, for such
unjustifiable management and manoeuvring; and young
Taylor, for what he called his " presumption and puppyism.”
And to think that he, Harry Hazlehurst, who prided himself
upon being clear-sighted, had been so completely deceived.
by others, and what was worse, by himself! He was obliged
to remember how sure he had felt himself of Jane; it was
humiliating to think what a silly part he had been playing.
Then came a twinge or two, from the consciousness that he
had deserved it all, from his conduct to Elinor. He tried to
persuade himself that regret that Jane should fall into hands
he fancied so unworthy of her-that she should be sacri-
ficed to a mere second-rate sort of dandy, like young Taylor,
was his strongest feeling at the time. But he was mistaken :
there was a good deal of the lover in his recollection of Jane's
VOL. I.-20
230
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
transcendant beauty. He hoped that she would yet be saved
from the worst-from becoming the wife of Tallman Taylor.
He felt convinced that Mr. Graham would refuse his consent
to the marriage.
The next day, Harry returned to Philadelphia. The as-
tonishment of all those interested in himself and Jane, at this
rupture, was very great. If Mrs. Stanley had been grieved
at Harry's difficulties, Mrs. Robert Hazlehurst was made
quite unhappy by her sister's conduct. She reproached
herself severely for her blindness; for not having taken as
much care of Jane as she ought to have done under the cir-
cumstances. Like all her family, she disliked young Taylor;
who, in fact, had nothing to recommend him but his hand-
some face, and his father's money. Miss Wyllys, too, was
much pained by the conduct of one who had been so often
under her care-one, in whose welfare she was so warmly
interested. She received the news in a note from Mrs.
Hazlehurst, who preferred giving it in that form; and as Miss
Wyllys was alone with Elinor, she immediately handed the
billet to her niece.
It must be confessed that Elinor's heart gave one bound
at this unexpected news. She was more moved by it than
any one; more astonished that Jane should have refused
Harry; that she should have preferred to him that silly
Tallman Taylor; more shocked at the double-dealing that
had been going on; and more pained that Jane, who had
been to her as a sister, should have been so easily misled.
Another thought intruded, too-Harry would be free again!
But the idea had hardly suggested itself, before she repelled
it. She soon felt convinced that Mr. Graham would break
off the engagement between his daughter and Mr. Taylor,
and that after a while her cousin's eyes would be opened to
Harry's merits, which were numberless in her eyes. Miss
Agnes strongly encouraged this opinion; and Elinor fully
determined that her aunt's counsels, her mother's letter, and
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
GBRIDGE.
231
her own experience, should not be thrown away; she would
watch more carefully than ever against every fancy that
would be likely to endanger anew the tranquillity she had
in some measure regained.
CHAPTER XXIII.
"The bridegroom's doors are opened wide,
And I am next of kin;
The guests are met, the feast is set,
May'st hear the merry din."
COLERIDGE.
THE events of the next two months surprised Jane's friends
in Philadelphia, almost as much as her rejection of Harry
had done. Mrs. Hazlehurst, of course, knew what was
going on in her father's house, and from time to time informed
Miss Wyllys and Elinor of what passed. Elinor had written
to Jane, but it was a long time before she received an answer;
her cousin appeared engrossed by her own affairs; as this
was common with Jane at all times, it was but natural that
she should be so, at a moment which was of so much im-
portance to herself. Mr. Graham arrived at the time ap-
pointed; and, of course, he was very much displeased by
the news which awaited him. He would not hear of Jane's
marrying young Taylor, whose advances he received as
coldly as possible, and even forbade his daughter's seeing
any of the Taylor family. Jane was very much distressed,
and very much frightened. As for Miss Taylor, her indig-
nation was so great, that she determined to pay no respect to
Mr. Graham's hostility; she wrote to Jane a long letter,
much in her usual style, giving very pathetic accounts of
232
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Tallman's despair. This letter Jane had not the moral cou-
rage to show to either of her parents; she soon received
another, with a note from young Taylor himself. As she
was reading them one morning, her father unexpectedly
entered the room, and was thrown into a great passion by
the discovery. His temper was violent, and he was subject.
to fits of passion which terrified his children; although, in
other respects, by no means an unkind parent. Upon this
occasion, Jane was frightened into hysterics, and afterwards,
owing to the agitation which had been preying on her mind
for some months, she was thrown into a low nervous fever.
During the four or five weeks that she was ill, every morning
Miss Taylor called to inquire after her friend, although she
was not admitted. By this conduct, Mrs. Graham's heart,
which was of no stern material, was much softened. At
length she went to the drawing-room to see Miss Taylor, for
a moment. Adeline improved the time so well, that she
placed herself and her brother better with Mrs. Graham
than they had ever yet been. Jane's illness increased; her
parents became seriously alarmed, and Mr. Graham ex-
pressed something like regret that he had been so hasty.
His wife often remembered his words during her daughter's
tedious convalescence, which was interrupted by a relapse.
In short, matters began to look less discouraging for young
Taylor's suit. There could be no doubt, at least, that he
was very much in love with Jane: Hazlehurst was quite
mistaken in supposing that the perfection of her profile, the
beautiful shape of her head, the delicacy of her complexion,
or other numberless beauties, could only be appreciated by
one whose taste was as refined as his own: they had pro-
duced quite as deep an effect on young Taylor. During
Jane's illness, he had shown the proper degree of distress
and anxiety, all of which was reported in the most pathetic
manner to Mrs. Graham, and whispered to Jane by Adeline,
who, having once been received again into the house, kept
her footing there and managed an occasional interview with
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
233
her friend. In short, as we all know, tyrannical parents are
very rare in America; the fault in family discipline lies in
the opposite direction.
His daughter's pale face, his wife's weakness, and Ade-
line's good management, and improvement of every conces-
sion, at length worked a change in Mr. Graham. At the
proper moment, Tallman Taylor renewed his offer in the
warmest and most flattering terms; supported by his father, and
his father's hundreds of thousands, he this time received a
more favourable answer. Mr. Graham was one of those
men, who have no very high opinion of women; he did not
wish to make his daughter miserable for life; and he thought
she had too little character to conquer the fancy that had filled
her mind, and made her ill. Then, young Taylor was rich,
and she could throw away money on those knick-knacks
and frippery, to which, according to Mr. Graham, women
attach such exorbitant value. If she did not marry him, she
would fancy herself a victim, and miserable; if she did
marry him, she would fancy herself happy: that seemed to
him the amount of the matter, and with these views he at
length gave a reluctant consent. Mrs. Graham had already
given hers; Tallman Taylor was certainly not the son-in-
law she would have chosen; but she was farther from being
dissatisfied, than many of her friends thought she would be
under the circumstances. Neither the story of his college
engagement, nor the unpleasant rumours respecting his Paris
career, had reached Mr. or Mrs. Graham; the first was
known only to Adeline and Jane, the last to a few male inti-
mates. The news, very naturally, caused a good deal of
sensation among Jane's friends in Philadelphia; it was really
distressing to Mrs. Robert Hazlehurst, who looked upon her
sister as thrown away, and reproached herself more than
ever for having allowed Jane to go out so often in Paris with
their thoughtless friends, the Howards. She could not en-
dure to think of young Taylor, as actually her brother-in-law,
the husband of her beautiful sister. She had not supposed
20*
234
ELINOR WYLLYS; Or,
that the matter would be settled in this way; she had believed
her father's opposition too strong to be overcome.
As for Harry, he, of course, soon heard the news from
his brother. How much of love and of mortification were
still lingering in his mind, we cannot precisely affirm. His
feelings for Jane had certainly altered very much since the
discovery of the double-dealing that had been going on; but
weak as she had proved herself, she was still much too lovely,
much too well-bred, at least, to be bestowed upon one whom
he disliked as much as Tallman Taylor. There seemed to
be something of the dog in the manger, connected with his
regret for Jane's fate, since he had already decided that if she
were ever free again, he would not repeat his offer; she had
shown herself to have so little character, that he would not
allow himself to be again influenced by her beauty, surpass-
ing as it was. In fact, Harry had determined to give up all
idea of love and matrimony, for the present, at least. He
went into society less than of old, and gave himself up very
much to his profession, or other literary pursuits in which he
had become engaged. He had been admitted to the bar, and
had entered into a partnership with his travelling companion,
Mr. Ellsworth; much of his time was now passed at his
brother's house, or at that of his friend. He liked his sister-
in-law, and he found Ellsworth's sister, Mrs. Creighton, who
was at the head of her brother's establishment, a very agree-
able woman; she was very pretty, too, and very clever.
The Wyllyses were already in the country, when the news
of Jane's engagement reached them; the winter had broken
up early, and, as usual, at the first signs of spring they had
returned to Wyllys-Roof. Of course, they regretted Jane's
partiality for Tallman Taylor; to Elinor it appeared almost
as unaccountable as her insensibility to Harry's merits. Mrs.
George Wyllys was loud in her declamations against it;
next to the Hubbards, she looked upon the Taylors as the
most disagreeable family of her acquaintance. She had a
great deal to say about the dull, prosy mother, the insuffer-
ما
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
235
able father, the dandy son, and the rattling, bellish daughter.
Miss Patsey, also, had her moments of wonder; but she
wondered in silence; she did not appear to have any
higher opinion of the son, than she had formerly entertained
of the father. With these exceptions, the community of
Longbridge in general, who had known Jane from her child-
hood, approved highly of the connexion; both parties were
young, handsome, and they would be rich, all which looked
very well at a distance.
Three months of courtship passed over; Jane recovered
entirely, and was as blooming and lovely as ever; young
Taylor was all devotion. The satisfaction of his family at
this connexion with the Grahams was very great; it gratified
Mr. Taylor's wishes in every way. It is true, Miss Graham
would not have much fortune herself, but Tallman had
enough to begin life handsomely. He hoped the marriage
would take place soon, as he wished his son, whom he had
made his partner, to take more interest in the business than
he had yet done. In every respect but money, Jane was
just what he would have wished for a daughter-in-law; she
was fashionable, she was beautiful, and the position of her
family gratified his vanity. As for the plain, good-hearted
Mrs. Taylor, she already loved Jane as a daughter; and to
her it appeared the most natural thing in the world, that
Tallman should marry his sister's friend. Adeline, herself,
was of course enchanted.
The wedding took place in June. Thanks to Miss Tay-
lor's influence with the bride, it proved quite a brilliant affair.
The ceremony was performed in the evening, and imme-
diately afterwards the newly-married couple received the
compliments and congratulations of their friends. Jane was
attended, on the occasion, by six of her young companions;
and as many young men, with white favours in their button-
holes, were very busy all the evening, playing masters of
ceremonies, escorting all the ladies as they arrived, from the
door to the spot where the bride was stationed. Jane looked
236
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
surpassingly beautiful; it was the general remark, that she
had never appeared more lovely: the ladies pronounced her
dress perfect, and the gentlemen admired her face quite as
much. All agreed that a handsomer couple had not been
seen for some time. It was, indeed, a pretty sight-the
beautiful bride, the centre of a circle of her young friends,
all, like herself, in white, and in full dress; pretty creatures
themselves, wearing pretty ornaments of flowers and lace,
pearls and embroidery. We say they were pretty; there
was one exception, however, for Elinor was there, and
many remarks were made on her appearance.
"What a pity that Miss Wyllys should be so plain," ob-
served Mrs. Creighton, whose husband had been a connexion
of the Grahams. "It is the first time I have seen her for
several years, and really I had forgotten how very plain
she is."
"Plain, why she is downright ugly!" exclaimed the youth
to whom she was talking. "It is a sin to be as ugly as that.
No wonder Hazlehurst was frightened out of the engagement ;
I am only surprised he ever got into the scrape!"
"But Miss Wyllys is very clever and agreeable, I under-
stand."
'Is she?"—was the careless reply. "I see Hazlehurst
is here this evening.”
"Yes, he came on with his sister-in-law, Mrs. Robert
Hazlehurst, and myself."
"Well, he has a fine opportunity of comparing his two
lady-loves together. Upon my word, I never saw a greater
contrast. I wish Miss Wyllys had not accepted the invita-
tion, though; she is enough to frighten one away from the
whole set-and the rest are very pretty girls, the whole of
them."
"Can you point out Mr. Taylor ?—Not the groom; I have
seen him, of course; but his father."
Don't you know the boss? It is that tall, stiff-looking
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONG BRIDGE.
237
man, talking to Mrs. Stanley. You see he is trying to look
very amiable.'
"Yes-that is he, is it? Much the sort of man I should
have supposed him. And now, which is Mrs. Taylor?”
“Mrs. Taylor—let me see; there she is, in grey satin and
diamonds. I never saw her but once before in my life. She
is a very quiet sort of a body, and keeps out of sight most
of the time."
"Very different from her daughter then, for Miss Taylor
always put herself en évidence, I believe. If one don't see
her, they are sure to hear her."
"To be sure, Miss Taylor is all life and spirits. She is
the most lively, animated girl I ever knew. By-the-bye, I
think it an odd fancy in Hazlehurst to show himself here
to-night; for there was a great fuss last winter, at the blow-
up-all the town was talking about it.”
"He is a very near connexion, you know; I suppose his
absence would have been more remarked than his being here.
Besides, if he was in love once, he has had time to get over
it, in the last six months. He does not look much as if he
wore the willow still."
"Hazlehurst is very clever, I am told; I don't know him
much, myself."
“Oh, yes—very clever. But I am not a fair judge, per-
haps; he is my brother's friend, and I may be prejudiced in
his favour. How very warm it is! can't we find a seat near
a window?"
The gentleman offered his arm with alacrity, and the
speakers moved away.
The seats they had left were taken by Mrs. de Vaux and
Colonel Stryker: the lady, a middle-aged woman, fashion-
ably dressed; the gentleman, rather more than middle-aged
in his appearance, and decidedly less so in his dress and
manners.
66
Young Taylor is a handsome fellow, and looks the bride-
238
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
L
groom very well!" exclaimed Mr. Stryker. "How these
Taylors have pushed upwards; I never heard of them before
I went to Europe this last time, five or six years ago."
“That is just about the moment they first burst upon the
horizon. Mr. Taylor seems determined to make up for lost
time. He is very disagreeable to us ladies; but the gentle-
men like him on account of his cleverness; they say he is
a genius in all business matters."
To judge by his expression, the man seems ambitious
of 'les succés de salon,' also. Where did he import his
manners from, I wonder?-they have a sort of bright, new
look, as if he had not yet worn the gloss off."
"Don't laugh at him; he gives excellent dinners."
"Does he? Can't you introduce me, immediately? 'Ici
l'ont fait noces et festins.' I seem to smell the turtle-soup,
already."
"I doubt whether you taste it, nevertheless, until next
autumn. Everybody is going out of town; they say that is
the only drawback to the satisfaction of the Taylors at this
wedding."
"What is the drawback, pray?"
"They cannot have as many grand parties as they are
entitled to, on account of the season.”
“That must be distressing, indeed, to the brides-maids.
By-the-bye, I see Miss Wyllys is one of them. She is going
to turn out a fortune, I hear;—do you know her?”
"From a child. Last year no one dreamed of her being
a fortune; but within the last few months, Mr. de Vaux tells
me, she has inherited a very handsome property from one
of her mother's family; and, in addition to it, some new rail-
road, or something of that kind, has raised the value of what
she owned before."
“What is the amount, do you know?”
Upwards of two hundred thousand, Mr. de Vaux thinks."
"Miss Wyllys is certainly no beauty; but, do you know,
I think there is something decidedly distinguished in her ap-
66
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
239
pearance and manner? I was only introduced the other day;
I did not happen to know the Wyllyses."
"I have known them all my life, and like them all very much.
I rather wonder, though, at Miss Elinor's being here as bride's-
maid. But it is a reconciliation, I suppose. Perhaps she
and young Hazlehurst will make up again, and we may be
invited to another wedding, before long."
(C
Perhaps so. How long does it take a young lady to
resent an infidelity? A calendar month, I suppose; or, in
extreme cases, a year and a day. By-the-bye, the pretty
widow, Mrs. Creighton, has thrown off her weeds, I see.
Yes, she has come out again, armed for conquest, I sup-
pose. What a flirt she is! And as artful as she is pretty,
Mr. Stryker. But perhaps you are one of her admirers,"
continued the lady, laughing.
"Of course, it is impossible not to admire her; but I am
afraid of her," said Mr. Stryker, shrugging his shoulders.
"I am horribly afraid of all pretty widows."
“Mr. Hazlehurst does not seem afraid of her."
"Not a bit-he is there half his time; but then he is
young and venturesome. We old campaigners are more
wary.'
"He is an old friend of her brother's, I believe; is Mr.
Ellsworth here?"
""
66
Yes, there he is, talking to Miss Wyllys. Perhaps he
may interfere with your prediction about her and my friend
Hazlehurst."
"Possibly; but à-propos of weddings; why don't you
marry, yourself, Mr. Stryker? You have been a delightful
beau now, for how many years?" asked the lady, mis-
chievously.
"Oh, these five lustres, I suppose; for I began early,"
replied Mr. Stryker, who had too much worldly wisdom, not
to make a merit of frankness, where he could not help it.
"Six, you mean," said Mrs. de Vaux, laughing.
“No, five, honestly counted. I don't know exactly how
240
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
old I may be; but the other day I heard a fellow say,
Stryker can't be more than five-and-forty;' and I dare say
he was right."
"Well, allowing you are only five-and-forty, don't you
mean to marry, one of these days?"
"Certainly."
"Don't you think it time to look about you?”
High time; but who will have me?" continued Mr.
Stryker, with great complacency of manner.
Oh, half the young ladies in the room, I dare say; ex-
cepting, of course, those who have refused you already,"
said Mrs. de Vaux, mischievously; for it was suspected that
Mr. Stryker had met with several rebuffs. This lady and
gentleman, in spite of their smiling countenances and friendly
manners, owed each other a grudge, of old standing. Who
does not know that where the spirit of littleness and vanity
is all-powerful, these petty trials and triumphs are too often
the chief spring of action; as was the case with Mr. Stryker
and Mrs. de Vaux. Happy they, who have good principle
and good feeling enough, to cast off folly on so small a scale !
"Tell me what is your taste, and I will look out for you,"
continued Mrs. de Vaux.
"(
"How kind you are!-you don't include Miss de Vaux,
of course; for she can't endure me.
Like all modest men,
I require only nine hundred and ninety-nine perfections in
my wife.
But then I insist chiefly on two essentials: she
must have money, and she must not have brothers and sisters;
I have an invincible antipathy to collaterals, whether of blood
or connexion."
"Miss Wyllys is the very person for you. Quite a fortune
now, they say; and an orphan, without brother or sister; all
you require. Then, you like her appearance, you say;
though she is plain, she is clever, too, and amiable."
"Of course; all young ladies are amiable, are they not?”
"I only know of one objection-she is too good for you."
“Goodness is not to be despised in a wife. I shall require
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
241
it from the future Mrs. Stryker; though not very particular
about the rest of the world. I am much obliged to you, Mrs.
de Vaux, for the suggestion; I'll think of it," said Mr.
Stryker, deliberately crossing one leg over the other, to make
himself comfortable.
“You, who know everybody, Mr. Stryker," said the lady,
"pray, tell me, who is that bright-faced young man, or
rather, boy, standing near Mr. Wyllys and Mrs. Stanley?"
"You wish to mortify me-I never saw the lad before."
"I can answer your question, Mrs. de Vaux," observed
Harry, who had just approached, and made his bow; "that
is my friend, Charlie Hubbard, the artist. Don't you re-
member the fine view of Lake Ontario, that was so much
admired at the Exhibition, this spring?"
"Certainly. Is that the young man ?-He looks like a
genius."
"Rather as a genius should look; your great lions are
often very tame-looking animals," observed Mr. Stryker.
"Hubbard's face only does him justice, however; he is
full of talent," said Harry.
"Some of his pictures are certainly very fine," observed
Mrs. de Vaux.
“I never saw water like his,” continued Hazlehurst; “such
variety, and always true to nature. He almost persuades
one to believe all he says about water: he maintains that it
has more variety of expression than any other inanimate
object, and has, withal, an independent character of its own;
he says it is second only to the human countenance."
"He seems quite an enthusiast," said Mrs. de Vaux.
“Won't he take it all out in talk?" asked Mr. Stryker,
drily.
Look at his view of Hell-Gate on a cloudy evening, and
say so if you can!" exclaimed Harry, warmly.
“Well, after all, he says no more for water, than has been
said by the poets of all nature, from the time of the first
pastoral; they tell us that the sun will make a bare old
VOL. I.-21
242
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
mountain smile, and the wind will throw the finest forest
into a fuss."
"I defy you to prove any fuss upon Charlie's works !”
66
Perhaps not-Where is his study? I should like to see
what he has done. Is his pencil always amphibious?”
"Yes; I believe he has never yet painted a landscape,
without its portion of water. If you wish to see his study,
you must go soon; he sails for Italy next month."
"If his partiality for water is really honest, it may help
him on in his profession. Has he a good execution?—that is
all-important."
"Decidedly good; and he improves every day. Execu-
tion is really all-important to Hubbard; for there can be not
doubt that he possesses all an artist's conception."
"I suspect though, his notion about expressive water is
not original. It appears to me, some German or other calls
water, the eyes of a landscape." "
66
""
Very possibly; but Charlie Hubbard is not the man to
steal other people's ideas, and pass them off for his own.'
"You make a point of always believing the worst of every-
body, Mr. Stryker," said Mrs. de Vaux.
"I wish I could help it." said the gentleman, raising his
eyebrows.
"Suppose, Mr. Hazlehurst, you take him to Mr. Hubbard's
studio, and force him to admire that fine picture of Lake
Ontario. I should like to see it again, myself; and Mr. de
Vaux has been talking of carrying us all to Mr. Hubbard's,
some time."
Harry professed himself quite at Mrs. de Vaux's service.
Mrs. Stanley, he said, was going to see his friend's pictures
the very next day. A party was soon arranged, the hour
fixed, and everything settled, before supper was announced.
As Mrs. de Vaux and Mr. Stryker moved towards the door,
they were followed by Mrs. Creighton and Harry.
Who was the young man you were talking with at
supper, Josephine ?" asked Mr. Ellsworth, as he stepped into
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
243
the carriage after Mrs. Creighton and Harry, in driving away
from the wedding.
"Which do you mean?"
"A mere boy one of the groomsmen, by the white
favours in his button-hole."
Sh
“Oh, that was the groom's brother, Mr. Pompey Taylor,
the younger, a very simple, and rather an awkward young
gentleman. I had the honour of making the acquaintance
of all the family, in the course of the evening. I was quite
amused with Mr. Taylor, the father; he really seems to have
as great a relish for the vanities of life, as any young girl of
fifteen."
"Because they are quite as new to him," said Hazlehurst.
"That is difficult to believe of a clever, calculating man
of fifty," observed Mr. Ellsworth.
“All clever men of fifty are not quite free from nonsense,
take my word for it,” said the lady. "I appeal to Mr. Hazle-
hurst, who knows Mr. Taylor; as for myself, I am convinced
by the man's manner this evening."
ton.
"You are certainly correct in your opinion, Mrs. Creigh-
Mr. Taylor is, no doubt, a clever man; and yet he
takes delight in every piece of finery about his house. He
is more possessed with the spirit of sheer ostentation, than
any man I ever met with."
“Ah, you want to save the credit of your sex, by setting
him down as an exception!-that is not fair, Mr. Hazlehurst.
It was a pity that the pretty smile which the lady bestowed
on her brother's friend was entirely thrown away; but the
lamp-light happened to be little more than darkness visible.
THE END OF VOL. I.
""
ELINOR WYLLYS;
OR, THE
YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
A TALE.
BY
AMABEL PENFEATHER.
"Familiar matter of to-day ;
Some natural sorrow, loss or pain,
That has been, and may be again.'
WORDSWORTH.
IN TWO VOLUMES,
VOL. II.
EDITED BY J. FENIMORE COOPER.
PHILADELPHIA:
CAREY AND HART.
1846.
Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1845, by
J. FENIMORE COOPER,
in the clerk's office of the District Court for the Northern District
of New York.
STEREOTYPED BY J. FAGAN.
PRINTED BY T. K. AND P. G. COLLINS.
(2)
ELINOR WYLLYS.
I
CHAPTER I.
"But there is matter for another rhyme;
And I to this would add another tale."
WORDSWORTH.
"And how do Miss and Madam do;
The little boy, and all?
All tight and well? and how do you,
Good Mr. What-do-you-call?"
CowPER.
Ir is to be feared the reader will find fault with this chapter.
But there is no remedy; he must submit quietly to a break
of three years in the narrative: having to choose between
the unities and the probabilities, we greatly preferred holding
to the last. The fault, indeed, of this hiatus, rests entirely
with the young folk of Longbridge, whose fortunes we have
undertaken to follow; had they remained together, we should,
of course, have been faithful to our duty as a chronicler; but
our task was not so easy. In the present state of the world,
people will move about—especially American people; and
making no claim to ubiquity, we were obliged to wait pa-
tiently until time brought the wanderers back again, to the
neighbourhood where we first made their acquaintance.
Shortly after Jane's marriage, the whole party broke up;
Jane and her husband went to New-Orleans, where Tallman
Taylor was established as partner in a commercial house
(3)
4
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
connected with his father. Hazlehurst passed several years
in Mexico and South-America: an old friend of his father's,
a distinguished political man, received the appointment of
Envoy to Mexico, and offered Harry the post of Secretary
of Legation. Hazlehurst had long felt a strong desire to see
the southern countries of the continent, and was very glad
of so pleasant an arrangement; he left his friend Ellsworth
to practise law alone, and accompanied Mr. Henley, the
Minister, to Mexico; and from thence removed, after a time,
to Brazil. Charlie had been studying his profession in
France and Italy, during the same period. Even Elinor was
absent from home much more than usual; Miss Wyllys had
been out of health for the last year or two; and, on her ac-
count, they passed their summers in travelling, and a winter
in the West-Indies. At length, however, the party met
again on the old ground; and we shall take up the thread of
our narrative, during the summer in which the circle was
re-united. It is to be hoped that this break in the movement
of our tale will be forgiven, when we declare, that the plot
is about to thicken; perplexities, troubles, and misfortunes
are gathering about our Longbridge friends; a piece of in-
telligence which will probably cheer the reader's spirits.
We have it on the authority of a philosopher, that there is
something gratifying to human nature in the calamities of
our friends; an axiom which seems true, at least, of all ac-
quaintances made on paper.
We hear daily that life is short; and, surely, Time flies
with fearful rapidity if we measure his course by years: three-
score-and-ten, the allotted span of man, are soon numbered.
But events, thoughts, feelings, hopes, cares, are better marks
for the dial of life, than hours and minutes. In this view,
the path of life is a long road, full of meaning and of move-
ment at every step; and in this sense only is time justly
appreciated; each day loses its insignificance, and every
yearly revolution of the earth becomes a point in eternity.
The occurrences of the three years during which we have
,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
5
lost sight of the Longbridge circle will speak for themselves,
as our tale is gradually unfolded. It is evident, however, at
the first glance, on returning to the old ground, that the
village itself has undergone some alterations. Though be-
longing to a part of the country occasionally accused of being
unenterprising," it had not proved insensible to the general
movement felt throughout the republic, in those halcyon days
of brilliant speculation, which commenced with the promise
of good fortune to all, and ended by bringing poverty to many,
and disgrace to others. A rail-road now runs through the
principal street, and the new dépôt, a large, uncouth building,
stands conspicuous at its termination, looking commercial
prosperity, and internal improvement. Several new stores
have been opened, half-a-dozen "tasty mansions"-chiefly
imitations of Mr. Hubbard's-have been built, another large
tavern has been commenced, and two additional steamboats
may be seen lying at the wharf. The value of property in
the village itself, is said to have doubled, at least; new streets
are laid out, and branch rail-roads are talked of; and many
people flatter themselves that Longbridge will figure in the
next census as a flourishing city, with the full honours of a
Corporation, Mayor, and Aldermen. In the population, cor-
responding changes are also perceptible; many new faces
are seen in the streets, new names are observed on the signs;
others again are missed from their old haunts, for there is
scarcely a family in the place, which has not sent its repre-
sentation westward.
66
Most of our old acquaintances, however, still remain on
the spot, this pleasant afternoon in June, 183-. There stands
Mr. Joseph Hubbard, talking to Judge Bernard. That is
Dr. Van Horne, driving off in his professional sulkey. There
are Mrs. Tibbs and Mrs. Bibbs, side-by-side, as of old. Mrs.
George Wyllys has moved, it seems; her children are evi-
dently at home in a door-yard on the opposite side of the
street, adjoining the Hubbard "Park." On the door of that
bright-coloured, spruce-looking brick house, you will see the
1*
6
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
A
name of W. C. Clapp; and there are a pair of boots resting
on the window-sill of an adjoining office, which probably
belong to the person of the lawyer, himself. Now, we may
observe Mrs. Hilson and Miss Emmeline Hubbard flitting
across the street, "fascinating and aristocratic" as ever.
Let us leave the village, however, for the more imme-
diate neighbourhood of Wyllys-Roof; in which, it is hoped,
the reader will feel more particularly interested. There
stands the little cottage of the Hubbards, looking just as it
did three years since; it is possible that one or two of the
bull's-eye panes of glass may have been broken, and changed,
and the grey shingles are a little more-moss-growǹ; but its
general aspect is precisely what it was when we were last
there. The snow-ball and the sweet-briar are in their old
places, each side of the humble porch; the white blossoms
have fallen from the scraggy branches of the snow-ball, this
first week in June; the fresh pink buds are opening on the
fragrant young shoots of the sweet-briar. There is our friend,
Miss Patsey, wearing a sun-bonnet, at work in the garden; and
if
you
look through the open door of the house, you will
see beyond the passage into the neat little kitchen, where we
catch a glimpse of Mrs. Hubbard's white cap over the back
of her rocking-chair. It is possible that you may also see
the merry, shining, black face of a little handmaiden, whom
Miss Patsey has lately taken into the family; and, as the
tea-kettle is boiling, and the day's work chiefly over, the
little thing is often seen at this hour, playing about the cor-
ners of the house, with the old cat. Ah, there is the little
minx!—her sharp ears have heard the sound of wheels,
and she is already at the open gate, to see what passes.
A
wagon stops; whom have we here? Little Judy is fright-
ened half out of her wits: a young man she does not know,
with his face covered with beard, after a fashion she had
never yet seen, springs from the wagon. Miss Patsey turns
to look.
"Charlie !"--she exclaims; and in another moment the
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
7
t
youth has received the joyful, tearful, agitated embrace of
his mother and sister. The darling of their hearts is at home
again; three years since, he left them, a boy, to meet dangers
exaggerated tenfold by their anxious hearts; he returns, a
man, who has faced temptations undreamed of by their
simple minds. The wanderer is once more beneath their
humble roof; their partial eyes rest again on that young face,
changed, yet still the same.
Charlie finds the three last years have passed lightly over
his mother and his sister; theirs are the same kindly faces,
the same well-known voices, the best loved, the most trusted
from childhood. After the first eager moments of greeting
are over, and the first hurried questions have been answered,
he looks about him. Has not the dear old cottage shrunk
to a very nut-shell? He opens the door of the school-room;
there are its two benches, and its humble official desk, as of
old; he looks into the little parlour, and smiles to think of
the respect he felt in his childish days for Miss Patsey's
drawing-room: many a gilded gallery, many a brilliant
saloon has he since entered as a sight-seer, with a more care-
less step.
He goes out on the porch; is it possible that is
the garden?—why it is no larger than a table-cloth! — he
should have thought the beds he had so often weeded could
not be so small: and the door-yard, one can shake hands
across it! And there is Wyllys-Roof, half hid by trees-
he used to admire it as a most venerable pile; in reality it is
only a plain, respectable country-house: as the home of the
Wyllyses, however, it must always be an honoured spot to
him. Colonnade Manor too-he laughs! There are some
buildings that seem, at first sight, to excite to irresistible
merriment; they belong to what may be called the "ridiculous
order" of architecture, and consist generally of caricatures
on noble Greek models; Mr. Taylor's elegant mansion had,
undeniably, a claim to a conspicuous place among the number.
Charlie looks with a painter's eye at the country; the scenery
is of the simplest kind, yet beautiful, as inanimate nature,
·
ت.
8
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
sinless nature, must ever be under all her varieties: he casts
a glance upward at the sky, bright and blue as that of Italy;
how often has he studied the heavens from that very spot!
The trees are rich in their summer verdure, the meadows
are fragrant with clover, and through Mr. Wyllys's woods
there is a glimpse of the broad river, gilded by the evening
sun. It is a pleasing scene, a happy moment; it is the first
landscape he ever painted, and it is home.
Then Charlie returns to his mother; he sits by her side,
she takes his hand in her withered fingers, she rests her
feeble sight on his bright face; while Miss Patsey is pre-
paring all the dainties in the house for supper.
(6
Well, little one, what is your name?" said Charlie, as
the black child passed him with a load of good things.
Judy, sir," said the little girl, with a curtsey, and a half-
frightened look at Charlie's face, for the young artist had
chosen to return with moustaches; whether he thought it
professional or becoming, we cannot say.
"We shall be good friends I hope, Judy; if you mind.
my sister better than you ever did anybody else in your life,
perhaps I shall find some sugar-plums for you," said Charlie,
pleased to see a black face again.
Mrs. Hubbard remarked that, upon the whole, Judy was
a pretty good girl; and the child grinned, until two deep
dimples were to be seen in her shining dark cheeks, and
the dozen little non-descript braids which projected from her
head in different directions, seemed to stand on end with
delight.
66
"And so Mr. Wyllys and the ladies are not at home. I
wish I had known of their being in New-York; I might at
least have seen them for a moment, yesterday."
I wonder Mrs. Hilson did not mention their being in
town."
“Julianna never knows what she is talking about. But I
am glad to hear good accounts of them all.”
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
9
"Yes; Miss Wyllys has come home from the West-Indies,
much better."
Is it really true that Miss Elinor is going to be married
shortly?"
Well, I can't say whether the story is true or not. She
seems to have many admirers now she has become an heiress.”
"But I don't understand how she comes to be such a
fortune."
"I don't understand it myself; Mr. Clapp can tell you all
about it. You know most people are a great deal richer
now than they were a few years ago. I heard some one
say the other day, that my old pupil's property in Long-
bridge, is worth three times as much now, as it was a short
time since."
Is it possible Longbridge has improved so much?”
"And then your old play-fellow has had two legacies from
relations of her mother's; everybody in the neighbourhood
is talking of her good-luck, and saying what a fortune she
will turn out. I only hope she will be happy, and not be
thrown away upon some one unworthy of her, like her poor
cousin; for it seems young Mr. Taylor is very dissipated."
Charlie probably. sympathized with this remark, though
he made no reply.
"Mr. and Mrs. Tallman Taylor are in New-York now, I
hear, just come from New-Orleans. The family from Wyl-
lys-Roof have gone over to see them," added Miss Patsey.
"Yes, so I understand. They will be here before long, I
suppose."
"Not immediately; for they are all going to Saratoga to-
gether. Dr. Van Horne thought Miss Wyllys had better
pass two or three weeks at the Springs."
"That is fortunate for me-I shall see them the sooner;
for I must be at Lake George before the first of July. I
have an order for three views of the Lake, which I have
promised to send to England early in the fall."
Here Charlie entered into some details of his affairs, very
10
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
interesting to his mother and sister; and they seemed to be
in a very satisfactory condition, according to his own modest
views. After a while the conversation again returned to
their Longbridge friends.
Did you know that Mr. Hazlehurst is coming home too,
this summer?" asked Miss Patsey.
"Yes; he wrote me word he hoped we should meet
before long. How did that affair with Mrs. Creighton turn
out?"
"We did hear they were engaged; but it could not have
been true, for the lady has been in Philadelphia, and he in
Brazil, for some time, you know. I used to ask about such
matters once in a while, on purpose to write you word. But
I had no great opportunity of hearing much about Mr.
Hazlehurst; for after that unhappy business at Wyllys-Roof,
there was, of course, a great coolness; for some time I never
heard his name mentioned there, and Mr. Wyllys seldom
speaks of him now.”
“Are they not reconciled, then ?”
"Not entirely, I am afraid; but you know they have not
inet for three years."
"I shall hardly know myself at Wyllys-Roof, without
seeing Mr. Hazlehurst and Miss Graham there."
"You will find a great change in that respect. Mrs.
Taylor has not been here since her marriage; Miss Van ›
Alstyne seems to have taken her place; she is a very plea-
sant young lady. When the family is at home now, there
seems often to be some strange gentleman with them."
“Fortune-hunters, I suppose," said Charlie, with some
indignation. "Well, the course of true love never has, and
never will run quite as it ought, I suppose. And how do
all the Longbridge people come on ?-How is Uncle Josie ?"
Very well, indeed; just as good as ever to us. You
must go to see him to-morrow.
"C
""
"Certainly; and what is Uncle Dozie about?"
"At work in the vegetable-garden, as usual. He sent
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
11
me a fine basket of salad, and radishes, and onions, this
morning."
Clapp has got into a new house I see.”
"Yes; he is in very good business, I believe; you saw
Catherine, you say?"
"Yes, for a minute only. I ran in to kiss Kate and the
children, while they were harnessing a horse for me at the
tavern. Kate looks very well herself. The children didn't
remember much of Uncle Charlie; but they are pretty,
healthy little things, nevertheless."
The grandmother assented to the commendation of her
daughter's family; she thought them remarkably fine chil-
dren. "Catherine was a very fortunate woman," she said;
"Mr. Clapp was a very superior man, so very clever that he
must do well; and the children were all healthy-they had
gone through the measles wonderfully, that spring."
Charlie had not quite as elevated an opinion of his brother-
in-law as the females of the family; he allowed his mother's
remark to pass unnoticed, however.
"And so Mr. Taylor has given up Colonnade Manor,” he
continued.
66
"Yes; he has just sold it to Mr. de Vaux, a friend of Mr.
Wyllys," replied Miss Patsey.
66
Why did he sell it, pray?"
“Well, the young ladies liked better to live about at hotels
and boarding-houses in the summer, I believe; they thought
it was too dull at Longbridge. Mr. Taylor didn't care much
for the place: you know there are some people, who, as
soon as they have built a house, and got everything in nice
order, want to sell; it seems as if they did not care to be
comfortable; but I suppose it is only because they are so
fond of change."
We may as well observe, by way of parenthesis, that this
fancy of getting rid of a place as soon as it is in fine order,
would probably never occur to any man but an American,
12
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
and an American of the particular variety to which Mr. Taylor
belonged.
"I don't wonder at his wanting to get rid of the house;
but the situation and the neighbourhood might have satisfied
him, I think," said Charlie, as he accepted Miss Patsey's
invitation to eat the nice supper she had prepared for him.
As he took his seat at the table, Mrs. Hubbard observed,
that he probably had not seen such short-cake as Patsey made,
in Rome―to which Charlie assented warmly. He had wished
one evening, in Florence, he said, for some of his sister's
short-cake, and a good cup of tea of her making; and the
same night he dreamed that the Venus de Medicis had made
him some. He was ashamed of himself for having had
such a dream; but it could not be helped, such was the fact.
Mrs. Hubbard thought no woman, Venus or not, ought to
be ashamed of making good short-cake; if they were bad,
that would be a different matter.
Well, Charlie, now you have seen all those paintings
and figures you used to talk so much about, what do you
think of them?—are they really so handsome as you
expected?" asked his sister.
66
They are wonderful!" exclaimed Charlie, with anima-
tion; putting down a short-cake he had just buttered.
“Wonderful!—-There is no other word to describe them.”
66
Mrs. Hubbard observed, that she had some notion of a
painting, from the minister's portrait in the parlour-Charlie
took up his short cake-she thought a person might have
satisfaction in a painting; such a picture as that portrait;
but as for those stone figures he used to wish to see, she
could not understand what was the beauty of such idol-like
things.
66
They are not at all like idols, mother; they are the most
noble conceptions of the human form.”
How could they look human? He himself had told her
they were made out of marble; just such marble, she sup-
posed, as was used for tomb-stones.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
13
"I only wish you could see some of the statues in Italy;
the Laocoon, Niobe, and others I have seen.
I think you
would feel then what I felt-what I never can describe in
words."
Mrs. Hubbard said the names sounded very heathen-like
to her ears; she had never seen a statue, of any description
whatever; she didn't think she could have any satisfaction
in looking at one. If they had any colour to them, and were
dressed up in uniforms, and handsome clothes, like the wax-
figures of General Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte, and
Lord Nelson, she had once seen, they would be worth look-
ing at, perhaps.
Miss Patsey wished to know, if among the statues he had
seen, there were any supposed to be likenesses of the great
men that we read about in history?
“There are many statues and busts in Italy, that are un-
deniably portraits of some of the greatest men of antiquity,"
he replied.
"Do you suppose they are really like those old Romans?
I don't mean such likenesses as the portrait of our dear
father; but still pretty good for those old times?"
59
"Far better than anything of the kind you ever saw,'
replied Charlie, drinking off a cup of tea.
Miss Patsey thought those might be worth seeing.
conversation followed upon the delight Charlie had felt in
beholding celebrated places, the scenes of great events in
past ages; a delight that an American can never know in
his own country, and which, on that very account, he enjoys
with a far keener zest than a European. Miss Patsey seemed
to enter a little into this pleasure; but, upon the whole, it
was quite evident that all the imagination of the family had
fallen to Charlie's share. The young man thought little of
this, however: when Judy had carried away the remains of
the supper, he returned to his mother's side, and the evening
passed away in that pleasant family chat, so interesting to
those who feel alike. Sympathy of the heart is a tie ten-fold
VOL. II. — 2
14
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
stronger than sympathy of the head; people may think alike,
and hate each other; while those who feel together, are
often led to adopt the same opinions.
When Charlie had read the usual evening chapter in the
Bible, and had received his mother's kiss and blessing, he
laid himself down with a thankful heart, in the little garret-
room, as in his childish years. The young artist's dreams
that night, were a mingled crowd of fancies; the memories
of his boyhood reviving in their old haunts, accompanied by
more recent images brought from beyond the Ocean, and
linked with half-formed plans and ideas for the future.
Among these visions of the night, were two more distinct
than the rest; one was a determination to commence, the
very next morning, a copy of his honoured father's portrait,
in which the artist's object was unusual; for it was his chief
aim to make it as little like the original before him, as pos-
sible. Shall we reveal the fact that another image, wearing
a gentler aspect than the stern, rigid features of the minister's
portrait, seemed to flit before the young painter's fancy,
coming unbidden, and mingling more especially with recol-
lections of the past? As a ray of moonlight stole into the
low dormer-window, the young man turned on his humble
bed, a sigh burst from his lips, followed by the words, “No,
no!"
We shall keep the secret.
I
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
15
CHAPTER II.
"Yonder, sure, they are coming."
As You Like It.
THE weather had been more than usually warm for several
weeks, and the morning after Charlie's return to Longbridge,
when the steamboat North America left the wharf at New-
York, her decks and cabins were filled by some five or six
hundred passengers. There were men, women, and chil-
dren, of various characters, colours and conditions. The
scene on deck was pleasing and cheerful; the day was
lovely, the steamer looked neat and bright, and the great
majority of the females were gaily dressed in their summer
attire; most of the faces looked good-humoured, as if pleased
to escape from the heat and confinement of the town, to
cooler air, and a sight of the water and green woods. One
might have supposed it a party of pleasure on a large scale;
in fact, Americans seem always good-natured, and in a
pleasant mood when in motion; such is their peculiar tempe-
rament. The passengers on board the North America soon
began to collect in knots, family-groups, or parties of ac-
quaintance; some chatting, some reading, some meditating.
There was one difficulty, however, want of space to move
about in, or want of seats for some of those who were
stationary.
After the boat had fairly begun her trip, and people had
settled themselves as well as they could, according to their
different fancies, a pretty little woman appeared at the door
of the ladies' cabin. In her light hair, and somewhat in-
sipid face, encased in an extremely fashionable hat, we re-
cognise Mrs. Hilson. Turning towards a gentleman who
seemed waiting near the door for her, she addressed him.
"Now, Monsieur Bonnet, do exert your gallantry, and
•
16
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
find me a seat on deck. The cabin is intolerably warm, I
cannot stay here;—where are Emmeline and the Baron?”
"You see, Madame," he said, pointing towards the couple,
Montbrun take a tabouret at once, when we come on board,
and Mademoiselle Emmeline now has it. It was very mal-
adroit in me not to keep one for you; I beg a t’ousand
pardons."
"Haven't you got a seat; that is a pity. But I dare say
you can easily find one."
65
Vraiment, ma chère Madame Eel-sun, there is no sacri-
fice I would not make to procure you one. I am désolé it
should be impossible. I have been looking; but all the
tabourets and chair are taken by ladies and gentlemans.
You have a drôle de manière of travel in this countree; so
many people together, the ladies must be victimes sometime."
'Oh, no; you don't know how to manage, that is all.
Has not the Baron a chair?"
66
Non, Madame; you see he is debout.”
“Well, there are some gentlemen seated; I see three or
four-one quite near you. Ask him for his chair.”
The Frenchman shrugged his shoulders, and looked be-
wildered.
66
(6
Pray, ask that gentleman for his chair," repeated the
lady, pointing with her parasol to a person sitting at no great
distance.
But, Madame, the gentleman will not know what a
charming lady wish for the chair-he will not give it."
66
Oh, no danger; if you tell him it is for a lady, of course
he will let you have it. Why, how slow you are about it;
you are almost as bad as Captain Kockney, who never did
anything when he was asked."
""
“Ah, Madame, de grâces do not say that !—I go.'
And Monsieur Bonnet, edging his way here and there
behind the ladies, and begging ten thousand pardons, at
length reached the person Mrs. Hilson had pointed out to
him.
!
"
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
17:
“What did you say?" exclaimed this individual, looking
up rather gruffly, at being addressed by an utter stranger.
"Mille pardons, Monsieur," continued Monsieur Bonnet;
"a lady is very much oppressed with fatigue, and send me to
beg you will be aimable to give her your chair."
"What is it?" repeated the man, who looked like an
Englishman; "I don't understand you."
Monsieur Bonnet again urged his request, in terms still
more civil. It would be rendering a very great service to
the lady, he said.
“I am not acquainted with the lady; I advise you to look
for an empty chair," replied the other, resolutely turning his
face in an opposite direction.
Monsieur Bonnet shrugged his shoulders, and was moving
towards Mrs. Hilson au désespoir, when a gentlemanly-looking
man, who was seated, reading, not far from the Englishman,
rose and quietly offered his bench for the use of the lady.
Monsieur Bonnet was, of course, all gratitude, and returned
enchanté to Mrs. Hilson, who took the matter very quietly;
while M. Bonnet seemed surprised at his own success.
The gentleman who had given up his seat, was obliged to
continue standing; shutting up his book, he began to look
about him, among the crowd, for acquaintances. There was
a very gay, noisy party, at no great distance, which first
attracted his attention; it consisted of two pretty young
women in the centre of a group of men. The shrill voice
and rattling laugh of one lady, might be very distinctly heard
across the deck; the other was leaning back,listlessly in her
chair: one of the young men was reading a paper with a
sort of family expression, as if the ladies were his near con-
nexions; and, on a chair, at the side of the silent lady, sat'
an old gentleman, with a very rusty coat, snuffy nose, and a
red handkerchief spread on one knee, while on the other he
held a pretty little boy, about two years old.
"I tell you I know she was dead in love with him!” cried
the rattling young lady, at the top of her voice. Then, ob-
2*
18
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
serving the gentleman, who was looking in that direction, she
bowed with a coquettish graciousness. The bow was re-
turned, but the gentleman did not seem very anxious to
approach the party; when the young lady, beckoning with
her finger, obliged him to draw near.
“Now, Mr. Ellsworth, you are just the man I wanted.
Three of these gentlemen are against me; I have only one
on my side, and I want you to help me to fight the battle."!
"Must I enlist, Miss Taylor, before I know whether the
cause is good or bad ?”
"Oh, certainly, or else you are not worth a cent. But I'll
tell you how the matter stands: you know Helen de Vaux
and you were at the Springs, last summer, when she and
Mr. Van Alstyne were there. Well, I say she was dead in
love with him, though she did refuse him."
"Was she?” replied Mr. Ellsworth.
Why, I know she was; it was as plain as a pike-staff to
everybody who saw them together. And here, these good
folks provoke me so; they say if she refused him she did
not care for him; and here is my ridiculous brother-in-law,
Mr. St. Leger, says I don't know anything about it; and my
sister Adeline always thinks just as her husband does.”
That's quite right, my dear," said the rusty Mr. Hop-
kins, taking a pinch of snuff. "I hope you will follow her
example one of these days."
"What are the precise symptoms of a young lady's being
dead in love?" asked the quiet, business-looking Theodore
St. Leger.
"
"Oh, you know well enough what I mean. You may
say what you please about Helen de Vaux not caring for
'him, I know better," continued the young lady, in a voice
that might be heard on the other side of the boat.
"As Miss de Vaux's mother is on board,
on board, suppose you refer
the question to her," said Mr. Ellsworth, in a dry manner.
"Is she?—I hope she didn't hear us," continued the young
lady, lowering her voice half a tone. "But you need not
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
19
ask her, though; for I don't believe her mother knows any-
thing about it."
"You are going to the Springs, I suppose," said Mr.
Ellsworth, by way of changing the conversation.
"I wish we were! No; Adeline has taken it into her
head to be romantic, for the first time in her life. She says
we must go to the Falls; and it will be a fortnight lost from
Saratoga."
"But, have you no wish to see Niagara?”
“Not a bit; and I don't believe Adeline has, either. But
it is no wonder she doesn't care about the Springs, now she's
married; she began to go there four years before I did."
“Have you never been to Niagara, Mrs. St. Leger?" con-
tinued Mr. Ellsworth, addressing the elder sister; who, from
the giddy, belleish Adeline, was now metamorphosed into
the half-sober young matron-the wife of an individual, who
in spite of the romantic appellation of Theodore St. Leger,
was a very quiet, industrious business-man, the nephew and
adopted son of Mr. Hopkins, Adeline's Boston escort. . She
had been sitting contentedly beside the old gentleman, for
the last half hour, leaving her unmarried sister to entertain
the beaux, according to etiquette.
"No, I have never been to the Falls; and all our party
but my sister Emma, seemed to think it would be a pleasant
jaunt."
"Mr. Hopkins has entered into an engagement to supply
me with at least two beaux at a time, and a regular change
all the way to Niagara, or else I shouldn't have come,” said
Miss Emma.
"We are engaged at least by the day, I hope," interposed
one of the attendant young inen.
63
No, indeed; I should be tired to death of you, for more
than an hour at a time. I sha'n't speak to you again, until
we have passed West Point.”
I have had no trouble as yet, my dear, in picking up
recruits," said Mr. Hopkins, whose attention seemed equally
20
4
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
divided between his snuff-box, and the little Hopkins, junior,
on his knee-his great-nephew.
"If there are two, that's all I care for; but I hate to have
only one person to talk to.”
Mr. Ellsworth bit his lips, to prevent their expressing his
opinion, that the young lady must always have a large circle
of listeners.
“Have you seen Mr. Wyllys's party this morning?” in-
quired Adeline.
"The Wyllyses! Are they on board?" exclaimed Mr.
Ellsworth, with surprise and pleasure. "I thought them at
Saratoga by this time.”
"Oh, no; they are somewhere on the other side of the
boat; my sister-in-law, Mrs. Taylor's little girl is with them.
By-the-bye, Emma, I am going into the cabin to look after
Jane; will you go with me?”
66
No, indeed; I hate the cabin of a steamboat!"
Adeline was quite satisfied to leave her sister with the
prospect of a good supply of young men to flirt with; though
matrimony had changed her in some respects, she still con-
sidered it a duty to encourage to the utmost, all love-affairs,
and flirtations going on in her neighbourhood. Mr. Hopkins
resigned the little boy to his mother's care; Mr. St. Leger
helped his wife through the crowd; and, under cover of the
movement made to allow Adeline to pass, Mr. Ellsworth
made his escape. His eye had been already directed towards
the opposite side of the boat, where he had discovered the vene-
rable, benevolent face of Mr. Wyllys, with three ladies near
him. Mr. Ellsworth immediately recognised Miss Agnes,
Elinor, and Mary Van Alstyne. It was several minutes
before he could edge his way through the crowd, to join them;
but when he reached the spot, he was received very cordially
by Mr. Wyllys and Miss Agnes, in a friendly manner by
Mary Van Alstyne, and possibly there was something of
consciousness betrayed by Elinor.
1
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
21
"I thought you already at Saratoga!" exclaimed Mr.
Ellsworth.
"We were detained several days, waiting for Mrs. Taylor,"
replied Elinor, to whom the remark was made.
"We shall not be at Saratoga until Monday," added Mr.
Wyllys; "we are going to pass a day or two with our friends,
the Vs, at Poughkeepsie."
"I am very sorry to hear it," continued Mr. Ellsworth;
"I have promised to carry Mrs. Creighton to Nahant, about
that time, and shall have my usual bad luck in missing you."
"We must persuade Mrs. Creighton not to run away,'
said Mr. Wyllys.
""
As Elinor stooped at that moment, to untie the hat of the
pretty little creature at her side, it was impossible to say
whether this intelligence were displeasing to her or not.
"That is Mrs. Taylor's child, is it not?" observed Mr.
Ellsworth, looking at the little girl. "She is very like Mrs.
St. Leger."
"Do you really think so?—we fancy her like her mother,"
said Elinor.
"How is Tallman Taylor now?-he was not well when
they passed through Philadelphia."
"He looks badly still," said Miss Agnes. "He is very
imprudent, and distresses Jane very much by his care-
lessness.".
"Gentlemen never seem to do what is right when invalids,"
observed Mary Van Alstyne, smiling. "They are either
very reckless, and indifferent to their health, or else over-
careful."
"What do you say, Mr. Ellsworth; is that account true?”
asked Miss Wyllys.
"I dare say it is-I have no doubt we are very trouble-
some to our nurses. But, fortunately, women are endowed
with a double stock of patience, to make up for our deficien-
cies. Is Mr. Taylor on board ?—I have not seen him.”
"No; he remained in town to attend to some business,"
22
ELINOR WYLLYS ; · OR,
'
replied Miss Wyllys. "We have charge of Mrs. Taylor,
however, who was very anxious to get into the country, on
account of her youngest child."
"I see, Mr. Ellsworth, that old Ironsides has arrived at
Norfolk, bringing Mr. Henley from Rio," observed Mr.
Wyllys.
66
Certainly; she arrived on Tuesday."
"I saw it in the Globe, last night, grandpapa, Mr. Henley
had arrived at Washington. Harry is with him, of course,"
said Elinor, in a quiet, natural tone.
"I supposed you knew of their arrival," observed Mr.
Ellsworth. "I have a letter from Hazlehurst in my pocket.
He seems to have had quite enough of Rio.”
"Mr. Henley, I understand, is talked of as minister to
Russia," said Mr. Wyllys.
"Yes; I believe that affair is settled."
"Does Hazlehurst mention whether he is going with Mr.
Henley ?"
"That may be a state secret," said Elinor, smiling.
“He has had an offer of the situation, I believe-but does
not seem to have made up his mind; he is coming home to
look about him, he says, having three months' vacation at
any rate."
The shrill tone of Miss Emma Taylor's voice was at this
moment heard so distinctly, from the other side of the boat
that Mr. Wyllys looked up from his paper, and Mr. Ells-
worth smiled. It was very evident the young lady had in-
herited the peculiar tone of voice, and all the cast-off anima-
tion of her elder sister.
"Miss Taylor seems to be in very good spirits," remarked
Mr. Ellsworth.
"Yes; she always talks and laughs a great deal,” replied
Mary Van Alstyne.
"They are no longer your neighbours, I understand, sir."
"No; Mr. Taylor sold Colonnade Manor this spring; De
Vaux has purchased it, and changed the name of the place.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
23
It is now to be called Broadlawn, which is certainly a great
improvement."
"And where does Mr. Taylor's family pass the summer?”
Why, Jane tells me he is building something he calls a
cottage, at Rockaway, within a stone's throw of the principal
hotel. They thought Longbridge too quiet.”
66
Mrs. Taylor's little girl had, by this time, become very
sleepy, and a little fretful; and Miss Agnes advised her
being carried to her mother. Elinor led her away, rather,
it is believed, to Mr. Ellsworth's regret.
It was no easy task to make one's way among the nurses,
and babies, and baskets, filling the ladies' cabin, which was
more than usually crowded. But at length Elinor reached
Jane and Adeline, who were sitting together.
A single glance was sufficient to show that a change had
come over these two young women, since the giddy days of
their girlhood. Jane was pale, but beautiful as ever; she
was holding on her knees a sick child, about two months old,
which apparently engrossed all her attention. What would
be her system as a mother, might be foretold by the manner
in which she pacified the little girl Elinor had brought with
her.
"Give her some candy, Dinah," she said to the black
nurse; whose broad, good-natured face was soon covered
with shining marks of affection, from the hands of the pretty
little charge.
Adeline was less changed in her appearance than her
sister-in-law; that is to say, she was as pretty as ever, and
neither thin nor pale. But there was something in her ex-
pression, and a great deal in her manner, that was no longer
what it had been of old. That excessive animation which
had distinguished her as a belle, had been allowed to die
away; and the restless expression, produced by a perpetual
labour to make conquests, which was, at one time, always to
be traced upon her features, had now vanished entirely. In
its place there was a touch of matronly care and affection,
!
24
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
more natural, and far more pleasing. She, too, was sitting
by the side of her child, driving away the flies from the little
thing, who was sleeping in a berth. Adeline Taylor had
married well, in the best sense of the word. Not that she
deserved much credit for doing so, since she had only acci-
dentally, as it were, become attached to the young man who
happened to be the most deserving among her suitors.
Chance had had a great deal to with the match, as it has
with many matches. She had, however, one merit-that of
not rejecting him on account of his want of fortune; although
at the time, she might have married a man who would have
given her a four-story, four-window house in Broadway.
Mr. Taylor had not interfered: she had done as she pleased
in the affair. It is true, that her father rather inclined to-
wards the richest suitor; still, he took it for granted, that if
Theodore St. Leger had not a fortune at the time, being a
merchant, he would, of course, make one in a few years.
But Mr. Taylor's son-in-law was a man of very different
character from himself; he was a quiet, prudent, unostenta-
tious young man, of good abilities, who had received by
education excellent principles, and moderate views, and who
had fallen in love with Adeline's pretty face. Mr. Hopkins,
his uncle and adopted father, was a very worthy man, though
a little eccentric, and rather too much given to snuff, and old
coats, and red handkerchiefs. No one stood better on Change
than John Hopkins, whose word had been as good as his
bond, throughout a long life. He was a man of some pro-
perty too, but he had only given his nephew enough to begin
life very moderately. Even with the very liberal allowance
which Mr. Taylor freely gave his children, Adeline, when
she married, was obliged to live in a much plainer and
quieter way than she had done for the last five or six years.
Altogether, however, the young couple seemed to agree
very well, in spite of the difference in their characters: a
pretty, good-natured wife was all the young merchant had
wished for; and Adeline was really attached to her husband,
NOT
24
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
25
i
whose chief fault seemed to be in his coats, which were
rather too much after the fashion of those of Uncle Hopkins.
Jane's fate had proved less happy than that of her friend
Adeline. Tallman Taylor's habits of extravagance had led
them into difficulties in more ways than one.
He had spent
far more than his income, and his carelessness in business had
proved a great disadvantage to the house with which he was
connected. During the last year, matters had grown worse
and worse; he had neglected his wife, and lost large sums at the
gambling-table. Poor Jane had passed some unhappy months,
and traces of sorrow were to be seen on her pale face. To-
wards the last of the winter, young Taylor had been danger-
ously ill with a malignant fever prevailing in New Orleans;
and as a long convalescence interfered with his dissipated
habits, and confined him for some time to his own house, his
friends hoped that he would have time and leisure to make
some useful reflections. But they were deceived; sickness
and suffering only made him more selfish and irritable: poor
Jane had already paid a heavy penance for her duplicity,
and her obstinacy in marrying him. Mr. Taylor had quar-
relled with his partners; and it was the object of his present
visit to New York, to persuade his father to make some
heavy advances in his behalf, as otherwise he would be ruined.
Jane, it is true, knew but little of her husband's affairs; still,
she saw and heard enough to make her anxious for the future,
and she gave herself up to melancholy repining, while her
manner lost all cheerfulness. Her father's family were in
Charleston, and she had not seen them for more than a
twelvemonth; but Mrs. Robert Hazlehurst, Miss Agnes, and
Elinor had done all that was possible to supply their place,
since she had been in their neighbourhood. Adeline, too,
was well enough disposed towards her sister-in-law, but she
had neither the good sense nor the delicacy of Miss Wyllys
and Elinor, and was far less successful in her friendly efforts.
The society of her aunt and cousin seemed a relief to Jane;
and it was at their request that she was going to pass a fort-
VOL. II. -3
26
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
&
J
night with them at Saratogo, where Miss Agnes had been
ordered by her physician.
Elinor, on joining her cousin in the cabin, tried to persuade
Jane to have the sick child carried on deck, for the sake of
the fresh air, but she did not succeed; and not wishing to
leave Mrs. Taylor, she took off her hat, and remained some
time in the cabin-a piece of good-nature which Mr. Ells-
worth seemed to think ill-timed. As they drew near the
Highlands, however, she returned to her seat on deck; for
the morning was lovely, and she did not wish to lose the
scenery. She found Mrs. Hilson sitting near her aunt.
66
Ah, Miss Elinor !-how do you do?" exclaimed the city
lady. "It is the first time I have had a chance of seeing
you since you returned from the West Indies. You have
not been much in New York, I believe, since you arrived?”
Only for a day or two."
(6
"And how did you like the West Indies? Is there much
aristocracy at Havana ?"
"We found it very pleasant there; and the climate was
of so much service to my aunt, that I shall always remember
Havana with gratitude."
"You did not go into society, then?"
"Oh, yes; we made many pleasant acquaintances."
"Well, if I go abroad, I hope it will be to England;
though I should like very well to visit the stores of Paris."
"Have you seen your cousin, Charles Hubbard, since he
arrived from Italy ?" inquired Elinor.
"Yes; he called at our boarding-house. He is at Long-
bridge now, but he is coming to Saratoga, shortly; for he
told me he had engaged to take several views of Lake
George."
"I am sorry he did not come to see us in town; but I am
delighted to hear he is going to Saratoga. Grandpapa, Mrs.
Hilson tells me Charles Hubbard will be at Saratoga, with
us !"
THE YOUNG FOLK OF. LONGBRIDGE.
27
"I am very glad to hear it, my child; I want to see
Charlie."
"Has he brought home many pictures ?" continued Elinor.
"I really don't know; I did not think of asking him."
"I should suppose you would be anxious to see your
cousin's paintings."
"Oh, no; portraits are the only pictures that interest me.
I always have the 'Book of Beauty,' whenever it comes out ;
you know they are likenesses of the Peeresses of the Eng-
lish Nobility."
Elinor bowed. (6
Yes, I have seen the book."
"I have the Children of the Nobility,' too, bound in
crimson silk; it is a very fascinating collection. My friend,
Mrs. Bagman, tells me they are excellent likenesses, parti-
cularly the children of his Royal Highness, the Lord-Mayor."
66
Absurd as such a mistake in heraldry may seem, one
might vouch for having heard others quite as extraordinary.
They may be like," said Elinor, smiling in spite of her-
self; "but I cannot agree with you as to their beauty. I
have seen the volume, and it struck me the artists must have
made caricatures of many of the children, who, no doubt,
were pretty in reality."
"I was looking at those engravings only yesterday," said
Mr. Ellsworth, anxious to engage Elinor's attention; "they
almost amount to a libel on childhood; they give the idea of
mincing, affected little creatures, at the very age when chil-
dren are almost invariably natural and interesting. I should
quarrel very much with a portrait of my little girl, in the
same fashion."
"But it is very seldom you see portraits of children, that
are really child-like," observed Elinor. "And then what a
trial, to paint a pretty, innocent little creature, in full dress,
starched and trim !”
"Children are charming subjects when properly treated;
I delight in such pictures," said Mary Van Alstyne.
"You would have been often delighted then, in Italy, Miss
28
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Van Alstyne. Raphael's cherubs are as perfect in their
way,
as his men and women.
""
Mrs. Hilson, unwilling to be thrown out of the conversa-
tion, again addressed Elinor.
"When you joined us, Miss Wyllys, we were speaking
of the fire opposite your hotel. Were you not dreadfully
alarmed? I hear you were there; although I did not find
you at home when I called."
We were disturbed, of course; but I can't say that we
were personally alarmed. The wind, you may remember,
carried everything in the opposite direction.”
"Did it? Well, I was too much frightened to notice any-
thing; you know it was in the same block as our boarding-
house."
Yes; you were nearer the danger than we were."
“Oh, I was dreadfully frightened. There was one of our
ladies wanted to persuade me to look at Trinity Church,
lighted up by the fire; I believe she really thought it a fasci-
nating sight. Here comes a gentleman who was staying at
your hotel, and has not got over his fright yet; it is one of
my escorts-I have two, the Baron and this gentleman; but
the Baron is not on deck now-let me introduce you; Mon-
sieur Bonnet, Miss Wyllys. I do believe, Monsieur Bonnet,
you were as much alarmed as I was."
'Alarm-Ah, Madame, I was ébloui by the fire. In all
my life, I never saw real incendie before; though, of course,
I saw the Panorama of the incendie de Moscou-I was not in
Russie with l'Empereur. At the spectacle we have incen-
dies sometimes; but never in the street. Ah, I did not see
that house until the roof fall, when light burst through my
volets, and I spring to the window."
“I should have thought the noise would have called you
out before that."
"Du tout; when I hear cries, and people marching, I
think tout bonnement it was an émeute, and I turn round to
finish my sleep; I think myself happy not to belong to the
1
1
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
29
Garde Nationale of New York, and not be afraid of the
rappel."
"What did you think it was?”
“An émeute, sans doute, say I to myself. It was un
tintamarre épouvantable.
""
“An émeute; pray, what is that ?”
"Emeute? A little révolution, as we have in Paris con-
stamment.'
"Why, my dear sir, our revolutionary war took place
more than fifty years ago. Did you expect to find us fight-
ing now?"
""
“Certainement; I thought the wheel I hear was cannon.
But mon ami Eel-sun tell me next day, there is incendie
every night somewhere in New York. Un drôle de diver-
tisement, vraiment. It is a great désagrément, of a city
otherwise so beautiful, with so many charming ladies."
"Thank you, sir; you are very polite. I believe, Miss
Wyllys, that French gentlemen, no matter what they talk
about, always find an opportunity to pay a compliment."
"C'est tout naturel; cela va sans dire; it is only our
devoir, Madame, to exprimer to the ladies some of the many
agreeable things they inspire."
"Worse and worse," said Mrs. Hilson, laughing. "How
different you are from Captain Kockney; he never said a
civil thing to me, all the time he was in New York.”
"Le capitaine Coquenais was an Anglais, who cannot
feel the true politesse Française."
He used to say it is not aristocratic to be polite to other
people; he belongs to the English aristocracy, you know.”
“L'aristocratie! Oh, that is a vile state of things. La
vieille aristocratie of France, Madame, was the cause of our
révolution. But in France now, and in America, those
happy countree, the spirit of aristocracy is extinct."
"I beg your pardon, Monsieur Bonnet," said Mrs. Hilson,
quite indignantly. "It is true there are many plebeians in
3*
30
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
this country; but we have also many people of the highest
aristocracy.'
Ah, vous plaisantez avec tant de grâce, Madame!"
"It is pleasant, certainly, to me; though some people may
not appreciate it. I am a very aristocratic spirit."
""
"Ah, sans doute, Madame; you have so much esprit,
you laugh at me," said the Frenchman, who took Mrs. Hil-
son's protestation as a joke.
66
No, indeed; I never was more serious in my life. I
should suppose you would have been struck with the high
state of aristocracy at our boarding-house, for instance."
Monsieur Bonnet could only shrug his shoulders, being
quite at a loss for the lady's meaning.
"Yes; I am thoroughly patrician and aristocratic; if we
only had a despotic government, to take away all privileges
from plebeians, I should be perfectly happy. My language
surprises you, I perceive; but it is quite natural that a de-
scendant of a Scotch Baronet, the Duke of Percy, should
have similar feelings."
More and more bewildered, Monsieur Bonnet was reduced
to a bow. Happily, as he thought, the warning bell was
rung; and the usual cry, "Passengers for West Point please
look out for their baggage!" changed the current of Mrs.
Hilson's ideas, or rather the flow of her words.
In another moment, Mrs. Hilson and Monsieur Bonnet,
with a score or two of others, were landed at West Point,
and the ladies of Mr. Wyllys's party felt it no little relief to
be rid of so much aristocracy.
The boat had soon reached Poughkeepsie, and much to
Mr. Ellsworth's regret, Mr. Wyllys and his family went on
shore. Mr. Ellsworth had been introduced to Elinor at
Jane's wedding. He was a man of thirty, a widower, with
an only child, and had for several years been thinking of
marrying again. After having made up his mind to take the
step, he next determined that he would not marry in a hurry.
He was not a man of quick passions, and was sometimes
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
31
accused of being fastidious in his tastes. He thought Eli-
nor's manner charming, and soon discovered that she had
every recommendation but beauty, the want of which was
her only drawback; he liked her family, and probably was
not sorry to hear that she would have a large property. But,
unfortunately, he seldom met Miss Elinor Wyllys;- she was
a great part of her time in the country, and he knew nobody in
the immediate neighbourhood. He had not been asked to
Wyllys-Roof; nor was he, a very recent acquaintance, on
terms sufficiently intimate, to present himself at the door,
bag and baggage, without an invitation. More than a twelve-
month intervened, in the mean time; but he was still think-
ing enough of Elinor to make him wish for a meeting, when,
accidentally, they passed a few days together at Old Point
Comfort, and afterwards met again, not exactly by accident
it is believed, at the Sulphur Springs, in Virginia. His good
opinion of Elinor was not only confirmed by this intercourse,
but his admiration very much increased. It was only natural
it should be so; the more one knew Elinor, the more one
loved her; good sense, intelligence, sweetness of disposition.
like her's, united to the simple grace of manner, peculiarly
her own, were best appreciated by those who saw her daily.
Quite unaware of Mr. Ellsworth's views, and unconsciously
influenced at first, perhaps, by the fact that he was an old
friend of Harry's, she soon liked him as a companion, and
received him with something more than mere politeness.
"It is always pleasant to meet with an agreeable, gentle-
manly, well-informed man," thought Elinor: a train of re-
flection which has sometimes carried young ladies farther
than they at first intended. Under such circumstances, some
ardent spirits would have settled the question during a fort-
night passed with the lady they admired; but Mr. Ellsworth,
though he thought Elinor's manner encouraging, did not
care to hazard a hasty declaration; he preferred waiting a
few weeks, until they should meet again in Philadelphia,
where the Wyllyses intended passing the winter. But un-
32
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
fortunately, shortly after the family returned home, Miss
Agnes was taken ill, and on her partial recovery, was ordered
to a warm climate before the cold weather; and Elinor
merely passed through Philadelphia on her way to the West
Indies, with her aunt and grandfather. Mr. Ellsworth was,
of course, disappointed; he expressed his regrets as warmly
as he dared, during a morning visit, in a room half-full of
company; and he hinted in terms so pointed at his hopes of
a happy meeting in the spring, that Elinor's suspicions were
for the first time excited, while those of Mr. Wyllys and
Miss Agnes were only confirmed. Since then, Mr. Ells-
worth and Elinor had only seen each other once, in the
street, until they met on board the steamboat, on their way
to Saratoga.
CHAPTER III.
"Who comes here?" As You Like It.
THERE was to be a Temperance meeting at Longbridge,
one of more importance than usual, as a speaker of note was
to be heard on the occasion.
"Are you ready, Catherine ?" inquired Mr. Clapp of his
wife, appearing at the parlour-door, holding his hat and cane
in one hand, and running the other through his brown curls.
"Wait one minute, dear, until I have put a clean collar
on Willie."
Little Willie, who had been hopping about the room, de-
lighted with the importance of sitting up later than his
younger brothers and sisters, was persuaded to stand still
for a few seconds, while his mother tied on the clean collar;
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
33
when Mr. Clapp, his wife, and eldest boy set out for the
meeting-house, which they found already half-filled. They
were beckoned into a pew near to one already occupied by
the Van Hornes, Miss Patsey, and Charlie. As the evening
was very pleasant, men, women, and children crowded in,
until a large audience was brought together, urged, as
usual, by different motives; some came from curiosity, others
from always preferring an evening in public to an evening
at home; some, from sincere respect for the object of the
meeting, many for the sake of the speeches, and many others
merely because they were ever ready to follow the general
example. Mr. Clapp had no sooner found seats for his wife
and child, than he began to look about him; his eye wan-
dered over the heads around, apparently in quest of some
one; at length his search seemed successful; it rested on a
man, whose whole appearance and dress proclaimed him to
be a sailor.
The meeting was opened by prayer, two different minis-
ters officiating on the occasion; one, a venerable-looking old
man, offered a simple, fervent, Christian prayer; the second,
a much younger person, placing one hand in his waistcoat
pocket, the other under the flaps of his coat, advanced to the
front of the staging, and commenced, what was afterwards
pronounced one of the "most eloquent prayers ever addressed
to a congregation."
The speeches then followed. The first speaker, who
seemed the business-man of the evening, gave some account
of the statistics of the Society, concluding with a short ad-
dress to those present, hoping they would, upon that occa-
sion, enrol their names as Members of the Longbridge Tem-
perance Society.
The principal orator of the evening, Mr. Strong, then
came forward; he made a speech of some length, and one
that was very impressive. Nothing could be more clear,
more just, more true, than the picture he drew of the mani-
fold evils of intemperance; a vice so deceitful in its first ap-
34
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
pearance, so treacherous in its growth; so degrading, so
brutalizing in its enjoyments; so blasting and ruinous in its
effects-ruinous to body and mind, heart and soul-blasting
all hopes for this life and for the next, so long as it remains
unconquered. He entreated his friends to count the cost of
indulgence in this vice; loss of property, loss of health, loss
of character, loss of intellect and feeling, loss of conscience,
until roused in those fearful moments of terror and fury, the
peculiar punishment of drunkenness. He begged his hear-
ers to look at this evil under all its aspects, from the moment
it destroys the daily peace of its miserable victims and all
connected with them, until it leaves them, in death, without
a hope, exposed to the fearful penalty of sin. As he went
on, the heart of many a wretched wife and mother acknow-
ledged the bitter truth of his observations; many a guilty
conscience shrunk under the probe. He then made a just
and reasonable estimate of the difficulties to be resisted in
conquering this evil; he did not attempt to deny that there
were obstacles to be overcome; he showed all the force of
bad habit, all the danger of temptation-but if there were
difficulties in the way, it was equally true that the power to
subdue them was fully within the reach of every man.
He went on to represent the happy effects of a change from
evil to good; a restoration to usefulness, peace, comfort, and
respectability, which has happily been seen in many an in-
stance. He concluded by appealing to his hearers as men,
to shake off a debasing slavery; as Christians, to flee from
a heinous sin; and he entreated them, if they had not done
so before, to take, on that evening, the first step in the cheer-
ing, honourable, blessed course of temperance.
Mr. Strong's speech was, in fact, excellent; all he said
was perfectly true, it was well-expressed, and his manner
was easy, natural, and dignified.
He was followed by William Cassius Clapp; the lawyer
had been very anxious to speak at this meeting. Tem-
perance societies were very popular at that time in Long-
1
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
35
A
bridge, and he was, of course, desirous of not losing so good
an opportunity of appearing before the public on such an
occasion; he thought it would help him on in his road towards
the Assembly. Running his fingers through his curls, he
took his place on the stage, and commenced. He was very
fluent by nature, and in animation, in fanatical zeal for the
cause, he far surpassed Mr. Strong: any other cause, by-the-
bye, had it been popular, would have suited him just as
well. In assertion, in denunciation, he distinguished himself
particularly; he called upon every individual present to come
forward and sign the pledge, under penalty of public dis-
grace; it was the will of the community that the pledge
should be signed, public opinion demanded it, the public
will required it; every individual present who neglected to
sign the pledge of total abstinence, he pronounced to be “in-
stigated by aristocratic pride," and would leave that house,
stigmatized as "anti-Christian, and anti-republican ;" and in
conclusion he threw in something about "liberty."
Mr. Clapp sat down amid much applause; his speech
was warmly admired by a portion of his hearers. All did
not seem to agree on the subject, however, to judge, at least,
by their manner and expression; for, during the delivery of
their brother-in-law's oration, Miss Patsey Hubbard seemed
to be generally looking down at the floor, while Charlie was
looking up at the ceiling: and there were many others pre-
sent, who thought Mr. Clapp's fluency much more striking
than his common sense, or his sincerity. It is always painful
to hear a good cause injured by a bad defence, to see truth
disgraced by unworthy weapons employed in her name.
would have been quite impossible for Mr. Clapp to prove
half his bold assertions, to justify half his sweeping denun-
ciations. Still, in spite of the fanatical character of some of
the advocates of Temperance, who distort her just proportions
as a virtue-lovely in her own true character-yet drunken-
ness is a vice so hateful, that one would never wish to oppose
any society, however imperfectly managed, whose object is
It
36
•
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
to oppose that dangerous and common evil. Let it not be
forgotten, however, that total abstinence from spirituous
liquors is not the one great duty of man; intemperance is
not the only sin to which human nature is inclined.
Mr. Clapp's speech was the last for the evening.
"I wish you joy, Mrs. Clapp," said Mrs. Tibbs, leaning
forward from the seat behind the lawyer's pretty little wife,
and nodding as she spoke.
"I really congratulate you; Mr. Clapp has surpassed
himself; such animation, such a flow of eloquence !" added
Mrs. Bibbs.
Kate smiled, and looked much gratified; she evidently
admired her husband's speeches as much as she did his hair.
The moment for enrolling new names had now come;
numbers of the audience went forward to sign the Total
Abstinence Pledge. There was one worthy woman, a widow,
sitting near Miss Patsey, whose only son had, during the
last year or two, fallen into habits of intemperance; his at-
tention had quite lately been attracted to the Temperance
Societies, he had read their publications, had been struck by
a short speech of Mr. Strong on a former occasion; and his
mother's joy may possibly be imagined, as she saw him rise
and add his name to the list of members engaging to abstain
from intoxicating liquors. There were several others whose
hearts were cheered, on the same occasion, by seeing those
they loved best, those over whom they had often mourned,
take this step towards reformation. Among the rest,, a man
dressed as a sailor was seen approaching the table; when
his turn came he put down his name, and this was no sooner
done, than Mr. Clapp advanced and shook him warmly by
the hand.
"Who is that man, Catherine, speaking to Mr. Clapp ?——
he looks like a sailor," inquired Miss Patsey.
"I don't know who it is; some client I suppose; William
seemed very much pleased at his signing."
Mr. Clapp, after shaking hands with his friend, the sailor,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
37
made his way through the crowd, until he reached the pew
where his wife and little boy were sitting. Taking Willie
by the hand, he led him to the table, placed the pen in his
fingers, and left him to write William C. Clapp, jr. as well as
he could―no easy matter, by-the-bye, for the child was not
very expert in capital letters. As Willie was the youngest
individual on the list, his signature was received by a burst
of applause. The little fellow was extremely elated by being
made of so much consequence; to tell the truth, he under-
stood very little of what he was about. If respect for tem-
perance were implanted in his mind on that evening, it was
also accompanied by still more decided ideas of the great
importance of little boys, with the germ of a confused notion
as to the absolute necessity of the approbation of a regularly
organized public meeting, to foster every individual virtue in
himself, and in the human race in general. Miss Patsey
very much doubted the wisdom of making her little nephew
play such a prominent part before the public; she had old-
fashioned notions about the modesty of childhood and youth.
The mother, her sister Kate, however, was never disposed to
find fault with anything her husband did; it was all right in
her eyes. Mr. Clapp himself took the opportunity to thank
the audience, in a short but emphatic burst, for their sym-.
pathy; concluding by expressing the hope that his boy would
one day be as much disposed to gratitude for any public
favours, and as entirely submissive, body and soul, to the
public will of his own time, as he himself—the father-was
conscious of being at that moment-within a few weeks of
election.
The meeting was shortly after concluded by a temperance
song, and a good prayer by the elder minister.
As the audience crowded out of the door, Mr. Clapp
nodded again to the sailor, when passing near him.
"Who is that man, William ?" asked Mrs. Clapp, as they
reached the street.
VOL. II. — 4
38
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"It is a person in whom I am warmly interested-an in-
jured man."
“Indeed!—one of your clients I suppose.”
Yes; I am now pledged to serve him to the best of my
ability."
"He looks like a sailor."
"He is a sailor, just returned from a three years' whaling
voyage. You will be surprised, Catherine, when you hear
that man's story; but the time has come when it must be
revealed to the world."
66
"You quite excite my curiosity; I hope you will tell me
the story ?"
Yes; you shall hear it. But where are your sister and
Charles; are they going home with us?"
"No; I am very sorry; but they told me at the meeting
they could not stay, as they had come over in Mrs. Van
Horne's carriage. It is a pity, for I had made some ice-
cream, and gathered some raspberries, expressly for them;
and we have hardly seen Charles since he arrived. But
Patsey wants us to spend the day at the grey house, to-mor-
row, children and all.”
Mr. Clapp assented to this arrangement; although he said
he should not be able to do more than go over himself for
his family in the evening, on account of business.
Kate had only her husband and Willie to share her ex-
cellent ice-cream and beautiful raspberries, on that warm
evening; the trio did justice, however, to these nice refresh-
ments; and little Willie only wished he could sign a tempe-
rance pledge every evening, if he could sit up later than
usual, and eat an excellent supper after it.
After the little fellow had been sent to bed, and his mother
had taken a look at her younger children, who were sleeping
sweetly in their usual places, the lawyer and his wife were
left alone in the parlour. It was a charming moon-light
evening, though very warm; and Kate having lowered the
lamp, threw herself into a rocking-chair near the window;
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
39
1.
!
while Mr. Clapp, who had had rather a fatiguing day, was
stretched out on the sofa.
"It is early yet, William; suppose you tell the story you
promised me, about your client, the sailor.”
"I don't much like to tell it, Catherine; and yet it is time
you knew something about it, for we must proceed to action
immediately."
“Oh, tell me, by all means; you have really made me
quite curious. You know very well that I can keep a secret.”
Certainly; and I request you will not mention the facts
I shall relate, to any one, for some time; not until we have
taken the necessary legal steps."
66
"Of course not, if you wish it; and now for the story.
You said this poor man had been injured.”
"Grossly injured."
"In what manner?"
He has been treated in the most unjustifiable manner by
his nearest relatives. His reputation has been injured, and
he has been tyrannically deprived of a very large property."
"Is it possible !-poor fellow! Can nothing be done for
him?"
Yes, I flatter myself if
yet be able to restore him
"That is what we shall see.
there is law in the land, we shall
to his rights!"
"Does he belong to this part of the country ?”
“He does not himself; but those who are revelling in his
wealth do."
"What is his name?-Do I know his family?"
“You will be distressed, Catherine, when you hear the
name; you will be astonished when you learn the whole
story; but the time for concealment has gone by now.
Several years ago that poor sailor came to me, in ragged
clothing, in poverty and distress, and first laid his complaint
before me.
I did not believe a word of what he told me; I
thought the man mad, and refused to have anything to do
with the cause. He became disgusted, and went to sea
→→
40
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
again, and for some time gave up all hope of being reinstated.
in his rights; the obstacles seemed too great. But at length
a very important witness in his favour was accidentally
thrown in his way: at the end of his cruise he came to me
again, and I confess I was astounded at the evidence he then
laid before me. It is conclusive, beyond a doubt, to any
unprejudiced mind," said Mr. Clapp, rousing himself from
his recumbent position.
"But you have not told me the man's name."
"His name is Stanley-William Stanley."
"You said I knew him; but I never heard of him; I
don't know the family at all."
“Yes, you do; you know them only too well; you will
be as much surprised as I was myself as I am still, when-
ever I allow myself to dwell on the subject. Mr. Stanley
is the cousin-german of your friend, Miss Elinor Wyllys.
Mr. Wyllys himself, Mrs. Stanley, the step-mother, and
young Hazlehurst, are the individuals who stand between
him and his rights," continued Mr. Clapp, rising, and walking
across the room, as he ran his fingers through his brown
curls.
"Impossible!" exclaimed Kate, as the fan she held dropped
from her hand.
"Just what I said myself, at first," replied Mr. Clapp.
"But surely you are deceived, William-how can it be ?"
continued the wife, in amazement. We always thought
that Mr. Stanley was lost at sea, years ago!"
Exactly-it was thought so; but it was not true."
"But where has he been in the mean time?—Why did
he wait so long before he came to claim his inheritance ?"
"The same unhappy, reckless disposition that first sent
him to sea, kept him roving about. He did not know of his
father's death, until four years after it had taken place, and
he heard at the same time that he had been disinherited.
When he came home, after that event, he found that he was
66
THE YOUNG FOLKS OF LONGBRIDGE.
41
66
<<
generally believed to have been lost in the Jefferson, wrecked
in the year 18—. He was, in fact, the only man saved.”
'How very extraordinary! But why has he never even
shown himself among his friends and connexions until now?"
Why, my dear, his habits have been unhappily very
bad in every way for years; they were indeed the cause of
his first leaving his family. He hated everything like re-.
straint-even the common restraints of society, and cared for
nothing but a sailor's life, and that in the worst shape, it
must be confessed. But he has now grown wiser-he has
determined to reform. You observed he signed the tempe-
rance pledge this evening?"
"It all sounds so strangely, that I cannot yet believe it,
William."
""
"I dare say not-it took me four years to believe it.'
"But what do you mean to do? I hope you are not going
to undertake a law-suit against two of our best friends, Mr.
Wyllys and Mr. Hazlehurst ?"
"That must depend on Mr. Wyllys and Mr. Hazlehurst,
themselves. I have undertaken, Catherine, to do my best
towards restoring this injured man to his property."
"Oh, William; suppose this man is in the wrong, after
all! Don't think of having anything to do with him."
My dear, you talk like a woman
talk like a woman—you don't know what
you say. If I don't act in the premises, do you suppose he
won't find another lawyer to undertake his cause ?”
66
"Let him have another, then: but it seems too bad that
we should take sides against our best friends; it hardly
seems honourable, William, to do so."
66
Honour, alone, won't make a young lawyer's pot boil, I
can tell you.”
“But I had rather live poorly, and work hard all my life,
than that you should undertake a dishonest cause.”
"It is all very pretty talking, but I have no mind to live
poorly; I intend to live as well as I can, and I don't look
upon this Stanley cause as a bad one at all. I must say,
4*
42
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Catherine, you are rather hard upon your husband, and
seem to think more of the interests of your friends, than of
his own."
"How can you talk so, William, when you know you
can't think it," said the wife reproachfully, tears springing
to her eyes.
"Well, I only judge from what you say yourself. But in
my opinion there is no danger of a law-suit. As Mr. Stan
ley's agent, I shall first apply to Mrs. Stanley and Mr.
Hazlehurst to acknowledge his claim; and when the evidence.
is laid before them, I have no kind of doubt but they will
immediately give up the property; as they are some of your
very honourable people, I must say I think they are bound
to do so."
Certainly, if the evidence is so clear; but it seems to me,
from all I have heard since I have been a lawyer's wife, that
evidence never is so very clear, William, but what people
disagree about it.”
66
66
Well, I flatter myself that people will be staggered by
the proofs we can bring forward; I feel sure of public
opinion, at least.”
Kate was silenced; but though she could think of nothing
more to urge, she was very far from feeling easy on the
subject.
"I hope with all my heart it will be settled amicably,"
she added at length.
"There is every probability that it will. Though the
story sounds so strangely to you now-just as it did to me,
at first-yet when you come to hear all the facts, you will
find there is scarcely room for a shadow of doubt.”
"How sorry mother and Patsey will be when they hear it !"
"I can't see why they should be sorry to see a man rein-
stated in his rights, after having been deprived of them for
eighteen years. If they are not blinded by their partiality
for the Wyllyses and Hazlehursts, they cannot help being
convinced by the evidence we can show."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
43
"How old is this man-this sailor-this Mr. Stanley?"
"Just thirty-six, he tells me. Did you remark his likeness
to Mr. Stanley's portrait at Wyllys-Roof? that was the first
thing that struck me.”
"No; I hardly looked at him."
“You must expect to see him often now; I have invited
him to dinner for to morrow.
""
"For to-morrow? Well, Uncle Dozie has sent me this
afternoon a beautiful mess of green peas, and you will have
to get something nice from market, in the way of poultry
and fish. Though, I suppose as he has been a common
sailor so long, he won't be very particular about his dinner."
"He knows what is good, I can tell you. You must give
him such a dinner as he would have had at his father's in
old times."
"Well, just as you please, William; only, if you really
care for me, do not let the man deceive you; be sure you
sift the matter thoroughly—what you call cross-examine
him."
"Never you fear-I know what I am about, Katie; though
if I was to follow your advice in law matters, I reckon we
should all of us starve together."
"I hope it will all turn out well, but I seem to feel badly
about it," said Kate with a sigh, as she rose to light a candle;
(6
only don't be too hasty—take time.”
"We have taken time enough I think, as it is. We are
only waiting now for Mr. Hazlehurst to arrive in Philadel-
phia, when we shall put forward our claim.”
44
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
(C
CHAPTER IV.
They call thee rich."
COWPER.
WHEN the Wyllyses arrived at Saratoga, after having
paid their promised visit to their friends at Poughkeepsie,
the first persons they saw in the street, as they were driving
to Congress Hall, were Mrs. Creighton, Mr. Ellsworth, and
Mr. Stryker, who were loitering along together. It seemed
the excursion to Nahant had been postponed, or given up.
The brother and sister soon discovered that the Wyllyses
were among that afternoon's arrivals, and in the course of an
hour or two called at their rooms.
"Here am I, Miss Wyllys," said Mrs. Creighton, "the
best of sisters, giving up my own private plans to gratify this
brother of mine, who would not let me rest unless I promised
to pass another week here."
"Josephine makes the most of her complaisance; but I
don't think she was so very much averse to giving up Na-
hant. I am sure at least, she did not care half so much
about going, as I did about staying."
Mr. Stryker also appeared, to make his bow to the ladies.
This gentleman had indeed come to Saratoga, with the ex-
press intention of making himself particularly agreeable to
Miss Elinor Wyllys. As long ago as Jane's wedding, he
had had his eye on her, but, like Mr. Ellsworth, he had
seldom been able to meet her. Mr. Stryker was a man be-
tween forty and fifty, possessing some little property, a very
good opinion of himself, and quite a reputation for cleverness
and knowledge of the world. He was one of those men
who hang loose on society; he seemed to have neither rela-
tions nor connexions; no one knew his origin: for years he
had occupied the same position in the gay world of New
York, with this difference, that at five-and-twenty he was
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
45
known as Bob Stryker; at five-and-thirty he was Colonel
Stryker, the traveller; and at five-and-forty he had returned
to New York, after a second long absence, as Mr. Stryker,
tout court. He prided himself upon being considered a
gentleman at large, a man of the world, whose opinion on
all subjects was worth hearing. Since his last return from
Europe, he had announced that he was looking about for
that necessary encumbrance, a wife; but he took good care
not to mention what he called his future intentions, until he
had actually committed himself more than once. He had
several times kindly offered to rich and beautiful girls, to
take charge of themselves and their fortunes, but his services
had been as often politely declined. He was not discou-
raged, however, by these repulses; he still determined to
marry, but experience had taught him greater prudence-he
decided that his next advances should be made with more
caution. He would shun the great belles; fortune he must
have, but he would adopt one of two courses; he would
either look out for some very young and very silly girl, who
could be persuaded into anything, or he would try to discover
some rich woman, with a plain face, who would be flattered
by the attentions of the agreeable Mr. Stryker. While he
was making these reflections he was introduced to Elinor,
and we are sorry to say it, she appeared to him to possess
the desirable qualifications. She was certainly very plain;
and he found that there was no mistake in the report of her
having received two important legacies quite lately. Miss
Elinor Wyllys, thanks to these bequests, to her expectations
from her grandfather and Miss Agnes, and to the Longbridge
railroad, was now generally considered a fortune. It is true,
common report had added very largely to her possessions, by
doubling and quadrupling their amount; for at that precise
moment, people seemed to be growing ashamed of mention-
ing small sums; thousands were invariably counted by
round fifties and hundreds. Should any gentleman be
curious as to the precise amount of the fortune of Miss
46
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Elinor Wyllys, he is respectfully referred to William Cassius
Clapp, Attorney at Law, Longbridge, considered excellent
authority on all such subjects. Lest any one should be dis-
posed to mistrust this story of Elinor's newly-acquired repu-
tation as an heiress, we shall proceed at once to prove it, by
evidence of the most convincing character.
¿
One morning, shortly after the arrival of the Wyllyses at
Saratoga, Mr. Wyllys entered the room where Miss Agnes
and Elinor were sitting together, with a handful of papers
and letters from the mail. Several of these letters were for
Elinor, and as she reads them we shall take the liberty of
peeping over her shoulder- their contents will speak for
themselves. The first which she took up was written on
very handsome paper, perfumed, and in an envelope; but
neither the seal nor the handwriting was known to Elinor.
It ran as follows:
"CHARMING MISS WYLLYS :-
"It may appear presumptuous in one unknown to you, to
address you on a subject so important as that which is the
theme of this epistle; but not having the honour of your ac-
quaintance, I am compelled by dire necessity, and the ardent
feelings of my heart, to pour forth on paper the expression.
of the strong admiration with which you have inspired me.
Lovely Miss Wyllys, you are but too well known to me,
although I scarcely dare to hope that your eye has rested for
a moment on the features of your humble adorer. I am a
European, one who has moved in the first circles of his
native land, and after commencing life as a military man,
was compelled by persecution to flee to the hospitable shores
of America. Chequered as my life has been, happy, thrice
happy shall I consider it, if you will but permit me to devote
its remaining years to your service! Without your smiles,
the last days of my career will be more gloomy than all that
have gone before. But I cannot believe you so cruel, so
hard-hearted, as to refuse to admit to your presence, one
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
47
•
connected with several families of the nobility and gentry in
the north of England, merely because the name of Horace
de Vere has been sullied by appearing on the stage. Let
me hope-"
Elinor read no farther: she threw the letter aside with an
expression of disgust and mortification. It was but one of
half-a-dozen of similar character, which she had received
during the last year or two from utter strangers. She took
up another, a plain, honest-looking sheet.
"MADAM:-
“If the new store, being erected on your lot in Market-
Street, between Fourth and Fifth, is not already leased, you
will confer an obligation if you will let us know to whom
we must apply for terms, &c., &c. The location and pre-
mises being suitable, we should be glad to rent. The best
of references can be offered on our part.
Begging you will excuse this application, as we are
ignorant of the name of your agent in Philadelphia, we
have the honour to be, Madam,
"Your most obedient servants,
McMUNNY & Co.,
“Grocers, Market, between Front and Second,”
66
A business letter, it appears, to be attended to accordingly.
Now for the third-a delicate little envelope of satin paper,
blue wax, and the seal "
semper eadem.'
""
"MY SWEET MISS ELINOR :-
“When shall we see you at Bloomingdale? You are
quite too cruel, to disappoint us so often; we really do not
deserve such shabby treatment. Here is the month of June,
with its roses, and strawberries, and ten thousand other
sweets, and among them you must positively allow us to hope
for a visit from our very dear friends at Wyllys-Roof. Should
your venerable grandpapa, or my excellent friend, Miss
48
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Wyllys be unhappily detained at home, as you feared, do
not let that be the means of depriving us of your visit. I
need not say that William would be only too happy to drive
you to Bloomingdale, at any time you might choose; but if
that plan, his plan, should frighten your propriety, I shall be
proud to take charge of you myself. Anne is not only
pining for your visit, but very tired of answering a dozen
times a day, her brother's questions, 'When shall we see
Miss Wyllys?'-Is Miss Wyllys never coming?'
"I do not think, my sweet young friend, that you can
have the heart to disappoint us any longer-and, therefore,
I shall certainly look for one of your charming little notes,
written in an amiable, complying mood.
"Anne sends her very best love; William begs to be very
particularly remembered to Miss Elinor Wyllys.
"With a thousand kind messages to your grandfather and
Miss Wyllys, I remain as ever, my dear young friend,
Yours, most devotedly and partially,
"ARABELLA HUNTER.'
Elinor read this note with a doubtful smile, which seemed
to say she was half-amused, half-provoked by it. Throwing
it carelessly on the sofa, she opened the fourth letter; it was
in a childish hand.
"MY DEAR MISS WYLLYS ::
(6
My mother wishes me to thank you myself, for your
last act of goodness to us-but I can never tell
can never tell you all we
feel on the subject. My dear mother cried with joy all the
evening, after she had received your letter. I am going to
school according to your wish, as soon as mother can spare
me, and I shall study very hard, which will be the best way
of thanking you. The music-master says he has no doubt
but I can play well enough to give lessons, if I go on as
well as I have in the last year; I practise regularly every
day. Mother bids me say, that now she feels sure of my
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
49
education for the next three years, one of her heaviest cares
has been taken away: she says too, that although many
friends in the parish have been very good to us, since my
dear father was taken away from us, yet no act of kindness
has been so important to us, none so cheering to the heart of
the widow and the fatherless, as your generous goodness to
her eldest child;' these are her own words. Mother will
write to you herself to-morrow. I thank you again, dear
Miss Wyllys, for myself, and I remain, very respectfully and
very gratefully,
"Your obliged servant and friend,
"MARY SMITH."
**
This last letter seemed to restore all Elinor's good humour,
acting as an antidote to the three which had preceded it.
The correspondence which we have taken the liberty of
reading, will testify more clearly than any assurance of ours,
to the fact that our friend Elinor now stands invested with
the dignity of an heiress, accompanied by the dangers, plea-
sures, and annoyances, usually surrounding an unmarried
woman, possessing the reputation of a fortune. Wherever
Elinor now appeared, the name of a fortune procured her atten-
tion; the plain face which some years before had caused her
to be neglected where she was not intimately known, was no
longer an obstacle to the gallantry of the very class who had
shunned her before. Indeed, the want of beauty, which
might have been called her misfortune, was now the very
ground on which several of her suitors founded their hopes
of success; as she was pronounced so very plain, the dandies
thought it impossible she could resist the charm of their own
personal advantages. Elinor had, in short, her full share of
those persecutions which are sure to befall all heiresses.
The peculiar evils of such a position affect young women
very differently, according to their various dispositions.
Had Elinor been weak and vain, she would have fallen into
the hands of a fortune-hunter. Had she been of a gloomy
VOL. II. — 5
50
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
temper, disgust at the coarse plots and manœuvres, so easily
unravelled by a clear-sighted person, might have made her
a prey to suspicion, and all but misanthropic. Had she
been vulgar-minded, she would have been purse-proud; if
cold-hearted, she would have become only the more selfish.
Vanity would have made her ridiculously ostentatious and
conceited; a jealous temper would have become self-willed
and domineering.
Change of position often produces an apparent change of
character; sometimes the effect is injurious, sometimes it is
advantageous. But we trust that the reader, on renewing
his acquaintance with Elinor Wyllys, will find her, while
flattered by the world as an heiress, essentially the same in
character and manner, as she was when overlooked and
neglected on account of an unusually plain face. If a shade
of difference is perceptible, it is only the natural result of
four or five years of additional experience, and she has
merely exchanged the first retiring modesty of early youth,
for a greater portion of self-possession.
In the first months of her new reputation as an heiress,
Elinor had been astonished at the boldness of some attacks
upon her; then, as there was much that was ridiculous con-
nected with these proceedings, she had been diverted; but,
at length, when she found them rapidly increasing, she
became seriously annoyed.
"What a miserable puppet these adventurers must think
me-it is cruelly mortifying to see how confident of success
some of them appear!" she exclaimed to her aunt.
"I am very sorry, my child, that you should be annoyed
in this way—but it seems you must make up your mind to
these impertinences-it is only what every woman who has
property must expect.'
"It is really intolerable! But I am determined at least
that they shall not fill my head with suspicions—and I never
can endure to be perpetually on my guard against these sort
of people. It will not do to think of them; that is the only
""
ง
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
51
way to keep one's temper. If I know myself, there never
can be any danger to me from men of that kind, even the
most agreeable."
"Take care," said Miss Agnes, smiling, and shaking her
head.
"Well, I know at least there is no danger at present; but
as we all have moments of weakness, I shall therefore very
humbly beg that if you ever see me in the least danger, you
will give me warning, dear Aunt; a very sharp warning, if
you please."
"In such a case I should certainly warn you, my dear.
It strikes me that several of your most disagreeable ad-
mirers—”
How can you
call them admirers, Aunt Agnes ?"
Well, several of your pursuers, then, are beginning to
discover that you are not a young lady easily persuaded into
believing herself an angel, and capable of fancying them the
most chivalrous and disinterested of men.”
6:
(C
This was quite true; there was a quiet dignity, with an
occasional touch of decision in Elinor's manner, that had
already convinced several gentlemen that she had more
firmness of character than suited their views; and they had
accordingly withdrawn from the field.
Suppose, Elinor, that I begin by giving you a warning,
this morning?" continued Miss Agnes, smiling.
"You are not serious, surely, Aunt?" replied Elinor, turn-
ing from some music she was unpacking, to look at Miss
Wyllys.
66
"Yes, indeed; I am serious, so far as believing that you
are at this moment exposed to the manœuvres of a gentleman
whom you do not seem in the least to suspect, and who is
decidedly agreeable."
“Whom can you mean?" said Elinor, running over in her
head the names of several persons whom she had seen lately.
“You surely do not suspect-No; I am sure you have too
good an opinion of him.”
52
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"I am very far from having a particularly good opinion.
of the person I refer to," said Miss Agnes; "I think him at
least, nothing better than a fortune-hunter; and although it
is very possible to do many worse things than marrying for
money, yet I hope you will never become the wife of a man
whose principles are not above suspicion in every way."
"I am disposed just at present, I can assure you, dear
Aunt, to have a particularly poor opinion of a mere fortune-
hunter."
"Yes; you do not seem to feel very amiably towards the
class, just now,” said Miss Agnes, smiling.
"But who is the individual who stands so low in your
opinion?"
"It is your opinion, and not mine, which is the important
one," replied Miss Agnes.
"Ah, I see you are joking, Aunt; you half frightened me
at first. As far as having no fears for myself, I am really in
an alarming state."
“So it would seem. But have you really no suspicions
of one of our visiters of last evening?"
Elinor looked uneasy.
"Is it possible,” she said, lowering her voice a little, “that
you believe Mr. Ellsworth to be a common fortune-hunter?
I thought you had a very different opinion of him."
"You are right, my child," said Miss Agnes, apparently
pleased by this allusion to their friend; "I have, indeed, a
high opinion of Mr. Ellsworth; but he was not our only
visiter last evening."
►
"Is it Mr. Stryker? I have half-suspected some such
thing myself, lately; I cannot take credit for so much inno-
cence as you gave me. But it is not worth while to trouble
oneself about Mr. Stryker; he is certainly old enough, and
worldly-wise enough to take care of himself. If he actually
has any such views, his time will be sadly thrown away.
But it is much more probable that he is really in love with
Mrs. Creighton; and it would be very ridiculous in me, to
C
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
53
imagine that he is even pretending to care for me, when he
is attached to some one else."
"He may flirt with Mrs. Creighton, but, if I am not mis-
taken, he intends to offer himself before long to Miss Wyllys;
and I thought you had not remarked his advances."
"I fancy, dear Aunt, that men like Mr. Stryker seldom
commit themselves unless they feel pretty sure of success.
""
The conversation was here interrupted, Elinor was en-
gaged to ride with Mr. Wyllys, who now returned from the
reading-room for his grand-daughter.. Mrs. Creighton was
also going out with her brother, and proposed the two parties
joining; an invitation which Mr. Wyllys had very readily
accepted. The horses were ordered, Elinor was soon
equipped, and on joining Mrs. Creighton at the door, she
was assisted to mount by Mr. Ellsworth. Mr. Stryker had
also been invited to ride with them by the pretty widow.
$
It was a lovely morning, and they moved off gaily on one
of the roads leading to Saratoga Lake; Elinor enjoying the
air and the exercise, Mr. Ellsworth at her side, doing his
best to make his society agreeable, Mrs. Creighton engaged
in making a conquest of the two gentlemen between whom
she rode. Yes, we are obliged to confess the fact; on her
part at least, there was nothing wanting to make up a flirta-
tion with Mr. Wyllys. The widow belonged to that class of
ladies, whose thirst for admiration really seems insatiable,
and who appear anxious to compel all who approach them
to feel the effect of their charms. Elinor would have been
frightened, had she been aware of the attack made that
morning by Mrs. Creighton, on the peace of her excellent
grandfather, now in his seventy-third year. Not that the
lady neglected Mr. Stryker-by no means; she was very
capable of managing two affairs of the kind at the same
moment. All the remarks she addressed particularly to Mr.
Wyllys, were sensible and lady-like; those she made to
Mr. Stryker, were clever, worldly, and piquant; while the
general, tone of her conversation was always a well-bred
+
5*
54
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
medley of much fashionable levity, with some good sense
and propriety. Mr. Stryker scarcely knew whether to be
pleased, or to regret that he was obliged to ride at her side.
He had lately become particularly anxious to advance in the
good graces of Miss Elinor Wyllys, for two reasons; he had
lost money, and was very desirous of appropriating some of
Elinor's to his own use; and he had also felt himself to be
in imminent danger of falling in love with Mrs. Creighton,
and he wished to put it out of his own power to offer himself
to her in a moment of weakness. Much as he admired the
beauty, the wit, and the worldly spirit of the pretty widow,
he was half-afraid of her; he judged her by himself; he
knew that she was artful, and he knew that she was poor;
for her late husband, Mr. Creighton, during a short married
life, had run through all his wife's property, as well as his
own, and his widow was now entirely dependent upon her
brother.
The attention of the two gentlemen was not, however,
entirely engrossed by Mrs. Creighton. Mr. Stryker was by
no means willing to resign the field to his rival, Mr. Ells-
worth; and Mr. Wyllys was not so much charmed by the con-
versation of his fair companion, but that his eye could rest
with pleasure on the couple before him, as he thought there
was every probability that Elinor would at length gratify his
long-cherished wish, and become the wife of a man he be-
lieved worthy of her. As the party halted for a few mo-
ments on the bank of the Lake, Mr. Wyllys was particularly
struck with the expression of spirit and interest with which
Elinor was listening to Mr. Ellsworth's description of the
lakes of Killarney, which he had seen during his last visit
to Europe; and when the gentleman had added a ludicrous
account of some Paddyism of his guide, she laughed so
gaily that the sound rejoiced her grandfather's heart.
Elinor had long since regained her former cheerfulness.
For a time, Harry's desertion had made her sad, but she
soon felt it a duty to shake off every appearance of gloom,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
55
for the sake of her grandfather and aunt, whose happiness
was so deeply interwoven with her own. Religious motives
also strengthened her determination to resist every repining
feeling. The true spirit of cheerfulness is, in fact, the fruit
of two of the greatest virtues of Christianity—steadfast faith,
and unfeigned humility; and it is akin to thankfulness, which
is only the natural consequence of a sense of our own im-
perfections, and of the unmerited goodness of Providence.
"We have had a charming ride, Miss Wyllys!" said Mrs.
Creighton, as the party returned to the hotel.
66
Very pleasant," said Elinor.
66
Delightful!" exclaimed Mr. Ellsworth. "I hope we
shall have such another every day."
"Then I must try and find an animal, with rather better
paces than the one which has the honour of carrying me at
present," said Mr. Stryker.
"But Mrs. Creighton has been so very agreeable, that I
should think you would have been happy to accompany her
on the worst horse in Saratoga," observed Mr. Wyllys.
"Only too agreeable," replied Mr. Stryker, as he helped
the lady to dismount, while Mr. Ellsworth performed the
same service to Elinor.
*
56
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
CHAPTER V.
"I do beseech your grace, for charity,
If ever any malice in your heart
Were hid against me, now to forgive me frankly."
Henry VIII.
ONE evening, about a week after the arrival of the Wyl-
lyses, there was a dance at Congress Hall, where they were
staying. Mrs. Creighton, with her brother, who were already
engaged to meet some friends there, urged Elinor very much
to join them; but she declined, not wishing to leave Jane.
Mr. Ellsworth, who had been very devoted, of late, seemed
particularly anxious she should go. But although Elinor's
manner betrayed some little embarrassment, if not indecision,
as the gentleman urged her doing so, still she persisted in
remaining with her cousin.
"Well, I am sorry we cannot persuade you, Miss Wyllys;
though I dare say you will have a very pleasant evening in
your own parlour.'
"We must put off our game of chess until to-morrow,
Mrs. Creighton," said Mr. Wyllys.
66
Yes, unfortunately for me; for I have fully determined
to beat you, sir, at our next trial. Well, Frank, we cannot
stay here all the evening; I dare say, our friends, the Ste-
vensons, are looking for us in the ball-room already."
"Mrs. Creighton is a very pretty woman," observed Mr.
Wyllys, as he seated himself at the chess-board, opposite his
daughter, after the brother and sister had left the room.
"Yes, a very pretty woman; and she always looks well
in her evening-dress," replied Miss Agnes.
Elinor devoted herself to Jane's amusement. Ever since
they had been together, she had given up a great part of her
time to Mrs. Taylor, whom she was very anxious to cheer
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
57
}
and enliven, that she might persuade her to throw off the
melancholy and low spirits, which her cousin seemed pur-
posely to encourage. The sick baby was better, and Elinor
was in hopes that before they parted, she should succeed in
awakening Jane to a somewhat better frame of mind. She
was very desirous that the time they were together should
not be lost; and her kindness was so unwearied, her manner
was so affectionate and soothing, and the advice she some-
times allowed herself to give, was so clear and sensible, that
at last Jane seemed to feel the good effects of her cousin's
efforts.
After Mr. Ellsworth and his sister had left the room to
join the dancers, Jane suddenly turned to Elinor, with tears
in her eyes.
"How kind you are!" she said. “I dare say
you would like to go down-stairs;—but you are too good to
me, Elinor!"
66
Nonsense, Jenny; I can't help it if I would. Do you
think I should enjoy dancing, if I knew you were sitting
alone in this dark corner, while grandpapa and Aunt Agnes
are playing chess? You are looking a great deal more woe-
begone than you ought to, now baby is so much better.”
"You spoil me," said Jane, shaking her head, and smiling
with more feeling than usual in her unexpressive face.
I shall spoil you a great deal more before we get through.
Next week, when Mr. Taylor comes, I intend to talk him
into bringing you over to Wyllys-Roof, to pay a good long
visit, like old times."
"I had much rather think of old times, than of what is to
come. There is nothing pleasant for me to look forward to!"
“How can you know that, Jane? I have learned one
lesson by experience, though I am only a year older than
you, dear—and it is, that if we are often deceived by hope,
so we are quite as often misled by fear."
"I believe, Elinor, you are my best friend," said Jane,
holding out her hand to her cousin.
“Oh, you have more good friends than you think for, and
58
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
much good of every kind, though you will shut your eyes
to the fact."
"It may be so," said Jane; "I will try to follow your
advice if I can."
"Try hard, then," said Elinor, "and all will go well.
And now, shall I sing you the song Mrs. Creighton cut
short?"
She began to sing "Auld Lang Syne;" but the song was
interrupted before she had finished the second verse. Several
persons were heard approaching their room, which was in a
retired, quiet part of the house; the door soon opened, and
in walked Robert Hazlehurst.
"Well, good people," he exclaimed, "you take the world
as quietly as anybody I know! We supposed, of course,
you were at the ball, but Elinor's voice betrayed you. This
way, Louisa," he said, returning to the door, after having
shaken hands with Mr. Wyllys and Miss Agnes.
“How glad I am to see you!" exclaimed Elinor—“ you
are as good as your word; but we did not expect you for.
several days;" and Jane and herself went to the door to meet
Mrs. Hazlehurst.
*
“And, pray, what reason had you to suppose that we
should not keep our word?" said the latter, as she appeared.
"We thought Harry would probably detain you,” said
Elinor.
"Not at all; we brought him along with us."
"That was a good arrangement we had not thought of,"
observed Miss Agnes.
Harry entered the room. He was not entirely free from
embarrassment at first; but when Mr. Wyllys met him with
something of the cordial manner of old times, he imme-
diately recovered himself. He kissed the hand of Miss
Agnes, as in former days, and saluted Elinor in the same
way, instead of the more brotherly greeting with which he
used to meet her of old.
"And here is Jane, too, Harry," said Mrs. Hazlehurst,
any
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
59
who had just embraced her sister.
“You have been so long
away, that I dare say you have forgotten half your old
friends."
"Not at all," said Harry, crossing the room to Jane. “I
think myself a very lucky fellow, at finding them all collected
here together, for my especial benefit. I met Mr. Taylor for
a moment in New York," he continued, addressing Jane.
"Did he say when he was coming for me?" replied Mrs.
Taylor, offering her hand to her kinsman.
He told me that he should be at Saratoga very shortly."
"I have a letter for you in my trunk, Jane," said Mrs.
Robert Hazlehurst.
"Don't you think our invalid much better, already,
Louisa?" asked Elinor.
"Yes; she does credit to your nursing."
“No wonder,” said Jane; "for during the last month I
have been petted all the time—first by Mrs. Taylor, then by
Aunt Agnes and Elinor."
"It's very pleasant to be petted," said Harry; "that's
precisely what I came home for. I give you fair notice,
Louisa, I expect a great deal from you in the next three
months."
"Is that the length of your holiday?" inquired Miss
Agnes.
"So says my master, Mr. Henley. I understand," he
added, turning to Elinor, "that you have all the agreeable
people in the country collected here."
"There are some thousands of us, agreeable and dis-
agreeable, altogether. They say the place has never been
more crowded so early in the season."
"So I'm told. I was warned that if I came, I should
have to make my bed in the cellar, or on the roof. Are
Ellsworth and Mrs. Creighton at this house, or at the other?"
They are staying at the United States. They are here
this evening, however, at the dance.”
“Indeed !—I have half a mind to take Ellsworth by sur-
"C
•
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
60
prise. Will they admit a gentleman in travelling costume,
do
you think ?"
"I dare say they will; but here are your friends, coming
to look for you."
At the same moment, Mr. Ellsworth and Mrs. Creighton
joined the party.
"How d'ye do, Ellsworth? Glad to see you, my dear
fellow !" cried the young men, shaking each other violently
by the hand.
P
"How do you do, Mr. Hazlehurst?" added the lady,
“Welcome back again. But what have you done with your
sister-in-law ?-for I did not come to call upon you alone.
Ah, here you are, Mrs. Hazlehurst. My brother observed
you passing through the hall, as you arrived, and we deter-
mined that it would be much pleasanter to pass half an hour
with you, than to finish the dance. We have been wishing
for you every day."
“Thank you. We should have set out before, if we had
not waited for Harry. Elinor tells me half Philadelphia is
here, already."
66
"Yes; the houses have filled up very much since I first
came; for I am ashamed to say how long I have been here.”
Why, yes I understood you were going to Nahant.”
"We ought to have been there long ago; but I could not
move this obstinate brother of mine. He has never found
Saratoga so delightful, Mrs. Hazlehurst," added the lady,
with an expressive smile, and a look towards Elinor. "I
can't say, however, that I at all regret being forced to stay,
for many of our friends are here, now. Mr. Hazlehurst, I
hope you have come home more agreeable than ever."
"I hope so too, Mrs. Creighton; for it is one of our chief
duties as diplomatists, ' to tell lies for the good of our country,'
in an agreeable way. But I am afraid I have not improved
my opportunities. I have been very much out of humour
for the last six months, at least."
"And why, pray?"
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
61
"Because I wanted to come home, and Mr. Henley, my
boss, insisted upon proving to me it would be the most foolish
thing I could do. He was so much in the right, that I re-
sented it by being cross.
""
"But now he has come himself, and brought you with
him."
"No thanks to him, though. It was all Uncle Sam's
doings, who wants to send us from the Equator to the North
Pole."
"Are you really going to Russia, Hazlehurst ?" asked Mr.
Ellsworth.
Certainly; you would not have me desert, would you?"
"Oh, no; don't think of it, Mr. Hazlehurst; it must be a
very pleasant life!" exclaimed Mrs. Creighton. "I only
wish, Frank, that you were enough of a politician to be sent
as minister somewhere; I should delight in doing the honours
for you; though I dare say you would rather have some one
else in my place."
"We will wait until I am sent as ambassador to Timbuc-
too, before I answer the question."
"You have grown half-a-dozen shades darker than you
used to be as a youngster, Harry; or else this lamp deceives
me," observed Mr. Wyllys.
66
"I dare say I may have a fresh tinge of the olive. But
I am just from sea, sir, and that may have given me an addi-
tional coat."
“Did you suffer much from heat, on the voyage?" asked
Miss Wyllys.
“Not half as much as I have since I landed. It appeared
to me Philadelphia was the warmest spot I had ever breathed
in; worse than Rio. I was delighted when Louisa proposed
my coming to Saratoga to see my friends."
“You will find it quite warm enough here," said Mr.
Wyllys. "The thermometer was 92° in the shade, yesterday.”
"I don't expect to be well cooled, sir, until we get to St.
Petersburgh. After a sea-voyage, I believe one always feels
VOL. II.-6
62
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
the cold less, and the heat more than usual. But where is
Mrs. Stanley?—we hoped to find her with you. Is she not
staying at this house?”
"Yes; but she left us early, this evening, not feeling very
well; you will not be able to see her until to-morrow,” said
Miss Agnes.
I am sorry she is not well; how is she looking?"
66
Particularly well, I think; she merely complained of a
head-ache from riding in the sun.”
“Mrs. Stanley has been very anxious for your return; but
she will be as agreeably surprised as the rest of us, to find
you here," said Elinor.
"Thank you. I look upon myself as particularly fortu-
nate, to find so many old friends collected in one spot, instead
of having to run about, and hunt for each in a different place,
just now that I am limited for time."
"You ought to be greatly indebted to Frank and myself,
for breaking our word and staying here; instead of keeping
our promise and going to Nahant, as we had engaged to
do," said Mrs. Creighton.
"C
Certainly; I look upon it as part of my good luck; but
I should have made my appearance at Nahant, if you had
actually run away from me."
"I shall believe you; for I make it a point of always
believing what is agreeable."
"As I knew Mrs. Hazlehurst and your brother had en-
gaged rooms here, I hoped you would join us, soon after
your arrival," said Mr. Ellsworth.
"It was much the best plan for you," said Mr. Wyllys.
Harry looked gratified by this friendly remark.
It was already late; and Mrs. Hazlehurst, who had been
conversing in a corner with Jane, complained of being fatigued
by her day's journey, which broke up the party. The
Hazlehursts, like Mrs. Creighton and her brother, were
staying at the United States, and they all went off together.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
63
When Elinor, as usual, kissed Mr. Wyllys before retiring
to her own room, she hesitated a moment, and then said:
"I must thank you, grandpapa, for having granted my
request, and received Harry as of old. It is much better
that the past should be entirely forgotten. Self-respect seems
to require that we should not show resentment under the
circumstances," she added, colouring slightly.
"I cannot forget the past, Elinor. Harry does not stand
with me where he once did, by the side of my beloved grand-
child; but we will not think of that any longer, as you say.
I hope for better things from the future. Bless you, dear!"
CHAPTER VI.
"The foam upon the waters, not so light."
COWPER.
As usual at Saratoga, early the next morning groups of
people were seen moving from the different hotels, towards
the Congress Spring. It was a pleasant day, and great
numbers appeared disposed to drink the water at the fountain-
head, instead of having it brought to their rooms. The
Hazlehursts were not the only party of our acquaintances
who had arrived the night before. The Wyllyses found
Miss Emma Taylor already on the ground, chattering in a
high key with a tall, whiskered youth. The moment she
saw Elinor, she sprang forward to meet her.
How do you do, Miss Wyllys?—Are you not surprised
to see me here?"
"One can hardly be surprised at meeting anybody in such
a crowd," said Elinor. "When did you arrive?”
64
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"Last night, at eleven o'clock. We made a forced march
from Schenectady, where we were to have slept; but I per-
suaded Adeline and Mr. St. Leger to come on. You can't
think how delighted I am to be here, at last,” said the pretty
little creature, actually skipping about with joy.
"And where is Mrs. St. Leger ?"
Oh, she will be here in a moment. She has gone to
Jane's room.
I left her there just now."
The platform round the spring was quite crowded. In
one party, Elinor remarked Mrs. Hilson and Miss Emmeline
Hubbard, escorted by Monsieur Bonnet and another French-
man. They were soon followed by a set more interesting to
Elinor, the Hazlehursts, Mrs. Creighton, and her brother.
"I hope none of your party from Wyllys-Roof are here
from necessity," said Harry, after wishing Elinor good-
morning.
"Not exactly from necessity; but the physicians recom-
mended to Aunt Agnes to pass a fortnight here, this summer.
You may have heard that she was quite ill, a year ago?”
"Yes; Robert, of course, wrote me word of her illness.
But Miss Wyllys looks quite like herself, I think. As for
Mr. Wyllys, he really appears uncommonly well."
"Thank you; grandpapa is very well, indeed; and Aunt
Agnes has quite recovered her health, I trust."
"Miss Wyllys," said Mr. Stryker, offering a glass of the
water to Elinor, "can't I persuade you to take a sympathetic
cup, this morning?"
"I believe not," replied Elinor, shaking her head.
"Do you never drink it?" asked Mrs. Creighton.
"No; I really dislike it very much.”
Pray, give it to me, Mr. Stryker," continued Mrs.
Creighton. "Thank you: I am condemned to drink three
glasses every morning, and it will be three hours, at this
rate, before I get them."
66
"Did you ever hear a better shriek than that, Miss
Wyllys?" said Mr. Stryker, lowering his voice, and pointing
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
65
|
to Emma Taylor, who was standing on the opposite side of
the spring, engaged in a noisy, rattling flirtation. After
drinking half the glass that had been given to her, she had
handed it to the young man to whom she was talking, bid-
ding him drink it without making a face. Of course, the
youth immediately exerted himself to make a grimace.
“Oh, you naughty boy!" screamed Miss Taylor, seizing
another half-empty glass, and throwing a handful of water
in his face; "this is the way I shall punish you!”
There were two gentlemen, European travellers, standing
immediately behind Elinor at this moment, and the colour
rose in her cheeks as she heard the very unfavourable
observations they made upon Miss Taylor, judging from
her noisy manner in a public place. Elinor, who under-
stood very well the language in which they spoke, was so
shut in by the crowd that she could not move, and was com-
pelled to hear part of a conversation that deeply mortified
her, as these travellers, apparently gentlemanly men them-
selves, exchanged opinions upon the manners of certain
young ladies they had recently met. They began to com-
pare notes, and related several little anecdotes, anything but
flattering in their nature, to the delicacy of the ladies alluded
to; actually naming the individuals as they proceeded.
More than one of these young girls was well known to
Elinor, and from her acquaintance with their usual tone of
manner and conversation, she had little doubt as to the truth
of the stories these travellers had recorded for the amuse-
ment of themselves and their friends; at the same time, she
felt perfectly convinced that the interpretation put upon these
giddy, thoughtless actions, was cruelly unjust. Could these
young ladies have heard the observations to which they had
laid themselves open by their own folly, they would have
been sobered at once; self-respect would have put them
more on their guard, especially in their intercourse with
foreigners. It is, no doubt, delightful to see young persons
free from every suspicion; no one would wish to impose a
6*
66
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
f
single restraint beyond what is necessary; but, surely, a young
girl should not only be sans peur, but also sans reproche→
the faintest imputation on her native modesty is not to be
endured: and, yet, who has not seen pretty, delicate crea-
tures, scarcely arrived at womanhood, actually assuming a
noisy, forward pertness, foreign to their nature, merely to qua-
lify them for the envied title of belles? There is something
wrong, certainly, wherever such a painful picture is exhi-
bited; and it may be presumed that in most cases the fault
lies rather with the parents than the daughters. Happily,
the giddy, rattling school to which Miss Emma Taylor be-
longed, is much less in favour now, than it was some ten or
fifteen years ago, at the date of our story.
"How little do Emma Taylor, and girls like her, imagine
the cruel remarks to which they expose themselves by their
foolish manners!" thought Elinor, as she succeeded at length,
with the assistance of Mr. Ellsworth, in extricating herself
from the crowd.
As the Wyllys party moved away from the spring, to
walk in the pretty wood adjoining, they saw a young man
coming towards them at a very rapid pace.
“Who is it—any one you know, Miss Wyllys?" asked
Mr. Ellsworth.
"He is in pursuit of some other party, I fancy," replied
Elinor.
"It is Charlie Hubbard coming to join us; did we forget
to mention that he came up the river with us?" said Harry,
who was following Elinor, with Mrs. Creighton and Mr.
Stryker.
The young painter soon reached them, as they imme-
diately stopped to welcome him; he was very kindly re-
ceived by his old friends.
“Well, Charlie, my boy," said Mr. Wyllys, “if Harry
had not been here to vouch for your identity, I am not sure
but I should have taken you for an exiled Italian bandit.
Have you shown those moustaches at Longbridge?"
ļ
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
67
"Yes, sir;" replied Charlie, laughing. "I surprised my
mother and sister by a sight of them, some ten days since;
it required all their good-nature, I believe, to excuse them."
“I dare say they would have been glad to see you, if you
had come back looking like a Turk," said Elinor.
“I am determined not to shave for some months, out of
principle; just to show my friends that I am the same Charlie
Hubbard with moustaches that I was three years ago with
out them."
"I suppose you consider it part of your profession to look
as picturesque as our stiff-cut broadcloth will permit," said
Mr. Wyllys,
"If you really suspect me of dandyism, sir," said Charlie,
"I shall have to reform at once."
""
"I am afraid, Mr. Hubbard, that you have forgotten me,'
observed Mr. Ellsworth; "though I passed a very pleasant
morning at your rooms in New York, some years since.”
Charlie remembered him, however; and also made his
bow to Mrs. Creighton and Mr. Stryker.
"And how did you leave the Mediterranean, sir?” asked
Mr. Stryker, in a dry tone. "Was the sea in good looks?”
"As blue as ever. I am only afraid my friends in this
country will not believe the colour I have given it in my
sketches.
"We are bound to believe all your representations of
water," remarked Mr. Wyllys.
"I hope you have brought back a great deal for us to see;
have you anything with you here?" asked Elinor.
"Only my sketch-book.
I would not bring anything
else; for I must get rid of my recollections of Italy. I must
accustom my eye again to American nature; I have a great
deal to do with Lake George, this summer.”
"But you must have something in New York," said Miss
Wyllys.
"Yes; I have brought home with me samples of water,
from some of the most celebrated lakes and rivers in Europe.”
68
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"That is delightful," said Elinor; "and when can we see
them ?"
"As soon as they are unpacked, I shall be very happy to
show them to my friends. They will probably interest you
on account of the localities; and I have endeavoured to be
as faithful to nature as I could, in every instance. You will
find several views familiar to you, among the number,"
added Charlie, addressing Hazlehurst.
"I have no doubt that you have done them justice."
"They are far from being as good as I could wish; but I
did
my best. You will find some improvement, sir, I hope,"
added Charlie, turning to Mr. Wyllys, "since my first at-
tempt at Chewattan Lake, in the days of Compound Interest.”
"You have not forgotten your old enemy, the Arithmetic,"
said Mr. Wyllys, smiling. "I am afraid Fortune will never
smile upon you for having deserted from the ranks of trade."
"I am not sure of that, sir; she is capricious, you know.”
“I should think you would do well, Charlie, to try your
luck just now, by an exhibition of your pictures."
"My uncle has already proposed an exhibition; but I
doubt its success; our people don't often run after good pic-
tures,” he added, smiling. "If I had brought with me some
trash from Paris or Leghorn, I might have made a mint of
money."
A general conversation continued until the party returned
towards the hotels. They were met, as they approached
Congress Hall, by several persons, two of whom proved to
be Mrs. Hilson, and Miss Emmeline Hubbard. Charlie had
already seen his cousins in New York, and he merely bowed
in passing. Miss Emmeline was leaning on the arm of M.
Bonnet, Mrs. Hilson on that of another Frenchman, whose
name, as the “Baron Adolphe de Montbrun," had been con-
stantly on her lips during the last few weeks, or in other
words, ever since she had made his acquaintance. Charlie
kept his eye fixed on this individual, with a singular ex-
pression of surprise and vexation, until he had passed. He
ķ
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
69
thought he could not be mistaken, that his cousin's compa-
nion was no other than a man of very bad character, who
had been in Rome at the same time with himself, and having
married the widow of an Italian artist, a sister of one of
Hubbard's friends, had obtained possession of her little pro-
perty, and then deserted her. The whole affair had taken
place while Charlie was in Rome; and it will readily be
imagined that he felt no little indignation, when he met a
person whom he strongly suspected of being this very che-
valier d'industrie, flourishing at Saratoga, by the side of his
uncle Joseph's daughter.
Charlie had no sooner left the Wyllyses on the piazza at
Congress Hall, than he proceeded to make some inquiry
about this Frenchman. He found his name down in the
books of the hotel, as the Baron Adolphe de Montbrun, which
with the exception of Alphonse for the first name, was the
appellation of the very man who had behaved so badly at
Rome. He went to Mrs. Hilson, and told her his suspicions;
but they had not the least effect on the " city lady ;” she
would not believe them. Charlie had no positive proof of
what he asserted; he could not be confident beyond a doubt
as to the identity of this person and the Montbrun of the
Roman story, for he had only seen that individual once in
Italy. Still, he was convinced himself, and he entreated his
cousin to be on her guard; the effect of his representations
may be appreciated from the fact, that Mrs. Hilson became
more amiable than ever with the Baron, while she was
pouting and sulky with Charlie, scarcely condescending to
notice him at all. Hubbard only remained twenty-four
hours at Saratoga, for he was on his way to Lake George ;
before he left the Springs, however, he hinted to Mr. Wyllys
his suspicions of this Montbrun, in order to prevent that in-
dividual's intruding upon the ladies of the Wyllys party;
for Mrs. Hilson delighted in introducing him right and left.
As for her other companion, M. Bonnet, he was known to
be a respectable merchant in New York.
0
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Several days passed, during which our friends at Saratoga,
like the rest of the world there, walked, and rode, and drank
the waters, and seemed to pass their time very pleasantly;
although the ladies did not either dress or flirt as much as
many of their companions, who seemed to look upon these
two occupations as the peculiar business of the place. Jane's
spirits improved very much; there was much curiosity to
see her, on account of her reputation as a beauty; but, like
the rest of her party, she was only occasionally in the public
rooms.
"Have you seen the beautiful Mrs. Taylor ?"—"I caught
a glimpse of Mrs. Taylor, the great beauty, this morning."-
“What, the beautiful Jane Graham that was? is she as lovely
as ever?" —were remarks that were frequently heard in the
crowd.
Elinor also came in for her share of the public notice, and
the attention she attracted was, of course, of a directly oppo-
site character. There happened to be staying at Congress
Hall, just then, a very pretty young lady, from Savannah,
who was also considered a great fortune; she was known as
the "lovely heiress," while Elinor, in contradistinction, was
spoken of as the "ugly heiress."
“Do you know,” said a young lady, standing on the piazza
one evening, “I have not yet seen the ugly heiress. I should
like to get a peep at her; is she really so very ugly?" she
continued, addressing a young man at her side.
"Miss Wyllys, you mean; a perfect fright-ugly as sin,"
replied the gentleman.
Elinor, at the very moment, was standing immediately
behind the speakers, and Mr. Ellsworth, who was talking to
her, was much afraid she had heard the remark. To cut.
short the conversation, he immediately addressed her himself,
raising his voice a little, and calling her by name.
The young lady was quite frightened, when she found the
ugly heiress" was her near neighbour, and even the dandy
was abashed; but Elinor herself was rather amused with
66
7
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
71
the circumstance, and she smiled at the evident mortification
of the speakers. Never was there a woman more free from
personal vanity than Elinor Wyllys; and she was indifferent
to remarks of this kind, to a degree that would seem scarcely
credible to that class of young ladies, who think no sound so
delightful as that of a compliment. On the evening in ques-
tion, the piazzas were crowded with the inmates of the hotels;
those who had feeling for the beauties of nature, and those
who had not, came out alike, to admire an unusual effect of
moonlight upon a fine mass of clouds. Elinor was soon
aware that she was in the neighbourhood of Mrs. Hilson
and her sister, by the silly conversation they were keeping
up with their companions. These Longbridge ladies gene-
rally kept with their own party, which was a large one.
The Wyllyses were not sorry that they seldom met; for,
little as they liked the sisters, they wished always to treat
them civilly, on account of their father. The English art
of "cutting" is, indeed, little practised in America, except
in extreme cases; all classes are too social in their feelings
and habits to adopt it. It is, indeed, an honourable charac-
teristic of those who occupy the highest social position in
America-those who have received, in every respect, the
best education in the country-that, as a class, they are free
from the little, selfish, ungenerous feeling of mere exclu-
siveism.
“Oh, here you are, Miss Wyllys !" exclaimed Emmeline
Hubbard to Elinor, who was talking to Mrs. Creighton. “I
have been wishing to see you all the afternoon-I owe you
an apology."
"An apology to me, Miss Hubbard ?—I was not at all
aware of it."
"Is it possible? I was afraid you would think me very
rude this morning, when I spoke to you in the drawing-room,
for there was a gentleman with you at the time. Of course
I ought not to have joined you at such a moment, but I was
anxious to give you the Longbridge news."
72
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Certainly; I was very glad to hear it: the conversation
you interrupted was a very trifling one."
66
Oh, I did not wish to insinuate that you were conversing
on a particularly interesting subject. But, of course, I am
too well acquainted with the etiquette of polished circles, not
to know that it is wrong for one young lady to intrude upon
another while conversing with a gentleman."
66
"If there be such a point of etiquette, I must have often
broken it very innocently, myself. I have never practised it,
I assure you."
“Ah, that is very imprudent, Miss Wyllys!" said the fair
Emmeline, shaking her fan at Elinor. "Who knows how
much mischief one may do, in that way? You might actu-
ally prevent a declaration. And then a young lady is, of
course, always too agreeably occupied in entertaining a
beau, to wish to leave him for a female friend. It is not
everybody who would be as good-natured as yourself at such
an interruption.'
"I have no merit whatever in the matter, I assure you;
for I was very glad to find that—”
Just at that moment one of Miss Hubbard's admirers ap-
proached her, and without waiting to hear the conclusion of
Elinor's remark, she turned abruptly from the lady, to meet
the gentleman, with a striking increase of grace, and the
expression of the greatest interest in her whole manner.
""
Elinor smiled, as the thought occurred to her, that this last
act of rudeness was really trying to her good-nature, while
she had never dreamed of resenting the interruption of the
morning. But Miss Hubbard was only following the code
of etiquette, tacitly adopted by the class of young ladies
she belonged to, who never scrupled to make their manner to
men, much more attentive and flattering than towards one of
themselves, or even towards an older person of their own sex.
Elinor, however, had seen such manœuvres before, and
she would scarcely have noticed it at the moment, had it not
been for Miss Emmeline's previous apology.
1.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF JONGBRIDGE.
73
Mrs. Hilson soon approached her. "Has Emmeline been
communicating our Longbridge intelligence, Miss Wyllys?
Do you think it a good match ?”
"I hope it will prove so; we were very glad to hear of it.
Mary Van Home is a great favourite of my aunt's, and Mr.
Roberts, I hear, is highly spoken of."
"Yes; and he is very rich too; she has nothing at all
herself, I believe."
"Do you know whether they are to live in New York?
I hope they will not go very far from us."
"I suppose they will live in the city, as he is so wealthy;
Mary will have an opportunity of tasting the fascinations of
high life. I shall introduce her to a clique of great refine-
ment at once. Don't you think Saratoga the most delightful
place in the world, Miss Wyllys? I am never so happy as
when here. I delight so much in the gay world; it appears
to me that I breathe more freely in a crowd-solitude op-
presses me; do you like it?"
"I have never tried it very long. If you like a crowd,
you must be perfectly satisfied, just now."
"And so I am, Miss Wyllys, perfectly happy in these
fashionable scenes. Do you know, it is a fact, that I lose
my appetite unless I can sit down to table with at least thirty
or forty fashionably dressed people about me; and I never
sleep sounder than on board a steamboat, where the floor is
covered with mattresses. I am not made for retirement,
certainly. Ah, Monsieur Bonnet, here you are again, I see;
what have you done with the Baron ?-is not the Baron with
you ?”
“No, Madame; he has not finish his cigar. And where
is Mlle. Emmeline?I hope she has not abandonné me !”.
said M. Bonnet, who, to do him justice, was a sufficiently
respectable man, a French merchant in New York, and no
way connected with the Baron.
Oh, no; she is here; we were waiting for the Baron
and you to escort us to the drawing-room; but we will re-
VOL. II. —7
*
74
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
main until the Baron comes. I have heard something that
will put you in good-humour, another of those marriages
you admire so much-one of the parties rolling in wealth
and luxury, the other poor as Job's turkey."
“Ah, vraiment; that is indeed delightful; cela est fort
touchant; that show so much sensibilité, to appreciate le
mérite, though suffering from poverty. A mariage like that
must be beau comme un rève d'Amour!"
"You are quite romantic on the subject; but don't people
make such matches in France ?"
66
66
‘Ah, non, Madame; le froid calcul dominates there at
such times. I honour the beautiful practice that is common
in votre jeune Amérique; cela rappelle le siècle d'or. Can
there be a tableau more délicieux than a couple unis under
such circonstances? The happy époux, a young man per-
haps, of forty, and la femme a créature angélique ;" here M.
Bonnet cast a glance at Miss Emmeline; une créature
angelique, who knows that he adores her, and who says to
him, 'mon ami je t'aime, je veux faire ton bonheur,' and
who bestows on him her whole heart, and her whole fortune;
while he, of course, oppressed with gratitude, labours only
to increase that fortune, that he may have it in his power to
make the life of his bien aimée beautiful comme un jour de
fète!"
"You are eloquent, Mr. Bonnet."
"N'est ce pas un sujet, Madame, to toucher le cœur de
l'homme in a most tender point; a man who could be insen-
sible to such delicacy, to such aimable tendresse, would be
no better than one of your sauvages, one of your Mohicans !”
“Well, I don't think so much of it, because it is very
common here; such matches happen every day."
"And who are the happy couple you refer to at présent ?"
""Tis a young gentleman of New York city, Mr. Roberts,
who is going to marry a young lady, whose father is a neigh-
bour of pa's."
!
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
75
b
"And what is the sum the young lady has bestowed upon
her grateful adorateur?"
66
Oh, the lady has not anything to bestow in this case; it
is the gentleman, who is very wealthy, and doing a very
handsome business in New York."
"Ah," said M. Bonnet, taking a pinch of snuff, "that is
not so interesting I think, as when the mari is the favoured
party. The heart of man is more susceptible of lasting
gratitude for un tel bienfait."
"The gentleman has all the money, this time; I don't
think Mary Van Horne will have a cent; do you, Miss
Wyllys?"
But Elinor was gone. As the Baron appeared, however,
Mrs. Hilson did not regret it.
"Ah, Baron, I thought you were never coming. You
ought to be much obliged to me, for I had just told Monsieur
Bonnet, we must not move till the Baron comes; the Baron
will not know where to find us."
<<
CHAPTER VII.
They sit conferring
""
Taming the Shrew.
THE usual evening circle had collected in Miss Wyllys's
parlour, with the addition of Mary Van Alstyne, who had
just arrived from Poughkeepsie, and Mrs. St. Leger. Miss
Emma Taylor had gone to a concert with her good-natured
brother-in-law, and a couple of her admirers. Jane and her
sister-in-law, Adeline, were sitting together in a corner, talking
partly about their babies, partly about what these two young
matrons called "old times;" that is to say, events which had
76
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
transpired as far back as three or four years previously. To
them, however, those were "old times;" for, since then, the
hopes and fears, cares and pleasures of the two friends were
much changed.
Among the rest of the party the conversation became
more general; for Elinor had just finished a song, and Mr.
Wyllys had just beaten Mrs. Creighton at a game of chess.
"Mr. Hazlehurst, pray what have you done with my
saya y manto?” asked the pretty widow, taking a seat at the
side of Elinor, on a sofa. "Here have you been, three, four,
five days, and I have not even alluded to it, which, you must
observe is a great act of forbearance in a lady, when there is
a piece of finery in question."
"I am really ashamed of myself for not having reported
it safe at Philadelphia, before. I would not send it to your
house, when I heard you were here, for I wished to deliver
it in person; and I did not bring it with me, because Mrs.
Hazlehurst told me it was too warm for a fashionable lady
to wear anything as heavy as black silk for the next three
months,'
",
“Well, of course I am very much obliged to you for the
trouble you have had with it; but I shall defer thanking you
formally, until I find out whether it is becoming or not."
"Do you expect to make a very captivating Spaniard ?”
asked Mr. Stryker.
"I shall do my best, certainly; but I shall leave you to
decide how far I succeed, Mr. Stryker. Are the Brazilian
women pretty, Mr. Hazlehurst ?—what do they look like ?”
Very like Portuguese," was the answer.
66
"More than the Americans look like the English?" in-
quired Elinor.
"Far more,” said Harry; "but you know there is less
difference between the climates of Brazil and Portugal, than
between ours and that of England."
"For my part," observed Mr. Ellsworth, "I do not think
we look in the least like the English-neither men nor
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
77
women. We are getting very fast to have a decided phy-
siognomy of our own. I think I could pick out an American
from among a crowd of Europeans, almost as soon as I could
a Turk.”
"You always piqued yourself, Ellsworth, upon having a
quick eye for national characteristics. We used to try him
very often, when we were in Europe, Mrs. Creighton, and I
must do him the justice to say he seldom failed."
66
Oh, yes; I know all Frank's opinions on the subject,"
replied Mrs. Creighton: "it is quite a hobby with him.”
"What do you think are the physical characteristics of the
Americans, as compared with our English kinsmen?” in-
quired Mr. Wyllys.
"We are a darker, a thinner, and a paler people. The
best specimens of the English have the advantage in manli-
ness of form and carriage; the American is superior in acti-
vity, in the expression of intelligence and energy in the
countenance. The English peculiarities in their worst shape
are, coarseness and heaviness of form, a brutal, dull counte-
nance; the worst peculiarities among the Americans are, an
apparent want of substance in the form, and a cold, cunning
expression of features. I used often to wonder, when tra-
velling in Europe, particularly in France and Germany, at
the number of heavy forms and coarse features, which strike
one so often there, even among the women, and which are
so very uncommon in America."
"Yes; that brutal coarseness of features, which stood for
the model of the old Satyrs, is scarcely to be met in this
country, though by no means uncommon in many parts of
Europe," observed Hazlehurst.
"I was very much struck the other evening, at the dance,
with the appearance of the women," continued Mr. Ells-
worth. "Not that they are so brilliant in their beauty-one
sees beautiful women in every country; but they are so
peculiarly feminine, and generally pretty, as a whole. By
room-fulls, en masse, they appear to more advantage I think,
7*
78
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
than any other women; the general effect is very seldom
broken by coarseness of face, or unmanageable awkwardness
of form."
Yes, you are right," said Mr. Stryker. "There is a
vast deal of prettiness, and very little repulsive ugliness
among the women in this country. But it strikes me they
are inclining a little too much to the idea, just now, that all
the beauty in the world is collected in these United States,
which, as we all know, is rather a mistaken opinion."
"Certainly; that would be an extremely ridiculous notion."
"You think delicacy then, the peculiar characteristic of
American beauty?" said Mr. Wyllys.
"Yes, sir; but I could point out others, too. Brown hair
and hazel eyes are another common feature in American
beauty. If you look over the pretty women of your ac-
quaintance, you will find that the case I think."
"Like Mrs. Creighton's," said Elinor, smiling.
"No; Josephine's features are not sufficiently regular for
a beauty," said her brother, good-naturedly.
"I shan't get a compliment from Frank, Miss Wyllys,"
replied the widow, shaking her head. "I agree with him,
though, about the brown-haired beauties; for, I once took
the trouble to count over my acquaintances, and I found a
great many that answered his description. I think it the
predominating colour among us. I am certainly included in
the brown tribe myself, and so are you, Miss Wyllys."
"As far as the colour of my hair goes," replied Elinor,
with a smile which seemed to say, talk on, I have no feeling
on the subject of my plain face. One or two persons present
had actually paused, thinking the conversation was taking an
unfortunate turn, as one of the ladies present was undeniably
wanting in beauty. To encourage the natural pursuit of the
subject, Elinor remarked that, " light hair and decidedly blue
eyes, like Mrs. St. Leger's, are not so very common, certainly;
nor true black hair and eyes like your's, Jane."
"You are almost as much given to compliments, Miss
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
79
Wyllys, as I am," said Mrs. Creighton; "I have to say a
saucy thing now and then, by way of variety."
"The saucy speeches are for your own satisfaction, no
doubt, and the compliments for that of your friends, I sup-
pose," replied Elinor, smiling a little archly; for she had
very good reasons for mistrusting the sincerity of either mode
of speech from the lips of the gay widow; whom, for that
very reason, she liked much less than her brother.
"Do you really think me too severe ?—wait till we are
better acquainted!"
"I shall always think you very charming," replied Elinor,
with her usual frank smile; for, in fact, she admired Mrs.
Creighton quite as much as the rest of the world. And then
observing that Mr. Ellsworth was listening to their conver-
sation, she turned to him and asked, if the true golden hair,
so much admired by the Italian poets, and so often sung by
them, were still common in Italy?
66
Judging from books and pictures, I should think it must
have been much more common some centuries ago than at
the present day; for, certainly, there is not one Italian woman
in a hundred, who has not very decidedly black hair and
eyes. I remember once in a translation from English into
Italian, I used the expression 'grey eyes,' which diverted
my master very much: he insisted upon it, there was no
'such thing in nature;' and even after I had reminded him
of Napoleon, he would not believe the Emperor's eyes were
not black. He was a thorough Italian, of course, and knew
nothing of the northern languages, or he would have met
with the expression before."
"Let me tell you, Ellsworth," said Harry, after a short
pause in the conversation, "that it is very pleasant to pass an
agreeable evening in this way, chatting with old friends.
You have no idea how much I enjoy it after a three years'
exile !"
"I can readily believe it.”
“No, I don't think you understand it at all. It is true you
80
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
were roving about the world several years, but you were not
alone, my dear sir. You had indeed the advantage of par-
ticularly agreeable companions with you: in Paris you had
Mrs. Creighton, and in Egypt you had your humble servant.
And then, in the next place, your mind was constantly occu-
pied; you lived with the past while in Italy and Greece,
and with the present in Paris. Now, at Rio, there is no past
at all, and not much of a present."
"Is there no general society at Rio?" inquired Miss
Wyllys.
66
Oh, yes; society enough, in the usual meaning of the
word. I was very fortunate in meeting with some very
agreeable people, and have really a strong regard for Ma-
nezes a good fellow he is, and I hope to see him here one
of these days. But they were all new acquaintances. You
cannot think how much I wanted to see a face I had known
all my life; I was positively at one time on the verge of
being home-sick."
"You found out that you were more tender-hearted than
you had believed yourself," said Mr. Ellsworth.
"So it seems," replied Harry; a shade of embarrassment
crossing his face as he spoke.
"I should have thought some old acquaintance or other
would have gone straggling towards Rio, in these travelling
days," observed Mr. Ellsworth.
66
No, I was particularly unfortunate: once when the Ame-
rican squadron lay at Rio for some weeks, and I had several
friends on board the Macedonian, I happened at that very
time to be absent on an excursion in the interior. For six
months, or so it did very well; it takes one as long as that to
enjoy the lovely scenery, to say nothing of the novelty; but
after admiring the bay and the Corcovado under every possible
aspect, I got at last to be heartily tired of Rio. I should
have run away, if we had not been recalled this summer."
"You should have fallen in love," said Mrs. Creighton.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
81
E
"I don't think I succeeded in that; perhaps I did not try
very hard."
"But is not the state of society pleasant at Rio?" inquired
Mr. Wyllys.
"Not particularly, sir; it is too much like our own for
that; something provincial lingering about it, although they
have an emperor of their own. We cannot do without the
other hemisphere yet, in spite of our self-important airs.
We Yankees have coaxed Time out of a great deal, but he is
not to be cheated for all that. People were not busy for
thousands of years in the Old World, merely to qualify them
for discovering America, whatever some of our patriots may
say on the subject."
"Yes, you are right, Harry; I have often wished that our
people would remember what they seem to forget, that Time
has a prerogative beyond their reach. There is a wide dif-
ference between a blind reverence for Time, and an infatuated
denial of his power; and I take it to be one of the duties of
your generation to find out the dividing line in this and other
points, and shape your practice accordingly."
"Yes, sir; it appears to me high time that the civilized
world set about marking more distinctly a great many
boundary lines, on important moral questions; and it is to be
presumed, that with so much experience at our command,
we shall at last do something towards it. It is to be hoped
that mankind will at length learn not always to rush out of
one extreme into the other; and when they feel the evil of
one measure, not to fly for relief to its very opposite, but set
about looking for the true remedy, which is generally not so
far off."
"You don't believe in moral homœopathy?" said Mrs.
Stanley.
"Not in the least."
"Well, we are very much obliged to you for getting tired
of Rio," said Mrs. Creighton; "and thinking that the gay
82
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
world of Philadelphia was quite as agreeable as the Imperial
Court."
"I take it for granted, however, that it was not exactly the
gay world that you regretted," said Ellsworth.
"Not exactly, no; general society is not sufficiently perfect
in its way among us, for a man to pine after.”
"I have often thought," observed Elinor, "that the spirit
of mere dissipation must be less excusable in this country
than in Europe. Society must have so many attractions.
there-more general finish-more high accomplishment."
"Yes; we want more of the real thing; we have smat-
terers enough as it is," replied Mr. Ellsworth.
"And then the decorations are so well got up in Europe!"
exclaimed Mrs. Creighton. "I must confess myself enough
of a woman, to be charmed with good decorations."
66
Something far better than mere decoration, however, is
requisite to make society at all agreeable," continued Mr.
Ellsworth. "There is luxury enough among us, in eating
and drinking, dressing and furniture, for instance; and yet
what can well be more silly, more puerile, than the general
tone of conversation at common parties among us? And
how many of the most delightful soirées in Paris, are col-
lected in plain rooms, au second, or au troisième, with a brick
floor to stand on, and a glass of orgeat, with a bit of brioche
to eat!"
17
"Lots and Love-Speculation and Flirtation, are too en-
tirely the order of the day, and of the evening, with us,'
said Harry; "whether figuring on Change, or on a Brussels
carpet."
I have often been struck, myself, with the excessive silli-
ness of the conversation at common parties, especially what
are called young parties; though I have never seen anything
better," said Elinor.
"Those young parties are enough to spoil any society,"
said Harry.
"Perhaps, however, you have too high an idea of such
1
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
83
ļ
scenes in Europe, precisely because you have not seen them,
Miss Wyllys," observed Mr. Ellsworth.
"That may very possibly be the case.'
"There are always silly and ignorant people to be met.
with everywhere," remarked Harry; "but the difference
lies in the general character of the circle, which is not often
so insipid and so puerile in Europe."
""
"It is the difference, I suppose, between a puppet-show
and genteel comedy," said Elinor.
66
Precisely, Miss Wyllys," said Mr. Ellsworth, smiling.
"We have very pretty puppets, though," observed Mrs.
Creighton; "quite well-dressed, and sufficiently graceful,
too; that is to say, the young lady puppets. As for the
gentlemen, I shall not attempt to defend them, en masse,
neither their grace nor their coats.'
"You won't allow us to be either pretty or well-dressed?"
said Mr. Stryker.
“Oh, everybody knows that Mr. Stryker's coat and bow
are both unexceptionable."
"Why don't you go to work, good people, and improve
the world, instead of finding fault with it?" said Mr. Wyllys,
who was preparing for another game of chess with Mrs.
Robert Hazlehurst.
"A labour of Hercules, sir!" exclaimed Mr. Stryker,
shrugging his shoulders. "The position of a reformer is
not sufficiently graceful to suit my fancy."
"It is fatiguing, too; it is much easier to sit still and find
fault, sir," observed Robert Hazlehurst, smiling.
“Sauve qui peut, is my motto," continued Mr. Stryker.
"I shall take care of myself; though I have no objection
that the rest of the world should profit by my excellent
example; they may improve on my model, if they please."
"The fact is, that manners, and all other matters of taste,
ought to come by instinct," said Mrs. Robert Hazlehurst;
one soon becomes tired of being regularly tutored on such
points."
84
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
*
“No doubt of that," replied Harry; "but unfortunately,
though reading and writing come by nature, as Dogberry
says, in this country, yet it is by no means so clear that good
taste follows as a consequence.'
""
Good taste never came by nature, anywhere but in old
Greece, I take it," said Ellsworth. "In a new state of so-
ciety, such things must force themselves upon one."
"Certainly," said Mr. Wyllys; "and you young people,
who have had so many advantages of education and leisure,
are very right to give the subject some attention, for the
sake of the community in which you live. Manners in their
best meaning, as a part of civilization, are closely connected,
at many different points, with the character and morals of
a nation. Hitherto, in this country, the subject has been too
much left to itself; but in many respects there is a good
foundation to work upon-some of our national traits are
very creditable."
“That is true, sir,” replied Mr. Ellsworth; "and Ameri-
cans are naturally very quick in taking a hint, and in fitting
it to their own uses. They are a good-natured, sociable race,
too, neither coarse nor unwieldy in body or mind. All they
want is, a little more reflection on the subject, and a suffi-
ciently large number of models, to observe, and compare to-
gether; for they are too quick and clever, not to prefer the
good to the bad, when the choice lies before them."
"Remember too," said Mr. Wyllys, "that if you cannot
do everything, you must not suppose you can do nothing."
"There is one point in American manners, that is very
good," said Harry: "among our very best people we find
a great deal of true simplicity; simplicity of the right sort;
real, not factitious."
"Sweet simplicity, oh, la!" exclaimed Mr. Stryker. "Well,
I am a bad subject to deal with, myself. I am too old to go
to school, and I am too young yet, I flatter myself, to give
much weight to my advice. Not quite incorrigible, how-
ever, I trust," he added, endeavouring to smile in a natural
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
85
"I
way, as he turned towards Elinor and Mrs. Creighton.
shall be most happy to learn from the ladies, and try to im-
prove under their advice. Have you no suggestions to
make, Miss Wyllys?"
“I am afraid I could not be of much use in that way.'
"There are only a thousand-and-one hints that I should
give you," said Mrs. Creighton, laughing.
"You must be frightfully particular!" exclaimed Mr.
Stryker; "pray, what is hint No. 1?"
66
Oh, I should not have time to make even a beginning;
it is growing very late, and I shall defer your education until
the next time we meet. Mr. Hazlehurst, that is my scarf, I
believe, on your chair.'
The party separated; Harry offering his arm to Mrs.
Creighton.
""
CHAPTER VIII.
"Verily
You shall not go-a lady's verily is
As potent as a lord's. Will you go yet?"
partn
Winter's Tale.
99
MRS. STANLEY had joined the Wyllyses at Saratoga, a few
days after they arrived, and the meeting between Hazlehurst
and herself had been very cordial. She had always felt a
warm interest in Harry, looking upon him as her husband's
chosen representative, and all but an adopted son; the inter-
course between them had invariably been of the most friendly
and intimate nature.
Mr. Stanley's will had placed the entire control of his
large estate in the hands of his widow, and his old friend,
VOL. II,
Ջ
86
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Mr. Wyllys. Mrs. Stanley, herself, was to retain one half
of the property, for life; at her death it was to be divided in
different legacies, to relatives of her own, and to charitable
institutions, according to her own discretion. The other half
was also to be kept in the hands of the executors until his
own son returned, and had reached the age of five-and-twenty;
or, in case the report of William Stanley's death, which had
just reached his family, were to be confirmed, then Harry
Hazlehurst was to take his place, and receive his son's por-
tion, on condition that his, Hazlehurst's, second son should
take the name of Stanley. Hazlehurst was a nephew by
marriage; that is to say, his father, after the death of a first
wife, Harry's mother, had married Mr. Stanley's only sister:
this lady died before her brother, leaving no children. At
the time this will was made, Mr. Stanley had given up all,
but the faintest, hope of his son's being alive; still, he left
letters for him, containing his last blessing, and forgiveness, in
case the young man were to return. He also expressed a wish
that an easy allowance, according to Mrs. Stanley's discre-
tion, should be given, after the age of one-and-twenty, to his
son, or to Harry, whichever were to prove his heir; on con-
dition that the recipient should pursue some regular profes-
sion or occupation, of a respectable character. Hazlehurst
was to receive a legacy of thirty thousand dollars, in case of
William Stanley's return.
Such was Mr. Stanley's will; and circumstances having
soon showed that the report of his son's death was scarcely
to be doubted, Hazlehurst had been for years considered as
his heir. As Harry grew up, and his character became
formed, his principles proving, in every respect, such as his
friends could wish, Mrs. Stanley had made very ample pro-
vision for him. The allowance he had received for his edu-
cation was very liberal, and during his visit to Europe it had
been increased. At different times considerable sums had
been advanced, to enable him to make desirable purchases:
upon one occasion, a portion of the property upon which his
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
87
ancestors had first settled, as colonists, was offered for sale
by a distant relative, and Harry wished to obtain possession
of it; twenty thousand dollars were advanced for this pur-
pose.
Then, Hazlehurst was very desirous of collecting
a respectable library, and, as different opportunities offered,
he had been enabled, while in Europe, to make valuable
acquisitions of this kind, thanks to Mrs. Stanley's liberality.
As every collector has a favourite branch of his own, Harry's
tastes had led him to look for botanical works, in which he
was particularly interested; and he had often paid large
sums for rare or expensive volumes connected with this
science. Since he had reached the age of five-and-twenty,
or, during the last two years, he had been in full possession
of one entire half of Mr. Stanley's property, amounting, it
was generally supposed, to some ten thousand a year. Ac-
cording to a codicil of the will, Hazlehurst was also to take
possession of Greatwood, at his marriage: this was a plea-
sant country-house, surrounded by a place in fine order; but
Mrs. Stanley, who preferred living in town, had already
given him possession.
"I wish, Harry, we could keep you at home, now," said
Mrs. Stanley to her young friend, one morning, as he was
sitting with herself, Mary Van Alstyne, and Elinor, in her
rooms at Congress Hall. "I think Mr. Henley could spare
you better than we can. Is it quite decided that you go to
Russia?"
"You are very kind to express so much interest in my
movements. But you must permit me to remind you of a
piece of advice I have often received, as a youngster, from
your own lips, dear Mrs. Stanley; and that is, never to abandon
merely from caprice, the path of life I might choose.”
"Certainly; but I think you might find very good reasons
for staying at home, now; your affairs would go on all the
better for some personal attention; I should be sorry to have
you a rover all your life, Harry.”
"I have no intention, Ma'am, I assure you, of being a
88
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
vagrant all my days. And if there is nothing else to keep
me at home, it is highly probable that I shall be thrown on
the shelf before long, by Uncle Sam. When a man has
served his apprenticeship, and is fully qualified to fill hist
office creditably, he may prepare to be turned out; and,
very possibly, some raw backwoodsman, who knows nothing
of the world in general, or of diplomacy in particular, will
be put in his place. That is often the way things are man-
aged among us, you know.”
"For that very reason, I would not have anything to do
with public life, if I were a young man !" exclaimed Mrs.
Stanley, earnestly. "So many men who are ill-qualified for
either public or private confidence, get into office, that I
should think no man of high principles and honourable
views, would care to belong to the body of public servants."
"There is all the more need, then, that every honest man,
who has an opportunity of serving his country, should do
so," observed Harry. "I do not believe, however, that as
regards principles, the public men among us are any worse
than the public men elsewhere," he added.
Where all are chosen, they ought to be better," said
Mary Van Alstyne.
"That I grant," said Hazlehurst; "the choice by election,
or by appointment, might often be more creditable; when-
ever it is bad, it is disgraceful to the community."
“Look at A———, B—————, and C, whom you and I
happen to know!" exclaimed Mrs. Stanley.
"No doubt they are little fit for the offices they hold,"
replied Harry.
"The worst of it is this, Harry: that the very qualities
which ought to recommend you, will probably keep you
back in the career you have chosen," said Mrs. Stanley.
"Your principles are too firm for public life."
"I shall try the experiment, at least," said Harry. "Mr.
Henley urges me to persevere, and with his example before
me, I ought not to be discouraged; he is a proof that a
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
89
public man is not necessarily required to be a sycophant, and
a time-server; that he is not always neglected because he is
an upright man, and a gentleman. I shall follow his ex-
ample; and I am convinced the experiment would succeed
much oftener, provided it were fairly tried.”
Mrs. Stanley shook her head. She was a woman of rather
a peculiar character, though very warm in her feelings, and
firm in her principles. She had become disgusted with the
world, from seeing much that was evil and disgraceful going
on about her; forgetting to observe the good as well as the
bad. Of late years, she had withdrawn entirely within a
narrow circle of old friends, among whom the Wyllyses and
Hazlehursts held a conspicuous place. She was disposed to
mistrust republican institutions, merely because she attributed
every evil of the society about her, to this one cause: her
opinions on this subject were, however, of no value whatever;
for she knew nothing of other countries, their evils and
abuses. If warmly attached to her friends, she was certainly
too indifferent to the community in which she lived. She
was very decided in all her actions and opinions: thus, for
instance, she would never allow a newspaper, of any cha-
racter whatever, to appear in her house-she held every sheet
alike, to be loose in principles, and vulgar in tone; because,
unfortunately, there are many to be found which answer
such a description. An office-holder, and a speculator, she
would never trust, and avoided every individual of either
class as much as possible. Her friends would have wished
her more discriminating in her opinions, but she never
obtruded these upon others. Personally, no woman could be
more respected by her intimates; there was nothing low or
trivial in her character and turn of mind-no shadow of
vacillation in her principles or her feelings. Mrs. Stanley
and her young friend Hazlehurst, much as they esteemed
and respected each other, disagreed on many subjects. Harry
made a point of looking at both sides of a question; he was
loyal to his country, and willing to serve it to the best of his
*8
90
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
ability—not at all inclined to be an idler, and play the drone
in the bee-hive, whether social or political. Mrs. Stanley
had much regretted his being in any way connected with
public life, but she seldom attempted to influence him.
"What do you say, young ladies?" asked Harry, at length,
turning towards Elinor and Mary Van Alstyne, who had
hitherto thought the conversation of too personal a nature,
to speak much themselves. “Do you think I had better stay
at home, and look after the stock at Greatwood, or go to St.
Petersburg, and set up my droschky ?”
"I should never have the least fancy for going to Russia,"
replied Mary; "and, therefore, I am not much disposed to
admire your constancy in adhering to Mr. Henley."
“Oh, go, by all means," said Elinor; "you will see so
much! And be sure you go to the Crimea before you come
home."
"The Crimea is certainly a temptation," observed Harry.
"I beg, ladies, you will honour me with your commands for
St. Petersburg, some time during the next three months. I
refer you to Mrs. Creighton for a certificate of good taste;
her saya y manto is perfect in its way, I am told.”
66
Perhaps I ought to have engaged Mrs. Creighton on my
side, before I tried to coax you into staying at home," said
Mrs. Stanley, smiling.
We are obliged to confess that Harry coloured at this
remark, in spite of a determination not to do so; and a great
misdemeanour it was in a diplomatist, to be guilty of blushing;
it clearly proved that Hazlehurst was still in his noviciate.
Happily, however, if the Department of State, at Washington,
be sometimes more particular in investigating the party poli-
tics of its agents in foreign countries, than other qualifications,
it is also certain, on the other hand, that they do not require
by any means, as much bronze of countenance as most
European cabinets.
"Oh, Mrs. Creighton strongly recommends me to perse-
vere in diplomacy," said Harry.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONG BRIDGE.
91
Just at that moment, a note was brought in from this very
lady.
"With Mrs. Creighton's compliments," said the man who
brought it.
Harry's colour rose again, and for a second he looked a
litle embarrassed. Mrs. Stanley smiled, and so did the young
ladies, just a little.
"I will look for the book immediately," was Harry's reply;
and turning to the ladies, he communicated the fact, that Mrs.
Creighton had asked for the volume of engravings which he
had shown to Mr. Wyllys, two or three evenings before.
The book was in Miss Wyllys's room, and Elinor went for it.
"Will you dine with us to-day, Harry, or at the other
house?” asked Mrs. Stanley.
Thank you, ma'am; I am engaged to dine with Mr.
Henley, who is only here for the day, and wishes to have a
little business-talk with me. We are to eat a bachelor's
dinner together, in his room.'
Elinor returned with the book, and Harry made his bow.
As he left the room, Mary Van Alstyne observed that Mr.
Hazlehurst seemed quite attentive to his friend's sister. "He
admires the pretty widow, I fancy," she said.
"No wonder," said Elinor; "Mrs. Creighton is so very
pretty, and very charming."
"Yes; she is very pretty, with those spirited brown eyes,
and beautiful teeth. She is an adept in the art of dressing,
too, and makes the most of every advantage. But though
she is so pretty, and so clever, and so agreeable, yet I do not
like her."
"People seem to love sometimes, men especially, where
they do not like," said Mrs. Stanley. "I should not be sur-
prised, at any time, to hear that Harry and Mrs. Creighton
are engaged. I wish he may marry soon.”
"The lady is, at least, well-disposed for conquest, I think,"
said Mary Van Alstyne.
92
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"She will probably succeed,” replied Elinor, in a quiet,
natural voice.
Miss Agnes, who had just entered the room, heard the
remark, and was gratified by the easy tone in which Elinor
had spoken.
Since Hazlehurst's return, Elinor's manner
towards him had been just what her aunt thought proper
under the circumstances; it was quite unembarrassed and
natural, though, of course, there was more reserve than
during the years they had lived so much together, almost as
brother and sister. We are obliged to leave the ladies for
the present, and follow Hazlehurst to his tête-à-tête dinner
with Mr. Henley.
We pass over the meal itself, which was very good in its
way; nor shall we dare to raise the curtain, and reveal
certain communications relating to affairs of state, political
and diplomatic, which were discussed by the minister and
his secretary. Harry heard some Rio Janeiro news too,
which seemed to amuse him, but would scarcely have any
interest for the reader. At length, as Mr. Henley and Harry
were picking their nuts, the minister happened to enquire
the day of the month.
"It is the twentieth, I believe, sir; and by the same token,
to-morrow will be my birth-day."
"Your birth-day, will it ?-How old may you be?"
"Twenty-seven, if I remember right."
“I had thought you two or three years younger. Well,
I wish you a long life and a happy !”
"Thank you, sir; I am much obliged to you for the inte-
rest you have always shown me."
"No need of thanks, Harry; it is only what your father's
son had a right to expect from me.”
A silence of a moment ensued, when Mr. Henley again
spoke.
"You are seven-and-twenty, you say, Hazlehurst ?-let
me give you a piece of advice-don't let the next ten years
pass without marrying.”
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
93
"I was just about making up my mind, at Rio, to be a gay
bachelor, my dear sir," said Harry.
"Yes; I remember to have heard you say something of
the kind; but take my advice, and marry, unless you have
some very good reason for not doing so."
Hazlehurst made no answer, but helped himself to another
supply of nuts. "More easily said than done, perhaps," he
observed.
“Nonsense! —There are many amiable young women
who would suit you; and it would be strange if you could
not meet with one that would have you.. Some pretty, lady-
like girl. I dare say you know twenty such, in Philadel-
phia, or even here, at Saratoga."
“Five hundred, no doubt,” replied Harry; "but suppose
the very woman I should fancy, would not fancy me."
Whether he was thinking of his past experience with Jane,
or not, we cannot say.
"I don't see that a woman can find any reasonable fault
with you-you do well enough, my good fellow, as the
world goes; and I am sure there are, as you say, five hun-
dred young women to choose from. In that point a man has
the best of it; young girls of a certain class, if not angels,
are at least generally unexceptionable; but there are many
men, unhappily, whose moral reputations are, and should be
obstacles in a woman's eyes."
'A regular old bachelor's notion, a mere marriage of con-
venience,' thought Harry, who rather resented the idea of
the five hundred congenial spirits, in the shape of suitable
young ladies.
"You are surprised, perhaps, to hear this from me," con-
tinued Mr. Henley.
"No, sir: for I once before heard you express much the
same opinion."
"Did you?—I don't often think or speak on such matters;
but I remember to have heard you talk about a single life
occasionally, at Rio; and I always intended to give this
94
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
piece of advice to my nephews, and to you, Harry. If I
were to live my life over again, I should marry myself; for
of late years I have felt the want of a home, and one can't
have a pleasant home without the women.”
"There I agree with you, sir, entirely."
"That is more than some gay, rattling young fellows
would admit. Since you think so," continued Mr. Henley,
smiling, “perhaps -you have also fixed upon some amiable
young girl, who would be a pleasant companion for you."
Hazlehurst was silent.
I dare say you have, and I might have spared you the
advice. If that is the case, you must make the most of the
next three months; persuade her to marry you, and we can
take her to Russia, to do the honours for us."
66
Things have not gone quite so far as that, yet,” said
Harry, just a little embarrassed.
66
Well, my good fellow, settle the matter your own way;
I have at least satisfied my conscience, by telling you not to
follow my own bad example," said the minister, as he rose
from table.
It seemed that Mr. Henley, like most old bachelors,
regretted not having married; though he thought that his
habits had all become too confirmed, to make it worth while
to attempt a change. As a general rule, it will be found that
your decidedly old maid is contented with her lot, while your
very old bachelor is dissatisfied with his. The peculiar evils
of a single life-for every life must have its own—are most
felt by women early in the day; by men, in old age. The
world begins very soon to laugh at the old maid, and con-
tinues to laugh, until shamed out of the habit by her good-
nature, and her respectable life. The bachelor, on the con-
trary, for a long time finds an ally in the world; he goes on
enjoying the pleasures it offers, until old age makes him
weary of them—and then, as his head grows grey, when he
finds himself going out of favour, he begins to feel the want
of something better-a home to retreat to. He looks about
C
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
95
him, and he finds that his female contemporary has outlived
her peculiar annoyances; "the world forgetting, by the world
forgot;" she has long since found some collateral home;
or, in her right as a woman, has made a home for herself,
where she lives as pleasantly as her neighbours. Perhaps
he sets about imitating her example; but, poor fellow, he
finds it an awkward task; he can never succeed in making
his household gods smile with a good will, on a home
where no female voice is heard at the fire-side.
So thought Mr. Henley, and he had been intending to
recommend to Harry to look out for a wife, for some time
past. The minister's ideas on the subject of love and matri-
mony were, to be sure, rather matter of fact, and statesman-
like; he would have been quite satisfied if Hazlehurst had
married the first young girl, of a respectable family, that he
met with; the hundredth part of Mrs. Creighton's attractions
he would have thought sufficient. Harry forgave him, how-
ever, for the sake of the kindness intended by the advice he
had given; and the minister had the satisfaction of seeing
his secretary, that evening, at a concert, quite gallant and
attentive to a party of ladies, several of whom were young
and pretty, although one was young and ugly.
“Who is that?” he asked of a friend; "that lady to whom
Hazlehurst is talking? Half the young people here have
grown up, since I was last at home."
"That is Mrs. Creighton."
66
No; not Mrs. Creighton; I know her—a charming
woman; the lady on the right."
"That is Miss Van Alstyne. Mrs. St. Leger is next to
her; the young girl before her is Miss Emma Taylor.'
"A pretty girl-but noisy, it seems."
"On the next bench, with Ellsworth, are Mrs. Tallman
Taylor, the great beauty, and Miss Wyllys, the heiress."
Yes, I know the family very well; but I never saw Mr.
Wyllys's granddaughter before.”
66
"She is quite plain," observed one gentleman.
96
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"Very plain," replied the other, turning away.
The evening proved very sultry, and after accompanying
the ladies home from the concert, Mr. Ellsworth proposed to
Harry a stroll in the open air. The friends set out together,
taking the direction of the spring; and, being alone, their
conversation gradually became of a confidential nature.
They touched upon politics, Mr. Henley's character and
views, and various other topics, concluding with their own
personal affairs. At length, when they had been out some
little time, Mr. Ellsworth, after a moment's silence, turned to
Harry and said:
66
Hazlehurst, I have a confession to make; but I dare say
you will not give me much credit for frankness
very probably guessed already what I have to tell."
you have
“I certainly have had some suspicions of my own for the
last few days; but I may be mistaken; I am not very good
at guessing."
"I can have no motive," continued Mr. Ellsworth, "in
concealing from you my regard for Miss Wyllys, and I hope
you will wish me success.
"Certainly,” replied Harry; who was evidently somewhat
prepared for the disclosure.
"It is now some time since I have been attached to her,
but it is only lately that I have been able to urge my suit as
I could wish. The better I know Elinor Wyllys, the more
anxious I am for success. I never met with a woman of a
more lovely character."
"You only do her justice."
"There is something about her that is peculiar; different
from the common-place set of young ladies one meets with
every day; and yet she is perfectly feminine and womanly.”
And Mr. Ellsworth here ran over various good qualities
of Elinor's. It is impossible to say, whether Harry smiled
or not, at this lover-like warmth: if he did, it was too dark
for his friend to observe it.
"In a situation like mine, with a daughter to educate, the
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
97
choice of a wife is particularly important. Of course I feel
much anxiety as to the decision of a woman like Miss
Wyllys, one whose good opinion is worth the wooing: and
yet, if I do not deceive myself, her manner is not discou-
raging."
"Is she aware of your feelings?" asked Harry.
"Yes; I have only proposed in form quite lately, how-
ever, a day or two after you arrived. Miss Wyllys scarcely
seemed prepared for my declaration, although I thought I
had spoken sufficiently distinctly to be understood, some time
since. She wishes for time to consider: I was willing to
wait as long as she pleased, with the hope of eventually
succeeding. Her friends are quite well disposed towards
me, I think. Mr. Wyllys's manner to me has always been
gratifying, and I hope her aunt is in my favour. To speak
frankly, there have been times when I have felt much en-
couraged as regards Miss Wyllys herself. You will not
think me a coxcomb, Hazlehurst, for opening my heart to
you in this way."
"Certainly not; you honour me by your confidence."
“I should like to have your honest opinion as to my future
prospects; for, of course, one can never feel sure until every-
thing is settled. Josephine is hardly a fair judge-she is
very sanguine; but like myself she is interested in the
affair."
"Mrs. Creighton has so much discernment, that I should
think she could not be easily deceived. If my kinswoman
knows your views, I should say that you have reason to be
encouraged by her manner. There is nothing like coquetry
about her: I am convinced she thinks highly of you.”
w
"Thank you; it gives me great pleasure to hear you say
so. The question must now be decided before long. I was
only prevented from explaining myself earlier, by the fear
of speaking too soon. For though I have known Miss
Wyllys some time, yet we have seldom met. I dare say
you are surprised that I did not declare myself sooner; I am
VOL. II.-9
98
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
inclined to think you would have managed an affair of the
kind more expeditiously; for you are more rapid in most of
your movements than myself. But although I might imagine
love at first sight, I never could fancy a declaration worth
hearing, the first day.”
}
"Do you insinuate that such is the practice of your humble
servant?" asked Hazlehurst, smiling.
"Oh, no; but I was afraid you might disapprove of my
deliberation. My chief hope rests upon Miss Wyllys's
good sense and the wishes of her friends, who, I think, are
evidently favourable to me. She has no silly, high-flown
notions; she is now of an age-three or four-and-twenty I
think-to take a reasonable view of the world; and I hope
she will find the sincere affection of a respectable man, whose
habits and position resemble her own, sufficient for her."
"You wish, I suppose, to hear me repeat, that such will
undoubtedly be the result," said Harry, smiling again.
Perhaps I do," replied Mr. Ellsworth, in the same tone.
"I suppose you are discerning enough to be aware that I
have a rival in Mr. Stryker."
66
(6
Stryker attentive to Elinor? It has not struck me; I
had fancied him rather an admirer of Mrs. Creighton's."
"Of Josephine? Oh, no; she can't endure him, they
are quarrelling half the time when together. No, it is very
evident that Stryker is courting Miss Wyllys's favour. But
I confess I feel encouraged by her conduct towards him;
there is a quiet civility in it, which speaks anything but very
decided approbation.
""
"I know Elinor too well, not to feel assured she must
despise a man of Stryker's character," said Harry, with some
indigħation. "He can't appreciate her; it can be nothing
more, on his part, than downright fortune-hunting."
"No doubt; there you mention another motive I have, for
not being too hasty in my declaration to Miss Wyllys. I
could wish to convince her that my attachment is sincere.'
"Certainly. I forget twenty times a day that she is now
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
99
a fortune, until I see some fellow, like William Hunter, or
Stryker, paying their court to her. I have never been ac-
customed to consider her in that light, of old. In fact I had
no idea of her reputation as an heiress, until I found it so
well established when I arrived here. But Saratoga is just
the place to make such discoveries. I was quite behind the
age in every respect, it seems; for although it did not require
much penetration to find out your secret, Ellsworth, yet I was
taken entirely by surprise. You never made any allusion
to anything of the kind, in your letters to me."
if
"It was so seldom that I met Miss Wyllys, that for a time
my mind was undecided. But, of course, I should have
written you word, if anything had been finally settled; even
you had not come to look after me in propria personâ.”
Having reached their hotel, the gentlemen parted. Mr.
Ellsworth would, in all probability, have been less commu-
nicative with his friend Hazlehurst, on the subject of their
recent conversation, had he been aware of the state of things
which formerly existed between Elinor and himself. He
had only heard some vague stories of an engagement be-
tween them, but had always supposed it mere gossip, from
having seen Harry's attention to Jane, when they were all
in Paris together; while he knew, on the other hand, that
Hazlehurst had always been on the most intimate terms
with the Wyllyses, as a family connexion. He was aware
that Harry had been very much in love with Miss Gráham,
for he had remarked it himself; and he supposed that if there
had ever been any foundation for the report of an engage-
ment with Elinor, it had probably been a mere childish
caprice, soon broken, and which had left no lasting impression
on either party.
1
100
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
CHAPTER IX.
«Nor have these eyes, by greener hills
Been soothed, in all my wanderings."
WORDSWORTH.
CHARLIE HUBBARD had been at Lake George for some
days; and it was a settled thing, that after he had established
himself there, and fixed upon a point for his picture, his
friends from Saratoga were to pay him a visit. Accordingly,
the Wyllyses, with a party large enough to fill a coach, set
out for the excursion, leaving Mrs. Stanley, Jane, her sister,
Mrs. Hazlehurst, and their children, at the Springs. The
weather was fine, and they set out gaily, with pleasant pros-
pects before them.
Charlie was very glad to see them, and as he had already
been some time on the ground, he thought himself qualified
to play cicerone. Most of the party had a relish for natural
scenery, and of course they were prepared to enjoy very
much, a visit to such a lovely spot. Robert Hazlehurst, it is
true, was indifferent to everything of the kind; he acknow-
ledged himself a thorough utilitarian in taste, and avowed
his preference for a muddy canal, running between fields,
well covered with corn and pumpkins, turnips and potatoes,
rather than the wildest lake, dotted with useless islands, and
surrounded with inaccessible Alps; but as he frankly con-
fessed his want of taste, and assured his friends that he ac-
companied them only for the sake of their society, they were
bound to overlook the defect. Mr. Stryker also said a great
deal about his indifference towards les ormeaux, les rameaux,
et les hameaux, affecting much more than he felt, and affirm-
ing that the only lakes he liked, were the ponds of the Tuil-
leries, and the parks of London; the only trees, those of the
Boulevards; and as for villages, he could never endure one,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
101
L
not even the Big Village of Washington. He only came,
he said, because he must follow the ladies, and was parti-
cularly anxious to give Mrs. Creighton an opportunity of
finishing his education, and-to fish. Some of the party
were sorry he had joined them; but Mrs. Creighton had
asked him.
↓
"Are Mrs. Hilson and her sister still at Saratoga?" inquired
Charlie Hubbard of Hazlehurst, the evening they arrived at
Caldwell.
"I believe so ;-they were there the day before yesterday,
for Mrs. Hilson asked me to a pic-nic, at Barkydt's-but I
was engaged. I think I saw Miss Hubbard in the street,
yesterday."
"Had they the same party with them still?”
"Yes; it seemed to be very much the same party."
Hubbard looked mortified; but he was soon busy answer-
ing inquiries as to the projected movements for the next day.
The following morning the whole party set out, in two
skiffs, to pass the day on the lake. Under Charlie's guidance,
they rowed about among the islands, now coasting the shores,
now crossing from one point to another, wherever the views
were finest; generally keeping near enough, as they moved
leisurely along, for conversation between the two boats.
T
"How beautifully clear the water is !" exclaimed Elinor.
"The water in the Swiss lakes is limpid I suppose,
Charlie, like most mountain streams?" observed Mr. Wyllys.
"It is clear, sir; and in the heart of the Alps it has a very
peculiar colour-a blueish tinge-from the glaciers, like
molten lapis lazuli; entirely different from the deep, ultra-
marine blue of the Mediterranean."
•
"Have you any views of the Swiss lakes?" asked Elinor.
"Yes; I can show you several—and, as usual, there is a
difference in their colouring: from Lugarn, a little bit of
lapis lazuli, lying like a jewel, in the green pastures, half-
way up the Alps, just below the ice and snow, to the reedy
9*
102
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
lake of Morat, on the plains of Neufchâtel, more like an
agate,” added Charlie, smiling.
"We shall hope to see them, when we pass through New
York," said Elinor, listening with interest.
"I will show them to you with great pleasure, faute de
mieux, Miss Elinor; but I hope you will one day see the
originals."
In the mean time, however, we shall be very glad to
enjoy your pictures. Have you any Italian views?"
“Yes, quite a number; wherever I went, I made sketches
at least; though I have not yet had time to finish them all
as pictures. In my boxes there are Venetian lagoons, and
Dutch canals; a view of the Seine, in the heart of Paris,
and the Thames, at London; the dirty, famous Tiber, classic
Arno, and classic Avon."
"You make our eyes water, Charlie, with such a cata-
logue,” said Mr. Wyllys. "You must certainly get up an
exhibition, and add several of your American pictures to
those you have just brought home."
"I really hope you will do so," said Elinor.
"The trans-
parent amber-like water of the Canada, and the emerald
colour of Niagara, would appear finely in such a collection."
"I shall never dare attempt Niagara," exclaimed Charlie.
"All the beauties of all the other waters in the world are
united there. It will not do to go beyond the rapids; I
should be lost if I but ventured to the edge of the whirlpool
itself."
"I have no doubt you will try it yet," said Harry.
The young artist shook his head. "I am sometimes dis-
posed to throw aside the brush in disgust, at the temerity of
man, which can attempt to copy even what is most noble, in
the magnificent variety, and the simple grandeur of nature."
"You have been sufficiently successful in what you have
attempted hitherto," said Harry. "I saw your view of Lake
Ontario, in Philadelphia, just after I arrived; and I can never
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONG BRIDGE.
103
forget the impression it produced on me. Of all your pic-
tures that I have seen, that is my favourite."
It is indeed a noble picture," said Mr. Wyllys.
“And few men but yourself, Charlie, could have given so
deep an interest to a broad field of water, with only a strip
of common-place shore in the fore-ground, and a bank of
clouds in the distance. A common painter would have
thrown in some prettiness of art, that would have ruined
it; but you have given it a simple dignity that is really
wonderful!" said Hazlehurst.
"You mortify me," said Charlie; "it is so much inferior
to what I could wish."
Captain C
,"continued Harry, "who was stationed
at Oswego for several years, told me he should have known
your picture without the name, for a view of one of the great
lakes; there was so much truth in the colour and movement
of the water; so much that was different from the Ocean."
66
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is cruel in you to flatter a poor
young artist at this rate," said Charlie.
"If it is criticism you want,” said Hazlehurst, “I can give
you a dose.
You were very severely handled in my pre-
sence, a day or two since, and on the very subject of your
picture of Lake Ontario."
66
Pray, let me hear the criticism; it will sober me."
"What was the fault?" said Elinor; "what was wanting?"
"A few houses and a steamboat, to make it lively.”
"You are making up a good story, Mr. Hazlehurst,” said
Mrs. Creighton, laughing.
66
I give you the critic's words verbatim. I really looked
at the young lady in astonishment, that she should see no-
thing but a want of liveliness in a picture, which most of us
feel to be sublime. But Miss D had an old grudge
against you, for not having made her papa's villa sufficiently
prominent in your view of Hell-Gate.”
(C
But, such a villa!" said Hubbard.
within ten miles of New York. It is
"One of the ugliest
possible, sometimes,
104
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
by keeping at a distance, concealing defects, and partially
revealing columns through verdure, to make one of our
Grecian-temple houses appear to advantage in a landscape;
but, really, Mr. D's villa was such a jumble, so entirely
out of all just proportion, that I could do nothing with it;
and was glad to find that I could put a grove between the
spectator and the building: anybody but its inmates would
have preferred the trees."
"Not at all; Miss D thought the absence of the
portico, with its tall, pipe-stem columns, the row of dormer-
windows on the roof, and the non-descript belvidere crowning
all, a loss to the public."
“The miserable architecture of this country is an obstacle
to a landscape painter, quite too serious to be trifled with, I
can assure you," said. Charlie.
"It must be confessed," said Mr. Ellsworth, "that the
order of things has been reversed here. Architecture is
usually called the parent of the fine arts; but with us she
is the youngest of the family, and as yet the worst endowed.
We had respectable pictures, long before we had a single
building in a really good style; and now that we have some
noble paintings and statuary, architecture still lags behind.
What a noise they made in New York, only a few years
since, about St.Thomas's Church!"
"Yes," said Mr. Stryker; "the curse of the genius of
architecture, which Jefferson said had fallen upon this country,
has not yet been removed."
my
"Some of the most ludicrous objects I have ever laid
eyes on," said Hazlehurst, "have been pretending houses,
and, I am sorry to say, churches too, in the interior of the
country; chiefly in the would-be Corinthian and Composite
styles. They set every rule of good taste and good sense at
defiance, and look, withal, so unconscious of their absurdity,
that the effect is as thoroughly ridiculous, as if it had been
the object of the architect to make them so."
"For reason good,” observed Mr. Wyllys; "because they
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
105
t
f
are wanting in simplicity and full of pretension; and pre-
tension is the root of all absurdity.”
They had now reached the spot Charlie had selected for
his picture; the young artist pointed it out to Miss Wyllys,
who was in the other boat.
"This is the spot I have chosen," he said, "and I hope
you will agree with me in liking the position; it commands
some of the finest points on the lake: that is the Black
mountain in the back-ground."
His friends admired his choice, acknowledging that the
view was one of the most beautiful they had seen.
It must be difficult to choose, where every view is charm-
ing," said Elinor. "How beautiful those little islands are ; so
much variety, and all so pleasing!"
“You will see hundreds of them, Miss Wyllys, when you
have been over the lake," said Hubbard.
"There are just three hundred and sixty-five, marm,"
added one of the boatmen, the guide of the party; "one for
every day in the year."
"This must be May-day island," said Elinor, pointing to
an islet quite near them. "This one, half wood, half
meadow, which shows so many flowers."
(C
May-day island it shall be for the next six weeks,” said
Charlie, smiling. "I have chosen it for another view."
"Well, good people !" exclaimed Robert Hazlehurst, from
the other boat; "you may be feasting on the beauties of
nature; but some of us have more substantial appetites!
Miss Wyllys is a little fatigued, Mr. Stryker all impatience
to get out his handsome fishing-rod, and your humble servant
very hungry, indeed !”
As they had been loitering about for several hours, it was
agreed that they should now land, and prepare to lunch.
"We will put into port at May-day island," said Charlie;
"I have been there several times, and there is a pretty, grassy
bank, where we may spread a table-cloth."
They soon reached the little island pointed out by Elinor,
106
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
and having landed with their baskets of provisions, the meal
was prepared, and only waiting for the fish which Mr.
Stryker had promised to catch, and for a supply of salt which
one of the boatmen had gone for, to a farm-house on the
shore; this necessary having been forgotten, when the pro-
visions were laid in. There never was a pic-nic yet, where
nothing was forgotten.
Mr. Stryker soon prepared himself for action; he was a
famous fisherman, and quite as proud of his rod as of his
reputation, which were both Dublin-made, he said, and,
therefore, perfect in their way. Mr. Wyllys and Mrs.
Creighton admired the apparatus contained in his ebony
walking-stick, to the owner's full satisfaction: he had a great
deal to say about its perfections, the beauty of his flies, the
excellence of his hooks and lines, and so forth; and the
ladies in general, Mrs. Creighton especially, listened as
flatteringly as the gentleman cuuld desire. As he was to
supply the perch for luncheon, however, he was obliged to
begin his labours; and taking a boat, he rowed off a stone's
throw from the shore. In turning a little point, he was sur-
prised, by coming suddenly upon a brother fisherman: in a
rough, leaky boat, with a common old rod in his hand, sat
our acquaintance, Mr. Hopkins, wearing the usual rusty
coat; his red silk kandkerchief spread on his knee, an open
snuff-box on one side of him, a dirty tin pail on the other.
The party on shore were not a little amused by the contrast
in the appearance, manners, and equipments of the two
fishermen; the fastidious Mr. Stryker, so complete, from his
grey blouse to his fishing-basket; the old merchant, quite
independent of everything like fashion, whether alone on
Lake George, or among the crowd in Wall-Street. Charlie,
who did not know him, said that he had met the same indi-
vidual on the lake, at all hours, and in all weathers, during
the past week; he seemed devoted to fishing, heart and soul,
having left the St. Legers at Saratoga, and come on to Lake
George immediately, to enjoy his favourite pastime. It was
THE YOUNG FOEK OF LONGBRIDGE.
107
¿
a pleasure to see how honestly and earnestly he was en-
gaged in his pursuit: as for Mr. Stryker, we strongly sus-
pect that his fancy for fishing was an acquired taste, like
most of those he cherished; we very much doubt whether
he would ever have been a follower of Izaak Walton, had
there not been a fashionable accoutrement for brothers of the
rod, at the present day.
Several of the ladies also fished for half an hour; Mrs.
Creighton begging for a seat in Mr. Stryker's boat, that she
might profit by his instructions. While they were out, a
small incident occurred, which amused the spectators not a
little. Mrs. Creighton had risen, to look at a fish playing
about Mr. Stryker's line, when she accidentally dropped a
light shawl, which fell from her arm into the water; an in-
voluntary movement she made as it fell, also threw a basket
of her companion's flies overboard, at the same instant: he
had just been showing them off.
"Oh, Mr. Stryker, my shawl!" exclaimed the lady.
But the fashionable fisherman was already catching eagerly
at his own precious flies; he succeeded in regaining the
basket, and then, bethinking him of his reputation for gal-
lantry, turned to Mrs. Creighton, to rescue the shawl; but
he had the mortification to see old Mr. Hopkins already
stretching out an arm with the cachemere, which he had
caught almost as soon as it touched the water, and now
offered to its fair owner, with the good-natured hope that it
had not been injured, as it was hardly wet. The lady re-
ceived it very graciously, and bestowed a very sweet smile
on the old merchant; while Mr. Stryker, quite nettled at his
own flagrant misdemeanour, had to face a frown from the
charming widow. It was decidedly an unlucky hour for
Mr. Stryker: he only succeeded in catching a solitary perch;
while Mr. Hopkins, who had been invited to join the party,
contributed a fine mess. The fault, however, was all thrown
on the sunshine; and Mr. Hopkins confessed that he had
not had much sport since the clouds had broken away, earlier
108
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"
in the morning. Everybody seemed very ready for luncheon,
when hailed from the island, for that purpose. The meal
was quite a merry one; Mrs. Creighton was the life of the
party, saying a great many clever, amusing things. She
looked charmingly, too, in a little cap, whose straw-coloured
ribbons were particularly becoming to her brown complexion.
Mr. Stryker gradually recovered from the double mortifica-
tion, of the shawl, and the solitary perch, and soon began
talking over different fishing excursions, with his friend
A-, in Ireland, and his friend B- in Germany. The
rest of the party were all cheerful and good-humoured. Mr.
Ellsworth was quite devoted to Elinor, as usual, of late.
Mary Van Alstyne amused herself with looking on at Mrs.
Creighton's efforts to charm Harry, pique Mr. Stryker, and
flatter Mr. Wyllys into admiring her; nor did she disdain to
throw away several arch smiles on Mr. Hopkins. "She
seems successful in all her attempts," thought Mary. Harry
was quite attentive to her; and it was evident that Mr.
Stryker's admiration had very much increased since they had
been together at the Springs. He had set out for Saratoga,
with the firm determination to play the suitor to Elinor; he
resolved that he would not fall in love with the pretty widow;
but a clever coquette and a man of the world, are adversaries
well matched; and, as usual in such encounters, feminine art
and feminine flattery seemed likely to carry the day. Mr.
Stryker, in spite of himself, often forgot to be properly at-
tentive to Elinor, who appeared to great disadvantage in his
eyes, when placed in constant contrast with Mrs. Creighton.
He scarcely regretted now, his little prospect of favour with
the heiress, for the poorer widow had completely fascinated
him by her graceful flatteries, the piquancy of her wit, and
her worldliness, which, with Mr. Stryker, passed for her
wisdom. Even Mary Van Alstyne, though prejudiced
against her, was obliged to confess, as she watched Mrs.
Creighton, that she admired her. The lady had thrown her-
self on the grass in a graceful position; excited by admira-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
109
tion, she had a brilliant colour; her dress was always stu-
diously fashionable and becoming, in its minutest details; her
amusing remarks flowed freely from a conscience under no
other restraints than those of policy or good-breeding; and
her manner, though always studied for effect, was particu-
larly well studied and agreeable. Her companions thought
her charming. Elinor, at the same moment, was standing
by her side, in a simple dress, with no attempt to disguise a
plain face under finery, and in a perfectly quiet position,
which was graceful without her knowing it. Her whole
manner, indeed, was always natural; its simplicity was its
great charm, for one felt confident that her grace and sweet-
ness, her ease and quiet dignity, flowed readily from her
character itself. Whether these ideas occurred to any of the
party besides Miss Van Alstyne, we cannot say; it is certain,
however, that Mrs. Creighton was all prepared for observa-
tion, Elinor, as usual, quite regardless of it.
"We must carry off some flowers from May-day island,"
said Mr. Ellsworth, preparing to gather a bouquet for Elinor.
He had soon succeeded in collecting quite a pretty bunch,
composed of wild roses, blue hare-bells, the white blossoms
of the wild clematis, the delicate pink clusters of the Alle-
ghany vine, and the broad-leaved rose-raspberry, with several
other varieties.
Mr. Stryker offered a bouquet to Mrs. Creighton.
"It is really quite pretty; but to make it complete, I must
have one of those scarlet lobelias, on the next island; they
are the first I have seen this season. Mr. Hazlehurst, do be
good-natured, and step into that boat and bring me one.
""
"I can do that without the boat, Mrs. Creighton, here is
a bridge," replied Harry, springing on the trunk of a dead
tree, which nearly reached the islet she had pointed out;
catching the branch of an oak on the opposite shore, he
swung himself across. The flowers were soon gathered;
and, after a little difficulty in reaching the dead tree, he
returned to the ladies, just as they were about to embark
VOL. II. - 10
py-g
110
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
again. Perhaps he had caught a spark of the spirit of co-
quetry from Mrs. Creighton, and resented her flirting so
much with Mr. Stryker; for he did not give her all the
flowers he had gathered, but offered a few to each lady as
she entered the boat.
1
"Thank you, Mr. Hazlehurst, very gallantly done," said
Mrs. Creighton, placing one of the lobelias, with a sprig of
Mr. Stryker's, in her belt.
As they rowed leisurely along, Charlie Hubbard pointed
out some of the localities to Miss Wyllys and Robert Hazle-
hurst.
"These mountains are very different in their character,
Mr. Hubbard, from those you have recently been sketching
in Italy and Switzerland," observed Mr. Ellsworth.
Entirely different; their forms are much less bold and
decided."
“Yes; all the mountains in this country, east of the Mis-
sissippi, partake, more or less, of the same character; forming
rounded ridges, seldom broken into those abrupt, ragged
peaks, common in other parts of the world."
"But the elevation of these mountains is much less than
that of the Alps, or high Apennines," observed Mr. Wyllys;
"do not the mountains in Europe, of the same height, re-
semble these in formation ?"
66
66
No, sir, I think not," replied Ellsworth. They are
generally more bold and barren; often mere masses of naked
rock. I am no geologist, but it strikes me that the whole
surface of the earth, in this part of the world, differs in cha-
racter from that of the eastern continent; on one hand, the
mountains are less abrupt and decided in their forms with
us; and on the other, the plains are less monotonous here.
If our mountains are not grand, the general surface of the
country seems more varied, more uneven; there is not so
large a proportion of dead level in this country as in France,
Germany, Russia, for instance; we have much of what we
66
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
111
call a rolling country - -even the prairies, which are the
plains of this region, show the same swelling surface."
"The variety of character in the landscape of different
countries, must be a great charm to one of your profession,
Hubbard," observed Harry. "A landscape painter must
enjoy travelling more than any other man; nothing is lost
upon you—every time you look about you there is something
new to observe. How you must have enjoyed the change
from the general aspect of this country-fresh, full of life
and motion, yet half-finished in the details-to old Italy,
where the scenery and atmosphere are in perfect harmony
with the luxurious repose of a great antiquity !"
I did indeed enjoy the change beyond expression !” ex-
claimed Charlie. "I have often felt thankful, in the best
sense of the word, that I have been enabled to see those
great countries, Italy and Switzerland; it has furnished me
with materials for thought and delight, during a whole life-
time."
"It would be a good plan to get you appointed painting
attaché to the Legation, Hubbard," said Harry. "As you
have seen the south of Europe, would you not like to take a
look at the northern regions ?"
"Not much," replied Charlie. "I should have nothing
but ice to paint there, for half the year."
[C
Well, I suppose there is something selfish in my wish to
carry you to the North Pole; but when I was in Brazil, I
had a very disinterested desire that you should see the Bay
of Rio."
"Is it really so beautiful?" asked Elinor.
"Yes; finer even than Naples, as regards scenery; though
it wants, of course, all the charm of recollection which be-
longs to the old world.”
“You must forget everything like fine scenery when you
go to St. Petersburg," said Robert Hazlehurst.
"Not at all; I hope to take a trip to the Crimea while I
112
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
am in Russia. I shall do my best to ingratiate myself with
the owner of some fine villa on the Black Sea."
"And have you really made up your mind to be a regular
diplomatist ?" asked Mr. Wyllys.
“For a time, sir; so long as I can serve under Mr. Henley,
or a man like him."
"I used to see a good deal of Henley, some twenty years
since," observed Mr. Wyllys. "I should think him particu-
larly well fitted for his duties."
"I have the highest respect for him," replied Harry.
"He is a good model for an American diplomatist," added
Robert Hazlehurst. “A man of ability, good education, and
just principles, with simple, gentlemanly manners; always
manly in his tone, and firm as a rock on all essential points.”
"But those are only a small portion of the qualifications
of a diplomatist," said Mr. Stryker. "According to the
most approved models, the largest half should be cunning."
"Mr. Henley is particularly clear-sighted-not easily de-
ceived either by himself or by others; and that is all that
American diplomacy requires," said Harry. "I am proud
to say that our government does not give us any dirty work
to do; we have chiefly to act on the defensive.”
"Set a thief to catch a thief," said Mr. Stryker, with his
usual dry manner. "I don't believe in the full success of
your virtuous diplomatist. How is a man to know all the
turnings and windings of the road that leads to treaties, unless
he has gone over it himself?”
“But an honest man, if he is really clear-headed and firm,
has no need of these turnings and windings; he goes more
directly to the point, and saves a vast deal of time and prin-
ciple, by taking a more honourable road.”
66
Suppose a man has to make black look white, I should
like to see your honourable diplomatist manage such a job,”
said Mr. Stryker.
"But our government has never yet had such jobs to
THE YOUNG. FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
113
manage. We have never yet made a demand from a foreign
power that we have not believed just. Intrigue is unpar-
donable in American diplomacy, for it is gratuitous; a man
need not resort to it, unless his own taste inclines him that
way. It is an honourable distinction of our government, as
a government, that it has never committed a single act of
injustice against any other power, either by open force, or
underhand manœuvres. We have been wronged sometimes,
and omitted to demand justice as firmly as we might have
done; but there is, probably, no other government among
the great powers of Christendom, that has been so free from
offensive guilt, during the last sixty years, as that of this
country."
It was evident that Mr. Stryker was not in the least con-
vinced by Harry's defence of honest diplomacy.
“The ladies must find great fault with Washington diplo-
macy,” he added, turning to Mrs. Creighton and Elinor:
they are never employed; not a single fair American has
ever figured among les belles diplomates of European saloons,
I believe."
CC
"Perhaps the ladies in this country would not condescend
to be employed," said Elinor.
"Don't say so, Miss Wyllys!" exclaimed Mrs. Creighton,
laughing; "I should delight in having some delicate mission
to manage: when Mr. Stryker gets into the cabinet, he may
send me as special envoy to any country where I can find a
French milliner.”
¿
"You had better go to Russia with Mr. Henley and Mr.
Hazlehurst; I have not the least doubt but they would find
your finesse of great service," said the gentleman.
Mrs. Creighton blushed; and Harry coloured, too.
"The very idea of such an ally would frighten Mr.
Henley out of his wits," said the lady, recovering herself;
"he is an incorrigible old bachelor; that, you must allow, is
a great fault of his, Mr. Hazlehurst.”
10*
114
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"If he be incorrigible," said Harry.
"But that is not clear," said Mr. Stryker to the lady;
"he is a great admirer of yours."
"Come, a truce to diplomacy, Josephine; I am going to
beg Miss Wyllys for a song," said Ellsworth.
Elinor sang very readily, and very sweetly; the Swiss
airs sounded charmingly among the hills; and she was ac-
companied by Mary Van Alstyne, while Charlie, with the
two Hazlehursts, made up a respectable second for several
songs.
Some gathering clouds at length warned the party to turn.
inn-ward again.
"It is to be hoped the shower won't reach us, for your
sake, ladies,” said Robert Hazlehurst.
"I hope not, for the sake of my bibi !" said Mrs. Creigh-
ton. "It is the prettiest little hat I have had these three
years; it would be distressing to have it spoilt before it has
lost its freshness."
"There is no danger, marm," said one of the boatmen,
with a good-natured gravity, that made Mrs. Creighton smile.
"Them 'ere kind of clouds often goes over the lake, without
coming up this way."
And so it proved; the party reached the hotel safely, all
agreeing that they had had a very pleasant day, and were
not at all more tired than was desirable after such an ex-
cursion.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
115
CHAPTER X.
“Sebastian are you?
If spirits can assume both form and suit,
You come to fright us!"
SHAKSPEARE.
On their return to Saratoga, the Wyllyses and Hazlehursts
found startling intelligence awaiting them. Letters had just
arrived for Harry, for Mrs. Stanley, and for Mr. Wyllys, all
of a similar nature, and all of a character that was astounding
to those who received them. They could scarcely credit
their senses as they read the fact, that the executors of the
late John William Stanley, Esquire, were called upon to
account for all past proceedings, to William Stanley, his son
and heir. Hazlehurst was also summoned to resign that
portion of the property of which he had taken possession
two years since, when he had reached the age of twenty-five.
The letters were all written by Mr. Clapp, Charlie Hub-
bard's brother-in-law, who announced himself as the attorney
of William Stanley, Esquire.
"Here are the letters addressed to myself," said Mrs.
Stanley, who had immediately sent for Mr. Wyllys and
Hazlehurst, as soon as they returned from Lake George:
she had not yet recovered from the first agitation caused by
this extraordinary disclosure. "This is the letter purporting
to come from my husband's son, and this is from the lawyer,"
she added, extending both to Hazlehurst.
Harry read them aloud. The first ran as follows:
"MADAM:
"I have not the honour of being acquainted with you, as
my late father was not married to you when I went to sea,
not long before his death. But I make no doubt that you
116
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
will not refuse me my rights, now that I step forward to
demand them, after leaving others to enjoy them for nearly
eighteen years. Things look different to a man near forty,
and to a young chap of twenty; I have been thinking of
claiming my property for some time, but was told by lawyers
that there was too many difficulties in the way, owing partly
to my own fault, partly to the fault of others. As long as I
was a youngster, I didn't care for anything but having my
own way-I snapped my fingers at all the world; but now
I am tired of a sea-faring life, and have had hardships enough
for one man: since there is a handsome property mine, by
right, I am resolved to claim it, through thick and thin. I
have left off the bottle, and intend to do my best to be re-
spectable for the rest of my days. I make no doubt but we
shall be able to come to some agreement; nor would I object
to a compromise for the past, though my lawyers advise me
to make no such offer. I shall be pleased, Madam, to pay
my respects to you, that we may settle our affairs at a per-
sonal meeting, if it suits you to do so.
:
"Your obedient servant, and step-son,
"WILLIAM STANLEY.”
"Can that be my husband's son !" exclaimed Mrs. Stan-
ley, in an agitated voice, as Harry finished reading the letter,
and handed it to Mr. Wyllys.
It will take more than this to convince me," said Mr.
Wyllys, who had been listening attentively. The hand-
writing was then carefully examined by Mrs. Stanley and
Mr. Wyllys, and both were compelled to admit that it was at
least a good imitation of that of William Stanley.
"A most extraordinary proceeding in either case!" ex-
claimed Harry, pacing the room.
"Mr. Clapp's letter was then read: it began with the fol-
lowing words:
“ MADAM :—
"I regret that I am compelled by the interests of my client,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
117
1
Williamn Stanley, Esquire, to address a lady I respect so
highly, upon a subject that must necessarily prove distressing
to her, in many different ways.”
Then followed a brief statement of his first acquaintance
with Mr. Stanley; his refusing to have anything to do with
the affair; his subsequent conviction that the ragged sailor
was the individual he represented himself to be; his reluc-
tance to proceed, &c., &c. But since he was now convinced,
by the strongest proofs, of the justice of Mr. Stanley's
demand, and had at length undertaken to assist him with
his advice, he was, therefore, compelled by duty to give the
regular legal notice, that Mrs. Stanley, as executrix, would
be required to account for her proceedings since her husband's
death. His client, he said, would much prefer an amicable
arrangement, but, if necessary, would proceed to law imme-
diately. He wished to know what course Mrs. Stanley was
disposed to take, as his client's steps would necessarily be
guided by her own, and those of Mr. Wyllys and Mr. Hazle-
hurst. He concluded with a civil hope that the case might
be privately adjusted.
Clapp all over," said Harry, as he finished reading the
letter.
"A most bare-faced imposition, depend upon it!" ex-
claimed Mr. Wyllys, with strong indignation.
Mrs. Stanley was listening with anxious eagerness for the
opinion of the two gentlemen.
"I am strongly disposed to mistrust anything that comes
through Clapp's hands," said Harry, pacing the room thought-
fully, with the letters in his hand. Still, I think it behooves
us, sir, to act with deliberation; the idea that it is not im-
possible that this individual should be the son of Mr. Stanley,
must not be forgotten-that possibility alone would make
me sift the matter to the bottom at once.”
(6
66
"Certainly; it must be looked into immediately."
"What has the lawyer written to you?" asked Mrs. Stanley.
i
118
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
*
The letters to Mr. Wyllys and Harry were then read
aloud; they were almost identical in their contents with that
to Mrs. Stanley. The tone of each was civil and respectful;
though each contained a technical legal notice, that they
would be required to surrender to William Stanley, the
property of his late father, according to the will of the said
John William Stanley; which the said William, his son,
had hitherto neglected to claim, though legally entitled to it.
"There is certainly an air of confidence about those letters
of Clapp's," said Harry, "as if he felt himself on a firm
foothold. It is very extraordinary !"
Of course he would never move in such a case, without
some plausible proof," said Mr. Wyllys.
"But how could he get any proof whatever, on this oc-
casion?" said Mrs. Stanley. For these eighteen years,
nearly, William Stanley has been lying at the bottom of the
ocean. We have believed so, at least."
'Proofs have been manufactured by lawyers before now,"
said Mr. Wyllys. "Do you suppose that if William Stanley
had been living, we never should have heard one trace of
him during eighteen years?-at a time, too, when his father's
death had left him a large property."
"What sort of a man is this Mr. Clapp?" asked Mrs.
Stanley. His manners and appearance, whenever I have
accidentally seen him with the Hubbards, struck me as very
unpleasant but is it possible he can be so utterly devoid of
all principle, as wilfully to countenance an impostor?”
:
He is a man whom I do not believe to possess one just
principle !" said Mr. Wyllys. "Within the last year or two,
I have lost all confidence in his honesty, from facts known
to me."
I have always had a poor opinion of him, but I have
never had much to do with him," said Harry; "still, I
should not have thought him capable of entering into a
conspiracy so atrocious as this must be, if the story be not
true."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
119
“He would do any dirty work whatever, for money. I
know the man," said Mr. Wyllys, with emphasis.
"It is possible he may be deceived himself," observed
Mrs. Stanley.
· 66
Very improbable," replied Mr. Wyllys, shaking his
head.
"A shrewd, cunning, quick-witted fellow, as I remember
him, would not be likely to undertake such a case, unless he
had some prospect of success," said Harry, pacing the room
again. "He must know perfectly well that it is make or
break with him. If he does not succeed, he will be utterly
ruined."
"He will give us trouble, no doubt," said Mr. Wyllys.
"He must have got the means of putting together a plau-
sible story. And yet his audacity confounds me!"
CC
Eighteen years, is it not, since William Stanley's death?”
asked Harry, turning to Mrs. Stanley.
"It will be eighteen years next October, since he sailed.
I was married in November; and from that time we have
never heard anything from the poor boy, excepting the re-
port that the Jefferson, the ship in which he sailed, had been
shipwrecked on the coast of Africa, the following winter,
and all hands lost. That report reached us not long before
my husband's death, and caused him to word his will in the
way it is now expressed; giving to the son of his kinsman
and old friend, half his property, in case his son's death
should be confirmed. The report was confirmed, some
months later, by the arrival of an American vessel, which
had ridden out the storm that wrecked the Jefferson: she
saw the wreck itself, sent a boat to examine it, but could
find no one living; although several bodies were picked up,
with the hope of reviving them. But you have heard the
whole sad story before, Harry.'
"Certainly; I merely wished to hear the facts again,
maʼam, from your own lips, lest I might have forgotten some
important point."
1
120
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Although you were quite a child at the time, Harry,”
said Mr. Wyllys, "eight or ten I believe, still, I should think
you must remember the anxiety to discover the real fate of
William Stanley. I have numbers of letters in my hands,
answers to those I had written with the hope of learning
something more positive on the subject. We sent several
agents, at different times, to the principal sea-ports, to make
inquiries among the sailors; it all resulted in confirming the
first story, the loss of the Jefferson, and all on board. Every
year, of course, made the point more certain."
66
“Still, we cannot say that is not impossible he should have
escaped," observed Harry.
"Why should he have waited eighteen years, before he
appeared to claim his property?—and why should he not
come directly to his father's executors, instead of seeking
out such a fellow as Clapp? It bears on the very face every
appearance of a gross imposture. Surely, Harry, you do
not think there is a shade of probability as to the truth of
this story?”
"Only a possibility, sir; almost everything is against it,
and yet I shall not rest satisfied without going to the bottom
of the matter."
That, you may be sure, we shall be forced to do. Clapp
will give us trouble enough, I warrant; he will leave no
stone unturned that a dirty lawyer can move. It will be
vexatious, but there cannot be a doubt as to the result.”
(6
“You encourage me," said Mrs. Stanley; "and yet the
idea of entering into a suit of this kind is very painful!"
"If it be a conspiracy, there is no treatment too bad for
those who have put the plot together!" exclaimed Harry.
"What a double-dyed villain Clapp must be !"
"He will end his career in the State-Prison," said Mr.
Wyllys.
"The Hubbards, too; that is another disagreeable part of
the business," said Harry.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
121
+
"I am truly sorry for them," replied Mr. Wyllys. "It
will give them great pain."
"What steps shall we first take, sir?" inquired Harry.
"We must look into the matter immediately, of course,
and find out upon what grounds they are at work.”
"I am utterly at a loss to comprehend it?" exclaimed Mrs.
Stanley. "Such a piece of bare-faced audacity !”
66
Clapp must rest all his hope of success on our want of
positive proof as to the death of William Stanley," observed
Harry. "But his having dared to bring forward an indivi-
dual to personate the dead man, is really a height of impu-
dence that I should never have conceived of."
"If I did not know him to be an incarnation of cunning,
I should think he had lost his senses," replied Mr. Wyllys;
"but happily for honest men, rogues generally overreach
themselves; after they have spread their nets, made the mesh
as intricate as possible, they almost invariably fall into their
Such will, undoubtedly, be the result in this
own snare.
case."
"Had you not better return to Longbridge at once," said
Mrs. Stanley, "in order to inquire into the matter?"
"Certainly; we had better all be on the spot; though I
am confident we shall unmask the rogues very speedily.
You were already pledged to return with us, Mrs. Stanley;
and I shall be glad to see you at Wyllys-Roof, again, Harry."
"Thank you, sir; you are very good," replied Hazlehurst,
with something more than the common meaning in the
words; for he coloured a little on remembering the occur-
rences of his last visit to Longbridge, more than three years
since.
"We shall find it difficult," continued Mr. Wyllys, "to
get an insight into Clapp's views and plans. He will, no
doubt, be very wary in all he does; though voluble as ever
in what he says. I know his policy of old; he reverses the
saying of the cunning Italian, volto sciolto, bocca stretta.”
VOL. II.-11
122
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
!
"But his first step has not been a cautious one," observed '
Harry. "It is singular he should have allowed his client to
write to Mrs. Stanley. Do you remember William Stanley's
handwriting distinctly?" he added, again handing the letter
to Mr. Wyllys.
"Yes; and it must be confessed this hand resembles his;
they must have got possession of some of young Stanley's
handwriting."
"But how could they possibly have done so?" said Mrs.
Stanley.
"That is what we must try to find out, my dear madam.”
“He must have been very confident that it was a good
imitation," said Hazlehurst; "for, of course, he knew you
must possess letters of William Stanley's. I don't remember
to have seen anything but his signature, myself.”
66
Yes; it is a good imitation—very good; of course
Clapp was aware of it, or the letter would never have been
sent."
"William was very like his father in appearance, though
not in character," observed Mrs. Stanley, thoughtfully.
He was very like him.”
"Should this man look like my poor husband, I might
have some misgivings," said Mrs. Stanley. "We must
remember at least, my dear Mr. Wyllys, that it is not impos-
sible that William may be living."
66
Only one of the most improbable circumstances you could
name, my dear friend. I wish to see the man, however,
myself; for I have little doubt that I shall be able at once to
discover the imposture, entirely to our own satisfaction at
least-and that is the most important point.
""
“Should the case present an appearance of truth, sufficient
to satisfy a jury, though we ourselves were not convinced,
it would still prove a very serious thing to you, my dear
Harry," observed Mrs. Stanley.
"No doubt: very serious to Hazlehurst, and a loss to all
three. But I cannot conceive it possible that such a daring
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
123
imposture can succeed so far. We shall be obliged, how-
ever, to proceed with prudence, in order to counteract the
cunning of Clapp."
•
After a conversation of some length between the friends,
it was agreed that Hazlehurst should answer the letters, in
the name of Mrs. Stanley and Mr. Wyllys, as well as his
own. It was also decided that they should return to Long-
bridge immediately, and not take any decided steps until
they had seen the individual purporting to be William
Stanley. The bare possibility that Mr. Stanley's son might
be living, determined Mrs. Stanley and Hazlehurst to pursue
this course; although Mr. Wyllys, who had not a doubt on
the subject from the first, had felt no scruple in considering
the claimant as an impostor. We give Harry's letter to Mr.
Clapp.
"Saratoga, June, 18-.
“SIR :-
"The letters addressed by you to Mrs. Stanley, Mr.
Wyllys and myself, of the date of last Tuesday, have just
reached us.
I shall not dwell on the amazement which we
naturally felt in receiving a communication so extraordinary,
which calls upon us to credit the existence of an individual,
whom we have every reason to believe has lain for nearly
eighteen years at the bottom of the deep: it will be sufficient
that I declare, what you are probably already prepared to
hear, that we see no cause for changing our past opinions on
this subject. We believe to-day, as we have believed for
years, that William Stanley was drowned in the wreck of
the Jefferson, during the winter of 181-. We c
We can command
to-day, the same proofs which produced conviction at the
time when this question was first carefully examined. We
have learned no new fact to change the character of these
proofs.
"The nature of the case is such, however, as to admit the
possibility—and it is a bare possibility only-of the existence
of William Stanley. It is not necessarily impossible that he
124
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
}
may have escaped from the wreck of the Jefferson; although
the weight of probability against such an escape, has more
than a hundred-fold the force of that which would favour a
contrary supposition. Such being the circumstances, Mr.
Stanley's executors, and his legatee, actuated by the same
motives which have constantly guided them since his death,
are prepared in the present instance to discharge their duty,
at whatever cost it may be. They are prepared to receive
and examine any proofs, in the possession of yourself and
your client, as to the identity of the individual purporting to
be William Stanley, only son of the late John William
Stanley, of county, Pennsylvania. They demand these
proofs. But, they are also prepared, sir, to pursue with the
full force of justice, and the law of the land, any individual
who shall attempt to advance a false claim to the name and
inheritance of the dead. This matter, once touched, must
be entirely laid bare: were duty out of the question, indig-
nation alone would be sufficient to urge them, at any cost of
time and vexation, to unmask one who, if not William
Stanley, must be a miserable impostor-to unravel what
must either prove an extraordinary combination of circum-
stances, or a base conspiracy.
"(
Prepared, then, to pursue either course, as justice shall
dictate, Mrs. Stanley and Mr. Wyllys, executors of the late
Mr. Stanley, and myself, his legatee, demand: First, an
interview with the individual claiming to be William Stanley.
Secondly, whatever proofs of the identity of the claimant
you may have in your possession. And we here pledge
ourselves to acknowledge the justice of the claim advanced,
if the evidence shall prove sufficient to establish it; or in the
event of a want of truth and consistency in the evidence
supporting this remarkable claim, we shall hold it a duty to
bring to legal punishment, those whom we must then believe
the guilty parties connected with it.
"Mrs. Stanley and Mr. Wyllys wish you, sir, to understand
this letter as an answer to those addressed by you to them-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
125
selves. They are on the point of returning to Longbridge,
where I shall also join them; and we request that your farther
communications to us, on this subject, may be addressed to
Wyllys-Roof.
“HENRY HAZLEHURST.”
This letter was written, and approved by Mrs. Stanley
and Mr. Wyllys, before the consultation broke up; it was
also signed by them, as well as by Harry.
The amazement of Miss Wyllys and Elinor, on hearing
the purport of Mr. Clapp's letters, was boundless. Had
they seen William Stanley rise from the ground before them,
they could scarcely have been more astonished; not a shadow
of doubt as to his death in the Jefferson, had crossed their
minds for years. Like their friends, they believed it a plot
of Mr. Clapp's; and yet his daring to take so bold a step
seemed all but incredible.
When some hours' consideration had made the idea rather
more familiar to the minds of our friends, they began to look
at the consequences, and they clearly saw many difficulties
and vexations before the matter could be even favourably
settled; but if this client of Mr. Clapp's were to succeed in
establishing a legal claim to the Stanley estate, the result
would produce much inconvenience to Mrs. Stanley, still
greater difficulties to Mr. Wyllys, while Harry would be
entirely ruined in a pecuniary sense; since the small pro-
perty he had inherited from his father, would not suffice to
meet half the arrears he would be obliged to discharge, in
restoring his share of the Stanley estate to another. Hazle-
hurst had decided, from the instant the claim was laid before
him, that the only question with himself would regard his
own opinion on the subject; the point must first be clearly
settled to his own judgment. He would see the man who
claimed to be the son of his benefactor, he would examine
the matter as impartially as he could, and then determine for
himself. Had he any good reason whatever for believing
11*
126
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
-
this individual to be William Stanley, he would instantly
resign the property to him, at every cost.
All probability was, however, thus far, against the identity
of the claimant; and unless Hazlehurst could believe in his
good faith and honesty, every inch of the ground should be
disputed to the best of his ability. Mr. Wyllys was very
confident of defeating one whom he seriously believed an
impostor: it was a dirty, disagreeable job to undertake, but
he was sanguine as to the result. Mrs. Stanley was at first
quite overcome by agitation and astonishment; she had some
doubts and anxieties; misgivings would occasionally cross
her mind, in spite of herself, in spite of Mr. Wyllys's opinion;
and the bare idea of opposing one who might possibly be
her husband's son, affected all her feelings. Like Hazle-
hurst, she was very desirous to examine farther into the
matter, without delay; scarcely knowing yet what to hope
and what to fear.
Ellsworth and Mrs. Creighton soon learned the extraordi-
nary summons which Harry had received; he informed
them of the facts himself.
"The man is an impostor, depend upon it, Mr. Hazle-
hurst!" exclaimed Mrs. Creighton, with much warmth.
"I have little doubt of it," replied Harry; "for I do not
see how he can well be anything else."
"You know, Hazlehurst, that I am entirely at your service
in any way you please,” said Ellsworth.
❤❤
"Thank you, Ellsworth; I have a habit of looking to you
in any difficulty, as you know already."
"But I cannot conceive that it should be at all a difficult
matter to unravel so coarse a plot as this must be !" cried
Mrs. Creighton. "What possible foundation can these men
have for their story? Tell me all about it, Mr. Hazlehurst,
pray !” continued the lady, who had been standing when
Harry entered the room, prepared to accompany her brother
and himself to Miss Wyllys's rooms. "Sit down, I beg,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
127
and tell me at once all you choose to trust me with,” she
continued, taking a seat on the sofa.
Harry followed her example. "You are only likely to
hear a great deal too much of it I fear, if you permit Ells-
worth and myself to talk the matter over before you." He
then proceeded to give some of the most important facts, as
far as he knew them himself, at least. Judging from this
account, Mr. Ellsworth pronounced himself decidedly in-
clined to think with Mr. Wyllys, that this claim was a fabri-
cation of Clapp's. Mrs. Creighton was very warm in the
expression of her indignation and her sympathy. After a
long and animated conversation, Mr. Ellsworth proposed
that they should join the Wyllyses: his sister professed
herself quite ready to do so; and, accompanied by Harry,
they went to the usual rendezvous of their party, at Congress
Hall.
Robert Hazlehurst had already left Saratoga with his
family, having returned from Lake George for that purpose,
a day earlier than his friends; and when Mrs. Creighton and
the two gentlemen entered Miss Wyllys's parlour, they only
found there the Wyllyses themselves and Mary Van Alstyne,
all of whom had already heard of Harry's threatened diffi-
culties. Neither Miss Agnes nor Elinor had seen him since
he had received the letters, and they both cordially expressed
their good wishes in his behalf; for they both seemed inclined
to Mr. Wyllys's opinion of the new claimant.
We have every reason to wish that the truth may soon
be discovered," said Miss Agnes.
"I am sorry you should have such a painful, vexatious
task before you," said Elinor, frankly offering her hand to
Harry.
"Have you no sympathies for this new sailor cousin of
yours, Miss Wyllys?—I must say I have a very poor opinion
of him myself," said Mrs. Creighton.
"Whoever he be, I hope he will only receive what is
justly his due," replied Elinor.
128
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"I am happy, Miss Wyllys, that you seem favourably
inclined towards Hazlehurst," said Mr. Ellsworth. “On
the present occasion I consider him not only as a friend but
as a client, and that is the dearest tie we lawyers are sup-
posed to feel."
"One would naturally incline rather more to a client of
yours ex officio, Mr. Ellsworth, than to one of Mr. Clapp's,
that very disagreeable brother-in-law of Miss Patsey Hub-
bard's," said Mary Van Alstyne, smiling.
It was soon decided that the party should break up the
next day. The Wyllyses, with Mrs. Stanley and Mary Van
Alstyne, were to return to Longbridge. Mrs. Creighton and
Mr. Ellsworth were obliged to pay their long deferred visit to
Nahant, the gentleman having some business of importance
in the neighbourhood; but it was expected that they also
should join the family at Wyllys-Roof as early as possible.
Jane was to return to New York with her sister-in-law, Mrs.
St. Leger, leaving Miss Emma Taylor flirting at Saratoga,
under the charge of a fashionable chaperon; while Mr.
Hopkins was still fishing at Lake George.
CHAPTER XI.
"Whence this delay ?—Along the crowded street
A funeral comes, and with unusual pomp." "
ROGERS.
Ir is a common remark, that important events seldom
occur singly; and they seem indeed often to follow each
other with startling rapidity, like the sharpest flashes of
lightning and the loudest peals of thunder from the dark
clouds of a summer shower. On arriving in New York,
บ
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
129
the Wyllyses found that Tallman Taylor had been taken
suddenly and dangerously ill, during the previous night, the
consequence of a stroke of the sun; having exposed himself
imprudently, by crossing the bay to Staten-Island for a dinner-
party, in an open boat, when the thermometer stood at 95° in
the shade. He was believed in imminent danger, and was
too ill to recognize his wife when she arrived. Miss Wyllys
and Elinor remained in town, at the urgent request of Jane,
who was in great distress; while Mr. Wyllys returned home
with Mrs. Stanley and Mary Van Alstyne.
After twenty-four hours of high delirium, the physicians
succeeded in subduing the worst symptoms; but the attack
took the character of a bilious fever, and the patient's re-
covery was thought very doubtful from the first. Poor Jane
sat listlessly in the sick-room, looking on and weeping, un-
heeded by her husband, who would allow no one but his
mother to come near him, not even his wife or his sisters;
he would not, indeed, permit his mother to leave his sight for
a moment, his eyes following every movement of her's with
the feverish restlessness of disease, and the helpless depend-
ence of a child. Jane mourned and wept; Adeline had at
least the merit of activity, and made herself useful as an
assistant nurse, in preparing whatever was needed by her
brother. These two young women, who had been so often
together in brilliant scenes of gaiety, were now, for the first
time, united under a roof of sorrow and suffering.
"That lovely young creature is a perfect picture of helpless
grief!" thought one of the physicians, as he looked at Jane.
For a week, Tallman Taylor continued in the same state.
Occasionally, as he talked with the wild incoherency of
delirium, he uttered sentences painful to hear, as they re-
called deeds of folly and vice; words passed his lips which
were distressing to all present, but which sunk deep into the
heart of the sick man's mother. At length he fell into a
stupor, and after lingering for a day or two in that state, he
expired, without having fully recovered his consciousness for
130
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
a moment.
The handsome, reckless, dashing son of the
rich merchant lay on his bier; a career of selfish enjoyment
and guilty folly was suddenly closed by the grave.
Miss Agnes's heart sunk within her as she stood, silent,
beside the coffin of Jane's husband, remembering how lately
she had seen the young man, full of life and vigour, thought-
lessly devoting the best energies of body and soul to culpable
self-indulgence. It is melancholy indeed, to record such a
close to such a life; and yet it is an event repeated in the
gay world with every year that passes. It is to be feared
there were companions of Tallman Taylor's, pursuing the
same course of wicked folly, which had been so suddenly
interrupted before their eyes, who yet never gave one serious
thought to the subject: if they paused, it was only for a
moment, while they followed their friend to the grave; from
thence hurrying again to the same ungrateful, reckless
abuse of life, and its highest blessings.
Jane was doubly afflicted at this moment; her baby
sickened soon after its return to town, and died only a few
days after her husband; the young father and his infant boy
were laid in the same grave.
Jane herself was ill for a time, and when she partially
recovered, was very anxious to accompany Miss Agnes and
Elinor to Wyllys-Roof- a spot where she had passed so
many peaceful hours, that she longed again to seek shelter
there. She had loved her husband, as far as it was in her
nature to love; but her attachments were never very strong
or very tender, and Tallman Taylor's neglect and unkind-
ness during the past year, had in some measure chilled her
first feelings for him. She now, however, looked upon her-
self as the most afflicted of human beings; the death of her
baby had indeed touched the keenest chord in her bosom→
she wept over it bitterly.
Adeline thought more seriously at the time of her brother's
death than she had ever done before: and even Emma
Taylor's spirits were sobered for a moment. Mr. Taylor,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
131
the father, no doubt felt the loss of his eldest son, though far
less than many parents would have done; he was not so
much overwhelmed by grief, but what he could order a very
handsome funeral, and project an expensive marble monu-
ment-a fashionable tomb-stone of Italian marble. He was
soon able to resume all his usual pursuits, and even the
tenor of his thoughts seemed little changed, for his mind was
as much occupied as usual with Wall-Street affairs, carrying
out old plans, or laying new schemes of profit. He had
now been a rich man for several years, yet he was in fact
less happy than when he began his career, and had every-
thing to look forward to. Still he continued the pursuits of
business, for without the exciting fears and hopes of loss and
gain, life would have appeared a monotonous scene to him;
leisure could only prove a burthen, for it would be merely
idleness, since he had no tastes to make it either pleasant or
useful. His schemes of late had not been so brilliantly suc-
cessful as at the commencement of his course of speculation;
fortune seemed coquetting with her old favourite; he had
recently made several investments which had proved but
indifferent in their results. Not that he had met with serious
losses; on the contrary, he was still a gainer at the game of
speculation; but the amount was very trifling. He had
rapidly advanced to a certain distance on the road to wealth,
but it now seemed as if he could not pass that point; the
brilliant dreams in which he had indulged were only half-
realized. There seemed no good way of accounting for this
pause in his career, but such was the fact; he was just as
shrewd and calculating, just as enterprising now as he had
been ten years before, but certainly he was not so successful.
On commencing an examination of his son's affairs, he
found that Tallman Taylor's extravagance and folly had left
his widow and child worse than penniless, for he had died
heavily in debt. Returning one afternoon from Wall-Street,
Mr. Taylor talked over this matter with his wife. Of all
132
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Tallman Taylor's surviving friends, his mother was the one.
who most deeply felt his death; she was heart-stricken, and
shed bitter tears over the young man.
"There is nothing left, Hester, for the child or her mother,"
said the merchant, sitting down in a rocking-chair in his
wife's room.
"All gone; all wasted; five times the capital
I had to begin with. I have just made an investment, of
which I shall give the profits to Tallman's lady; four lots.
that were offered to me last week; if that turns out well, I
shall go on, and it may perhaps make up a pretty property
for the child, in time.'
66
Oh, husband, don't talk to me about such things now; I
can't think of anything but my poor boy's death !'
"It was an unexpected calamity, Hester," said the father,
with one natural look of sorrow; "but we cannot always
escape trouble in this world.”
"I feel as if we had not done our duty by him!" said the
poor mother.
66
'Why not?—he was very handsomely set up in business,”
remonstrated Mr. Taylor.
"I was not thinking of money," replied his wife, shaking
her head. "But it seems as if we only took him away from
my brother's, in the country, just to throw him in the way
of temptation as he was growing up, and let him run wild,
and do everything he took a fancy to."
We did no more than other parents, in taking him home
with us, to give him a better education than he could have
got at your brother's."
C6
Husband, husband!—it is but a poor education that don't
teach a child to do what is right! I feel as if we had never
taught him what we ought to. I did not know he had got
so many bad ways until lately; and now that I do know it,
my heart is broken !”
"Tallman was not so bad as you make him out. He was
no worse than a dozen other young gentlemen I could name
at this
very minute."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
133
"Oh, I would give everything we are worth to bring him
back!-but it is too late-too late!"
"No use in talking now, Hester."
"We ought to have taken more pains with him. He
didn't know the danger he was in, and we did, or we ought
to have known it. Taking a young man of a sudden, from
a quiet, minister's family in the country, like my brother's,
and giving him all the money he wanted, and turning him.
out into temptation.-Oh, it's dreadful!”
"All the pains in the world, Hester, won't help a young
man, unless he chooses himself. What could I do, or you
either? Didn't we send him to school and to college?—didn't
we give him an opportunity of beginning life with a fine
property, and married to one of the handsomest girls in the
country, daughter of one of the best families, too? What
more can you do for a young man? He must do the rest
himself; you can't expect to keep him tied to your apron-
string all his life."
“Oh, no; but husband, while he was young we ought to
have taken more pains to teach him not to think so much
about the ways of the world. There are other things besides
getting money and spending money, to do; it seems to me
now as if money had only helped my poor boy to his ruin !"
"Your notions are too gloomy, Mrs. Taylor. Such cala-
mities will happen, and we should not let them weigh us
down too much."
"If I was to live a hundred years longer, I never could
feel as I did before our son's death. Oh, to think what a
beautiful, innocent child he was twenty years ago, this time!"
"You shouldn't let your mind run so much on him that's
gone. It's unjust to the living."
The poor woman made no answer, but wept bitterly for
some time.
"It's my only comfort now," she said, at length, "to think
that we have learned wisdom by what's passed. As long
as I live, day and night, I shall labour to teach our younger
VOL. II. 12
G
C
134
ELINOR WYLLYS; Or,
children not to set their hearts upon the world; not to think
so much about riches."
Well, I must say, Hester, if you think all poor people
are saints, I calculate you make a mistake."
"I don't say that, husband; but it seems to me that we
have never yet thought enough of the temptations of riches,
more especially to young people, to young men-above all,
when it comes so sudden as it did to our poor boy. What
good did money ever do him?—it only brought him into
trouble !"
"Because Tallman didn't make the most of his opportu-
nities, that is no reason why another should not. If I had
wasted money as he did, before I could afford it, I never
should have made a fortune either. The other boys will do
better, I reckon; they will look more to business than he did,
and turn out rich men themselves."
"It isn't the money!—it isn't the money I am thinking
of!" exclaimed the poor mother, almost in despair at her
husband's blindness to her feelings.
"What is it then you take so much to heart?”
"It's remembering that we never warned our poor child;
we put him in the way of temptation, where he only learned
to think everything of the world and its ways; we didn't
take pains enough to do our duty, as parents, by him!"
""
Well, Hester, I must say you are a very unreasonable
lady!" exclaimed Mr. Taylor, who was getting impatient.
under his wife's observations. "One would think it was all
my fault; do you mean to say it was wrong in me to grow
rich ?"
"I am afraid it would have been better for us, and for our
children, if you hadn't made so much money," replied the
wife. "The happiest time of our life was the first ten years
after we were married, when we had enough to be comfort-
able, and we didn't care so much about show. I am sure
money hasn't made me happy; I don't believe it can make
anybody happy!"
1
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
135
Mr. Taylor listened in amazement; but his straightforward,
quiet wife, had been for several years gradually coming to
the opinion she had just expressed, and the death of her
eldest son had affected her deeply. The merchant, finding
that he was not very good at consolation, soon changed the
conversation; giving up the hope of lessening the mother's
grief, or of bringing her to what he considered more rational
views of the all-importance of wealth.
As soon as Jane felt equal to the exertion, she accompanied
Miss Agnes and Elinor to Wyllys-Roof. During the three
years of her married life she had never been there, having
passed most of the time either at Charleston or New Orleans.
Many changes had occurred in that short period; changes
of outward circumstances, and of secret feeling. Her last
visit to Wyllys-Roof had taken place just after her return
from France, when she was tacitly engaged to young Taylor;
at a moment when she had been more gay, more brilliantly
handsome than at any other period of her life. Now, she
returned there, a weeping, mourning widow, wretchedly
depressed in spirits, and feeble in health. She was still very
lovely, however; the elevated style of her beauty was such,
that it appeared finer under the shadow of grief, than in the
sunshine of gaiety; and it is only beauty of the very highest
order which will bear this test. Her deep mourning dress
was in harmony with her whole appearance and expression;
and it was not possible to see her at this moment, without
being struck by her exceeding loveliness. Jane was only
seen by the family, however, and one or two very intimate
friends; she remained entirely in the privacy of her own
room, where Elinor was generally at her side, endeavouring
to soothe her cousin's grief, by the gentle balm of sympathy
and affection.
136
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
CHAPTER XII.
"Do thou stand for my father, and examine me upon the particulars
of my life."
"What manner of man, an 't please your majesty ?"
Henry IV.
HAZLEHURST's affairs had not remained stationary, in the
mean time; Mrs. Stanley and himself were already at
Wyllys-Roof, when Miss Wyllys and Elinor returned home,
accompanied by the widowed Jane. The ladies had re-
ceived frequent intelligence of the progress of his affairs,
from Mr. Wyllys's letters; still there were many details to
be explained when the party was re-united, as several im-
portant steps had been taken while they were in New York.
Mr. Clapp was no longer the only counsel employed by the
claimant; associated with the Longbridge attorney, now
appeared the name of Mr. Reed, a lawyer of highly respect-
able standing in New York, a brother-in-law of Judge Ber-
nard's, and a man of a character far superior to that of Mr.
Clapp. He was slightly acquainted with Mr. Wyllys, and
had written very civil letters, stating that he held the proofs
advanced by his client, to be quite decisive as to his identity,
and he proposed an amicable meeting, with the hope that
Mr. Stanley's claim might be acknowledged without farther
difficulty. That Mr. Reed should have taken the case into
his hands, astonished Hazlehurst and his friends; so long as
Clapp managed the affair, they felt little doubt as to its being
a coarse plot of his own; but they had now become impa-
tient to inquire more closely into the matter. Mrs. Stanley
was growing very uneasy; Hazlehurst was anxious to pro-
ceed farther as soon as possible; but Mr. Wyllys was still
nearly as sanguine as ever. All parties seemed to desire a
personal interview; Mr. Reed offered to accompany his
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
137
client to Wyllys-Roof, to wait on Mrs. Stanley; and a day
had been appointed for the meeting, which was to take place
as soon as Harry's opponent, who had been absent from
Longbridge, should return. The morning fixed for the inter-
view, happened to be that succeeding the arrival of the
ladies; and it will be easily imagined that every member of
the family looked forward to the moment with most anxious
interest. Perhaps they were not aware themselves, how
gradually doubts had arisen and increased, in their own
minds, since the first disclosure made by Mr. Clapp.
66
Harry and myself have both seen this man at last,
Agnes," said Mr. Wyllys to his daughter, just after she had
returned home, when alone with Elinor and herself. "Where
do you suppose Harry saw him yesterday? At church, with
Mr. Reed. And this morning I caught a glimpse of him,
standing on the steps of Clapp's office."
"Indeed!" exclaimed Miss Wyllys, who, as well as
Elinor, was listening eagerly. How did he look?-what
kind of man did he seem ?"
"He looked like a sailor. I only saw him for a moment,
however; for he was coming out of the office, and walked
down the street, in an opposite direction from me. I must
confess that his face had something of a Stanley look."
"Is it possible!"
Yes; so far as I could see him, he struck me as looking
like the Stanleys; but, in another important point, he does
not resemble them at all. You remember the peculiar gait
of the family?—they all had it, more or less; anybody who
knew them well must have remarked it often-but this man
had nothing of the kind; he walked like a sailor."
❤
"I know what you mean; it was a peculiar motion in
walking, well known to all their friends-a long, slow step."
"Precisely; this man had nothing of it, whatever-he
had the sailor swing, for I watched his movements expressly.
William Stanley, as a boy, walked just like his father; for
I have often pointed it out to Mr. Stanley, myself."
12*
138
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"That must be an important point, I should suppose; and
yet, grandpapa, you think he looks like my uncle Stanley?"
said Elinor.
"So I should say, from the glimpse I had of him."
"What did Harry think of him?" asked Miss Wyllys.
“Hazlehurst did not see his face, for he sat before him in
church. He said, that if he had not been told who it was,
he should have pronounced him, from his general appear-
ance and manner, a common-looking, sea-faring man, who
was not accustomed to the service of the Church; for he did
not seem to understand when he should kneel, and when he
should rise."
“But William Stanley ought to have known it perfectly,"
observed Elinor; "for he must have gone to church con-
stantly, with his family, as a child, until he went to sea, and
could scarcely have forgotten the service entirely, I should
think."
"(
Certainly, my dear; that is another point which we
have noted in our favour. On the other hand, however, I
have just been carefully comparing the hand-writing of
Clapp's client, with that of William Stanley, and there is a
very remarkable resemblance between them. As far as the
hand-writing goes, I must confess, that I should have ad-
mitted it at once, as identical, under ordinary circumstances."
"And the personal likeness, too, struck you, it seems,"
added Miss Agnes.
“It did; so far, at least, as I could judge from seeing him
only a moment, and with his hat on. To-morrow we shall
be able, I trust, to make up our minds more decidedly on
other important points."
"It is very singular that he should not be afraid of an
interview!" exclaimed Elinor.
Well, I don't know that, my child; having once advanced
this claim, he must be prepared for examination, you know,
under any circumstances. It is altogether a singular case,
however, whether he be the impostor we think him, or the
(6
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
139
individual he claims to be. Truth is certainly more strange
than fiction sometimes. Would you like to see the statement
Mr. Reed sent us, when we applied for some account of his
client's past movements?”
Miss Agnes and Elinor were both anxious to see it.
"Here it is-short you see-in Clapp's hand-writing, but
signed by himself. There is nothing in it that may not
possibly be true; but I fancy that we shall be able to pick
some holes in it, by-and-bye."
"Did he make no difficulty about sending it to you?"
asked Miss Agnes.
“No, he seemed to give it readily; Mr. Reed sent it to us
a day or two since.”
Miss Wyllys received the letter from her father, inviting
Elinor to read it over her shoulder, at the same moment. It
was endorsed, in Clapp's hand, " Statement of Mr. Stanley,
prepared at the request of his father's executor," and ran
as follows:
"July 1st, 183-.
"I left home, as everybody knows, because I would have
my own way in everything. It was against my best inte-
rests to be sure, but boys don't think at such times, about
anything but having their own will. I suppose that every
person connected with my deceased father knows, that my
first voyage was made to Russia, in the year 18—, in the ship
Dorothy Beck, Jonas Thomson, Master. I was only fourteen
years old at the time. My father had taken to heart my
going off, and when I came back from Russia he was on the
look-out, wrote to me and sent me money, and as soon as he
heard we were in port he came after me. Well, I went
back with the old gentleman; but we had a quarrel on the
road, and I put about again and went to New Bedford, where
I shipped in a whaler. We were out only eighteen months,
and brought in a full cargo. This time I went home of my
own accord, and I staid a great part of one summer. I did
think some of quitting the seas; but after a while things
140
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
didn't work well, and one of my old shipmates coming up
into the country to see me, I went off with him. This time
I shipped in the Thomas Jefferson, for China. This was in
the year 1814, during the last war, when I was about eighteen.
Most people, who know anything about William Stanley,
think that was the last of him, that he never set foot on
American ground again; but they are mistaken, as he him-
self will take the pains to show. So far I have told nothing
but what everybody knows, but now I am going to give a
short account of what has happened, since my friends heard
from me.
Well; the Jefferson sailed, on her voyage to
China, in October; she was wrecked on the coast of Africa
in December, and it was reported that all hands were lost:
so they were, all but one, and that one was William Stanley.
I was picked up by a Dutchman, the barque William, bound
to Batavia. I kept with the Dutchman for a while, until he
went back to Holland. After I had cut adrift from him, I
fell in with some Americans, and got some old papers; in
one of them I saw my father's second marriage. I knew
the name of the lady he had married, but I had never spoken
to her. The very next day, one of the men I was with, who
came from the same part of the country, told me of my
father's death, and said it was the common talk about the
neighbourhood, that I was disinherited. This made me very
angry; though I wasn't much surprised, after what had
passed. I was looking out for a homeward-bound American,
to go back, and see how matters stood, when one night that
I was drunk, I was carried off by an English officer, who
made out I was a runaway. For five years I was kept in
different English men-of-war, in the East Indies; at the end
of that time I was put on board the Ceres, sloop of war, and
I made out to desert from her at last, and got on board an
American. I then came home; and here, the first man that
I met on shore was Billings, the chap who first persuaded
me to go to sea: he knew all about my father's family, and
told me it was true I was cut off without a cent, and that
¦
}
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
141
Harry Hazlehurst had been adopted by my father. This
made me so mad, that I went straight to New Bedford, and
shipped in the Sally Andrews, for a whaling voyage. Just
before we were to have come home, I exchanged into another
whaler, as second-mate, for a year longer. Then I sailed in
a Havre liner, as foremast hand, for a while. I found out
about this time, that the executors of my father's estate had
been advertising for me shortly after his death, while I was
in the East Indies; and I went to a lawyer in Baltimore,
where I happened to be, and consulted him about claiming
the property; but he wouldn't believe a word I said, because
I was half-drunk at the time, and told me that I should get
in trouble if I didn't keep my mouth shut. Well, I cruized
about for a while longer, when at last I went to Longbridge,
with some shipmates. I had been there often before, as a
lad, and I had some notion of having a talk with Mr. Wyllys,
my father's executor; I went to his house one day, but I
didn't see him. One of my shipmates, who knew something
of my story, and had been a client of Mr. Clapp's, advised
me to consult him. I went to his office, but he sent me off
like the Baltimore lawyer, because he thought I was drunk.
Three years after that I got back to Longbridge again, with
a shipmate; but it did me no good, for I got drinking, and
had a fit of the horrors. That fit sobered me, though, in the
end; it was the worst I had ever had; I should have hanged
myself, and there would have been an end of William
Stanley and his hard rubs, if it hadn't been for the doctor-
I never knew his name, but Mr. Clapp says it was Dr. Van
Horne. After this bad fit, they coaxed me into shipping in a
temperance whaler. While I was in the Pacific, in this ship,
nigh three years, and out of the reach of drink, I had time
to think what a fool I had been all my life, for wasting my
opportunities. I thought there must be some way of getting
back my father's property; Mr. Clapp had said, that if I was
really the man I pretended to be, I must have some papers
to make it out; but if I hadn't any papers, he couldn't help
142
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
me, even if I was William Stanley forty times over.
It is
true, I couldn't show him any documents that time, for I
didn't have them with me at Longbridge; but I made up
my mind, while I was out on my last voyage, that as soon as
I got home, I would give up drinking, get my papers to-
gether, and set about doing my best to get back my father's
property. We came home last February; I went to work,
I kept sober, got my things together, put money by for a
lawyer's fee, and then went straight to Longbridge again. I
went to Mr. Clapp's office, and first I handed him the money,
and then I gave him my papers. I went to him, because he
had treated me better than any other lawyer, and told me if
I was William Stanley, and could prove it, he could help
me better than any other man, for he knew all about my
father's will. Well, he hadn't expected ever to see me
again; but he heard my story all out this time, read the
documents, and at last believed me, and undertook the case.
The rest is known to the executors and legatee by this time;
and it is to be hoped, that after enjoying my father's estate
for nigh twenty years, they will now make it over to his son.
"Dictated to W. C. Clapp, by the undersigned,
[Signed,]
"WILLIAM STANLEY."
"Are these facts, so far as they are known to you, all
true?" asked Miss Agnes, as she finished the paper. "I
mean the earlier part of the statement, which refers to
William Stanley's movements before he sailed in the Jef
ferson ?"
"Yes; that part of the story is correct, so far as it goes."
"How extraordinary!" exclaimed Elinor.
"What does Harry think of this paper?"
“Both he and Mrs. Stanley are more disposed to listen to
the story than I am; however, we are to meet this individual
to-morrow, and shall be able then, I hope, to see our way
more clearly."
1
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
143
"Do you find any glaring inconsistency in the latter part
of the account?" continued Miss Agnes.
"Nothing impossible, certainly; but the improbability of
William Stanley's never applying to his father's executors,
until he appeared, so late in the day, as Mr. Clapp's client,
is still just as striking as ever in my eyes. Mr. Reed ac-
counts for it, by the singular character of the man himself,
and the strange, loose notions sailors get on most subjects;
but that is far from satisfying my mind."
"Mrs. Stanley is evidently much perplexed," observed
Miss Wyllys; "she always feels any trouble acutely, and
this startling application is enough to cause her the most
serious anxiety, under every point of view."
66
Certainly; I am glad you have come home, on her
account-she is becoming painfully anxious. It is a very
serious matter, too, for Hazlehurst; he confessed to me yes-
terday, that he had some misgivings."
"What a change it would make in all his views and pros-
pects for life!" exclaimed Miss Wyllys.
"A change, indeed, which he would feel at every turn.
But we are not yet so badly off as that. We shall give this
individual a thorough, searching examination, and it is my
firm opinion that he will not bear it. In the mean time we
have agents at work, endeavouring to trace this man's past
career; and very possibly we may soon discover in that way,
some inconsistency in his story."
"The interview is for to-morrow, you say," added Miss
Agnes.
"To-morrow morning. It is to be considered as a visit to
Mrs. Stanley; Mr. Reed and Clapp will come with him.
He has engaged to bring a portion of his papers, and to
answer any questions of ours, that would not injure him in
case of an ultimate trial by law: after the interview, we are
to declare within a given time whether we acknowledge the
claim, or whether we are prepared to dispute it."
144
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"If you do carry it into a court of justice, when will the
trial take place?" asked Miss Agnes.
•
"Probably in the autumn; they have already given notice,
that they will bring it on as soon as possible, if we reject
their demand."
66
Harry will not go abroad then, with Mr. Henley."
“No; not so soon at least as he intended. So goes the
world; Hazlehurst's career suddenly stopped, by an obstacle
we never dreamed of, at this late day. That poor young
Taylor in his grave, too! How is Jane?"
"Very feeble, and much depressed."
"Poor girl-a heavy blow to her-that was a sweet baby
that she lost. I am glad to see the other child looks well.
Jane's affairs, too, are in a bad way, they tell me."
Miss Agnes shook her head, and her father soon after left
her.
Hazlehurst was, of course, much occupied, having many
things to attend to, connected in different ways with the im-
portant question under consideration: there were old papers
to be examined, letters to be written, letters to be read, and the
family seldom saw him, except at his meals. It was evident,
however, that all Mr. Wyllys's displeasure against him, was
fast disappearing under the influence of the strong interest
now aroused in his favour. Miss Agnes had also resumed
entirely, her former manner towards him. Elinor was quite
unembarrassed, and frankly expressed her interest in his
affairs; in fact, all parties appeared so much engrossed by
this important topic, that no one seemed to have time to re-
member the unpleasant circumstances of Harry's last visit
to Wyllys-Roof. To judge from his manner, and something
in his expression, if any one occasionally thought of the past,
it was Hazlehurst himself; he seemed grateful for his pre-
sent kind reception, and conscious that he had forfeited all
claim to the friendly place in which he had been reinstated.
Once or twice, he betrayed momentary feeling and embar-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
145
rassment, as some allusion to past scenes was accidentally
made by others, in the course of conversation.
The family were sitting together after tea, enjoying the
summer evening twilight, after a long business consultation
between the gentlemen. Harry seemed still engrossed by
his own meditations; what was their particular nature at
that moment, we cannot say; but he certainly had enough
to think of in various ways. Harry's friends left him in
undivided possession of the corner, where he was sitting,
alone; and Mr. Wyllys, after a quiet, general conversation
with the ladies, asked Elinor for a song. At her grandfather's
request, she sang a pleasing, new air, she had just received,
and his old favourite, Robin Adair. Fortunately, it did not
occur to her, that the last time she had sung that song at
Wyllys-Roof, with Hazlehurst as part of her audience, was
the evening before their rupture; she appeared to have for-
gotten the fact, for no nervous feeling affected her voice,
though her tones were lower than usual, as she did not wish
to disturb Jane, who was in a distant part of the house. A
letter from Mr. Reed was brought in, and drew Harry into
the circle again; it was connected with the next day's inter-
view, and after reading it, Mr. Wyllys made some remarks
upon the difference in the tone and manner of the commu-
nications they had received from Clapp, and from Mr. Reed;
the last writing like a gentleman, the first like a pettifogger.
"I am glad, at least, that you will have a gentleman to
deal with," observed Elinor.
(4
Why, yes, Nelly; it is always advisable to secure a
gentleman for friend or foe, he is the best substitute for a good
man that one can find. But it is my opinion that Mr. Reed
will not persevere in this case; I think he will soon be dis-
gusted with Clapp, as his brother counsel. To-morrow,
however, we shall have a nearer look at all our opponents,
and I trust that we shall be able to make up our own minds
at least, beyond a doubt."
VOL. II. — 13
*
**]
146
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"I trust so!" replied Mrs. Stanley, whose anxiety had
increased painfully.
“I wish Ellsworth were here!" exclaimed Harry; "as his
feelings are less interested than those of either of us, he
would see things in a more impartial light."
"I wish he were here, with all my heart," replied Mr.
Wyllys. "I am a little afraid of both you, my excellent
friend, and you, Hazlehurst; the idea of not doing justice
to the shadow of William Stanley, will make you too merciful
towards this claimant, I fear. I see plainly, Harry, that you
have some scruples, and I caution you against giving way
too much to them."
•
Hazlehurst smiled, and passed his hand over his forehead.
"Thank you, sir, for your advice," he replied. "I shall try
to judge the facts calmly; although the idea, that one may
possibly be an usurper, is by no means pleasant; it is rather
worse even, than that of giving up to an impostor."
It is a thousand pities that Ellsworth cannot be here until
next week; he would have warned you, as I do, not to lose
sight of the impostor."
It is quite impossible that he should come, until next
Monday; I knew his business would not admit of it, when
I wrote to him at your request; but he will be here at the
very earliest moment that he can.”
In fact every one present, while they regretted Mr. Ells-
worth's absence, felt thoroughly convinced that there were
various reasons, which gave him the best inclination in the
world to be at Wyllys-Roof as soon as possible.
"I hope Mrs. Creighton will come with him too; she will
enliven us a little, in the midst of our legal matters,” said
Mr. Wyllys.
"Ellsworth mentions Mrs. Creighton's coming particularly;
she sends a message to the ladies, through him, which I have
already delivered," replied Hazlehurst, as he took up Mr.
Reed's letter, to answer it.
Well, Agnes, shall we have a game of chess?" said Mr.
1
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
147
Wyllys; and the circle was broken up, as the younger ladies
joined Mrs. Taylor in her own room.
The hour of ten, on the following morning, had been fixed
for the interview with the sailor and his counsel. Hazle-
hurst was walking on the piazza, as the time approached,
and punctual to the moment, he saw a carriage drive up to
the house; in it were Mr. Reed, Mr. Clapp, and their client.
Harry stopped to receive them; and, as they mounted the
steps one after the other, he bowed respectfully to Mr. Reed,
slightly to Mr. Clapp, and fixed his eye steadily on the third
individual.
"Mr. Stanley, Mr. Hazlehurst," said Mr. Reed, in a quiet,
but decided manner.
Harry bowed like a gentleman, Mr. Stanley like a jack-
tar. The first steady, inquiring glance of Hazlehurst, was
sufficient to show him, that the rival claimant was a man
rather shorter, and decidedly stouter than himself, with dark
hair and eyes, and a countenance by no means unpleasant,
excepting that it bore evident traces of past habits of intem-
perance; as far as the features went, they certainly reminded
Harry of Mr. Stanley's portrait. The sailor's dress was that
which might have been worn by a mate, or skipper, on
shore; he appeared not in the least daunted, on the contrary
he was quite self-possessed, with an air of determination
about him which rather took Harry by surprise.
A few indifferent observations were exchanged between
Mr. Reed and Hazlehurst, as the party entered the house;
they were taken by Harry into the drawing-room, and he
then left them, to inform Mrs. Stanley and Mr. Wyllys of
their arrival.
Mrs. Stanley, though a woman of a firm character, was
very excitable in her temperament, and she dreaded the
interview not a little; she had asked Miss Wyllys to remain
with her on the occasion. Mr. Wyllys was sent for, and
when he had joined the ladies, and Mrs. Stanley had com-
posed herself, their three visitors were ushered into Miss
148
R
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Wyllys's usual sitting-room by Hazlehurst. He introduced
Mr. Reed to Mrs. Stanley and Miss Wyllys, named Mr.
Clapp, and added, as the sailor approached:
"Mr. Reed's client, ma'am."
"Mr. William Stanley," added Mr. Reed, firmly, but
respectfully.
Mrs. Stanley had risen from her seat, and after curtseying
to the lawyers, she turned very pale, as the name of her
husband's son was so deliberately applied, by a respectable
man, to the individual before her.
"I was just asking Mr. Stanley, when Mr. Hazlehurst
joined us," observed the forward Mr. Clapp, "if he remem-
bered Wyllys-Roof at all; but he says his recollections of
this place are rather confused.'
""
"When were you here last, sir?" asked Mr. Wyllys of
the sailor, giving him a searching look at the same time.
"About five years ago," was the cool reply, rather to Mr.
Wyllys's surprise.
66
Five years ago!-I have no recollection of the occasion."
The rest of the party were looking and listening, with
curious, anxious interest.
"You don't seem to have much recollection of me, at all,
sir," said the sailor, rather bitterly.
"Do you mean to say, that you were in this house five
years ago?” asked Mr. Wyllys.
"I was here, but I didn't say I was in the house."
"What brought you here?"
Pretty much the same errand that brings me now.”
"What passed on the occasion?"
"I can't say I remember much about it, excepting that
you did not give me an over-friendly greeting."
"Explain how it happened, Mr. Stanley," said Mr. Reed,
"Mr. Wyllys does not understand you."
"I certainly cannot understand what you mean me to
believe. You say you were here, and did not receive a very
friendly greeting-how was it unfriendly?"
16
+
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
149
"Why, you showed me the inside of your smoke-house;
which, to my notion, wasn't just the right berth for the son
of your old friend, and I took the liberty of kicking off the
hatches next morning, and making the best of my way out
of the neighbourhood."
"You remember the drunken sailor, sir, who was found
one night, several years since, near the house," interrupted
Harry, who had been listening attentively, and observed Mr.
Wyllys's air of incredulity. "I had him locked up in the
smoke-house, you may recollect."
"And you must observe, Mr. Hazlehurst, that is a fact
which might look ugly before a jury that did not know you,"
remarked Mr. Clapp, in a sort of half-cunning, half-insinu-
ating manner.
"I do not in the least doubt the ability of many men, sir,
to distort actions equally innocent."
"But you acknowledge the fact?"
"The fact that I locked up a drunken sailor, I certainly
acknowledge; and you will find me ready to acknowledge
any other fact equally true.
""
Do you believe this to be the person you locked up,
Harry?" asked Mr. Wyllys.
"I think it not improbable that it is the same individual;
but I did not see the man distinctly at the time.'
"I am glad, gentlemen, that you are prepared to admit the
identity thus far-that is a step gained," observed Mr. Clapp,
running his hand through his locks.
“Permit me, Mr. Clapp, to ask you a question or two,"
said Mr. Wyllys. "Now you recall that circumstance to
me, I should like to ask, if we have not also heard of this
individual since the occasion you refer to ?"
"Yes, sir; you probably have heard of him since," re-
plied Mr. Clapp, boldly.
"And in connexion with yourself, I think?”
“In connexion with me, sir. You will find me quite as
13*
150
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
1
ready as Mr. Hazlehurst to admit facts, sir," replied the
lawyer, leaning back in his chair.
"When they are undeniable," observed Mr. Wyllys, drily.
'May I inquire what was the nature of that connexion ?"
asked the gentleman, with one of his searching looks.
66
The lawyer did not seem to quail beneath the scrutiny.
"The connexion, Mr. Wyllys, wa the commencement of
what has been completed recently. Mr. Stanley came to
lay before me the claims which he now makes publicly.”
"You never made the least allusion to any claim of this
kind to me, at that time," said Mr. Wyllys.
"I didn't believe it then; I am free to say so now."
"Still, not believing the claim, it was singular, I may say
suspicious, sir, that you never even mentioned the individual
who made it.”
"Why, to tell you the truth, Mr. Wyllys, I had unpleasant
thoughts about it; we were neighbours and old friends, and
though I might make up my mind to undertake the case, if
I thought it clear, I did prefer that you should not know
about my having had anything to do with it, as long as I
thought it a doubtful point. I think you must see that was
only natural for a young lawyer, who had his fortune to
make, and expected employment from you and your friends.
I have no objections whatever to speaking out now, to satisfy
your mind, Mr. Wyllys."
"I believe I understand you, sir," replied Mr. Wyllys, his
countenance expressing more cool contempt than he was
aware of.
1
"I think, however, there are several other points which
are not so easily answered," he added, turning to Mr. Reed,
as if preferring to continue the conversation with him. "Do
you not think it singular, Mr. Reed, to say the least, that
your client should have allowed so many years to pass,
without claiming the property of Mr. Stanley, and then, at
this late day, instead of applying directly to the executors,
come to a small town like Longbridge, to a lawyer so little
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
151
|
T
known as Mr. Clapp, in order to urge a claim, so important
to him as this we are now examining?" asked Mr. Wyllys,
with a meaning smile.
"We are able to explain all those points quite satisfactorily,
I think," replied Mr. Reed.
"I object, however," interposed Mr. Clapp, "to laying
our case fully before the defendants, until we know what
they conclude to do. We have met here by agreement, to
give the defendants an opportunity of satisfying their own.
minds-that they may settle the point, whether they will
admit our claim, or whether we must go to law to get our
rights. It was agreed that the meeting should be only a
common friendly visit, such as Mr. Stanley felt perfectly
willing to pay to his step-mother, and old family friends.
We also agreed, that we would answer any common questions
that might help to satisfy the defendants, provided that they
did not tend to endanger our future success, in the event of a
trial. I think, Mr. Reed, that as there does not seem as yet
much probability that the defendants will be easily convinced,
it behooves us to be on our guard.”
"As the
"I will take the responsibility, sir, of answering other
observations of Mr. Wyllys's," replied Mr. Reed.
object of the meeting was an amicable arrangement, we may
be able to make the case more clear, without endangering
our own grounds. Have you any remarks to make, madam?”
he added, turning to Mrs. Stanley.
It had been settled between the friends, before the meeting,
that Mr. Wyllys should be chief spokesman on the occasion;
for, although the sailor claimed the nearer connexion of
step-son to Mrs. Stanley, yet she had scarcely known her
husband's son, having married after he went to sea. Harry,
it is true, had often been with young Stanley at his father's
house, but he was at the time too young a child to have
preserved any distinct recollection of him. Mr. Wyllys was
the only one of the three individuals most interested, who
remembered his person, manner, and character, with suffi-
152
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
1
cient minuteness to rely on his own memory. The particular
subjects upon which the sailor should be questioned, had
been also agreed upon beforehand, by Harry and his friends.
In reply to Mr. Reed's inquiry, Mrs. Stanley asked to see
the papers which had been brought for their investigation.
Mr. Clapp complied with the request, by drawing a
bundle of papers from his pocket. He first handed Mrs.
Stanley a document, proving that William Stanley had made
two voyages as seaman, in a Havre packet, in the year 1824,
or nearly ten years since the wreck of the Jefferson. The
captain of this vessel was well known, and still commanded
a packet in the same line; very probably his mates were also
living, and could be called upon to ascertain the authenticity
of this paper. No man in his senses would have forged a
document which could be so easily disproved, and both Mr.
Wyllys and Hazlehurst were evidently perplexed by it,
while Mrs. Stanley showed an increase of nervous agitation.
Mr. Wyllys at length returned this paper to Mr. Reed, con-
fessing that it looked more favourably than anything they
had yet received. Two letters were then shown, directed to
William Stanley, and bearing different dates; one was signed
by the name of David Billings, a man who had been the chief
instrument in first drawing William Stanley into bad habits,
and had at length enticed him to leave home and go to sea ;
it was dated nineteen years back. As no one present knew
the hand-writing of Billings, and as he had died some years
since, this letter might, or might not, have been genuine.
The name of the other signature was entirely unknown to
Harry and his friends; this second letter bore a date only
seven years previous to the interview, and was addressed to
William Stanley, at a sailor's boarding-house in Baltimore.
It was short, and the contents were unimportant; chiefly
referring to a debt of fifteen dollars, and purporting to be
written by a shipmate named Noah Johnson: the name of
William Stanley, in conjunction with the date, was the only
remarkable point about this paper. Both letters had an
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
153
appearance corresponding with their dates; they looked old
and soiled; the first bore the post-office stamp of New York;
the other had no post-mark. Mr. Wyllys asked if this Noah
Johnson could be found? The sailor replied, that he had
not seen him for several years, and did not know what had
become of him; he had kept the letter because it acknow-
ledged the debt. He replied to several other questions about
this man, readily and naturally; though Mr. Wyllys had no
means of deciding whether these answers were correct or
Hazlehurst then made several inquiries about Billings,
whom he had seen, and remembered as a bad fellow, the son
of a country physician living near Greatwood. His height,
age, appearance, and several circumstances connected with
his family, were all very accurately given by Mr. Reed's
client, as Harry frankly admitted to Mrs. Stanley and Mr.
Wyllys.
Mr. Reed looked gratified by the appearance of things, and
Mr. Clapp seemed quite satisfied with the turn matters were
now taking. Throughout the interview, Mr. Reed seemed
to listen with a sort of calm interest, as if he had little doubt
as to the result. Mr. Clapp's manner was much more
anxious; but then he was perfectly aware of the suspicions
against him, and knew that not only this particular case, but
his whole prospects for life, were at stake on the present-
occasion.
"Like most sailors, Mr. Stanley has kept but few papers,"
observed Mr. Reed.
"He has been as careless about his documents, as he was
about his property—he has lost some of the greatest import-
ance," observed Mr. Clapp. "Here is something, though,
that will speak for him," added the lawyer, as he handed
Mrs. Stanley a book. It was a volume of the Spectator, open
at the blank leaves, and showing the following words:
"John William Stanley, Greatwood, 1804;" and below,
these, "William Stanley, 1810;" the first sentence was in
the hand-writing of the father, the second in the half-childish
154
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
characters of the son; both names had every appearance of
being autographs. The opposite page was partly covered
with names of ships, scratches of the pen, unconnected sen-
tences, and one or two common sailor expressions. Mrs.
Stanley's eyes grew dim for an instant, after she had read
the names of her husband and step-son-she passed the book
to Mr. Wyllys; he took it, examined it closely, but found
nothing to complain of in its appearance.
"This is only the third volume; have you the whole set?"
he asked, turning to the sailor.
66
No, sir; I left the rest at home."
"Is there such a set at Greatwood?" asked Mr. Wyllys,
turning to Mrs. Stanley.
"There is,” replied the lady, in a low voice, "and one
volume missing.'
""
Hazlehurst asked to look at the book; it was handed to
him by Mr. Wyllys. He examined it very carefully, binding,
title-page, and contents; Mr. Clapp watching him closely at
the moment.
"Do you suspect the hand-writing?" asked the lawyer.
Not in the least,” replied Hazlehurst. "You have read
this volume often I suppose," he added, turning to the sailor.
"Not I," was the reply; "I ain't given to reading in any
shape; my shipmates have read that 'ere book oftener than
I have."
“Did you carry it with you in all your voyages?"
"No; I left it ashore half the time."
"How long have you had it in your possession?"
"Since I first went to sea."
“Indeed! that is singular; I should have said, Mr. Clapp,"
exclaimed Harry, suddenly facing the lawyer, "that only
four years since, I read this very volume of the Spectator at
Greatwood!" If Hazlehurst expected Mr. Clapp to betray
confusion, he was disappointed.
"You may have read some other volume," was the cool
reply; although Harry thought, or fancied, that he traced a
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
155
muscular movement about the speaker's eyelids, as he uttered
the words: "That volume has been in the possession of Mr.
Stanley since he first went to sea.'
"Is there no other copy of the Spectator at your country-
place, Mrs. Stanley ?" asked Mr. Reed.
“There is another edition, entire, in three volumes,” said
Mrs. Stanley.
"I had forgotten it," said Hazlehurst; "but I am, never-
theless, convinced that it was this edition which I read, for I
remember looking for it on an upper shelf, where it belonged."
"It was probably another volume of the same edition;
there must be some half-dozen, to judge by the size of this,”
observed Mr. Reed.
"There were eight volumes, but one has been missing for
years," said Mrs. Stanley.
"It was this which I read, however," said Harry; "for
I remember the portrait of Steele, in the frontispiece.'
"Will you swear to it ?" asked Mr. Clapp, with a doubtful
smile.
""
"When I do take an oath, it will not be lightly, sir," re-
plied Hazlehurst.
"It is pretty evident, that Mr. Hazlehurst will not be easily
satisfied," added Mr. Clapp, with an approach to a sneer.
“Shall we go on, Mr. Reed, or stop the examination ?”
Mrs. Stanley professed herself anxious to ask other ques-
tions; and as she had showed more symptoms of yielding
than the gentlemen, the sailor's counsel seemed to cherish
hopes of bringing her over to their side. At her request,
Mr. Wyllys then proceeded to ask some questions, which
had been agreed upon before the meeting.
"What is your precise age, sir?"
"I shall be thirty-seven, the tenth of next August."
"Where were you born?”
"At my father's country-place, in
vania."
"When were you last there before his death?”
county, Pennsyl
156
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"After my whaling voyage in the Sally-Ann, in the summer
of 1814."
"How long did you stay at home on that occasion ?”
"Three months; until I went to sea in the Thomas Jef-
ferson."
"What was your mother's name, sir?”
CC
My mother's name was Elizabeth Radcliffe.”
“What were the names of your grand-parents?" added
Mr. Wyllys, quickly.
66
My grandfather Stanley's name was William; I am
named after him. My grandmother's maiden name was
Ellis-Jane Ellis."
"What were the Christian names of your grand-parents,
on your mother's side?"
"Let me see
my memory isn't over-good: my grand-
father Radcliffe was named John Henry."
"And your grandmother?”
The sailor hesitated, and seemed to change colour; but,
perhaps it was merely because he stooped to pick up his
handkerchief.
"It's curious that I can't remember her Christian name,"
said he, looking from one to another; "but I always called
her grandmother;-that's the reason, I suppose."
"Take time, and I dare say you will remember,” said
Clapp. "Have you never chanced to see the old family
Bible?"
The sailor looked at him, as if in thought, and suddenly
exclaimed: "Her name was Agnes Graham!"
Other questions were then asked, about the persons of his
parents, the house at Greatwood, and the neighbourhood.
He seemed quite at home there, and answered most of the
questions with great accuracy-especially about the place
and neighbourhood. He described Mr. Stanley perfectly,
but did not appear to remember his mother so well; as she
had died early, however, Mr. Reed and Mr. Clapp accounted
for it in that way. He made a few mistakes about the place,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
157
but they were chiefly upon subjects of opinion, such as the
breadth of a river, the height of a hill, the number of acres
in a field; and possibly his account was quite as correct as
that of Mr. Wyllys.
"On which side of the house is the drawing-room, at
Greatwood?" asked Hazlehurst.
"Maybe you have changed it, since you got possession;
but in my day it was on the north side of the house, looking
towards the woods."
"Where are the stairs?"
They stand back as you go in—they are very broad."
"Is there anything particular about the railing?"
The sailor paused. "Not that I remember, now," he
said.
66
"Can't you describe it?-What is it made of?"
"Some kind of wood-dark wood-mahogany."
"What is the shape of the balusters ?"
He could not tell; which Mr. Wyllys thought he ought
to have done; for they were rather peculiar, being twisted,
and would probably be remembered by most children brought
up in the house.
Mrs. Stanley then begged he would describe the furniture.
of the drawing-room, such as it was the last summer he had
passed at Greatwood. He seemed to hesitate, and change
countenance, more than he had yet done; so much so, as to
strike Mrs. Stanley herself; but he immediately rallied again.
"Well," said he, "you ask a man the very things he
wouldn't be likely to put on his log. But I'll make it all out
ship-shape presently." He stooped to pick up his handker-
chief, which had fallen again, and was going to proceed,
when Mr. Clapp interrupted him.
“I must take the liberty of interfering," said he, looking
at his watch, as he rose from his seat, and moved towards
Mr. Reed, asking if he did not think the examination had
been quite long enough.
I must say, gentlemen," he added significantly, turning
VOL. II.
14
Jumentat
158
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
towards Mr. Wyllys and Harry, "that I think our client has
had enough of it; considering that, upon the whole, there is
no one here who has so much right to ask questions, instead
of answering them, as Mr. Stanley."
"I should suppose, sir," said Mr. Reed, also rising and
addressing Mr. Wyllys, "that you must have heard and seen
enough for the object of our meeting. You have had a
personal interview with Mr. Stanley; you confess that he is
like his family, like himself, in short-allowing for the dif
ference between a boy of eighteen and a man of thirty-seven,
where the habits of life have been so different; you admit
the identity of the hand-writing-"
"I beg your pardon, sir; not the identity, but the resem-
blance.
""
"A perfectly natural resemblance, under the circumstances,
I think you must allow."
“Yes; the similarity of the hand-writing is remarkable,
certainly."
"During the last two hours you have asked the questions
which best suited your own pleasure, and he has answered
them with great accuracy, without one important mistake.
What more can you possibly require ?"
“I do not stand alone, sir; we claim the time previously
fixed for consideration, before we give our final answer.
We are, however, much obliged to you, Mr. Reed, for
granting the interview, even if its results are not what you
may have hoped for. We shall always remember your
conduct on this occasion with respect."
Mr. Wyllys then offered some refreshments to. Mr. Reed;
they were accepted, and ordered immediately.
Mr. Clapp was standing near Harry, and turning to him,
he said: "Mr. Stanley has a favour to ask, Mr. Hazlehurst,
though you don't seem disposed to grant him any," he added,
with peculiar expression.
"A fair field, and no favour,' is a saying you may have
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
159
heard," replied Hazlehurst, with a slight emphasis on the
first word. "But what is your client's request, sir?”
Mr. Clapp made a gesture towards the sailor, who then
spoke for himself.
“I understand that two of my cousins are in the house,
and I should be glad to see them before I leave it."
"Whom do you mean, sir?"
"Elinor Wyllys and Mary Van Alstyne. I haven't seen
either of them since they were children; but as I have got
but few relations, and no friends it seems, I should like to see
them."
"You must apply to Mr. Wyllys; the young ladies are
under his care,” replied Harry, coldly.
But Mr. Wyllys took upon himself to refuse the sailor's
request, under the circumstances. Having taken some re-
freshments, Mr. Reed, his brother counsel, and their client
now made their bows, and left the house. As they drove
from the door, Mr. Reed looked calm and civil, Mr. Clapp
well satisfied; and the sailor, as he took his seat by
Mr. Reed, observed, in a voice loud enough to be heard by
Harry, who was standing on the piazza:
very
"It turns out just as I reckoned; hard work for a man to
get his rights in this here longitude !”
160
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
<<
CHAPTER XIII.
Nay, let them go, a couple of quiet ones!"
Taming the Shrew.
ELINOR was all anxiety to learn the result of the interview;
and Mary Van Alstyne also naturally felt much interest in
the subject, as she, too, was a cousin of William Stanley,
their mothers having been sisters. Elinor soon discovered
that the sailor had borne a much better examination than
either of her friends had expected; he had made no glaring
mistake, and he had answered their questions on some points,
with an accuracy and readiness that was quite startling. He
evidently knew a great deal about the Stanley family, their
house, and the neighbourhood; whoever he was, there could
be no doubt that he had known Mr. Stanley himself, and was
very familiar with the part of the country in which he had
resided. Altogether, the personal resemblance, the hand-
writing, the fact of his being a sailor, the papers he had
shown, the plausible statement he had given, as to his past
movements, and his intimate knowledge of so many facts,
which a stranger could scarcely have known, made up a
combination of circumstances, quite incomprehensible to the
friends at Wyllys-Roof. Still, in spite of so much that
appeared in his favour, Mr. Wyllys declared, that so far as
his own opinion went, he had too many doubts as to this
man's character, to receive him as the son of his friend, upon
the evidence he had thus far laid before them. The circum-
stances under which he appeared, were so very suspicious in
every point of view, that the strongest possible evidences of
his identity would be required, to counteract them. The
length of time that had passed since the wreck of the Jef-
ferson, the long period during which his father's property
had been left in the hands of others, and the doubtful cha-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
161
[
F
racter of the channel through which the claim was at length
brought forward—all these facts united, furnished good
grounds for suspecting something wrong. There were other
points too, upon which Mr. Wyllys had his doubts; although
the general resemblance of this individual to William Stanley,
was sufficient to pass with most people, allowing for the natural
changes produced by time, yet there were some minor per-
sonal traits, which did not correspond with his recollection of
Mr. Stanley's son: the voice appeared to him different in tone;
he was also disposed to believe the claimant shorter and fuller
than William Stanley, in the formation of his body and limbs ;
as to this man's gait, which was entirely different from that
of William Stanley, as a boy, nearer observation had in-
creased Mr. Wyllys's first impression on that subject. On
these particular points, Mrs. Stanley and Hazlehurst were no
judges; for the first had scarcely seen her step-son, the last had
only a child's recollection of him. Nor could Miss Agnes's
opinion have much weight, since she had seldom seen the
boy, during the last years he passed on shore; for, at that
time, she had been much detained at home, by the ill health
of her mother. Hazlehurst had watched the claimant closely,
and the interview had silenced his first misgivings, for he had
been much struck with two things: he had always heard,
whenever the subject of William Stanley's character had
been alluded to before him, that this unfortunate young man
was sullen in temper, and dull in mind. Now, the sailor's
whole expression and manner, in his opinion, had shown too
much cleverness for William Stanley; he had appeared
decidedly quick-witted, and his countenance was certainly
rather good-natured than otherwise. Mr. Wyllys admitted
that Harry's views were just; he was struck with both these
observations; he thought them correct and important. Then
Hazlehurst thought he had seen some signs of intelligence
between Clapp and the sailor once or twice, a mere glance;
he could not be positive, however, since it might have been
his own suspicions. As to the volume of the Spectator, he
14*
162
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
t
had felt at first morally certain that he had read that very
volume at Greatwood, only four years ago, but he had since
remembered that his brother had the same edition, and he
might have read the book in Philadelphia; in the mean time
he would try to recall the circumstances more clearly to his
mind; for so long as he had a doubt, he could not swear to
the fact. He knew it was not the octavo edition, at Great-
wood, that he had been reading, for he distinctly remembered
the portrait of Steele in the frontispiece, and Addison's papers
on the Paradise Lost, which he had been reading; that very
portrait, and those papers, were contained in the volume
handed to him by Clapp. Both Mr. Wyllys and Hazlehurst
were gratified to find, that Mrs. Stanley differed from them
less than they had feared. She confessed, that at one moment
her heart had misgiven her, but on looking closely at the
sailor, she thought him less like her husband than she had
expected; and she had been particularly struck by his em-
barrassment, when she had asked him to describe the furni-
ture of the drawing-room at Greatwood, the very last summer
he had been there, for he ought certainly under such cir-
cumstances, to have remembered it as well as herself; he had
looked puzzled, and had glanced at Mr. Clapp, and the
lawyer had immediately broken off the examination. Such
were the opinions of the friends at this stage of the proceed-
ings. Still it was an alarming truth, that if there were im-
probabilities, minor facts, and shades of manner, to strengthen
their doubts, there was, on the other side, a show of evidence,
which might very possibly prove enough to convince a jury.
Hazlehurst had a thousand things to attend to, but he had
decided to wait at Wyllys-Roof until the arrival of Mr.
Ellsworth.
Leaving those most interested in this vexatious affair to
hold long consultations together in Mr. Wyllys's study, we
must now proceed to record a visit which Miss Agnes re-
ceived from one of our Longbridge acquaintances, and we
shall therefore join the ladies.
J
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
163
"I am sorry, my dear, that the house is not so quiet as we
could wish, just now," said Miss Agnes to Jane, one morning,
as she and Elinor were sitting together in the young widow's
room.
Thank you, Aunt; but it does not disturb me, and I
know it is not to be avoided just now," said Jane, languidly.
No, it cannot be helped, with this troublesome business
going on; and we shall have Mrs. Creighton and Mr. Ells-
worth here soon.”
66
66
'Pray, do not change your plans on my account. I need
not see any of your friends; I shall scarcely know they are
here," said Jane, with a deep sigh.
"If it were possible to defer their visit, I should do so;
but situated as we are with Mr. Ellsworth—” added Miss
Wyllys.
66
Certainly; do not let me interfere with his coming. I
feel perfectly indifferent as to who comes or goes; I can
never take any more pleasure in society !"
"Here is my aunt Wyllys driving up to the door," said
Elinor, who was sitting near a window. "Do you feel
equal to seeing her?"
“Oh, no, not to-day, dear," said Jane in an imploring
voice; and Elinor accordingly remained with her cousin,
while Miss Agnes went down to meet Mrs. George Wyllys.
This lady was still living at Longbridge, although every few
months she talked of leaving the place. Her oldest boy had
just received a midshipman's warrant, to which he was cer-
tainly justly entitled-his father having lost his life in the
public service. The rest of her children were at home; and
rather spoilt and troublesome little people they were.
"How is Jane?" asked Mrs. Wyllys, as she entered the
house.
(6
'Very sad and feeble; but I hope the air here will
strengthen her, after a time."
"Poor thing!—no wonder she is sad, indeed! So young,
and such an affliction! How is the child?"
164
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
“Much better; she is quite playful, and disturbs Jane very
much by asking after her father. What a warm drive you
must have had, Harriet; you had better throw off your hat,
and stay with us until evening."
"Thank you; I must go home for dinner, and shall not
be able to stay more than half an hour. Is your father in?
I wished to see him, as well as yourself, on business."
66
No, he is not at home; he has gone off some miles, to
look at some workmen who are putting up a new farm-house.”
"I am sorry he is not at home, for I want to ask his opinion.
And yet he must have his hands full just now, with that
vexatious Stanley case. I must say, I think Clapp deserves
to be sent to the tread-mill!”
"Perhaps he does," replied Miss Wyllys. "It is to be
hoped at least, that he will receive what he deserves, and
nothing more."
"I hope he will, with all my heart! But as I have not
much time to spare, I must proceed to lay my affairs before
you. Now I really and honestly want your advice, Agnes.”
"You have had it often before," replied Miss Wyllys,
smiling. "I am quite at your service now," she added,
seeing her sister-in-law look a little uneasy.
Mrs. Wyllys was silent for a moment.
"I scarcely know where to begin," she then said; "for
here I am, come to consult you on a subject which you may
think beneath your notice; you are superior to such trifling
matters," she said, smiling-and then added: "But seriously,
I have too much confidence in your judgment and good.
sense, to wish to act without your approbation."
"What is the point upon which I am to decide ?—for you
have not yet told me anything."
"It is a subject upon which I have been thinking for
some time-several months. What should you say to my
marrying again?" asked Mrs. Wyllys stoutly.
Miss Agnes was amazed. She had known her sister-in-
law, when some years younger, refuse more than one good
}
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
165
offer; and had never for a moment doubted her intention to
remain a widow for life.
"You surprise me, Harriet," she said; "I had no idea
you thought of marrying again."
66
Certainly, I never thought of taking such a step until
quite lately.'
"And who is the gentleman?" asked Miss Agnes, in some
anxiety.
“I know you will at least agree with me, in thinking that
I have made a prudent choice. The welfare of my children
is indeed my chief consideration. I find, Agnes, that they
require a stronger hand than mine to manage them. Long
before Evert went to sea, he was completely his own master;
there were only two persons who had any influence over
him, one is his grandfather, the other, a gentleman who will,
I suppose, before long, become nearly connected with him.
I frankly acknowledge that I have no control over him my-
self; it is a mortifying fact to confess, but my system of
education, though an excellent one in theory, has not suc-
ceeded in practice.”
Because,' thought Miss Agnes, there is too much theory,
my good sister.'
"But you have not yet named the gentle-
man,” she added, aloud.
"Oh, I have no doubt of your approving my choice! He
is a most worthy, excellent man-of course, at my time of
life, I shall not make a love-match. Can't you guess the in-
dividual—one of my Longbridge neighbours ?"
.
"From Longbridge," said Miss Wyllys, not a little sur-
prised. "Edward Tibbs, perhaps," she added, smiling. He
was an unmarried man, and one of the Longbridge beaux.
"Oh, no; how can you think me so silly, Agnes! I am
ashamed of you! It is a very different person; the family
are great favourites of your's."
"One of the Van Hornes?" Mrs. Wyllys shook her head.
"One of the Hubbards ?-Is it John Hubbard, the prin-
cipal of the new Academy?" inquired Miss Agnes, faintly.
166
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
2
"Do you suppose I would marry a man of two-or-three-
and-twenty!" exclaimed Mrs. Wyllys with indignation. “It
is his uncle; a man against whom there can be no possible
objection-Mr. James Hubbard.”
Uncle Dozie, of all men !' thought Miss Agnes. Silent,
sober, sleepy Uncle Dozie. Well, we must be thankful that
it is no worse.'
"Mr. Hubbard is certainly a respectable man, a man of
principles," she observed aloud. "But everybody looked
upon him as a confirmed old bachelor; I did not suspect
either of you of having any thoughts of marrying," con-
tinued Miss Agnes, smiling.
"I am sometimes surprised that we should have come to
that conclusion, myself. But it is chiefly for the sake of my
children that I marry; you must know me well enough,
Agnes, to be convinced that I sacrifice myself for them!"
"I wish, indeed, that it may be for their good, Harriet !"
"Thank you; I have no doubt of it. I feel perfect con-
fidence in Mr. Hubbard; he is a man so much older than
myself, and so much more experienced, that I shall be en-
tirely guided in future by his counsel and advice."
Miss Agnes had some difficulty in repressing a smile and
a sigh.
“Of course, I am well aware that many people will think
I am taking a foolish step," continued Mrs. Wyllys. "Mr.
Hubbard's connexions, are generally not thought agreeable,
perhaps; he has very little property, and no profession. I
am not blinded, you see; but I am very indifferent as to the
opinion of the world in general; I am very independent of
all but my immediate friends, as you well know, Agnes.”
Miss Wyllys was silent.
"In fact, my attention was first fixed upon Mr. Hubbard,
by finding how little he was appreciated and understood by
others; I regretted that I had at first allowed myself to be
guided by general opinion. Now I think it very possible that,
although Mr. Hubbard has been your neighbour for years,
L
THE YOUNG T
167
FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
even you, Agnes, may have a very mistaken opinion of him;
you may have underrated his talents, his strong affections,
and energetic character. I was surprised myself to find,
what a very agreeable companion he is!"
I have always believed Mr. James Hubbard a man of
kind feelings, as you observe, and a man of good principles;
two important points, certainly."
"I am glad you do him justice. But you are not aware
perhaps, what a very pleasant companion he is, where he
feels at his ease, and knows that he is understood."
That is to say, where he can doze, while another person
thinks and talks for him,' thought Miss Agnes.
“The time is fixed I suppose for the wedding, Harriet ?”
she inquired aloud, with a smile.
66
Nearly so, I believe. I told Mr. Hubbard that I should
be just as ready to marry him next week, as next year; we
agreed that when two persons of our ages had come to an
understanding, they might as well settle the matter at once.
We shall be married, I fancy, in the morning, in church, with
only two or three friends present. I hope, Agnes, that your
father and yourself will be with me. You know that I
should never have taken this step, if you had not agreed
with me in thinking it for the good of my children."
“Thank you, Harriet; of course we shall be present, if
you wish it."
66
Certainly I wish it. I shall always look upon you as
best friends and advisers."
my
"Next to Mr. Hubbard, in future," replied Miss Agnes,
smiling.
"When you know him better, you will confess that he
deserves a high place in my confidence. You have no idea
how much his brother and nieces think of him; but that is
no wonder, for they know his good sense, and his compa-
nionable qualities. He is really a very agreeable companion,
Agnes, for a rational woman; quite a cultivated mind, too.”
Visions of cabbages and turnips rose in Miss Agnes's
168
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
mind, as the only cultivation ever connected, till now, with
Uncle Dozie's name.
"We passed last evening charmingly; I read the Lay of
the Last Minstrel aloud to him, and he seemed to enjoy it
very much," continued Mrs. Wyllys.
'He took a nap, I suppose,' thought Miss Agnes. "He
ought to be well pleased to have a fair lady read aloud to
him," she replied, smiling.
"The better I know him, the more satisfied I am with my
choice. I have found a man upon whom I can depend for
support and advice-and one who is at the same time a very
pleasant companion. Do you know, he sometimes reminds
me of our excellent father."
This was really going too far, in Miss Agnes's opinion;
she quite resented a comparison between Uncle Dozie and
Mr. Wyllys. The widow, however, was too much occupied
with her own affairs, to notice Miss Agnes's expression.
"I find, indeed, that the whole family are more agreeable
than I had supposed; but you rather gave me a prejudice
against them. The young ladies improve on acquaintance,
they are pretty, amiable young women; I have seen them
quite often since we have been near neighbours. Well, I
must leave you, for Mr. Hubbard dines with me to-day. In
the mean time, Agnes, I commit my affairs to your hands.
Since I did not find your father at home, I shall write to him
this evening."
The ladies parted; and as Mrs. Wyllys passed out of the
room, she met Elinor.
"Good morning, Elinor," she said; your aunt has news
for you, which I would tell you myself if I had time:" then
nodding, she left the house, and had soon driven off.
66
My dear Aunt, what is this news?" asked Elinor.
Miss Agnes looked a little annoyed, a little mortified, and
a little amused.
When the mystery was explained, Elinor's amazement
was great.
CC
"
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
169
"It is incredible?" she exclaimed. "My Aunt Wyllys
actually going to marry that prosing, napping Mr. Hubbard;
Uncle Dozie !”
“When I remember her husband," said Miss Agnes, with
feeling, "it does seem incredible; my dear, warm-hearted,
handsome, animated brother George!"
"How extraordinary!" said Elinor, who could do nothing
but exclaim.
"No; not in the least extraordinary," added Miss Agnes;
“such marriages, dear, seem quite common.”
Mr. Wyllys was not at all astonished at the intelligence.
"I have expected that Harriet would marry, all along;
she has a great many good intentions, and some good quali-
ties; but I knew she would not remain a widow. It is
rather strange that she should have chosen James Hubbard ;
but she might have done worse.
99
With these philosophical reflections, Mrs. Wyllys's friends
looked forward to the happy event which was soon to take
place. The very same morning that Miss Agnes was taken
into the confidence of the bride, the friends of the groom also
learned the news, but in a more indirect manner.
The charms of a parterre are daily be-rhymed in verse,
and vaunted in prose, but the beauties of a vegetable garden
seldom meet with the admiration they might claim. If you
talk of beets, people fancy them sliced with pepper and
vinegar; if you mention carrots, they are seen floating in
soup; cabbage figures in the form of cold-slaw, or disguised
under drawn-butter; if you refer to corn, it appears to the
mind's eye wrapt in a napkin to keep it warm, or cut up
with beans in a succatash. Half the people who see these
good things daily spread on the board before them, are only
acquainted with vegetables after they have been mutilated
and disguised by cookery. They would not know the leaf
of a beet from that of the spinach, the green tuft of a carrot
from the delicate sprigs of parsley. Now, a bouquet of roses
and pinks is certainly a very beautiful object, but a collection
VOL. II. 15
Batang
170
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
of fine vegetables, with the rich variety of shape and colour,
in leaf, fruit, and root, such as nature has given them to us,
is a noble sight. So thought Uncle Dozie, at least. The
rich texture and shading of the common cabbage-leaf was
no novelty to him; he had often watched the red, coral-like
veins in the glossy green of the beet; the long, waving leaf
of the maize, with the silky tassels of its ears, were beautiful
in his eyes; and so were the rich, white heads of the cauli-
flower, delicate as carved ivory, the feathery tuft of the carrot,
the purple fruit of the egg-plant, and the brilliant scarlet
tomato. He came nearer than most Christians, out of
Weathersfield, to sympathy with the old Egyptians in their
onion-worship.
With such tastes and partialities, Uncle Dozie was gene-
rally to be found in his garden, between the hours of sun-rise
and sun-set; gardening having been his sole occupation for
nearly forty years. His brother, Mr. Joseph Hubbard, having
something to communicate, went there in search of him, on
the morning to which we refer. But Uncle Dozie was not
to be found. The gardener, however, thought that he could.
not have gone very far, for he had passed near him not five
minutes before; and he suggested that, perhaps Mr. Hubbard
was going out somewhere, for "he looked kind o' spruce
and drest up." Mr. Hubbard expected his brother to dine
at home, and thought the man mistaken. In passing an
arbour, however, he caught a glimpse of the individual he
was looking for, and on coming nearer, he found Uncle Dozie,
dressed in a new summer suit, sitting on the arbour seat
taking a nap, while at his feet was a very fine basket of
vegetables, arranged with more than usual care. Unwilling
to disturb him, his brother, who knew that his naps seldom
lasted more than a few minutes at a time, took a turn in the
garden, waiting for him to awake. He had hardly left the
arbour however, before he heard Uncle Dozie moving; turning
in that direction, he was going to join him, when, to his great
astonishment, he saw his brother steal from the arbour, with
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
171
the basket of vegetables on his arm, and disappear between
two rows of pea-brush.
“James !—I say, James!—Where are you going? Stop
a minute, I want to speak to you!" cried Mr. Joseph Hub-
bard.
He received no answer.
“James !—Wait a moment for me! Where are you?"
added the merchant; and walking quickly to the pea-rows,
he saw his brother leave them and dexterously make for the
tall Indian-corn. Now Uncle Dozie was not in the least deaf;
and his brother was utterly at a loss to account for his evading
him in the first place, and for his not answering in the second.
He thought the man had lost his senses: he was mistaken,
Uncle Dozie had only lost his heart. Determined not to
give up the chase, still calling the retreating Uncle Dozie,
he pursued him from the pea-rows into the windings of the
corn-hills, across the walk to another growth of peas near
the garden paling. Here, strange to say, in a manner quite
inexplicable to his brother, Uncle Dozie and his vegetables
suddenly disappeared! Mr. Hubbard was completely at
fault: he could scarcely believe that he was in his own
garden, and that it was his own brother James whom he
had been pursuing, and who seemed at that instant to have
vanished from before his eyes-through the fence, he should
have said, had such a thing been possible. Mr. Hubbard
was a resolute man; he determined to sift the matter to the
bottom. Still calling upon the fugitive, he made his way to
the garden paling through the defile of the peas. No one
was there-a broad, open bed lay on either hand, and before
him the fence. At last he observed a foot-print in the earth
near the paling, and a rustling sound beyond. He advanced
and looked over, and to his unspeakable amazement, saw his
brother, James Hubbard, busily engaged there, in collecting
the scattered vegetables which had fallen from his basket.
"Jem!-I have caught you at last, have I! What in the
name of common sense are you about there ?”
172
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
No reply was made, but Uncle Dozie proceeded to gather
up his cauliflowers, peas and tomatoes, to the best of his
ability.
"Did you fly over the fence, or through it?" asked his
brother, quite surprised.
"Neither one nor the other," replied Uncle Dozie, sulkily.
"I came through the gate."
"Gate!—why there never was a gate here!"
"There is one now."
And so there was; part of the paling had been turned into
a narrow gate.
Why, who cut this gate, I should like to know?”
"I did."
66
"You did, Jem? What for?-What is the use of it?"
"To go through.”
"To go where? It only leads into Mrs. Wyllys's garden."
Uncle Dozie made no answer.
"What are you doing with those vegetables? I am really
curious to know."
Going to carry them down there," said Uncle Dozie.
"Down where?" repeated Uncle Josie, looking on the
ground strewed with vegetables.
"Over there.'
"Over where?" asked the merchant, raising his eyes to-
wards a neighbouring barn before him.
"Yonder," added Uncle Dozie, making a sort of indescrib
able nod backward with his head.
66
""
"Yonder!—In the street do you mean? Are you going
to throw them away?"
"Throw away such a cauliflower as this!" exclaimed
Uncle Dozie, with great indignation.
"What are you going to do with them, then ?"
"Carry them to the house there."
"What house?"
"Mrs. Wyllys's, to be sure," replied Uncle Dozie, boldly.
"What is the use of carrying vegetables to Mrs. Wyllys?
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
173
She has a garden of her own," said his brother, very inno-
cently.
poor, thin soil," muttered Uncle
Dozie.
"Is it? Well, then, I can understand it; but you might
as well send them by the gardener."
Uncle Dozie made no reply, but proceeded to arrange his
vegetables in the basket, with an eye to appearances; he had
gathered them all up again, but another object which had
fallen on the grass lay unnoticed.
"What is that—a book ?" asked his brother.
Uncle Dozie turned round, saw the volume, picked it up,
and thrust it in his pocket.
"Did you drop it? I didn't know you ever carried a
book about you," replied his brother, with some surprise.
"What is it?""
"A book of poetry.
"Whose poetry ?"
"I am sure I've forgotten," replied Uncle Dozie, taking
a look askance at the title, as it half-projected from his
pocket. "It's Coleridge's Ancient Mariner," he added.
"Miserable garden
(
What in the world are you going to do with it?" said
his brother, with increasing surprise.
“I wanted a volume of poetry."
You-Jem Hubbard! Why, I thought Yankee-Doodle
was the only poetry you cared for!"
“I don't care for it, but she does."
"She!—What she?" asked Uncle Josie, with lively curi-
osity, but very little tact, it would seen.
"Mrs. Wyllys," was the laconic reply.
Oh, Mrs. Wyllys; I told her some time ago that she was
very welcome to any of our books."
"It isn't one of your books; it's mine; I bought it."
"It wasn't worth while to buy it, Jem," said his brother;
"I dare say Emmeline has got it in the house. If Mrs.
Wyllys asked to borrow it, you ought to have taken Emme-
15*
174
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
line's, though she isn't at home; she just keeps her books
to show off on the centre-table, you know. Our neighbour,
Mrs. Wyllys, seems quite a reader."
"She doesn't want this to read herself," observed Uncle
Dozie.
"No?-What does she want it for?"
"She wants me to read it aloud."
Uncle Josie opened his eyes in mute astonishment. Uncle
Dozie continued, as if to excuse himself for this unusual
offence: "She asked for a favourite volume of mine; but
hadn't any favourite; so I bought this. It looks pretty, and
the bookseller said it was called a good article."
Why, Jem, are you crazy, man!-you going to read
poetry aloud!"
<<
"Why not?" said Uncle Dozie, growing bolder as the
conversation continued, and he finished arranging his basket.
"I believe you are out of your head, Jem; I don't under-
stand you this morning. What is the meaning of this?-
what are you about ?”
66
Going to be married," replied Uncle Dozie, not waiting
for any further questions, but setting off at a brisk step to-
wards Mrs. Wyllys's door.
Mr. Joseph Hubbard remained looking over the fence in
silent amazement; he could scarcely believe his senses, so
entirely was he taken by surprise. In good sooth, Uncle
Dozie had managed matters very slily, through that little
gate in the garden paling; not a human being had suspected
hiin. Uncle Josie's doubts were soon entirely removed,
however; he was convinced of the reality of all he had
heard and seen that morning, when he observed his brother
standing on Mrs. Wyllys's steps, and the widow coming out
to receive him, with a degree of elegance in her dress, and
graciousness in her manner, quite perceptible across the
garden: the fair lady admired the vegetables, ordered them
carried into the cellar, and received Coleridge's Ancient
Mariner from Uncle Dozie's hands, while they were still
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
175
standing beneath the rose-covered porch, looking sufficiently
lover-like to remove any lingering doubts of Uncle Josie.
After the happy couple had entered the house, the merchant
left his station at the paling, and returned to his own solitary
dinner, laughing heartily whenever the morning scene re-
curred to him. We have said that Uncle Dozie had man-
aged his love affairs thus far so slyly, that no one suspected
him; that very afternoon, however, one of the most distin-
guished gossips of Longbridge, Mrs. Tibbs's mother, saw
him napping in Mrs. Wyllys's parlour, with a rose-bud in
his button-hole, and the Ancient Mariner in his hand. She
was quite too experienced in her vocation, not to draw her
own conclusions; and a suspicion, once excited, was instantly
communicated to others. The news spread like wild-fire;
and when the evening-bell rang, it had become a confirmed
fact in many houses, that Mrs. Wyllys and Mr. James Hub-
bard had already been privately married six months.
CHAPTER XIV.
"Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you
Of this
""
Henry VI.
BEFORE the end of the week, the friends at Wyllys-Roof,
after carefully examining all the facts within their knowledge,
were confirmed in their first opinion, that the individual
claiming to be William Stanley was an impostor. Mrs.
Stanley was the last of the three to make up her mind de-
cidedly, on the point; but at length, she also was convinced,
that Mr. Clapp and this sailor had united in a conspiracy to
176
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
obtain possession of her husband's estate. The chief reasons
for believing this to be the case, consisted in the difference of
character and expression between the claimant and William
Stanley the more Mr. Wyllys examined this point, the
clearer it appeared to him, who had known his friend's only
son from an infant, and had always felt much interested in
him. As a child, and a boy, William Stanley had been of
a morose temper, and of a sluggish, inactive mind-not posi-
tively stupid, but certainly far from clever; this claimant, on
the contrary, had all the expression and manner of a shrewd,
quick-witted man, who might be passionate, but who looked
like a good-natured person, although his countenance was
partially disfigured by traces of intemperance. These facts,
added to the length of time which had elapsed since the
reported death of the individual, the neglect to claim his
inheritance, the suspicious circumstances under which this
sailor now appeared, under the auspices of an obscure country
lawyer, who bore an indifferent character, and to whom the
peculiar circumstances of the Stanley estate were probably
well known, all united in producing the belief in a conspi-
racy. There was no doubt, however, but that a strong case
could be made out on the other hand by the claimant; it was
evident that Mr. Reed was convinced of his identity; his
resemblance to William Stanley, and to Mr. Stanley, the
father, could not be denied; the similarity of the hand-
writing was also remarkable; his profession, his apparent
age, his possession of the letters, his accurate knowledge of
persons and places connected with the family, altogether
amounted to an important body of evidence in his favour.
It would require a volume in itself, to give the details of
this singular case; but the general reader will probably care
for little more than an outline of the proceedings. It would
indeed, demand a legal hand to do full justice to the subject;
those who are disposed to inquire more particularly into the
matter, having a natural partiality, or acquired taste for the
intricate uncertainties of the law, will probably have it in
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
177
their power ere long, to follow the case throughout, in print;
it is understood at Longbridge, that Mr. James Bernard, son
of Judge Bernard, is engaged in writing a regular report,
which, it is supposed, will shortly be published. In the
mean time, we shall be compelled to confine ourselves chiefly
tó a general statement of the most important proceedings,
more particularly connected with our narrative.
"Here is a letter from Clapp, sir, proposing a compro-
mise," said Hazlehurst, handing the paper to Mr. Wyllys.
It was dated two days after the interview at Wyllys-Roof;
the tone was amicable and respectful, though worded in Mr.
Clapp's peculiar style. We have not space for the letter
itself, but its purport was, an offer on the part of Mr. Stanley
to forgive all arrears, and overlook the past, provided his
father's estate, in its actual condition, was immediately placed
in his hands. He was urged to take this step, he said, by
respect for his opponents, and the conviction that they had
acted conscientiously, while he himself, by his own neglect
to appear earlier, had naturally given rise to suspicions. He
was therefore ready to receive the property as it stood at
present, engaging that neither executors nor legatce should
be molested for arrears; the sums advanced to Hazlehurst,
he was willing should be considered equivalent to the legacy
bequeathed to him by Mr. Stanley, the father, in case of his
son's return, although in fact they amounted to a much larger
sum.
This offer of a compromise merely confirmed the suspi-
cions of all parties at Wyllys-Roof. The offer was rejected
in the same letter which announced to Mr. Reed, that the
defendants had seen as yet no good reason for believing in
the identity of the individual claiming the name of William
Stanley, and consequently, that they should contest his claim
to the Stanley estate.
After this step, it became necessary to make every prepa-
ration for a trial; as it was already, evident, from the usual
legal notices of the plaintiffs, that they intended to carry the
•
178
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
case into a court of justice, with as little delay as possible.
It was the first object of Mr. Wyllys and Hazlehurst, to
obtain as much testimony as lay within their reach, upon the
points of the capacity and natural temperament of William
Stanley; letters were written, in the hope of discovering
something through the old family physician, the school-master,
and companions of the young man before he went to sea ; and
Mrs. Stanley even believed that the nurse of her step-son
was still living. Agents were also employed, to search out
some clue, which might help to trace the past life and cha-
racter of the individual bearing the name of William Stanley.
Harry was only awaiting the expected arrival of Mr. Ells-
worth, before he set out himself for the little town in the
neighbourhood of Greatwood, where he hoped to gather
much useful evidence. To what degree he was also desirous
of the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Creighton again, we cannot
say; but his friends at Wyllys-Roof believed that he was
quite as anxious to see the sister as the brother. He had
not long to wait, for, punctual to the appointed day, the
earliest possible, Mr. Ellsworth arrived, accompanied by Mrs.
Creighton.
"Now, Mr. Hazlehurst, come here and tell me all about
these vexatious proceedings," said Mrs. Creighton to Harry,
as the whole party left the dining-room for the piazza, the
day Mr. Ellsworth and his sister arrived at Wyllys-Roof.
"I hope you and Frank found out, in that long consultation
you had this morning, that it would not be difficult to settle
the matter as it ought to be settled?"
"On the contrary, we agreed that there were a great many
serious difficulties before us."
"You don't surely think there is any real danger as to the
result?” asked the lady with great interest. "You cannot
suppose that this man is really William Stanley, come to life
again!"
“No; I believe him to be an impostor; and so does Ells-
*
3
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
179
worth-so do we all; but he makes out quite a plausible
story, nevertheless."
"But what are you going to do? Come, sit down here,
and tell me about it."
"You forget, Josephine," said Mr. Ellsworth, smiling,
"that we lawyers dare not trust the ladies with our secrets ;
you must contrive to restrain your curiosity, or interest―
whichever you choose to call it—until the trial.”
“Nonsense !—I am quite too much interested for that; I
shall expect to hear a great deal before the trial. Is it pos-
sible your stock of patience will last till then, Miss Wyllys?"
added the lady, turning to Elinor.
66
Well, I don't know; I confess myself very anxious as
to the result," said Elinor, blushing a little.
"To be sure; we are all anxious; and I expect to be
taken into your confidence, Mr. Hazlehurst, quite as far as
you legal gentlemen think it safe to admit a lady. Frank
has a very bad habit of never trusting me with his business
matters, Miss Wyllys; we must cure him of that."
"I am inclined to think, Mrs. Creighton, your patience
would scarcely bear the recital of even one case of Richard
Roe versus John Doe," said Mr. Wyllys.
"Perhaps not; for I care not a straw for Richard Roe, or
John Doe, either."
"Would you really like to see the account which this new-
comer gives of himself?" asked Hazlehurst.
"Certainly; I speak seriously, I assure you."
"You shall see it this evening," said Harry. "I think
you will agree with me, that it is a strange story."
<<
But, Mrs. Creighton," said Mr. Wyllys, "we have had
our heads so full of law, and conspiracies, and impostors,
lately, that I was in hopes you would bring us something
more agreeable to think and talk about. What were the
people doing at Nahant when you left there?"
"It was very dull there; at least I thought so; I was in
a great hurry for Frank to bring me away."
180
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"What was wanting, pray?" asked Mr. Wyllys. "Was
it the fault of the weather, the water, or the company?”
"Of all together, sir; nothing was of the right kind; it
was not half so pleasant as Saratoga this year. Even the
flirtations were not as amusing as usual.”
"I should have thought you might have been amused in
some other way," said Mr. Ellsworth.
"Flirtation, I would have you believe, my good brother,
is sometimes quite an agreeable and exciting pastime.”
“Faute de mieux,” said Harry, smiling.
"You surprise me, Josephine, by saying so, as you are no
flirt yourself," observed her brother, with a perfectly honest
and natural expression.
“Well, I don't know; certainly I never flirt intentionally;
but I won't be sure my spirits have not carried me away
sometimes. Have you never, Miss Wyllys, in moments of
gaiety or excitement, said more than you intended to?”
"Have I never flirted, do you mean?" asked Elinor,
smiling.
"But though you say it yourself, I don't believe you are
a bit of a flirt, Mrs. Creighton," said the unsuspicious Mr.
Wyllys.
“Oh, no, sir; I would not have you believe me a regular
flirt for the world. I only acknowledge to a little trifling,
now and then. Miss Wyllys knows what I mean; we
women are more observant of each other. Now, haven't
you suspected me of flirting more than once?"
"You had better ask me," said Mary Van Alstyne ;-
"Elinor is not half suspicious enough."
"The acquittal of the gentlemen ought to satisfy you,"
said Elinor. "They are supposed to be the best judges.
Are you sure, however, that you did not flirt with Mr. Hop-
kins?-he was at Nahant with you, I believe."
"I am afraid it surpasses the power of woman to distract
Mr. Hopkins's attention from a sheepshead or a paugee."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
181
"You have really a very pretty view here, Miss Wyllys,
although there is nothing bold or commanding in the country;
it makes a very pleasant home picture," observed Mr. Ells-
worth, who had been looking about him. "That reach in
the river has a very good effect; the little hamlet, too, looks
well in the distance; and the wood and meadow opposite,
are as well placed as one could wish.”
"I am glad you like it; but we really think that, for such
simple scenery, it is uncommonly pretty," replied Elinor.
"Yes; even your fastidious friend, Mr. Stryker, pronounced
the landscape about Wyllys-Roof to be very well put together,"
said Mrs. Creighton.
"Mr. Stryker, however, professes to have no eye for any-
thing of the kind," replied Elinor.
"That is only one of the man's affectations; his eyes are
more like those of other people than he is willing to confess.
Though Mr. Stryker pretends to be one of your men of the
world, whose notions are all practical, yet one soon discovers
that he cherishes his useless foibles, like other people,” said
the lady, with an air of careless frankness; though intending
the speech for the benefit of Hazlehurst and Mr. Wyllys,
who both stood near her.
"Perhaps you don't know that Mr. Stryker has preceded
you into our neighbourhood," said Mary Van Alstyne. "He
is staying at Mr. de Vaux's.”
66
Oh, yes; I knew he was to be here about these times.
Pray, tell me which is Mr. de Vaux's place. It is a fine
house, I am told."
"A great deal too fine," said Harry. "It is all finery, or
rather it was a few years since."
"It is much improved now," observed Elinor; "he talks
of taking down half the columns. That is the house, Mrs.
Creighton," she added, showing the spot where the white
pillars of Colonnade Manor were partly visible through an
opening in the wood.
VOL. II. - 16
182
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"What a colonnade it seems to be! It puts one in mind
of the Italian epigram on some bad architecture," said Mr.
Ellsworth:
"Care colonne che fate quà ?
Non sappiamo, in verità !""
"I understand, Miss Wyllys, that your friend, Mr. Stryker,
calls it the cafe de mille colonnes," said Mrs. Creighton.
"Does Mrs. Creighton's friend, Mr. Stryker, treat it so
disrespectfully? Mr. de Vaux has given it a very good
name, I think.
It is Broadlawn now; last year it was
Colonnade Manor."
•And, pray, what did Mr. Taylor's manorial rights consist
in ?" asked Mr. Ellsworth.
"In the privilege of putting up as many Grecian summer-
houses as he pleased, I suppose," said Harry; "the place
promised to be covered with them at one time."
"Mr. de Vaux has taken them down; all but two at least,"
said Elinor.
"It was fortunate that Mr. Taylor had a long purse," re-
marked Mrs. Creighton; "for he seems to have delighted
in superfluities of all kinds.”
"I suppose you are aware, Mrs. Creighton, that false taste
is always a very expensive foible," said Mr. Wyllys; "for
it looks upon ornament and improvement as the same thing.
My neighbour, Mr. Taylor, certainly has as much of that
spirit as any man I ever knew.”
"The name he gave his place is a good proof of that,”
said Harry.
"If he had called it the Colonnade, that would
have been at least descriptive and appropriate; but he tacked
on the Manor, which had neither rhyme nor reason to recom-
mend it."
"Was it not a Manor before the revolution?" inquired
Mrs. Creighton.
66
Oh, no; only a farm belonging to the Van Hornes.
But Taylor would not have it called a farm, for the world;
he delights in big words," said Mr. Wyllys.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
183
"That is only natural, I suppose, for 'Don Pompey,' as
Mr. Stryker calls him," observed Mr. Ellsworth.
The following morning was the happy occasion, which
was to make Mrs. George Wyllys the wife of Uncle Dozie.
In the course of the week, which intervened between her
announcing the fact at Wyllys-Roof, and the wedding itself,
she had only consulted her friends twice, and changed her
mind as often. At first it was settled that she was to be
married at two o'clock, in church, with four witnesses prè-
sent, and that from church she was to return quietly to her
own house, where the party were to eat a family dinner with
her. A note, however, informed her friends that it was
finally decided, that the wedding should take place early in
the morning, at her own house, in the presence of some
dozen friends. The dinner was also postponed for a fortnight,
as the happy couple intended to set out for Boston, the morn-
ing they were united.
The weather was propitious; and after an early breakfast
the party from Wyllys-Roof set out. It included Mr. Ells-
worth and Mrs. Creighton, who were connexions of the bride,
as well as Harry, and the family; Mary Van Alstyne re-
maining at home with Jane.
They soon reached Longbridge, after a pleasant, early
drive. On being ushered into Mrs. Wyllys's drawing-room,
they were received in a very informal manner by the bride
herself. As Elinor had recommended a grey silk for the
wedding-dress, she was not at all surprised to find her aunt.
wearing a coloured muslin. On one point, however, it was
evident she had not changed her mind; for the happy man,
Uncle Dozie, was there in full matrimonials, with a new wig,
and a white waistcoat. The groom elect looked much like
a victim about to be sacrificed; he was as miserably sheep-
ish and fidgety as ever old bachelor could be under similar
circumstances. Mrs. Creighton paid her compliments to the
bride very gracefully; and she tried to look as if the affair
were not a particularly good joke. Mr. Wyllys summoned
+
184
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
up a sort of resigned cheerfulness; Miss Agnes and Elinor
also endeavoured to look as became wedding-guests. The
children, who had all received presents from the bridegroom,
evidently thought the occasion a holiday. The clergyman
having appeared, Mrs. Wyllys gave her hand to the trembling
groom, and the important transaction was soon over.
6
There is, at least, no danger of Uncle Dozie's taking a
nap,' thought Harry, 'he looks too nervous and uncomfort-
able for that.'
Congratulations and good wishes were duly offered; they
served only to increase the bridegroom's distress, while the
bride appeared perfectly satisfied, and in very good spirits.
She felt disposed to make a cheerful sacrifice for the benefit
of her children, to whom she had secured an efficient pro-
tector, while at the same time, she was now sure of a prudent
friend and counsellor for life: so at least she informed Mrs.
Creighton.
"I am sorry your brother is not here, Mr. Hubbard.”
"He went to New York, on business, last night,” said the
groom.
"I hope you will have a pleasant trip to Boston," continued
Mr. Wyllys.
"Thank you for the wish, sir," interposed the bride, “but
we determined last evening to go to Niagara, as we have
both been to Boston already."
We shall hear of you at New Orleans, yet,' thought
Harry.
Refreshments were brought in, and everybody, of course,
received their usual share of the wedding-cake.
"You see I have set you an excellent example," said the
bride to Mrs. Creighton and Elinor.
"We must hope that these ladies will soon follow it,” said
Mr. Ellsworth, with a glance at Elinor.
"Shall we thank him, Miss Wyllys ?" said Mrs. Creighton.
"It was kindly meant, I dare say.
""
Mr. Wyllys, who was standing near them, smiled.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
185
"It was only yesterday, Elinor," added the new Mrs.
Hubbard, "that Black Bess, who made the cake you are
eating, told me when she brought it home, that she hoped
soon to make your own wedding-cake."
"She has had the promise of it ever since I was five years
old," said Elinor.
“Is it possible that Black Bess is still living and baking?"
said Harry. "I can remember her gingerbread, as long as
I can recollect anything. I once overheard some Longbridge
ladies declare, that they could tell Black Bess's cake as far as
they could see it; which struck me as something very
wonderful."
"She seems to be a person of great importance," said Mrs.
Creighton; "I shall hope soon to make her acquaintance.
My dear Miss Elinor, I wish you would bear in mind that
your wedding-cake has been ordered these dozen years. I
am afraid you forget how many of us are interested in it, as
well as Black Bess."
"Our notable housekeepers you know, tell us that wed-
ding-cake will bear keeping half-a-century," said Elinor,
smiling.
"That is after the ceremony I am sure, not before,” said
Mrs. Creighton.
Elinor seemed at last annoyed by these persevering allu-
sions, and several persons left the group. Hazlehurst took
a seat by Miss Patsey; he was anxious to show her that her
brother-in-law's behaviour, had in no manner changed his
regard for herself and her family.
"Where is Charlie," he asked.
"He has gone off to Lake Champlain now. I hope you
and Charlie will both soon get tired of travelling about, Mr.
Hazlehurst; you ought to stay at home with your friends."
"But I don't seem to have any home; Charlie and I are
both by nature, home-bred, home-staying youths, but we seem
fated to wander about. How is he coming on with his pic-
tures?—has he nearly done his work on the lakes?"
16*
186
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Yes, I believe so; he has promised to come to Long-
bridge next month, for the rest of the summer. He has been
distressed, quite as much as the rest of us, Mr. Hazlehurst,
by these difficulties-"
"Do not speak of them, Miss Patsey; it is a bad business;
but one which will never interfere between me and my old
friends, I trust.
""
Miss Patsey looked her thanks, her mortification, and her
sympathy, but said nothing more.
The carriage which was to convey the bride and groom to
the steamboat, soon drove to the door; and taking leave of
their friends, the happy couple set off. They turned back,
however, before they were out of sight, as Mrs. Hubbard
wished to change the travelling-shawl she had first selected
for another. Mr. Wyllys, Elinor, and Harry accompanied
them to the boat; and they all three agreed, that the groom
had not yet been guilty of napping; although Hazlehurst
declared, that as the seats on deck were cool and shady, he
had little doubt that he would be dozing before the boat was
out of sight.
Those who feel the same anxiety for the welfare of the
children, during their mother's absence, which weighed upon
the mind of Miss Agnes, will be glad to hear that they were
all three carried to Wyllys-Roof, under the charge of an ex-
perienced nurse. And it must be confessed, that it was long
since little George, a riotous child, some seven years old, had
been kept under such steady, but kind discipline, as that
under which he lived, during this visit to his grandfather.
Mr. Ellsworth and Harry passed the morning at Long-
bridge, engaged with their legal affairs; and in the evening,
Hazlehurst left Wyllys-Roof for Philadelphia; and Mrs.
Stanley accompanied him, on her way to Greatwood.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
187
<<
CHAPTER XV.
But by the stealth
Of our own vanity, we 're left so poor."
HABINGTON.
Now that Harry had left the house, Mrs. Creighton's atten
tion was chiefly given to Mr. Wyllys; although she had as
usual, smiles, both arch and sweet, sayings, both piquant and
agreeable, for each and all of the gentlemen from Broadlawn,
who were frequent visiters at Wyllys-Roof. Mr. Stryker,
indeed, was there half the time. It was evident that the lady
was extremely interested in Hazlehurst's difficulties; she was
constant in her inquiries as to the progress of affairs, and
listened anxiously to the many different prognostics as to the
result. Miss Agnes remarked indeed, one day, when Mr.
Ellsworth thought he had succeeded in obtaining an all-im-
portant clue, in tracing the previous career of Harry's oppo-
nent, that his sister seemed much elated--she sent an ex-
tremely amiable message to Hazlehurst in her brother's letter.
It afterwards appeared, however, on farther inquiry, that this
very point turned out entirely in favour of the sailor, actually
proving that nine years previously he had sailed in one of
the Havre packets, under the name of William Stanley.
Mrs. Creighton that evening expressed her good wishes for
Harry, in a much calmer tone, before a roomfull of company.
Ladies, have you no sympathizing message for Hazle-
hurst ?" inquired Mr. Ellsworth, as he folded a letter he had
been writing.
66
66
Oh, certainly; we were sorry to hear the bad news ;"
and she then turned immediately, and began an animated,
laughing conversation with Hubert de Vaux.
• What a difference in character between the brother and
sister,' thought Miss Agnes, whose good opinion of Mr. Ells-
188
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
worth had been raised higher than ever, by the earnest devo-
tion to his friend's interest, which appeared throughout his
whole management of the case.
The family at Wyllys-Roof were careful to show, by their
friendly attention to the Hubbards, that their respect and
regard for them had not suffered at all by the steps Mr. Clapp
had taken. Miss Agnes and Elinor visited the cottage as
frequently as ever. One morning, shortly after the wedding,
Miss Wyllys went to inquire after Mrs. Hubbard, as she was
in the habit of doing. She found Mary Hubbard, the
youngest daughter, there, and was struck on entering, by the
expression of Miss Patsey's face-very different from her
usual calm, pleasant aspect.
66
Oh, Miss Wyllys !" she exclaimed, in answer to an in-
quiry of Miss Agnes's-"I am just going to Longbridge!
My poor, kind uncle Joseph !—but he was always too weak
and indulgent to those girls!"
"What has happened?" asked Miss Wyllys, anxiously.
“Dreadful news, indeed; Mrs. Hilson has disgraced her-
self!-Her husband has left her and applied for a divorce!
But I do not believe it is half as bad as most people think;
Julianna has been shamefully imprudent, but I cannot think
her guilty!"
Miss Wyllys was grieved to hear such a bad account of
her old neighbour's daughter.
“Her husband has left her, you say; where is she now?”
"Her father brought her home with him. He went after
her to Newport, where she had gone in the same party with
this man-this Mr. de Montbrun, and a person who lives in
the same boarding-house, a Mrs. Bagman, who has done a
great deal of harm to Julianna.”
66
Sad, indeed!" exclaimed Miss Agnes.
"Charles says it is heart-rending, to see my poor uncle,
who was so proud of his good name-thought so much of
his daughters! Often have I heard him say: 'Let them
enjoy life, Patsey, while they are young; girls can't do much
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
189
harm;
I love to see them look pretty and merry.' They
never received any solid instruction, and since her marriage,
Julianna seems to have been in bad company. She had no
children to think about, and Mr. Hilson's time is always
given to his business; her head was full of nonsense from
morning till night; I was afraid no good would come of it."
It is at least a great point, that she should have come
back with her father."
Yes, indeed; I am thankful for it, from the bottom of
my heart. Oh, Miss Wyllys, what a dreadful thing it is, to
see young people going on, from one bad way to another!"
exclaimed Miss Patsey.
"We must hope that her eyes will be opened, now."
"If she had only taken warning from what Charles told
her about this Mr. de Montbrun; he had seen him at Rome,
and though he had no positive proofs, knew he was a bad
man, and told Mrs. Hilson so. It is surely wrong, Miss
Wyllys, to let all kinds of strangers from foreign countries
into our families, without knowing anything about them."
"I have often thought it very wrong," said Miss Agnes,
earnestly.
"But Mrs. Hilson wouldn't believe a word Charles said.
She talked a great deal about aristocratic fashions; said she
wouldn't be a slave to prudish notions-just as she always
talks."
"Where was her husband, all this time?"
"He was in New York. They had not agreed well for
some time, on account of her spending so much money, and
flirting with everybody. At last he heard how his wife was
behaving, and went to Saratoga. He found everybody who
knew her, was talking about Julianna and this Frenchman.
They had a violent quarrel, and he brought her back to town,
but gave her warning, if ever she spoke again to that man
he would leave her. Would you believe it!—in less than
a week, she went to the theatre with him and this Mrs. Bag-
man! You know Mr. Hilson is a quiet man in general, but
190
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
when he has made up his mind to anything, he never changes
it: when he came in from his business, and found where his
wife had gone, he wrote a letter to Uncle Joseph, and left the
house."
"But what does Mrs. Hilson say? Does she show any
feeling ?"
"She cries a great deal, but talks just as usual; says she
is a victim to her husband's brutality and jealousy. It seems
impossible to make her see things in their right light. I
hope and pray that her eyes may be opened, but I am afraid
it will be a long time before they are. But it is hard, Miss
Wyllys, to open the eyes of the blind and deluded! It is
more than mortal man can do !"
"Yes; we feel at such times our miserable weakness, and
the influence of evil upon human nature, more, perhaps,
than at any other moment !"
"That is true, indeed. I have often thought, Miss Wyllys,
that those who have watched over a large family of children
and young people, have better notions about the true state of
human nature, than your great philosophers. That has been
the difficulty with Uncle Hubbard; he said girls in a respect-
able family were in no danger of doing what was wrong;
that he hated preaching and scolding, and could not bear to
make young people gloomy, by talking to them about serious
subjects. My father always taught me to think very differ-
ently; he believed that the only way to help young people
to be really happy and cheerful, was to teach them to do
their duty."
“It would be well, if all those who have charge of young
persons thought so!" exclaimed Miss Agnes.
"But, oh, Miss Wyllys, I dread seeing my poor uncle!
Charles writes me word that he is quite changed-pale and
care-worn-so different from his usual look; he says my
uncle has grown ten years older in the last week. And
such a kind, indulgent father as he has been!"
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
191
Tears filled Miss Wyllys's eyes. "Is his daughter Em-
meline at home ?" she asked.
"Yes; and Emmeline seems more sobered by this terrible
business, than Mrs. Hilson herself. She sent for me, thinking
I might be of some service to Julianna, and persuade her to stay
at home, and not return to Mrs. Bagman, as she threatens to
do."
• A wagon was waiting to carry Miss Patsey to Longbridge,
and Miss Agnes begging that she might not detain her, she
set out on her painful duty. On arriving at her uncle's house,
she almost dreaded to cross the threshold. She found Mr.
Hubbard in the dining-room; he paid no attention to her as
she opened the door, but continued walking up and down.
She scarcely knew how to address him; the common phrases
of greeting that rose to her lips seemed misplaced. He
either did not see her, or would not notice her. She then
walked quite near to him, and holding out her hand, said in
a calm tone:
66
• Uncle, I have come to see Julianna."
The muscles of his face moved, but he made no answer.
"I have come to stay with her, if you wish it."
"Thank you," he said, in a thick voice.
"Is there anything I can do for you?”
"What can be done?" he said, bitterly, and almost roughly.
"Do you wish me to stay?"
"Yes; I am obliged to you for coming to see a woman of
bad reputation.”
Patsey left him for the present. She found her cousins
together; Emmeline's eyes were red, as if she had just been
weeping; Mrs. Hilson was stretched on a sofa, in a very
elegant morning-gown, reading a novel of very doubtful
morality. Patsey offered her hand, which was taken quite
cavalierly.
"Well, Patsey," she said, "I hope you have not come to
be a spy upon me."
192
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"I have come to see you, because I wish to be of service
to you, Julianna.'
Then, my dear child, you must bring his High-Mighti-
ness, my jealous husband to reason," said the lady, smoothing
a fold in her dress. Patsey made no answer, and Mrs. Hil-
son looked up. "If you are going to join the rest of them
against me, why I shall have nothing to do with you; all
the prim prudes in the world won't subdue me, as my good-
man might have found out already."
"Where is your husband?" asked Miss Patsey, gravely,
but quietly.
:
"I am sure I don't know; he has been pleased to abandon
me, for no reason whatever, but because I chose to enjoy the
liberty of all women of fortune in aristocratic circles. I
would not submit to be made a slave, like most ladies in this
country, as Mrs. Bagman says. I choose to associate with
whom I please, gentlemen or ladies. What is it makes the
patrician orders so delightful in Europe?-all those who know
anything about it, will tell you that it is because the married
women are not slaves; they have full liberty, and do just
as they fancy, and have as many admirers as they please;
this very book that I am reading says so.
That is the way
things are managed in high life in Europe."
"What sort of liberty is it you wish for, Julianna? The
liberty to do wrong? Or the liberty to trifle with your repu-
tation ?"
Mrs. Hilson pouted, but made no answer.
"I cannot think the kind of liberty you speak of is common
among good women anywhere," continued Patsey, “and I
don't think you can know so much about what you call high
life in Europe, Julianna, for you have never been there. I
am sure at least, that in this country the sort of liberty you
seem to be talking about, is only common in very low life;
you will find enough of it even here, among the most igno-
rant and worst sort of people," said Miss Patsey, quietly.
Mrs. Hilson looked provoked. "Well, you are civil, I
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONG BRIDGE.
193
must say, Miss Patsey Hubbard; of all the brutal speeches
that have been made me of late, I must say that yours is the
worst!"
"I speak the truth, though I speak plainly, Julianna."
"Yes, plainly enough; very different from the refinement
of Mrs. Bagman, I can assure you; she would be the last
person to come and tyrannize over me, when I am a victim
to my husband's jealousy. But I have not a creature near
me to sympathize with me!"
“Do not say that; your father is down-stairs, grown old
with grief during the last week!”
Mrs. Hilson did not answer.
You have known me all your life, from the time you
were a child," added Miss Patsey, taking her cousin's passive
hand in her own; "and I ask, if you have ever known me
to deceive you by an untruth?"
“I am sure I don't know," replied her cousin, carelessly.
Yes, you do know it, Julianna. Trust me, then; do
not shut your ears and your eyes to the truth! You are in
a very dangerous situation; look upon me as your friend;
let me stay with you; let me help you! My only motive is
your own good; even if I believed you really guilty, I should
have come to you; but I do not believe you guilty!"
"I am much obliged to you," said her cousin, lightly.
"But I happen to know myself that I have committed no
such high crime and misdemeanour.”
66
Yes, you have trifled so far with your reputation, that
the world believes you guilty, Julianna."
"Not fashionable people. I might have gone on for years,
enjoying the friendship of an elegant lady like Mrs. Bagman,
and receiving the polite attentions of a French nobleman,
had it not been for the countrified notions of Pa and Mr.
Hilson; and now, I am torn from my friends, I am calum-
niated, and the Baron accused of being an impostor! But
the fact is, as Mrs. Bagman says, Mr. Hilson never has under-
stood me !"
VOL. II. - 17
194
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Patsey closed her eyes that night with a heavy heart. She
did not seem to have produced the least impression on Mrs.
Hilson.
How few people are aware of the great dangers of that
common foible, vanity! And yet it is the light feather that
wings many a poisoned dart; it is the harlequin leader of a
vile crew of evils. Generally, vanity is looked upon as
merely a harmless weakness, whose only penalty is ridicule;
but examine its true character, and you will find it to be one
of the most dangerous, and at the same time one of the most
contemptible failings of humanity. There is not a vice with
which it has not been, time and again, connected; there is
not a virtue that has not been tainted by its touch. Men are
vain of their vices, vain of their virtues; and although pride
and vanity have been declared incompatible, probably there
never lived a proud man, who was not vain of his very pride.
A generous aspect is, however, sometimes assumed by pride;
but vanity is inalterably contemptible in its selfish littleness,
its restless greediness. Who shall tell its victims ?—who
shall set bounds to its triumphs? Reason is more easily
blinded by vanity than by sophistry; time and again has
vanity misdirected feeling; often has vanity roused the most
violent passions. Many have been enticed on to ruin, step
by step, with the restless lure of vanity, until they became
actually guilty of crimes, attributed to some more sudden,
and stronger impulse. How many people run into extrava-
gance, and waste their means, merely from vanity! How
many young men commence a career of folly and wicked-
ness, impelled by the miserable vanity of daring what others
dare! How many women have trifled with their own peace,
their own reputation, merely because vanity led them to re-
ceive the first treacherous homage of criminal admiration,
when whispered in the tones of false sentiment and flattery!
The triumphs of vanity would form a melancholy picture,
indeed, but it is one the world will never pause to look at.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
195
The eldest daughter of Mr. Hubbard, the worthy Long-
bridge merchant, without strong passions, without strong
temptations, was completely the victim of puerile vanity.
The details of her folly are too unpleasant to dwell on; but
the silly ambition of playing the fine lady, after the pattern
of certain European novels, themselves chiefly representing
the worst members of the class they claim to depict, was
the cause of her ruin. She had so recklessly trifled with
her reputation, that although her immediate friends did not
believe the worst, yet with the world her character was irre-
trievably lost. At five-and-twenty she had already sacrificed
her own peace; she had brought shame on her husband's
name, and had filled with the bitterest grief, the heart of an
indulgent father. Happily, her mother was in the grave,
and she had no children to injure by her misconduct.
*
Patsey Hubbard continued unwearied in her kind endea-
vours to be of service to her kinswoman; anxious to awaken
her to a sense of her folly, and to withdraw her from the
influence of bad associates.
"It is right that society should discountenance a woman
who behaves as Julianna has done," said she one day, to
Mrs. Hubbard, on returning home; "but, oh, mother, her
own family surely, should never give her up while there is
breath in her body!"
196
ELINOR WYLLYS; OK,
CHAPTER XVI.
"That which you hear, you'll swear you see,
There is such unity in the proofs."
Winter's Tale.
WHEN Hazlehurst arrived at the little village in the neigh-
bourhood of Greatwood, he was so fortunate as to find that
many persons among the older members of the community,
had a perfect recollection of William Stanley, and were ready
to testify, to the best of their knowledge, as to any particu-
lars that might be of service in the case.
His first inquiry was, for the young man's nurse.
discovered that she had recently removed into a neighbouring
state, with the son, in whose family she had lived since
leaving the Stanleys. As soon as Harry had accompanied
Mrs. Stanley to Greatwood, he set out in pursuit of this
person, from whom he hoped to obtain important evidence.
On arriving at the place where she was now to be found, he
was much disappointed, for her faculties had been so much
impaired by a severe attack of paralysis, that he could learn
but little from her. She seemed to have cherished a warm
affection for the memory of William Stanley, whose loss at
sea she had never doubted. Whenever his name was men-
tioned she wept, and she spoke with feeling and respect of
the young man's parents. But her mind was much con-
fused, and it was impossible to make any use of her testi-
mony in a court of justice.
Thus thrown back upon those who had a less intimate
personal knowledge of the young man, Harry pursued his
inquiries among the families about Greatwood, and the village
of Franklin Cross-Roads. With the exception of a few new-
comers, and those who were too young to recollect eighteen
years back, almost everybody in the neighbourhood had had
He
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
197
-;
some acquaintance with William Stanley. He had been to
school with this one; he had sat in church, in the pew next
to that family; he had been the constant playfellow of A————;
and he had drawn B into more than one scrape. Nu-
merous stories sprang up right and left, as to his doings when
a boy; old scenes were acted over again, and past events,
mere trifles perhaps at the time, but gaining importance from
the actual state of things, were daily brought to light; there
seemed no lack of information connected with the subject.
We must observe, however, before we proceed farther, that
Hazlehurst had no sooner arrived at Greatwood, than he went
to look after the set of the Spectator, to which the volume pro-
duced at the interview had belonged. He found the books
in their usual place on an upper shelf, with others seldom
used; every volume had the double names of Mr. Stanley
and his son, but the set was not complete; there was not only
one volume missing, but two were wanting! Hazlehurst
sprang from the steps on which he was standing, when he
made this discovery, and went immediately in pursuit of Mrs.
Stanley, to inquire if she knew which volume was originally
missing. She could not be sure, but she believed it was the
eighth. Such was the fact; the eighth volume was not in
its place, neither was the sixth, that which Mr. Clapp had
in his possession; yet Mrs. Stanley was convinced, that only
two years previously, there had been but one volume lost.
Harry tried to revive his recollection of the time and place,
when and where, he had read that volume, with the portrait
of Steele, and Addison's papers on the Paradise Lost; he
should have felt sure it was at Greatwood, not long before
going abroad with Mr. Henley, had it not been, that he found
his brother had the very same edition in Philadelphia, and
he might have read it there. He also endeavoured to dis-
cover when and how the second missing volume had been
removed from its usual place on the shelf. But this was no
easy task; neither the housekeeper—a respectable woman,
in whom Mrs. Stanley and himself had perfect confidence-
17*
198
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR
nor the servants, could form even a surmise upon the subject.
At last Harry thought he had obtained a clue to everything ;
he found that two strangers had been at Greatwood in the
month of March, that year, and had gone over the whole
house, representing themselves as friends of the family.
The housekeeper had forgotten their visit, until Harry's in-
quiries reminded her of the fact; she then gave him the
name of the young woman who had gone over the house
with these two individuals. This girl was no longer at
Greatwood, but in the neighbouring village; at Mrs. Stan-
ley's request, however, she came to give a report of the cir-
cumstance.
"It was in March these two strangers were here, you say,
Malvina ?” observed Mrs. Stanley.
"Yes, ma'am; it was in March, when the roads were
very bad."
"What sort of looking persons were they, and how old
should you have called them ?" asked Hazlehurst.
"One was a tall and slim gentleman, with curly hair; the
other looked kind o' rough, he was stout, and had a red face;
they wasn't very young, nor very
old."
"Tell us, if you please, all you remember about their
visit, just as it passed," said Harry.
"Well, it happened Mrs. Jones was sick in her room when
they called; they wanted to see the house saying they knew
the family very well. I asked them to sit down in the hall,
while I went to tell Mrs. Jones; she hadn't any objections,
and old me to show them the rooms they wanted to see.
So I took them over the house-first the parlours, then the
other rooms."
"Did they ask to see the bed-rooms?"
"Yes, sir; they went over all the house but the garret;
they went into the kitchen and the pantry."
"Did they stay some time?"
"Yes, sir; Mrs. Jones wondered they staid so long."
"Did they go into the library?"
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
199
* Yes, sir."
(6
"Do you remember whether they looked at the books?"
No; they didn't stay more than a minute in the library.'
"Are you sure they did not look at any of the books?”
repeated Harry.
"I am quite sure they didn't, for the room was too dark,
and they only staid half-a-minute. I asked them if I should
open the shutters; but one of them said they didn't care; he
said he was never over-fond of books."
,,
Mrs. Stanley and Harry here exchanged looks of some
surprise.
"Did they talk much to each other?-do you remember
what they said?" continued Harry.
Yes, they talked considerable. I reckon they had been
here before, for they seemed to know a good deal about the
house. When I showed them the south parlour, the gentle-
man with the red face said everything looked natural to him,
but that room most of all; then he pointed to the large chair
by the fire-place, and said: "That is where I last saw my
father, in that very chair; he was a good old gentleman, and
deserved to have a better son.'"
"Is it possible !" exclaimed Mrs. Stanley:
"But, my dear madam, it was all acting no doubt; they
wished to pass for the characters they have since assumed;
it only proves that the plot has been going on for some time."
"Do you remember anything else that was said?” added
Hazlehurst, turning again to the girl.
"They talked considerable, but I didn't pay much atten-
tion. They inquired when Mr. Hazlehurst was coming
horne; I said I didn't know. The one with the curly hair
said he guessed they knew more about the family than I did;
and he looked queer when he said so.”
Nothing further was gathered from this girl, who bore an
excellent character for truth and honesty, though rather stupid.
The volume of the Spectator still remained as much a mys-
tery as ever.
Nor did a second conversation with this young
200
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
woman bring to light anything new; her answers on both
occasions corresponded exactly; and beyond proving the fact
of Clapp's having been over the house with the sailor, no-
thing was gained from her report. At the second conver-
sation, Harry asked if she knew whether these strangers had
remained long in the neighbourhood?
"I saw them the next day at meeting," she replied, “and
Jabez told me he met them walking about the place; that is
all I know about it, sir."
Jabez, one of the men on the farm, was questioned: he
had seen these two strangers walking about the place, looking
at the barns and stables, the same day they had been at the
house; but he had not spoken to them; and this was the
amount of his story.
Harry then inquired at the taverns in the neighbourhood;
and he found that two persons, answering to the same de-
scription, had staid a couple of days, about the middle of
March, at a small inn, within half a mile from Greatwood.
Their bill had been made out in the name of "Mr. Clapp
and friend." This was satisfactory as far as it went, and
accounted for the sailor's knowledge of the house; though
Mrs. Stanley could not comprehend at first, how this man
should have pointed out so exactly, her husband's favourite
seat. Harry reminded her, however, that Clapp had passed
several years of his youth at Franklin Cross-Roads, in a
lawyer's office, and had very probably been at Greatwood
during Mr. Stanley's life-time.
Hazlehurst had drawn up a regular plan of action for his
inquiries; and after having discovered who could assist him,
and who could not, he portioned off the neighbourhood into
several divisions, intending to devote a day to each-calling
at every house where he hoped to gain information on the
subject of William Stanley.
He set out on horseback early in the morning, for his first
day's circuit, taking a note-book in his pocket, to record facts
as he went along, and first turning his horse's head towards
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
201
the house of Mrs. Lawson, who had been a constant play-
fellow of William Stanley's, when both were children. This
lady was one of a large family, who had been near neigh-
bours of the Stanleys for years, and on terms of daily inti-
macy with them; and she had already told Harry, one day
when she met him in the village, that she held herself in
readiness to answer, to the best of her ability, any questions
about her former playmate, that he might think it worth while
to ask.
On knocking at this lady's door, he was so fortunate
as to find Mrs. Lawson at home; and, by especial luck, Dr.
Lewis, a brother of her's, who had removed from that part
of the country, happened just then to be on a visit at his
sister's.
After a little preliminary chat, Hazlehurst made known
the particular object of his call.
"Do I remember William Stanley's personal appearance
and habits? Perfectly; quite as well as I do my own bro-
ther's," replied the doctor, to Harry's first inquiry.
“Mrs. Lawson told me that he used to pass half his time
at your father's house, and kindly offered to assist me, as far
as lay in her power; and I look upon myself as doubly for-
tunate in finding you here to-day. We wish, of course, to
collect as many minute details as possible, regarding Mr.
Stanley's son, as we feel confident, from evidence already in
our power, that this new-comer is an impostor."
“No doubt of it," replied the doctor; "an extravagant
story, indeed! Nearly eighteen years as still as a mouse,
and then coolly stepping in, and claiming a property worth
some hundreds of thousands. A clear case of conspiracy,
without doubt."
"Poor William was no saint, certainly," added Mrs. Law-
son; “but this sailor must be a very bad man.”
(6
Pray, when did you last see young Stanley?" asked
Harry, of the lady.
"When he was at home, not long before his father's death.
He held out some promise of reforming, then, Billings,
202
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
who first led him into mischief, was not in the neighbourhood
at that time, and his father had hopes of him; but some of
his old companions led him off again."
"He must have been a boy of strange temper, to leave
home under such circumstances; an only son, with such
prospects before him."
(6
Yes, his temper was very unpleasant; but then, Mr.
Stanley, the father, did not know how to manage him."
"He could scarcely have had much sense either, to have
been so easily led astray by a designing young fellow, as
that Billings seems to have been."
66
Flattery; flattery did it all," observed the doctor. "Some
people thought young Stanley little more than half-witted;
but I have always maintained that he was not wanting in
sense."
66
I don't see how you can say so, doctor," observed the
sister. I am sure it was a settled thing among us children,
that he was a very stupid, disagreeable boy. He never took
much interest in our plays, I remember.'
""
"Not in playing doll-baby, perhaps; but I have had many
a holiday with him that I enjoyed very much, I can tell you.
He never had a fancy for a book, that is true; but otherwise
he was not so very dull as some people make out."
"He had the reputation of being a dull boy, had he?"
Oh, certainly," said Mrs. Lawson. "At one time, when
we were quite children, we all took arithmetic lessons toge-
ther, and he was always at the foot of the class."
“He had no head for figures, perhaps; it is more likely,
though, that he wouldn't learn out of obstinacy; he was as
obstinate as a mule, that I allow.”
"What sort of games and plays did he like best?”
"I don't know that he liked one better than another, so
long as he could choose himself," replied Dr. Lewis.
"Was he a strong, active boy?"
"Not particularly active, but a stout, healthy lad."
"Disposed to be tall?"
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
203
"Tallish the last time he was here, he must have mea-
sured about five feet ten."
"Oh, more than that," interposed Mrs. Lawson; "he was
taller than our eldest brother, I know-full six feet one, I
should say."
66
No, no, Sophia; certainly not more than five feet nine
or ten. Remember, you were a little thing yourself at the
time."
"Do you remember the colour of his eyes, Mrs. Lawson ?”
Yes, perfectly; they were blue."
Brown, I should say," added the doctor.
"No, John, you are quite mistaken; his eyes were blue,
Mr. Hazlehurst-very dark blue."
66
I could have taken my oath they were brown," said the
doctor.
66
Hazlehurst looked from one to the other in doubt.
You were away from home, doctor, more than I was, and
probably do not remember William's face as distinctly as I
do. I am quite confident his eyes were a clear, deep blue."
"Well, I should have called them a light brown."
"Were they large ?" asked Harry.
"Of a common size, I think," said the brother.
Remarkably small, I should say," added the sister.
"What colour was his hair?" asked Harry, giving up the
66
eyes.
66
"Black," said the doctor.
“Not black, John-dark perhaps, but more of an auburn,
like his father's portrait," said Mrs. Lawson.
"Why, that is black, certainly."
(6
Oh, no; auburn-a rich, dark auburn.”
"There is a greyish cast in that portrait, I think," said
Harry.
66
Grey, oh, no; Mr. Stanley's hair was in perfect colour
when he died; I remember him distinctly, seeing him as
often as I did," said the lady. "The hair of the Stanley
family is generally auburn," she added.
204
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"What do you call auburn?" said the doctor.
"A dark, rich brown, like William Stanley's."
"Now I call Mr. Robert Hazlehurst's hair auburn."
"My brother's hair! Why that is sometimes pronounced
sandy, and even red, occasionally," said Harry.
"Not red; Lawson's hair is red."
"Mr. Lawson's hair is more of a flaxen shade," said the
wife, a little quickly.
Despairing of settling the particular shade of the hair,
Harry then inquired if there was any strongly marked pecu-
liarity of face or person about William Stanley?
Here both agreed that they had never remarked any-
thing of the kind; it appeared that the young man was made
more like the rest of the world, than became the hero of such
a singular career.
"Do you think you should know him, if you were to see
him again, after such a long interval ?"
CC
Well, I don't know," said the doctor; some people
change very much, from boys to middle-aged manhood, others
alter but little."
“I have no doubt that I could tell in a moment, if this
person is William Stanley or an impostor," said Mrs. Lawson.
"Think how much we were together, as children; for ten
years of his life, he was half the time at our house. I am
sure if this sailor were William Stanley, he would have
come to see some of us, long since."
"Did he visit you when he was last at Greatwood?"
<<
No, he did not come at that time; but I saw him very
often in the village, and riding about."
“Do you remember his stuttering at all?”
"No; I never heard him that I know of; I don't believe
he ever stuttered."
“He did stutter once in a while, Sophia, when he was in
a passion."
'I never heard him.”
"Young Stanley had one good quality, Mr. Hazlehurst,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
205
with all his faults; he spoke the truth-you could believe
what he said.”
(C
My good brother, you are mistaken there, I can assure
you. Time and again have I known him tell falsehoods
when he got into a scrape; many is the time he has coaxed
and teased, till he got us children into mischief-he was a
great tease, you know—”
“Not more so than most boys," interposed the doctor.
"And after he had got us into trouble, I remember per-
fectly, that he would not acknowledge it was his fault. Oh,
no; you could not by any means depend upon what he said."
"Was he much of a talker?"
"No, rather silent."
"Quite silent:" both brother and sister were in unison
here, at last.
"He was good-looking, you think, Mrs. Lawson ?"*
“Oh, yes, good-looking, certainly,” replied the lady.
"Rather good-looking; but when he was last at home, his
features had grown somewhat coarse, and his expression was
altered for the worse," said the doctor.
"He was free with his money, I believe?"
66
Very extravagant," said Mrs. Lawson.
"He didn't care a fig for money, unless it was refused
him," said the doctor.
"Was there anything particular about his teeth?"
“He had fine teeth," said Mrs. Lawson; "but he did not
show them much."
"A good set of teeth, if I remember right," added the
doctor.
"His complexion was rather dark, I believe?" said Harry.
"More sallow than dark," said the lady.
"Not so very sallow," said the gentleman.
"You asked just now about his eyes, Mr. Hazlehurst; it
strikes me they were much the colour of yours."
“But mine are grey," said Harry.
VOL. II. — 18
206
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
*
"More of a hazel, I think."
(6
Oh, no; William Stanley's eyes were as different as
possible from Mr. Hazlehurst's, in colour and shape!" ex-
claimed the lady.
The conversation continued some time longer, but the
specimen just given will suffice to show its character; nothing
of importance was elicited, and not one point decidedly settled,
which had not been already known to Harry. He continued
his round of visits throughout the day, with much the same
result. The memories of the people about Greatwood seemed
to be playing at cross-purposes; and yet there was no doubt,
that all those persons to whom Hazlehurst applied, had known
young Stanley for years; and there was every reason to
believe they were well disposed to give all the evidence in
their power.
From Mrs. Lawson's, Harry went to the house of another
acquaintance, a Captain Johnson; and the following is the
amount of what he gathered here, as it was hastily entered
in his note-book:
66
Eyes grey; hair black; rather stout for his age; sullen
temper; very dull; bad company cause of his ruin; not
cold-hearted; stuttered a little when excited; expression good
when a boy, but much changed when first came home from
sea; Billings the cause of his ruin.”
6
So much for Captain Johnson. The next stopping-place
was at a man's, by the name of Hill, who had been coach-
man at Mr. Stanley's for several years; his account follows:
"Hill says: Would get in a passion when couldn't have
his own way; have heard him stutter; always in some scrape
or other after first went to college; eyes blue; hair brown;
sharp enough when he pleased, but always heard he hated
books; short for his age when first went to sea, and thin
had grown three or four inches when he came back; should
have thought him five feet eight or nine, when last saw him;
face grown fuller and red, when came home.'”
From Hill's, Harry went to see Mr. Anderson, who had
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
207
kept the principal tavern at Franklin Cross-Roads, during
William Stanley's boyhood; but he was not at home.
He then called at Judge Stone's: "Mrs. S. thought him
handsome young man; judge, quite ugly; husband says
eyes a greenish colour; wife thinks were dark brown; height
about my own, said judge; not near so tall, says Mrs. S.:
both agreed he was morose in temper, and dull at learning."
At several other places where Harry called, he found that
William Stanley had been merely known by sight. Others
related capital stories of scrapes, in which they had been
implicated with the boy, but could tell Harry very little to
the purpose, where it came to particular questions. Three
individuals pronounced him tall, four thought he was middle-
sized, two declared he was short. Two inferences, however,
might be drawn from all that had been said: William Stanley
must have been of an unpleasant temper; while general evi-·
dence pronounced him rather more dull than most boys.
With these two facts at least sufficiently well established,
while his head was filled with contradictory visions, of hair
eyes, and complexion, of various shades and colours, Harry
returned in the evening, quite jaded and worn-out with his
day's exertions; not the least of which had been, to recon-
cile totally opposite accounts on a dozen different points.
Mrs. Stanley was awaiting his return with much anxiety ;
and while Harry was drinking an excellent cup of tea-the
most refreshing thing in the world to a person who is fatigued,
even in warm weather-he reported his day's work. His
friend seemed to think the account anything but encouraging;
though Harry declared, that it was well worth the labour and
vexation to establish the two facts, regarding the young man's
capacity and temper, in which respects he certainly differed
from the claimant.
“What miserable hypocrites both this man and his lawyer
must be !" exclaimed Mrs. Stanley.
(6
Hypocrisy figures often enough in courts of justice,
maʼam, and is only too often successful for a time.”
208
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
“I am afraid, my dear Harry, they will give you a great
deal of trouble!"
"I have no doubt of it,” replied Hazlehurst; "but still I
hope to defeat them, and in the end, to punish their vile con-
spiracy."
"A defeat would be distressing to both Mr. Wyllys and
myself; but to you, my dear young friend, it would be
serious indeed!" she observed, with feeling.
"We shall yet gain the day, I trust," said Harry.
"The
consequences of defeat would indeed be very serious to me,"
he added. “In such a case I should lose everything, and a
little more, as Paddy would say. I made a deliberate calcu-
lation the other day, and I find, after everything I own has
been given up, that there would still be a debt of some thirty
thousand dollars to pay off."
"It is wise, I suppose, to be prepared for the worst," said
Mrs. Stanley, sadly; "but in such a case, Harry, you must
look to your friends. Remember, that I should consider it a
duty to assist you, in any pecuniary difficulties which might
result from a defeat.”
"You are very good, maʼam; I am grateful for the offer.
In case of our failure, I should certainly apply to my imme-
diate friends, for I could never bear the thought of being in
debt to those rascals. But if the affair turns out in that way,
I must stay at home and work hard, to clear myself entirely.
I am young, and if we fail to repel this claim, still I shall
hope by industry and prudence, to discharge all obligations
before I am many years older."
"I have never doubted, Harry, that in either case you
would do what is just and honourable; but I mourn that
there should be any danger of such a sacrifice."
"It would be a sacrifice, indeed; including much that I
have valued heretofore-tastes, habits, partialities, prospects,
fortune, hopes-all must undergo a change, all must be
sacrificed."
I
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
209
"And hopes are often a precious part of a young man's
portion," said Mrs. Stanley.
Hazlehurst happened to raise his eyes as she spoke, and,
from the expression of her face, he fancied that she was
thinking of Mrs. Creighton. He changed colour, and re-
mained silent a moment.
“You would be compelled to give up your connexion
with Mr. Henley," she observed, by way of renewing the
conversation.
Yes, of course; I should have to abandon that, I could
not afford it; I should have to devote myself to my profession.
I have no notion, however, of striking my colours to these
land-pirates until after a hard battle, I assure you,” he said,
more cheerfully. "Great generals always prepare for a re-
treat, and so shall I, but only as the last extremity. Indeed,
I think our affairs look more encouraging just now. It seems
next to impossible, for such a plot to hold together in all its
parts; we shall be able probably, to find out more than one
weak point which will not bear an attack.”
It is certainly important to establish the difference in
temper and capacity, between the claimant and William
Stanley," said Mrs. Stanley.
66
Highly important; Ellsworth is hard at work, too, in
tracing the past life of the sailor, and by his last letters, I
find he had written to young Stanley's school-master, and to
the family physician. He had seen the sailor, and in addi-
tion to Mr. Wyllys's remarks upon his gait, which is differ-
ent from that of William when a boy, Ellsworth writes,
that he was very much struck with the shape of the man's
limbs, so different from those of the portrait of Mr. Stanley's
son, when a lad, which they have at Wyllys-Roof; he thinks
the family physician may help him there; fortunately, he is
still living."
"It is a great pity the nurse's faculties should have failed!"
exclaimed Mrs. Stanley.
18*
210
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"Yes, it's a pity, indeed; her evidence would have been
very important. But we shall do without her, I hope.”
"Are you going to Wyllys-Roof again, before the trial?”
"No; I shall have too much to do, here and in Philadel-
phia. Mr. Wyllys has kindly asked me, however, to go
there, as soon as the matter is settled, whether for good or
for evil."
66
I thought I heard you talking over with Mr. de Vaux,
some boating excursion, to take place in August, from Long-
bridge; has it been given up
?""
"Not given up; but de Vaux very good-naturedly pro-
posed postponing it, until after my affairs were settled. It is
to take place as soon as I am ready; whether I shall join it
with flying colours, or as a worsted man, time alone can
decide."
The mail was just then brought in; as usual there was a
letter for Harry, from Ellsworth.
"Wyllys-Roof, August, 183–.
"
"Our application to the family physician proves entirely
successful, my dear Hazlehurst; my physiological propen-
sities were not at fault. I had a letter last evening from Dr.
H- who now lives in Baltimore, and he professes him-
self ready to swear to the formation of young Stanley's hands
and feet, which he says resembled those of Mr. Stanley, the
father, and the three children, who died before William S.
grew up. His account agrees entirely with the portrait of
the boy, as it now exists at Wyllys-Roof; the arms and hands
are long, the fingers slender, nails elongated; as you well
know, Mr. Clapp's client is the very reverse of this-his
hands are short and thick, his fingers what, in common par-
lance, would be called dumpy. I was struck with the fact
when I first saw him in the street. Now, what stronger
evidence could we have? A slender lad of seventeen may
become a heavy, corpulent man of forty, but to change the
formation of hands, fingers, and nails, is beyond the reach of
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
211
even Clapp's cunning. We are much obliged to the artist,
for his accuracy in representing the hands of the boy exactly
as they were. This testimony I look upon as quite conclu-
sive. As to the Rev. Mr. G―, whose pupil young Stanley
was for several years, we find that he is no longer living;
but I have obtained the names of several of the young man's
companions, who will be able to confirm the fact of his dull-
ness; several of the professors at the University are also
living, and will no doubt be able to assist us. I have written
a dozen letters on these points, but received no answers as
yet. So far so good; we shall succeed, I trust. Mr. Wyllys
bids you not forget to find out if Clapp has really been at
Greatwood, as we suspected. The ladies send you many
kind and encouraging messages. Josephine, as usual, sym-
pathizes in all our movements. She says: Give Mr. Hazle-
hurst all sorts of kind greetings from me; anything you
please short of my love, which would not be proper, I sup-
pose.' I had a charming row on the river last evening, with
the ladies. I never managed a law-suit in such agreeable
quarters before.
"Faithfully yours,
CHAPTER XVII.
"F. E."
"What say you, can you love this gentleman?"
Romeo and Juliet.
JANE's strength and spirits were gradually improving.
She had been persuaded to take a daily airing, and had con-
sented to see one or two of the ladies in her room. Mr.
Wyllys always passed half an hour with her, every after-
noon; and at length she came down stairs, and joined the
212
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
family in the drawing-room, for a short time in the evening.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hazlehurst, who came from Philadel-
phia to pass a day or two with her, found her much better
than they had expected.
Charlie Hubbard returned to the grey cottage, with his
portfolio full of sketches, intending to pass several months at
home, in finishing his pictures of Lake George; the school-
room having been converted into a painting-room for his use.
Miss Patsey's little flock were dispersed for a time; and
Charlie was even in hopes of persuading his mother and
sister to accompany him to New York, where Mary Hub-
bard, the youngest sister, was now engaged in giving music-
lessons. He felt himself quite a rich man, and drew up a
plausible plan for hiring a small house in some cheap situa-
tion, where they might all live together; but Miss Patsey
shook her head, she thought they could not afford it. Still,
it was delightful to her, to listen to plans devised by Charlie's
warm heart; she seemed to love him more than ever, since
he had even sacrificed his moustaches to his mother's preju-
dice against such foreign fashions.
""
Keep your money, Charles; we can make out very well
in the old cottage; more comfortably than we have ever done
before. You will want all you can make one of these days,
when you marry," said Miss Patsey.
To her surprise, Charlie showed some emotion at this
allusion to his marrying, and remained perfectly silent for an
instant, instead of giving the playful answer that his sister
had expected to hear.
Mrs. Hubbard then observed, that she should not wish to
move; she hoped to end her life in the old grey cottage.
They had lived so long in the neighbourhood of Longbridge,
that a new place would not seem like home to Patsey and
herself. Charlie must come to see them as often as he could;
perhaps he would be able to spend his summers there.
66
Well, we shall see, mother; at any rate, Mary and I
together, we shall be able to make your life easy, I trust.”
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
213
Mrs. Hubbard observed, that although they had been poor
for the last seventeen years, yet they had never really seemed
to feel the weight of poverty; they had met with so much
kindness, from so many relations aud friends.
"But kindness from our own children, mother, is the most
blessed of all," said Patsey.
Charlie did not give up his plan, however, but he forbore.
to press it for the present, as he was engaged to drive his
sister, Mrs. Clapp, to her own house at Longbridge.` Hub-
bard had kept aloof from his brother-in-law whenever he
could, since the Stanley suit had been commenced; any allu-
sion to this affair was painful to him; he had never respected
Mr. Clapp, and now strongly suspected him of unfair dealing.
He pitied his sister Kate from the bottom of his heart; but
it seemed pity quite thrown away. To judge from her con-
versation, as Charlie was driving her home, she had implicit
confidence in her husband; if she had at first doubted the
identity of the sailor, she had never for a second supposed,
that William himself was not firmly convinced of it. On
the other hand, she began to have some misgivings as to the
character and integrity of Mr. Wyllys, whom hitherto, all
her life long, she had been used to consider as the model of
a gentleman, and an upright man. She soon got up quite a
prejudice against Mrs. Stanley; and as for Hazlehurst, he
fell very low indeed in her estimation.
"You don't know what trouble poor William has with this
suit,” she said to her brother. "I am sometimes afraid it
will make him sick. It does seem very strange, that Mr.
Stanley's executors should be so obstinate in refusing to
acknowledge his son. At first it was natural they should
hesitate; I mistrusted this sailor at first, myself; but now
that William has made everything so clear, they cannot have
any excuse for their conduct.'
Charlie whipped the flies from his horse, without answer-
ing this remark.
"I hope William will come home to-night. He and Mr.
214
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Stanley have gone off together, to get possession of some
very important papers; they received a letter offering these
papers, only the night before last, and William says they will
establish Mr. Stanley's claim, beyond the possibility of a
denial. Mr. Wyllys and Mr. Hazlehurst will feel very badly,
I should think, when they find that after all, they have been
keeping their friend's son from his rights."
66
They believe they are doing their duty," said Charlie,
laconically.
66
"It seems a strange view of duty, to act as they do."
Strange views of duty are very common," said Charlie,
glad to take refuge in generalities.
"Common sense and common honesty will help us all to
do our duty," observed Kate.
"No doubt; but both are more uncommon qualities than
one would think, among rational beings," said Charlie.
(6
Well, you know, Charles, Patsey used to tell us when
we were children, that a plain, honest heart, and plain, good
sense were the best things in the world.”
“That is the reason, I suppose, why we love our sister
Patsey so much, because she has so much of those best
things in the world," said Charlie, warmly. "I never saw
a woman like her, for downright, plain goodness. The older
I
grow, the better I know her; and I love you, Kate, for the
same reason-you are straightforward and honest, too," he
added, smiling.
William often laughs at me, though, and says my opinion
is not good for much," said the sister, shaking her head, but
smiling prettily at the same time.
"I am sure no one can complain of your actions, Kate,
whatever your opinions may be," replied Charlie; and what-
ever might have been his estimate of Clapp's views, he for-
bore to utter a syllable on the subject; for he respected the
wife's affection, and knew that his brother-in-law had at least
one good quality-he was kind and faithful as a husband
and father, according to common-place ideas of faithfulness
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONG BRIDGE.
215
at least; for he would any day risk their character and peace,
to make a little money.
The conversation of the young people soon turned upon
their trifling, foolish, unfortunate cousin, Mrs. Hilson; and
this was a subject, upon which both brother and sister agreed
entirely. Before long, they drove up to Mr. Clapp's door,
and were received by the lawyer himself, who had just re-
turned with his client; this latter individual was also seen
lounging in the office. Mr. Clapp professed himself entirely
satisfied with the result of his journey, and declared that
they were now quite ready for Mr. Hazlehurst-sure of a
victory, beyond all doubt.
:
The time had not been lost by Harry and his friends, how-
ever; they too, thought themselves ready for the trial. As
the important day was drawing near, Mr. Ellsworth was
obliged to leave Wyllys-Roof; he had done all he could at
Longbridge, and there were still various matters to be looked
after in Philadelphia. Mrs. Creighton accompanied her
brother, and they were not to return to Wyllys-Roof until
after the important question was decided. Hazlehurst was
then to come with them; whether defeated or triumphant
could not yet be known. Harry's friends, however, were
generally sanguine; and Mrs. Creighton was full of sym-
pathy, and in excellent spirits.
There remained another affair, which must also be finally
settled in a few weeks. When Mr. Ellsworth returned to
Wyllys-Roof, the appointed three months of probation would
have expired, and he would either remain there as the
affianced husband of Elinor, or leave Longbridge her rejected
suitor.
During the past three months, Elinor had taken an im-
portant step in life; she had reached a point in experience,
where she had never stood before. The whole responsibility
of deciding upon a subject, highly important to herself, and
to those connected with her, had been thrown entirely upon
her alone. The fate of her whole life would be much in-
216
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
volved in the present decision. During the last two or three
years, or in other words, since she had first discovered that
Harry loved Jane, she had intended to remain single. It
seemed very improbable to her, that any one would seek to
gain her affections, unless with the view of enjoying the
fortune which she had now the reputation of possessing; it
was only natural that she should exaggerate those personal
disadvantages, which had lost the heart of him whom she
had once loved so truly. She had been so much attached
to Hazlehurst, that she shrunk from the idea of ever becoming
the wife of another; and she considered herself as having
tacitly made choice of a single life, which her mother's letter
seemed to suggest. But as she never spoke of her views,
or alluded to them, her grandfather and aunt were ignorant
of this intention; and she soon began to observe with regret
that they wished her to marry, and were indeed anxious that
she should accept Mr. Ellsworth. This was the first occa-
sion of any importance, on which their wishes and her own
had been at variance; it was a new position for Elinor to be
placed in. When Mr. Ellsworth made his proposal, it was
owing to the strong, but affectionate representations of Mr.
Wyllys and Miss Agnes, that he was not immediately re-
jected. Elinor was, in fact, the last person to be convinced
of his regard for her; but she had known his character and
standing too well to believe him a mere fortune-hunter; and
after he had once offered himself, could not doubt his sin-
cerity. She mentioned to Miss Wyllys her previous inten-
tion of remaining single.
“Make no rash decision, my love," was the reply at the
time. "You are too reasonable, for me to believe that you
will do so; look at your own position, Elinor; you will be
alone in the world, more so than most women. Your grand-
father is advanced in years, and my health warns me not to
expect a long life. I do not wish to distress you, but to
place the truth plainly before you, my Elinor. You have
neither brother nor sister; Jane and Harry, your intimate
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
217
companions in childhood, will be separated from you by ties
and duties of their own. What will you do, my child? An
affectionate disposition like yours cannot be happy alone.
On the other hand, here is Mr. Ellsworth, who is certainly
attached to you; a man of excellent character, with every
important quality that can be desired. You say you wish to
be reasonable; judge for yourself what is the wisest course
under these circumstances.'
Elinor was silent for a moment; at length she spoke.
"It has always been one of your own lessons to me,
dearest aunt, to profit by the past, to improve the present,
and leave the future to Providence. Yet, now, you would
have me think of the future only; and you urge me to marry,
while you are single, and happy, yourself!"
"Yes, my child; but I have had your grandfather and
you, to make me happy and useful. Most single women
have near relatives, to whom they can attach themselves,
whom it is a duty and a pleasure to love and serve; but that
is not your case. Elinor, your grandfather is very anxious
you should accept Mr. Ellsworth.”
“I know it,” said Elinor; "he has told me so himself.”
"He is anxious, dear, because from what he knows of Mr.
Ellsworth and yourself, he is convinced you would eventually
be happy; he fears you hesitate from some feeling of girlish
romance. Still, we have neither of us any wish to urge you
too far. Appeal to your own good, common sense, that is
all that can be desired; do not be romantic, dear, for the first
time in your life," continued her aunt, smiling. "I know
the wishes of your friends will have some weight with you;
do not let them control you, however. Judge for yourself,
but take time to reflect accept Mr. Ellsworth's own propo-
sition—wait some time before you give a final answer; that
is all that your grandfather and myself can ask."
And such had been the decision; three months being the
time appointed. Since then, both Mr. Wyllys and Miss
Agnes had carefully refrained from expressing any farther
VOL. II.
19
Cheating
218
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
I
¿
opinion-they never even alluded to the subject, but left
Elinor to her own reflections. Such at least was their inten-
tion; but their wishes were well known to her, and very
possibly, unconsciously influenced their conduct and manner,
in many daily trifles, in a way very evident to Elinor. In
the mean time, September had come, and the moment for
final decision was at hand. Mr. Ellsworth's conduct through-
out had been very much in his favour; he had been perse-
vering and marked in his attentions, without annoying by his
pertinacity. Elinor had liked him, in the common sense of
the word, from the first; and the better she knew him, the
more cause she found to respect his principles, and amiable
character. And yet, if left to her own unbiassed judgment,
she would probably have refused him at first, with no other
reluctance than that of wounding for a time the feelings of
a man she sincerely esteemed.
The morning that Mrs. Creighton and Mr. Ellsworth left
Wyllys-Roof, Elinor set out to take a stroll in the field, with
no other companion than her friend Bruno. The dog seemed
aware that his mistress was absent and thoughtful, more in-
different than usual to his caresses and gambols; and, after
having made this observation, the sagacious animal seemed
determined not to annoy her, but walked soberly at her side,
or occasionally trotting on before, he would stop, turn towards
her, and sit in the path, looking at her as she slowly ap-
proached. She had left the house, in order to avoid any
intrusion on her thoughts, at a moment which was an im-
portant one to her; for she had determined, that after one
more thorough examination of her own feelings, her own
views, and the circumstances in which she was placed, the
question should be irrevocably settled-whether she were to
become the wife of Mr. Ellsworth, or to remain single. Many
persons may fancy this a very insignificant matter to decide,
and one that required no such serious attention. But to every
individual, that is a highly important point, which must ne-
cessarily affect the whole future course of life; the choice
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
219
which involves so intimate and indissoluble a relation, where
every interest in life is identical with one's own, is surely no
trifling concern. It may well be doubted, indeed, if even
with men it be not a matter of higher importance than is
commonly believed; observation, we think, would lead to
the opinion, that a wife's character and conduct have a
deeper and more general effect on the husband's career, for
good or for evil, through his opinions and actions, than the
world is aware of. This choice certainly appeared a much
more formidable step to Elinor, when Mr. Ellsworth was the
individual to be accepted or rejected, than it had when Harry
stood in the same position. In one case she had to reflect,
and ponder, and weigh all the different circumstances; in the
other, the natural bent of her affections had decided the ques-
tion before it was asked. But Elinor had, quite lately, settled
half-a-dozen similar affairs, with very little reflection indeed,
and without a moment's anxiety or regret; she had just re-
fused, with polite indifference, several proposals, from per-
sons whom she had every reason to believe, cared a great
deal for her fortune, and very little for herself. If thought
were more active than feeling, in behalf of Mr. Ellsworth,
still, thought said a great deal in his favour. She had always
liked and respected him; she believed him attached to her;
her nearest friends were anxious she should give a favour-
able answer; there could not be a doubt that he possessed
many excellent and desirable qualities. She would not be
romantic, neither would she be unjust to Mr. Ellsworth and
herself; she would not accept him, unless she could do so
frankly, and without reluctance. This, then, was the ques-
tion to be decided-could she love Mr. Ellsworth? The
free, spontaneous love, natural to early youth, she had once
given to Hazlehurst; could she now offer to Mr. Ellsworth
sincere affection of another kind, less engrossing at first, less
mingled with the charms of fancy, but often, perhaps on that
account, more valuable, more enduring? Sincere affection
of any sort, is that only which improves with age, gaining
220
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
strength amid the wear and tear of life. It was to decide
this question clearly, that Elinor had desired three months"
delay. These three months had nearly passed; when she
again met Mr. Ellsworth, in what character should she re-
ceive him?
The precise train of thought pursued by Elinor, during
this morning stroll, we shall not attempt to follow; but that
she was fully aware of the importance of the decision was
evident, by the unusual absence of manner, which seemed
to have struck even her four-footed friend, Bruno. She had,
indeed, made an important discovery lately, one which was
startling, and even painful to her. She found that there are
moments in life, when each individual is called upon to think
and to act alone. It is a truth which most of us are forced
to feel, as we go through this world; though, happily, it is
but seldom that such hours occur. In general, the sympathy,
the counsel of friends, is of the very highest value; and yet,
there are moments when neither can avail. At such times,
we are forced to look higher, to acknowledge that human
wisdom does not reach far enough to guide us, that our
wounds need a purer balm than any offered by human sym-
pathy. Until recently, Elinor had always been soothed and
supported by the affection and guidance of her aunt, but she
must now depend upon herself alone. To a young person,
called upon for the first time to take an important step, with
no other guide than individual judgment and conscience, the
responsibility of action may well be startling; even a wise
and experienced man will often pause at such moments,
doubtful of the course he shall pursue. It is an easy matter
to settle a question, when passion, feeling, interest, or preju-
dice gives the bias; but where these are all silent, and cool
judgment is left alone to decide, the greatest men feel, to a
painful degree, how limited are their powers; the high re-
sponsibility which is attached to free-will rises before them,
and they shrink from the idea of trusting their own welfare
to their own short-sighted reason alone. Most men, at such
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
221
times, take refuge in a sort of fatalism; they stand inactive,
until urged in this or that direction by the press of outward
circumstances; or they rush blindly forward, under impa-
tience of suspense, preferring risk to inaction.
The occasion of our young friend's anxiety and thoughtful-
ness was, no doubt, a trifling one to all but herself; the cause
of her hesitation, however, was honourable; the opinions,
feelings, and motives under which she eventually acted, were
alike natural and creditable.
CHAPTER XVIII.
"Are you acquainted with the difference
That holds this present question, in the court?"
Merchant of Venice.
As the time for the trial approached, the parties collected
in Philadelphia. Harry and his friends were often seen in
the streets, looking busy and thoughtful. Mr. Reed also
appeared, and took up his quarters at one of the great hotels,
in company with Mr. Clapp and his client, who generally
received the name of William Stanley, although he had not
yet established a legal claim to it. There was much curi-
osity to see this individual, as the case had immediately
attracted general attention in the town, where the families
interested were so well known, and the singular circum-
stances of the suit naturally excited additional interest.
After the court opened its session, it became doubtful at one
moment, whether the cause would be tried at that term; but
others which preceded it having been disposed of, the Stanley
suit was at length called.
19*
222
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
On one side appeared William Stanley, the plaintiff, with
Messrs. Reed and Clapp as counsel; a number of witnesses
had been summoned by them, and were now present, mingled
with the audience. On the other hand were the defendants,
Mr. Wyllys, Hazlehurst, Ellsworth, and Mr. Grant, a distin-
guished lawyer of Philadelphia, appearing more particularly
for Mrs. Stanley; they were also supported by witnesses of
their own.
While the preliminary steps were going on, the jury form-
ing, and the parties interested making their arrangements,
the court-room filled rapidly with the friends of Hazlehurst,
and a crowd of curious spectators. Among the individuals
known to us, were Robert Hazlehurst, Mr. Stryker, and
Charlie Hubbard, the young artist, who found that his want
of inches interfered with his view of the scene, and springing
on a bench, he remained there, and contrived to keep much
the same station throughout the trial, his fine, intelligent
countenance following the proceedings with the liveliest inte-
rest: Harry soon perceived him, and the young men ex-
changed friendly smiles. Mr. Stryker was looking on with
cold, worldly curiosity; while Robert Hazlehurst watched
over his brother's interest with much anxiety. In one sense
the audience was unequally divided at first, for while Harry
had many warm, personal friends present, the sailor was a
stranger to all; the aspect of things partially changed, how-
ever, for among that portion of the crowd who had no par-
ticular sympathies with the defendants, a number soon took
sides with the plaintiff. The curiosity to see the sailor was
very great; at one moment, in the opening of the trial, all
eyes were fixed on him; nor did Harry escape his share of
scrutiny.
It was immediately observed, by those who had known
the late Mr. Stanley, that the plaintiff certainly resembled
his family. He was dressed like a seaman, and appeared
quite easy and confident; seldom absent from court, speaking
little, but following the proceedings attentively. His counsel,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
223
Mr. Reed, bore a calm and business-like aspect. Clapp was
flushed, his eye was keen and restless, though he looked san-
guine and hopeful; running his hand through his dark curls,
he would lean back and make an observation to his client,
turn to the right and whisper something in the ear of Mr.
Reed, or bend over his papers, engrossed in thought.
The defendants, on their side, were certainly three as
respectable men in their appearance, as one would wish to
see; they looked, moved, and spoke like gentlemen; in
manner and expression they were all three perfectly natural;
simple, easy, but firm; like men aware that important inte-
rests were at stake, and prepared to make a good defence.
Mr. Grant, their colleague, was an insignificant-looking man
when silent, but he never rose to speak, without commanding
the whole attention of his audience by the force of his talent.
The judges were well known to be respectable men, as
American magistrates of the higher grade are usually found
to be. In the appearance of the jury there was nothing
remarkable; the foreman was a shrewd-looking man, his
neighbour on the left had an open, honest countenance, two
others showed decidedly stupid faces, and one had a very
obstinate expression, as if the first idea that entered his head,
on any subject whatever, was seldom allowed to be dislodged.
Such was the appearance of things when the trial com-
menced. Leaving the minutia of the proceedings to the
legal report of Mr. Bernard, understood to be in the press,
we shall confine ourselves to a brief, and very imperfect out-
line of the speeches, and the most important points of the
testimony; merely endeavouring to give the reader a general
idea of the course of things, on an occasion so important to
Hazlehurst.
/
A
"
Mr. Clapp opened the case in a regular speech. Rising
from his seat, he ran his fingers through his hair, and com-
menced, much as follows:
“We come before you on this occasion, gentlemen of the
jury, to plead a cause which it is believed is unprecedented,
224
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
in its peculiar facts, among the annals of justice in our great
and glorious country. Never, indeed, should I have believed
it possible that an American citizen could, under any circum-
stances whatever, have been compelled during so long a pe-
riod to forego his just and legal rights; ay, that he could
be forced to the very verge of abandoning those rights-all
but forced to forget them. Yet, such are the facts of the case
The individual appear-
upon which you are now to decide.
ing before you this day, claiming that the strong arm of the
law be raised in his behalf, first presented himself to me,
with the very same demand, six years since; to my shame
I confess it, he was driven unaided from my door-I refused
to assist him; he had already carried the same claim to others,
and received from others the same treatment. And what is
this claim, so difficult to establish? Is it some intricate legal
question? Is it some doubtful point of law? Is it a matter
which requires much learning to decide, much wisdom to
fathom? No, gentlemen ;xit is a claim clearly defined, firmly
established; never yet doubted, never yet denied: it is a
claim, not only recognized in the common-law of every land,
protected in the statute-books of every nation, but it is a
claim, gentlemen, which springs spontaneously from the
heart of every human being-it is the right of a sop to his
father's inheritance. A right, dear alike to the son of one
of our merchant-princes, and to the son of the porter on our
wharves."
2
Mr. Clapp paused; he looked about the court, rested his
eyes on his client, ran his fingers through his curls, and then
proceeded.
"Gentlemen; I have told you that it is the right of a son
to his father's inheritance, which we this day call upon you
to uphold. It is more; it is the sacred cause of the orphan
that you are to defend. Yes, gentlemen; at the moment
when William Stanley should have taken possession of the
inheritance, which was his by the threefold title of nature,
of law, and of parental bequest, he was a mere boy, a minor,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
225
a wanderer on the deep; one of that gallant class of men
who carry the glorious colours of our great and happy
country into every port, who whiten every sea with Ame-
rican canvass he was a roving sailor-boy !"
And setting out from this point, Mr. Clapp made a general
statement of the case, coloured by all the cheap ornaments
of forensic eloquence, and varied by allusions to the glory of
the country, the learning of all judges, particularly American
judges, especially the judges then on the bench; the wis-
dom of all juries, particularly American juries, especially
the jury then in the box. He confessed that his client had
been guilty of folly in his boyhood; "but no one, gentlemen,
can regret past misconduct more than Mr. Stanley; no son
ever felt more deeply than himself, regret, that he could not
have attended the death-bed of his father, received his last
blessing, and closed his eyes for the last time!" Mr. Clapp
then read parts of Mr. Stanley's will, gave an outline of his
client's wanderings, and was very particular with names
and dates. The sailor's return was then described in the
most pathetic colours. "He brought with him, gentlemen,
nothing but the humble contents of a sailor's chest, the hard-
earned wages of his daily toil; he, who in justice was the
owner of as rich a domain as any in the land !" The attempts
of this poor sailor to obtain his rights were then represented.
“He learned the bitter truth, gentlemen, that a poor seaman,
a foremast hand, with a tarpaulin hat and round-jacket, stood
little chance of being heard, as the accuser of the rich and
the powerful—the men who walked abroad in polished
beavers, and aristocratic broad-cloths." Aristocracy having
once been brought upon the scene, was made to figure largely
in several sentences, and was very roughly handled indeed.
To have heard Mr. Clapp, one would have supposed aristo-
cracy was the most sinful propensity to which human nature
was liable; the only very criminal quality to which repub-
lican nature might be inclined. Of course the defendants
were accused of this heinous sin; this brilliant passage con-
226
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
cluded with a direct allusion to the " very aristocratic trio
before him." Mr. Stanley was declared to be no aristocrát
he was pronounced thoroughly plebeian in all his actions
and habits. "Like the individnal who has now the honour
of addressing you, gentlemen, Mr. Stanley is entirely free,
in all his habits and opinions, from the hateful stain of aristo-
cracy." He continued, following his client's steps down to
the present time, much as they are already known to the
reader. Then, making a sudden change, he reviewed the
conduct of the defendants as connected with his client.
“What were their first steps at the death of Mr. Stanley,
the father? Merely those which were absolutely necessary
to secure themselves; they inquired for the absent son, but
they inquired feebly; had they waited with greater patience
he would have appeared, for the story of his disinheritance
would never have reached him. Whence did that story
proceed from? It is not for me to say; others now present
may be able to account for it more readily. No, gentlemen,
it is a bitter truth, that the conduct of the executors has been
consistent throughout, from the moment they first took pos-
session of the Stanley estate, until their appearance in this
court; the conduct of the rival legatee has also been marked
by the same consistent spirit of opposition, from the time of
his first interview with Mr. Stanley, after he had arrived at
years of discretion, and knew the value of the estate he
hoped to enjoy; from the moment, I say, when he coolly
ordered the unfortunate sailor to be locked up in Mr. Wyl-
lys's smoke-house, until the present instant, when his only
hope lies in denying the identity of Mr. Stanley's son."
Mr. Clapp dwelt for some time upon this first interview, and
the smoke-house; as he had previously hinted to Hazlehurst,
he laboured to make that affair "look ugly," to the best of
his ability. If the language of the Longbridge lawyer had
been respectful throughout the preliminary proceedings, his
tone in the court-room changed completely. As he drew
towards the close of his speech, he gave full scope to a burst
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
227
of virtuous indignation against wickedness and hypocrisy in
general, and particularly against the conduct of the defendants.
He declared himself forced to believe, that both Mr. Wyllys
and Hazlehurst had suspected the existence of William Stan-
ley from the first-others might have the charity to believe
they had been ignorant of the young man's existence, he
only wished he could still believe such to have been the fact
-he had believed them honestly ignorant of it, until it was
no longer possible for the prejudices of a long-standing friend-
ship and intimacy to blind his eyes, under the flood of light
presented by proofs as clear as day-proofs which his re-
spected brother, the senior counsel, and himself, were about
to lay before the court. He wished to be understood, how-
ever; he never for one moment had included in these sus-
picions-so painful to every candid, upright mind, but which
had recently forced themselves upon him-he repeated, that
in them he had never included the respected lady who filled
the place of step-mother to his client, whose representative
he now saw before him, in the person of a highly distin-
guished lawyer of the Philadelphia bar; he did not suppose
that that venerable matron had ever doubted the death of her
husband's son. He knew that excellent lady, had often met
her in the social circle; none admired more than he, the
virtues for which she was distinguished; he had never sup-
posed it possible, that if aware of the existence of William
Stanley, she could have sat down calmly to enjoy his inherit-
ance. Such a case of turpitude might not be without ex-
ample; but he confessed that in his eyes, it would amount to
guilt of so black a dye, that he was unwilling to accuse human
nature of such depravity; it went beyond the powers of his,
Mr. Clapp's, imagination to comprehend. No, he acquitted
Mrs. Stanley of all blame; she had been influenced and
guided by the two gentlemen before him. He had himself
observed, that during all the preliminary proceedings, the
venerable step-mother of his client had shown many symp-
toms of doubt and hesitation; it was his firm conviction, it
:
228
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
J
was the opinion of his client, of his brother counsel, that if
left to her own unbiassed judgment, Mrs. Stanley would
immediately have acknowledged her husband's son, and re-
ceived him as such. He appealed to the defendants them-
selves if this were not true; he called upon them to deny
this assertion if they could—if they dared! Here Mr. Clapp
paused a moment, and looked towards Mr. Grant.
The defendants had already spoken together for an instant ;
Mr. Ellsworth rose: "The answer which the counsel for
the plaintiff was so anxious to receive, was reserved for its
proper place in the defence. Where so much might be said,
he should scarcely be able to confine himself within the
bounds necessary at that moment. Let the counsel for the
plaintiff rest assured, however, that the answer to that parti-
cular question, when given, would prove, like the general
answer of the defence, of a nature that the interrogator
would, doubtless, little relish."
During Mr. Clapp's abusive remarks, and impudent in-
sinuations against himself and Mr. Wyllys, Hazlehurst, plac-
ing one arm on the table before him, leaned a little forward,
and fixed his eye steadily, but searchingly, on the face of the
speaker. It proved as Harry had expected; the lawyer
looked to the right and left, he faced the judges, the jurors;
he glanced at the audience, raised his eyes to the ceiling, or
threw them upon his papers, but not once did he meet those
of Hazlehurst.
"Gentlemen of the jury; you will observe that the ques-
tion remains unanswered!" continued Mr. Clapp, with a
triumphant air. He then contrived to appeal to his brother
counsel to declare his own impressions, and gave Mr. Reed
an opportunity of affirming, that he had believed Mrs. Stan-
ley inclined to acknowledge their client; he spoke calmly
and impressively, in a manner very different from the hurried,
yet whining enunciation, and flourishing gestures of his col-
league.
· Mr. Clapp now proceeded to prepare the way for the evi-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
229
dence: he gave a general idea of its character, expressing
beforehand the firmest conviction of its effect on the court.
"I have been engaged in hundreds of suits, gentlemen; I
have been a regular attendant in courts of law from early
boyhood, and never, in the whole course of my experience,
have I met with a case, so peculiar and so important, sup-
ported by a body of evidence so clear, so decided, so unde-
niable as that which we shall immediately lay before you;"
and Mr. Clapp sat down, running his fingers through his curls.
The court here adjourned for an hour. The curiosity of
the audience seemed thoroughly excited; when the judges
reassembled, the room was even more crowded than in the
morning.
}
Before calling up the witnesses, Mr. Reed spoke for five
minutes; his dignified manner was a favourable preparation
for the testimony in the plaintiff's behalf.
The first fact proved, was the resemblance of the plaintiff
to William Stanley; this point was thoroughly investigated,
and settled without difficulty in favour of the plaintiff—some
half-a-dozen witnesses swearing to the identity, according to
the best of their belief. The fact that the defendants them-
selves had acknowledged the personal resemblance, was also
made to appear; and Mr. Reed introduced the identity of
handwriting to strengthen the personal identity-several wit-
nesses giving their testimony on the subject. It seemed in-
deed, clear, from the whole of this part of the evidence, that
there was no rational ground to doubt any other difference,
either in the personal resemblance or the handwriting, than
what might naturally exist in the same man, at the ages of
eighteen and thirty-seven.
The statement offered to the defendants some months since,
tracing the past career of the plaintiff, was now produced,
and the principal facts legally proved by different witnesses.
Officers and sailors of different vessels in which he had sailed,
were sworn. Among others, Captain
of the packet-
ship***, testified to the plaintiff's having sailed in his vessel,
VOL. II. — 20
*
A
230
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
under the name of William Stanley, nine years previously;
and it was very clearly proved, that at different intervals
since then, he had continued to bear the same name, although
he had also shipped under those of Bennet, Williams, and
Benson. The statement, as given already in our pages, was
borne out satisfactorily in most of its important facts by the
evidence; although on some points the counsel for the plain-
tiffs confessed, that they had not been able to obtain all the
legal proofs they had wished for. After tracing the plaintiff's
steps as a sailor, the fact of his having been long endeavour-
ing to bring forward the claim he now made, was examined.
Mr. G, a highly respectable lawyer of Baltimore, testi-
fied to the fact that seven years previously, the plaintiff had
applied to him to undertake the case then before the court;
to speak frankly, this evidence surprised the defendants,
who were scarcely prepared for it. Then came proof of the
different applications to Mr. Clapp, his several visits to Long-
bridge, and his presence at Wyllys-Roof six years previously,
when locked up in the out-house by Hazlehurst; Mr. Clapp
repeating at this moment, a very broad insinuation, that the
defendant knew the claims of the individual he had put in
confinement. His willingness to be examined, his ready
consent to an interview with Mr. Wyllys, Mrs. Stanley, and
Hazlehurst, the close examination which he bore at Wyllys-
Roof, were brought forward; and Mr. Clapp managed to
introduce most of the important questions of the defendants
at that time, with the accurate answers of the plaintiff, in his
account of that meeting.
The court adjourned at this time, and many individuals.
among the audience seemed to incline very decidedly towards
the plaintiff. The personal friends of the defendants looked.
somewhat anxious, although Mr. Wyllys and Hazlehurst still
showed a steady front. The testimony which we have given
so briefly, as much of it has already appeared in the narra-
tive, occupied the court more than one day, including the
different cross-examinations of several witnesses, by the de-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
231
fendants: this duty fell to the lot of Mr. Grant, who carried
it on in his usual dry, sarcastic manner, but was unable to
effect any important change in the state of things.
The following morning, the plaintiff's papers were laid
before the court. The volume of the Spectator, and the
letters already produced at Wyllys-Roof, were shown. In
addition to these, the following papers were now brought
forward: A letter addressed to the name of Benson, on
board the British sloop-of-war, Ceres; another directed to
William Bennet, on board the Dutch barque William, when
at Batavia, nearly eighteen years since; this letter was im-
portant, as it was evidently written to an American sailor,
and alluded to his having been recently shipwrecked on the
coast of Africa, and taken up by a Dutch vessel. These
documents were all received with great interest, and their
probable authenticity seemed generally admitted. Mr. Reed
then observed: “We shall close our evidence, gentlemen,
by laying before you testimony, sufficient in itself to prove
triumphantly the identity of the plaintiff, when connected
with a small portion only of that which has preceded it."
He drew from his papers an old Russia-leather pocket-
book, with the initials W. S. stamped upon it in large Gothic
letters.
Mr. Wyllys made an involuntary movement as it was held
up for examination; that very pocket-book, or one exactly
like it, had he given himself to the son of his old friend, the
very last time he saw him. He watched the proceedings at
-this moment with intense interest-evident to everybody.
"This pocket-book, gentlemen, is the property of the
plaintiff," continued Mr. Reed. "The initials of his name,
W. S., stamped upon it, are half-effaced, yet still sufficiently
distinct to tell their story. But the contents of this precious
book are of still greater importance to the interests of my
client."
Mr. Reed then opened it and drew from one side a letter,
and read the address, "William Stanley, New York, care of
232.
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Jonas Thomson, Master of the ship Dorothy Beck." "This
letter, gentlemen of the jury, is signed John Stanley-it is
from the father of William Stanley, in whose name I now
submit it to your examination." The letter was then read;
it corresponded entirely with the circumstances already known
to the reader its date, nature, handwriting, all were per-
fectly correct, and the signature was sworn to by several
witnesses. Mr. Wyllys was evidently moved when the letter
was read; he asked to look at it, and all eyes were turned
on his venerable countenance, as he silently examined the
paper. It was remarked that the hand which held the letter
was not steady, and the features which bent over it betrayed
perceptible agitation. Mr. Wyllys turned to Hazlehurst, as
he finished reading the sheet.
"It is undeniably genuine; the letter of John Stanley to
his son !" he said.
A short consultation succeeded between the defendants.
Hazlehurst wrote a line or two on a slip of paper, and handed
it to Mr. Wyllys, and then to Ellsworth and Mr. Grant.
"Will the counsel for the plaintiff tell us, why these docu-
ments were not produced at the interview with the defend-
ants?" asked Mr. Ellsworth.
“We had several reasons for not doing so," replied Mr.
Clapp. "Had our client not been received so coldly, and
every effort employed to misunderstand him, we should have
produced them earlier; although it would have been impos-
sible to have shown them at that meeting, since they were
not then in our possession."
Will the plaintiff state where, and from whom he first
received that pocket-book?" asked Mr. Grant.
Here the counsel for the plaintiff consulted together a
moment. It seemed as if their client was willing to answer
the question, and that Mr. Reed advised his doing so, but
Mr. Clapp opposed it.
"The defendants must be aware," he said, "that they had
no right to question his client; Mr. Stanley therefore de-
•
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
233
clined answering; he had already, at the proper time and
place, answered many inquiries of theirs, in a manner which
had, doubtless, appeared satisfactory to the court, although
it had not satisfied the defendants. Mr. Stanley had lost all
hope of answering any question of the defendants, in a
manner satisfactory to them.”
Here the defendants were engaged for a moment in making
notes.
Mr. Reed proceeded with the contents of the pocket-book.
"The letter of the father to his erring son, is not the only
testimony we shall produce from the pocket-book of my
client, gentlemen.”
A printed slip of newspaper, soiled, and yellow with age,
was then drawn from one of the pockets, and read by Mr.
Reed: "Married, Wednesday, the 10th, at Trinity Church,
New York, by the Rev. Charles G. Stanley, John Stanley,
of Greatwood, Pennsylvania, to Elizabeth, daughter of the
late Myndert Van Ryssen, of Poughkeepsie.”
Again the defendants showed evident interest. Mr. Wyl-
lys passed his hand over his face, to drive away melancholy
recollections of the past; the present Mrs. Stanley was Miss
Van Ryssen, and at that marriage he had stood by the side
of his friends, as the priest united them.
“Is not that a touching memorial, gentlemen, of the work-
ings of natural feeling in the heart of a misguided boy? He
had left his father, left his home, left his friends in a fit of
reckless folly, but when he meets with the name of the
parent from whom he is estranged, in an American paper,
in a distant land, he cuts the paragraph from the sheet, and
it is carefully preserved among his precious things, during
many succeeding years of hardships, and of wrongs. But
there is another striking fact connected with that scrap of
paper; the individual whose name stands there, as connected
in the closest of human ties with the young man's father, is
the same, whose legal representative I now see before me,
prepared to oppose, by every means in his power, the claim
20*
234
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
of the son to the inheritance bequeathed him, with the forgive-
ness of his dying father. The simplest language I can
choose, will best express the force of facts so painful. The
circumstances are before you; it rests with you to say,
whether tardy justice shall not at length make some amends
for the wrongs of the last eighteen years."
The defendants here asked to look at the paper; they
could find no fault with it; in texture, colour, accuracy, every
point, it corresponded with what it should be.
Mr. Reed paused an instant, and then continued. "But,
gentlemen of the jury, this old and well-worn pocket-book,
the companion of my client's wanderings, and hard fortunes ;
the letter from the father to the son, received as authentic,
without an instant's hesitation, by the defendants themselves;
the marriage notice of the deceased father and the step-
mother, now his legal opponent, are not the only proofs to
be drawn from this portion of our testimony."
Mr. Reed then opened the pocket-book, and showed that
it had originally contained a number of leaves of blank
paper; these leaves were partially covered with the hand-
writing of William Stanley. The date of his going to sea,
and the names of the vessels he had sailed in, were recorded.
Brief, random notes occurred, of no other importance than
that of proving the authenticity of the pocket-book. A
sailor's song was written on one page; another was half-
covered with figures, apparently some trifling accounts of
his own.
The date of a particular storm of unusual seve-
rity, was put down, with the latitude and longitude in which
it occurred, the number of hours it lasted, and the details of
the injury done to the vessel. This rude journal, if such it
may be called, was handed to the jury, and also examined
by the defendants.
Mr. Grant took it, observing with his usual set expression,
and caustic manner, that "it was certainly the pocket-
book of a sailor, probably the pocket-book of William Stan-
ley. It was connected with a singular story, a very singular
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
235
story indeed; but, really, there was one fact which made it
altogether the most extraordinary compound of leather and
paper, that ever happened to fall in his way. If he was not
mistaken, he had understood that the plaintiff, among other
remarkable adventures, claimed to have just escaped drown-
ing, by the skin of his teeth, when picked up on the coast
of Africa, in the winter of 181-. His pocket-book seemed
to have borne the shipwreck equally well; it was landed
high and dry in that court-house, without a trace of salt-
water about it. How did the plaintiff manage to preserve it
so well? He should like the receipt, it might prove useful."
Mr. Grant had been looking down very attentively at the
pocket-book while speaking, occasionally holding it up for
others to see, with studied carelessness; as he put the ques-
tion, he suddenly raised his eyes, without changing his posi-
tion, and fixed them searchingly, with a sort of ironical sim-
plicity, on Mr. Clapp and his client.
“I can tell him all about it," the plaintiff was heard to
say, by those near him.
There was a moment's consultation between the plaintiff
and his counsel. A juror then expressed a wish to hear the
explanation.
Mr. Clapp rose and said: "When Mr. Stanley was
picked up by the 'William,' does the counsel for my client's
step-mother suppose, that he was the only remnant of the
wreck floating about? If he does, he happens to be mis-
taken. Mr. Stanley says there were two others of the crew
picked up at the time he was, with the hope of restoring
life, but they were dead. There were also several chests,
and various other objects brought on board the 'William.'
One of the chests was his client's. The pocket-book was con-
tained in a tin box, which happened to be wrapped in a piece
of old sail-cloth, and nothing in the box was wet. It contained
several old bank-notes, besides the pocket-book, and they
were not wet. He hoped the counsel for his client's step-
mother was satisfied."
236
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"4
,
Mr. Grant bowed. "Much obliged for the explanation ;
but he was still inclined to think, that there must have been
some peculiar process employed with that highly important
pocket-book."
Mr. Clapp replied by a short burst of indignation, at the
intolerable insinuations of his opponent, and appealed to the
court to silence them. Mr. Grant was accordingly reminded
by the judge, that unless he had something beyond mere
insinuations to offer, his remarks could not be listened to.
Mr. Reed then related how these papers had been lost by his
client, some years since; they had been left in a box at a
boarding-house, during a voyage he made in the Pacific; the
house was burnt down, and Mr. Stanley had believed his
´papers lost, until he recently heard they were in possession
of a shipmate, at New Bedford. Mr. Clapp and himself had
gone there, and easily obtained them again from Robert
Stebbins, the man in whose hands they had been since the
fire. The fact of the fire was proved; Stebbins was sworn,
and testified to having saved the box with his own effects,
and his having quite lately returned it to the owner, on first
hearing an account of the suit in which he was engaged.
This part of the testimony was clearly laid before the court.
by Mr. Reed; and the evidence for the plaintiffs was closed,
with these papers, and the examination of Stebbins, through
whose hands they had come.
The cross-examination of the different witnesses was still
conducted by Mr. Grant; several of the witnesses were
made to contradict each other, and partially to contradict
themselves; but as it was only on points of minor import-
ance, no material change could be effected in the general
appearance of things, in spite of all Mr. Grant's ingenuity.
He kept Stebbins a long time on the stand; and once or
twice this individual seemed a good deal confused in manner
and expression; still nothing important could be drawn from
him, his account of the papers corresponding sufficiently well
with that of the plaintiff.
ľ
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
237
It was late in the afternoon when the proceedings of the
trial reached this stage, and the court adjourned. Some of
Hazlehurst's friends were uneasy, others were confident of
success; Mr. Stryker declared he thought the sailor had
made out a very strong case, and he predicted that he would
gain the suit. It is not to be supposed that Mrs. Stanley,
and the ladies at Wyllys-Roof, were left in ignorance of what
passed in the court-room. Robert Hazlehurst, at whose
house Mrs. Stanley and Miss Wyllys were staying, made
brief notes of the proceedings every few hours, and sent
them to his wife and friends, who despatched them by every
mail to the younger ladies at Wyllys-Roof.
When the court met again, the time for the defendants to
be heard had arrived.
The defence was opened by Hazlehurst; he had had but
little practice at the bar, but, like most educated Americans,
it required but little to fit him for speaking in public. His
voice was good, his manner and appearance were highly in
his favour; he had the best of materials to work with, native
ability, cultivated by a thorough education, and supported by
just views and sound principles. Energy of character and
feeling helped him also; warming as he procceded, he threw
himself fully into his subject, and went on with a facility
surprising to himself, and far surpassing the most sanguine
expectations of his friends. As for his opponents, they had
anticipated very little from him. We give a sketch of his
opening remarks:
"It is the first time, gentlemen," he said, on rising to speak,
"that the individual who now addresses you, has ever ap-
peared in a high court of justice, as an act of self-defence. I
have never yet been solemnly called upon to account for my
past actions by any fellow-creature. My moral motives have
never yet been publicly impugned. The position in which
I now stand, accused of denying the just rights of another,
of wilfully withholding the parental inheritance from the
son of my benefactor, is therefore as novel to myself in its
Why
I
帶
​238
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
whole character, as it must appear remarkable to you in its
peculiar circumstances.
"I have already learned, however, during the few years
that I have filled a place on the busy stage of active life,
that in the world to which we belong, Truth herself is com-
pelled to appear on the defensive, nearly as often, perhaps,
as Error. I have no right therefore to complain. So long
as I am included in the same accusation, so long as I am
associated in the same defence with the venerable man at
my side—one, whose honourable career has furnished to the
community represented by this assembly, a noble model of
conduct during three-score years and ten; one whom it has
been the especial object of my endeavours to follow, in my
own path through life-so long, I can have no wish to shrink
from the situation in which I am placed; I can find no room
for doubts or misgivings, as to the wisdom and rectitude of
the course I have adopted.
"That the position, however, in which we stand before you,
on the present occasion, gentlemen, is one that requires ex-
planation, we readily admit; it is too remarkable in its par-
ticulars to escape the searching inquiry of justice. We
appear in this court, the executors and legatee of Mr. Stan-
ley-his widow, his nearest friend, and his adopted repre-
sentative to deny a claim, just in itself, advanced in the
name of his only son. Such a position must be either quite
untenable, totally unjustifiable, an outrage upon the common.
decency of society, or it must stand on the firm foundation
of truth. You will easily believe, that such a position would
never have been taken, under circumstances so extraordi-
nary, by three individuals, possessing only a common share
of honesty and good sense, unless they had held it to be one
which they could maintain. You will readily admit, that it
is the very last position which a man of clear integrity, good
character, and natural feeling would wish to assume, unless
acting from conscientious motives, and guided by sound
reason.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
239
"I have no wish to parade a stoical indifference to the
pecuniary interests at stake to-day; they are such as must
seriously affect my fortunes for years, possibly for life. A
cause involving so large a sum of money, so fine a landed
estate, honourably acquired by the late proprietor, and gene-
rously bequeathed to myself, must necessarily include many
interests of a varied character. Many grateful recollections
of the past, many hopes for the future, have been connected
in my mind with the house at Greatwood; from early boy-
hood I have been taught to look forward to it, as a home and
a resting-place, when the busiest years of life shall have
passed. These interests, however, although among the best
enjoyments of existence, are of a nature entirely personal,
forgive me, if for a moment I have glanced at them. But,
gentlemen, if I have always valued the bequest of Mr. Stan-
ley, from its own intrinsic importance, from the many advan-
tages it has already procured me, from the hopes with which
it is connected, and from the grateful recollection, that to the
friendly affection of my benefactor I owe its possession, yet,
I solemnly affirm, in the hearing of hundreds of witnesses,
that there is no honest occupation, however humble, no
labour, however toilsome, that I would not at this instant
cheerfuly exchange for it, rather than retain that inheritance
one hour from its rightful owner, could I believe him to be
living.
→
"No human being, I trust, who knows the principles from
which I have hitherto acted, can show just ground for mis-
trusting this declaration.
"But, fellow-citizens of the jury, to you I am a stranger.
There is not one of your number, as I now scan the faces in
your box, that I recognize as that of an acquaintance. I
cannot, therefore, expect you to believe this assertion, unsup-
ported by evidence of its truth. I willingly leave vain de-
clamation to those who have no better weapon to work with;
were it in my power to influence your decision, by volleys
of words without meaning, sound without sense, such as
240
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
only too often assail the ears of judges and juries, respect
for the honourable office you now fill, would deter me from
following such a course; self-respect would naturally prevent
me from following so closely the example of the orator who
first addressed you on behalf of the plaintiff. I have often
before heard that orator, fellow-citizens of the jury; this is
not the first occasion upon which I have listened with simple
wonder, to a fluency which ever flows undisturbed, undis-
mayed, whether the obstacles in its way be those of law or
justice, reason or truth. But if I have wondered at a facility
so remarkable, never, for a single instant, have I wished to
rival this supple dexterity. It is an accomplishment one
can scarcely envy. On the other hand, these wholesale
supplies of bombastic declamation form so large a part of
the local stock in trade of the individual to whom I refer,
that it would seem almost cruel to deprive him of them; we
have all heard a common expression, more easily understood
than explained, but which would be quite applicable to the
pitiable state of the counsel for the plaintiff, when deprived
of his chief support, his favourite modes of speech — he
would then be reduced, gentlemen, to less than nothing."
Hazlehurst's face was expressive enough as he uttered these
words.
66
No, fellow-citizens of the jury, I shall not ask you to
believe a single assertion of my own, unsustained by proof.
At the proper moment, the testimony which we possess in
favour of the death of Mr. Stanley's son, and the facts which
have led us to mistrust the strange story which you have just
heard advanced in behalf of the plaintiff, will be laid before
you. At present, suffer me, for a moment longer, to refer to
the leading motives which have induced us to appear in this
court, as defendants, under circumstances so singular.
"The importance which, as legatee of Mr. Stanley, I
attach to his generous gift, has not been denied. But, inde-
pendently of this, there are other causes sufficient in them-
selves to have brought me into this hall, and these motives I
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
241
share with the friends associated in the same defence. If
we conceive ourselves to be justified in refusing the demand
of the plaintiff, as a consequence of this conviction, we must
necessarily hold it to be an imperative duty to repel, by every
honest means in our power, a claim we believe false. This
is a case which allows of no medium course. On one hand,
either we, the defendants, are guilty of an act of the most
cruel injustice; or, on the other, the individual before you,
assuming the name of William Stanley, is an impostor.
The opinion of those most intimately connected with the late
Mr. Stanley, is clearly proclaimed, by the stand they have.
deliberately taken, after examining the evidence with which
the plaintiff advances his extraordinary claim. This indi-
vidual who, from his own account, was content to remain for
years in a state of passive indifference to the same important
inheritance, now claimed so boldly, in defiance of so many
obstacles, we believe to be an impostor; not a single, linger-
ing scruple prevents my repeating the declaration, that I
believe him to be a bold and daring impostor.
•
"With this opinion, is it expected that I shall calmly en-
dure that one, whose only title consists in his cunning and
his audacity, should seize with impunity, property, legally
and justly my own? Is it believed that I shall stand idly
by, without a struggle to defend the name of my deceased
benefactor from such impudent abuse? That I should be
content to see the very hearth-stone of my friend seized, by
the grossest cupidity? That I should surrender the guard-
ianship of his grave to one, with whom he never had a
thought, a feeling, a sympathy in common?-to one, who
would not scruple to sell that grave for a bottle of rum?
66
Every feeling revolts at the thought of such a shameful
neglect of duty! No; I acknowledge myself bound, by
every obligation, to oppose to the last extremity, such an
audacious invasion of right and truth. Every feeling of
respect and gratitude to the memory of my benefactor, urges
VOL. II.-21
242
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
me forward; while all the attachment of the friend, and all
the affection of the widow, revive, and unite in the defence.
“But, fellow-citizens of the jury, my own personal rights,
sufficient on a common occasion to rouse any man, the duties
owed by each of the defendants to the memory of Mr. Stan-
ley-duties sacred in the eyes of every right-thinking man,
these are not the only motives which call upon us to oppose
the plaintiff, to repel with all the strength we can command
this daring act of piracy.
"There is another duty still more urgent, a consideration
of a still higher character, involved in the course we pursue
to-day. There is one object before us, far surpassing in im-
portance any to which I have yet alluded; it is one, fellow-
citizens of the jury, in which each individual of your number
is as deeply concerned as ourselves, in which the highest
earthly interests of every human being in this community
are included; it is the one great object for which these walls
were raised, this hall opened, which has placed those honour-
able men as judges on the seat of justice, which has called
you together, from the less important pursuit of your daily
avocations, to give an impartial opinion in every case brought
before you; it is the high object of maintaining justice in
the community to which we all equally belong. I am willing
to believe, fellow-citizens of the jury, that you are fully
aware of the importance of your own office, of the dignity
of this court, of the necessity of its existence, of its activity
to protect the honest and inoffensive citizen, against the de-
signing, the unprincipled, and the violent. Such protection
we know to be absolutely binding upon every community
claiming to be civilized; we know that without it no state
of society, at all worthy of the dignity of human nature, at
all worthy of the dignity of freemen, can exist; without
active justice, indeed, the name of Freedom becomes a mere
sound of mockery. I have been taught to hold the opinion,
gentlemen, that if there is one obligation more imperative
than any other, imposed upon an American by the privileges
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
243
of his birth-right, it is this very duty of maintaining justice
in her full integrity; of raising his voice in her behalf when
she is threatened, of raising his arm in her defence when
she is assailed. To move at the first clear appeal of justice,
is surely one of the chief duties of every American citizen,
of every man blessed with freedom of speech and freedom
of action; and, surely, if this be a general rule, it would
become a double act of moral cowardice, to desert the post,
when those individual rights, confided especially to my own
protection, including interests so important to myself, are au-
daciously assailed. If there are circumstances which par-
tially remove the weight of this obligation, of this public
struggle for justice, from portions of the community, from
the aged, who have already firmly upheld every honourable
principle through a long course of years, and from those
who are confined by their natural position to the narrow but
holy circle of domestic duties; if such be honourable ex-
emptions from bearing the brunt of the battle, it is only to
open the front rank to every active citizen, laying claim to
manliness and honesty. Such I conceive to be the obligation
imposed upon myself, by the demand of the plaintiff. Upon
examination, I can find no sufficient evidence to support this
claim; it becomes therefore, in my belief, by its very nature,
an atrocious outrage alike to the living and the dead-an
insulting violation of natural justice and the law of the land,
sufficient to rouse every justifiable effort in resistance.
"Whenever attention may be called to a question, of a
character audaciously unprincipled, even when quite inde-
pendent of personal advantage and personal feeling, I should
still hope that duty as a man, duty as a freeman, would have
sufficient influence over my actions, to urge me forward in
opposition to its unrighteous demands, just so far as common
sense and true principle shall point the way. Such I con-
ceive to be the character of the present question; were there
no pecuniary interest, no individual feeling at stake, I should
244
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
still conceive it a duty to hold on the present occasion the
position in which I now stand.
"The grounds upon which this opinion as to the character
of the case has been formed, the grounds upon which we
base our defence, must now be laid before you."
After this opening, Harry proceeded with an outline of the
testimony for the defence. His statement was very clear and
accurate throughout; but as it contained nothing but what is
already known to the reader, we shall omit this part of his
remarks.
After he had given a general account of the conduct and
views of the defendants, Mr. Ellsworth proceeded to lay the
legal evidence in their possession, before the court. The
first point examined, was the testimony they had received as
to the death of William Stanley. The wreck of the Jeffer-
son was easily proved, by a letter from the captain of the
American ship Eagle, who had spoken the Jefferson the
morning of the gale in which she was lost, and having safely
rode out the storm himself, had afterwards seen the wreck.
This letter was written on Captain Green's arrival in port,
and was in answer to inquiries of Mr. Wyllys; besides an
account of the gale, and the wreck of the Jefferson, it con-
tained the united opinions of his mates and himself, that nò
one could have escaped, unless under very extraordinary
circumstances, as the vessel herself had foundered, and no
boat could have lived in such a tempest. During a calm
which had followed the gale, they had fallen in with frag-
ments of the wreck, some of which had been used in repair-
ing their own vessel; they had seen several dead bodies,
and had taken up an empty boat, and several other objects,
but nothing which threw farther light on the subject. Wil-
liam Stanley's name, as one of the crew of the Jefferson,
was next produced; this part of the testimony came through
our acquaintance, Mr. Hopkins, who had been the owner of
the Jefferson. Then came proofs of the many efforts made
by the executors, to obtain accounts of Mr. Stanley's son, by
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
245
advertisements to sailors and ship-masters, in all the great
ports of the country, repeated during five years; many letters
and communications were also produced, all strengthening the
report of the young man's death. An agent had been em-
ployed by Mrs. Stanley, for one year, with no other object
than that of searching for intelligence of her step-son; the
man himself was dead, but his letters were read, and sworn
to by his wife. Only once had the executors obtained a
faint hope of the young man's existence; the second-mate
of a whaler reported that he had known a William Stanley,
a foremast hand, in the Pacific; but eventually it appeared,
that the man alluded to was much older than Mr. Stanley's
son, and his name was Sanley. Nothing could be more
clearly proved, than the efforts of the executors to obtain
accurate intelligence as to the young man's fate; and it was
also evident from the reports received, that they could have
had no good reason to doubt his death. The next points
examined, included the person and conduct of the plaintiff.
The bad character of the plaintiff was made to appear in the
course of this examination; "a character which seems at least
to have always clung to that individual, under the various
names it has pleased him to assume at different times," ob-
served Mr. Ellsworth. It was clearly shown that he was
considered a man of no principles, even among his comrades.
The personal identity was fully examined; this part of the
testimony excited intense interest among the audience, while
even the court seemed to listen with increased attention.
The opinions of the different witnesses on this point were
not disputed; the general resemblance of the plaintiff to the
Stanleys was not denied; the similarity of handwriting was
also admitted; but Mr. Ellsworth argued, that such resem-
blances, among persons who were in no way related to each
other, were not uncommon; probably every individual in
that court-room had been told fifty times, that he was like A.,
B., or C. Occasionally, such resemblances were really very
marked indeed. He then cited the instance of a man who
21*
246
ELINOR WYLLYS; OK,
was hanged in England, on this very ground of personal
identity, sworn to by many individuals; and yet, a year after,
it was discovered that the real criminal was living; and these
two men, so strikingly alike, had never even seen each other,
nor were they in any manner related to each other. But
who could say whether the plaintiff were actually so much
like William Stanley? It was not certain that any individual
in that room had seen the young man for eighteen years; but
one of the defendants had any distinct recollection of him,
even at that time; the colour of the hair, and a general re-
semblance in complexion and features, might well be the
amount of all that could be advanced in favour of the like-
ness; the plaintiff resembled the Stanleys, father and son;
but probably a hundred other men might be picked up in the
country, in whom the same resemblance might be found—
men who laid no claim to the name or estate of Mr. Stanley.
Similarity of handwriting was not uncommon either; and
here some dozen notes and letters were produced, and proved
to a certain degree that this assertion was correct; in several
cases the resemblance was very great; and Mr. Ellsworth
maintained, that with the documents in the possession of the
sailor, undeniably written by young Stanley, any common.
writer, devoid of honesty, might have moulded his hand by
practice to an imitation of it, sufficient for forgery. So much
for the resemblance; he would now point out the difference
between the plaintiff and William Stanley in two points,
which, if clearly proved, must convince the jury that iden-
tity was utterly impossible, a pure fiction, a gross deception.
He then produced the portrait of William Stanley; after
acknowledging that there was some general resemblance, he
suddenly showed the difference in the formation of the hands,
fingers, and nails, between the boy and the plaintiff. This
difference was indeed striking, for Ellsworth took a moment
to point it out, when the sailor was in court, and engaged in
putting a piece of tobacco in his mouth, and his hands were
in full view. For a second he seemed out of countenance,
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
247
but he soon resumed the confident look he had worn through-
out. Mr. Ellsworth entered very minutely into this fact,
showing that painters usually gave a correct idea of the hand,
when it was introduced in a portrait; and the impossibility
of the natural formation of the hand being entirely changed,
either by time or hard work, was proved by the testimony
of anatomists. The family physician of the late Mr. Stanley
was an important witness at this stage of the trial; he swore
to the fidelity of the portrait, and confirmed the fact of the
particular formation of William Stanley's limbs when a boy;
he thought it very improbable that a lad of his frame and
constitution would ever become as heavy and robust as the
plaintiff. He was asked by a juror if he thought this im-
possible? No; he could not say it was impossible." The
difference in gait was then examined.
"There is yet another point to be examined," said Ells-
worth, "similar in nature, but still more decided in its bear-
ing." He then brought forward all the testimony that had
been collected, as to the temper and capacity of William
Stanley; it was clearly proved, chiefly by the young man's
tutors and companions, that he was morose and stubborn in
disposition, and dull in intellect. So far this point was easily
settled; but it was difficult to place the opposite facts, of the
cleverness and better temper of the plaintiff, as clearly before
the court as they had appeared to the defendants. Any one
who had seen him under the same circumstances as Mr. Wyl-
lys and Hazlehurst, during the last three months, would have
been convinced of this difference; but in the court-room it
was not so easy to place the matter beyond dispute, although
two witnesses gave their opinions on this point, under oath,
and Ellsworth did all he could, by attracting attention to the
plaintiff, to his manner and expression; but he was not quite
satisfied with the result of his own endeavours.
"Let us now look at the conduct of this individual; we
shall find it, I think, quite inconsistent with what any man
of plain, good sense, would have supposed the most easy and
248
ELINOR WYLLYS;. Or,
natural course under the circumstances; while, on the other
hand, it is entirely consistent throughout, in being strongly
marked with the stamp of improbability, in its general aspect,
and in its details." After a review of the plaintiff's course,
as it stood in his own statement, he proceeded to investigate.
his conduct during the last three months, maintaining, that
had he really been William Stanley, he would have presented
himself long since to Mr. Wyllys, unsupported by Mr. Clapp;
he would not have found it necessary to visit Greatwood,
and examine the house and place so thoroughly, before sub-
mitting to an examination; he would not have waited to be
examined, he would voluntarily have told his own story in
a manner to produce undeniable conviction. For instance,
but a few weeks since, when, if we may believe his story,
that pocket-book came into his possession again, had he gone
to Mr. Wyllys, shown it, and merely told him accurately,
from whom, when, and where he had first received it, he
would have been immediately recognized as the individual
he claims to be. Had he been William Stanley, he could
have told those simple facts, he would have told them; while
they were facts which it was impossible that an impostor
should know, since they were confined entirely to Mr. Wyllys
and his friend's son-Mr. Wyllys himself having given the
pocket-book to William Stanley when they were alone to-
gether. He appealed to every man there present, what
would have been his own conduct under such circumstances?
As to the readiness of Mr. Wyllys to receive William Stan-
ley, could he believe him living, it was proved by the past
conduct of the executors, their anxiety to obtain a correct
account of the young man's fate, their hopes at first, their
regrets at last, when hope had died away. Ellsworth closed
his speech by observing, that after this review of the circum-
stances, considering the striking differences pointed out in
person, temper, and capacity, from those of William Stanley,
the irreconciliable difference in the gait and formation of the
limbs, and the unnatural conduct of the plaintiff throughout,
|
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
249
F
had Mr. Wyllys received this man as William Stanley, the
son of his deceased friend, it would have been a gross neglect
of duty on his part.
There now remained but one act to complete the defence.
It was concluded by Mr. Grant, who went over the whole
case in a speech, in his usual well-known manner, learned
and close in its reasoning, caustic and severe in its remarks
on the opposite party. His general view was chiefly legal;
occasionally, however, he introduced short and impressive
remarks on the general aspect of the case, and the particular
character of the most suspicious facts presented by the plain-
tiff; he was severe upon Mr. Clapp, showing a shrewd and
thorough knowledge of the man, and the legal species to
which he belonged. The Longbridge lawyer put on an
increase of vulgar nonchalance for the occasion, but he was
unable to conceal entirely his uneasiness under the sharp
and well-aimed hits of one, so much his superior in standing
and real ability. Mr. Grant dwelt particularly upon the
´suspicious appearance of the facts connected with the volume
of the Spectator, and the pocket-book, both of which he
admitted to have belonged to William Stanley originally;
and he seemed to manage the difference in temper and
capacity more effectually than Mr. Ellsworth had done.
His speech was listened to with the closest attention during
several hours; after having reviewed the testimony on both
sides and finished his legal survey of the ground, he con-
cluded as follows:
"Gentlemen of the jury; the facts of this case are before
you, so far at least as we could reach them; there are doubt-
less others behind the curtain which might prove highly im-
portant in assisting your decision. You have followed me
over the dull track of the law wherever it led us near this
case, and I thank you for the patience you have shown.
The subject is now fully before you, and I conceive that you
will agree with me that in the present case, the counsel
for the plaintiff have undertaken a task of no ordinary dif-
C
250
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
ficulty. It seems a task by no means enviable under any
of its different aspects; but really, in the whole course of
my experience at the bar, it has never yet fallen to my lot to
witness so startling a feat of legal legerdemain, as that at-
tempted in this court-room by the counsel for the plaintiff.
I conceive, gentlemen, that they are engaged in a task seldom
attempted since the days of wizards and necromancers-they
have undertaken to raise a ghost!"
It was now time for the plaintiff's lawyers to close the
trial. Mr. Clapp wished to speak again, but Mr. Reed took
the case entirely in his own hands; he was evidently firmly
convinced of the identity of his client with William Stanley,
and the natural indignation he felt at the accusations of the
defendants, and the treatment the sailor had received from
the executors, gave unusual warmth to his manner, which
was generally calm; it was remarked that he had never
made a stronger speech than on that occasion. He did not
dispute the honesty of the opinions of Mr. Wyllys and
Hazlehurst, but he conceived they had no right to hold such
opinions after examining the testimony in behalf of the
plaintiff. He conceived that the defendant attached an im-
portance altogether puerile to mere common probability,
every-day probability; how many facts, now proved as
clearly as human evidence can prove, have worn at first an
improbable aspect to many minds! How many legal cases
of an improbable nature might be cited! He would only
allude to a few; and here he went over several remarkable
cases on record.
“And yet he would even engage to answer the objections
against his client on this very ground of probability; much
had been said about the volume of the Spectator, but Mr.
Hazlehurst could not swear to having read it at Greatwood
four years since; while it appeared on cross-examination
that his brother had the same edition of that book in Phila-
delphia, and that Mr. H. was in the habit of reading his
brother's books; it also appeared that other volumes had
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LÓNGBRIDGE.
251
been lost from the house at Greatwood in the course of the
last four years. He held it then to be clearly probable ; first,
that Mr. H. had not read that identical volume shown at the
interview, but one belonging to his brother; secondly, that
the same volume had not been lost within the last four years;
that others had been lost was certain, but that this volume
had been in the possession of his client for nearly twenty
years was probable." He went on in the same way to prove
the probability of his client's gait having been changed, like
that of other sailors, by a life at sea; that his whole body
had become heavier and coarser from twenty years' hard
work, and change of habits. He here made Dr. B., the
physician who had testified on this subject, appear in a ridi-
culous light, by quoting some unfortunately obscure remarks
he had made under cross-examination.
"Then, as to his client's temper, he hoped it had improved
with age, but he thought that point had not been as clearly
settled as his best friends could wish; still, it was by no
means improbable that it had improved under the salutary
restraints of greater intercourse with the world. Who has
not known persons whose tempers have become better under
such circumstances? As to the capacity of his client, that
had also probably been roused into greater activity by the
same circumstances. Who has not heard of striking in-
stances in which boys have been pronounced stupid by their
masters and playfellows, and yet the same lads have after-
wards turned out even brilliant geniuses?" He mentioned
several instances of this kind. He went over the most strik-
ing features of the whole ease in this manner, but we are
necessarily compelled to abridge his remarks. "He accepted
this ground of probability fully and entirely; the conduct of
his client had been thought unnatural; he conceived that the
very same stubborn, morose disposition, which the defendants
had laboured so hard to fasten upon William Stanley, would
account in the most probable manner for all that had been
unusual in the conduct of his client. The same boy who at
252
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
fifteen had so recklessly exchanged a pleasant home and
brilliant prospects for a sailor's hardships, might very natu-
rally have continued to feel and to act as the plaintiff had
done."
He then brought together all the points in favour of the
sailor, "The resemblance between the plaintiff and Wil-
liam Stanley had been called trifling by the counsel for the
defendants; he considered it a remarkably strong resem-
blance, since it included not only acknowledged personal
likeness, but also similarity of handwriting, of age, of occu-
pation, the possession of documents admitted to be authentic
by the defendants themselves, with knowledge of past events,
persons, and places, such as would be natural in William
Stanley but quite beyond the reach of a common stranger.
He conceived that the great number of different points in
his client's favour was a far stronger ground for the truth of
his claim, than any one fact, however striking, standing alone.
He held that this mass of evidence, both positive and circum-
stantial, could be accounted for in no other way at all pro-
buble, than by admitting the identity of his client. He con-
ceived it also probable that any unprejudiced man would
take the same view of this case; a case singular in its first
aspect, though not more singular than hundreds of others on
record, and entirely within the bounds of possibility in every
fact, while it assumed greater probability the farther it was
examined." He then adverted to several points merely
legal, and finally concluded by a strong appeal in behalf of
the plaintiff.
The judge rose to make his charge; it was strictly legal
and impartial, chiefly reminding the jury that they were to
decide entirely from the facts which had been placed before
them; if they thought the evidence to which they listened
sufficient to prove legally the identity of the plaintiff as
William Stanley, they must give a verdict in his favour; if
they held that evidence to be incomplete and insufficient,
according to the legal views which must be their guide, they
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
253
must pronounce a verdict in favour of the defendants: con-
cluding with explaining one or two legal points, and an in-
junction to weigh the whole evidence impartially, the judge
took his seat.
The jury rose; marshalled by constables and headed by
their foreman, they turned from the box and left the court-
room to consider their verdict.
Another cause was called. The parties interested, their
friends, and the crowd of curious spectators poured from the
building, discussing as they moved along the probable result,
which could scarcely be known until the next morning, for
it was late on the fourth night that the trial closed.
CHAPTER XIX.
"Tout est perdu fors l'honneur !"
François I.
HAZLEHURST's friends, fully aware of the importance of
the cause to his interests, had followed the trial with great
anxiety. Mrs. Stanley, Mrs. Robert Hazlehurst, Miss Wyl-
lys, and Mrs. Creighton were regularly informed of the
events which had passed whenever the court adjourned.
The young ladies at Wyllys-Roof, Elinor, Jane, and Mary
Van Alstyne were obliged to wait longer for information;
they had received, however, regular reports of the proceed-
ings by every mail; they had learned that the trial had
closed, and were now waiting most anxiously for the final
decision of the jury.
"I had no idea the trial would last so long; had you?"
observed Mary Van Alstyne, as the three friends were sitting
VOL. II.-22
.
254
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
together waiting for that day's mail, which must at length
bring them the important news.
"Yes; grandpapa told me that it might possibly last a
week."
"I don't see why they cannot decide it sooner," said Jane;
anybody might know that sailor could not be William
Stanley. Poor Harry! what trouble he has had with the
man ever since he came home!"
66
At that moment carriage-wheels were heard approaching;
Elinor ran to the window.
"They are coming!" she cried; and in another instant
she was on the piazza, followed by Mary and Jane.
Two carriages were approaching the door.
"Here they are-all our friends!" exclaimed Mary Van
Alstyne, as she recognized in the first open wagon Mr.
Wyllys and Ellsworth, and in the barouche behind, the
ladies, including Mrs. Creighton; while Harry himself sat
at the side of the coachman.
Elinor was on the last step of the piazza, looking eagerly
towards the faces of her friends as they advanced.
"Grandpapa!" she exclaimed, looking all anxious curi-
osity, as the wagon stopped.
Mr. Wyllys smiled, but not triumphantly.
Ellsworth shook his head as he sprang from the wagon
and took her hand.
"Can it be possible!-Is the suit lost?" she again ex-
claimed.
"Only too possible," replied Mr. Ellsworth. "The jury
have given a verdict for the plaintiff, in spite of our best
endeavours."
Elinor turned towards Harry, and offered him both her
hands. Hazlehurst received them with feeling, with emotion.
"I can't acknowledge that I am such a poor forlorn fellow
as one might fancy," he said, smiling, "while I have still
such kind and warm friends.".
Elinor blushing to find herself between the two gentle-
1
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
255
men, advanced to receive the kiss of her aunt and Mrs. Stan-
ley. The countenance of the latter lady showed evident
traces of the painful feelings she had experienced at the de-
cision. Mrs. Creighton too looked a little disturbed; though
graceful as ever in her manner, she was not easy; it was
clear that she had been much disappointed by Harry's defeat.
"I am grieved to hear the bad news, Mr. Hazlehurst !”
said Mary Van Alstyne.
“Poor Harry—I am so sorry for you!" exclaimed Jane,
looking very lovely as she raised her eyes to her kinsman's
face.
Ellsworth, can't you manage to lose all you are worth
and a little more ?" said Harry, smiling, after having thanked
the ladies for their kind reception.
66
“As I could not keep your property for you with the best
will in the world, no doubt I could get rid of my own too,"
replied his friend.
When the whole party assembled in the drawing-room,
nothing was talked of for a while but the trial. It appeared
that the jury had been fifteen hours considering their verdict.
The doors of the court-room had been crowded by people
curious to learn the decision of the case, and when the jury
entered the court with their verdict there was a rush forward
to hear it.
"Verdict for the plaintiff-" was announced by the clerk
in a loud voice, in the usual official manner.
(6
Clapp was standing near me at the moment," said Harry,
"there was a flash of triumph in his face as he turned to-
wards me. The sailor actually looked bewildered for an
instant, but he soon appeared very well satisfied. As for
myself, I honestly declare that I expected such would be the
result."
"It was too late to write to you, my child," said Mr.
Wyllys; "we only heard the verdict in time to prepare for
leaving town in the morning's boat. And now, Nelly, you
must give us some consolation in the shape of a good dinner.”
256
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
It was very evident that although everybody endeavoured
to wear a cheerful face, the defeat had been much felt by
Mrs. Stanley, Mr. Wyllys, and Ellsworth. Hazlehurst him-
self really appeared better prepared for the misfortune than
any of the party; in fact he conceived Mrs. Stanley's posi-
tion to be more painful than his own, though so much less
critical in a pecuniary view. Mrs. Creighton was certainly
neither so gay, nor so easy as usual in her manner; one
might have fancied that she felt herself in an unpleasant and
rather an awkward position-a very unusual thing for that
lady. It might have struck an observer that she wished to
appear as amiable as ever to Harry, but she did not succeed
entirely in concealing that her interest in him was materially
diminished, now that he was no longer Mr. Stanley's heir.
It was only by trifling shades of manner, however, that this
was betrayed; perhaps no one of the circle at Wyllys-Roof
remarked it; perhaps it was not lost upon Hazlehurst; there
seemed to be an occasional expression in his eye which said
So.
After the party had separated to prepare for dinner, Elinor
joined her aunt, and learned many farther particulars of the
trial.
"Is there no hope, Aunt?-can nothing be done-no new
trial ?"
“I am afraid not. The gentlemen are to hold several
consultations on that point, however, but they seem to agree
that little can be done. Both your grandfather and Harry
were determined to go on if there were the least probability
of success; but Mr. Grant, Mr. Ellsworth, and several other
gentlemen say they can give them no grounds for encourage-
ment; the trial was perfectly regular, and they think an
appeal for a new trial would be rejected; and even if it
were granted, they see no reason to hope for a different
verdict."
"And yet there cannot be a doubt, Aunt, to us at least,
that this man is an impostor !" exclaimed Elinor.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
257
"No, not to us certainly; but it was not possible to place
the proofs of this as clearly before the court as they have
appeared to us. Harry says he was afraid from the begin-
ning that this would be the case."
"How well he bears it!" exclaimed Elinor. "And Mrs.
Stanley, she can scarcely speak on the subject!"
She feels it most keenly. Would you believe it, my
child, when we arrived on board the boat this morning, we
found Mr. Clapp and this man already there; and at a
moment when Mrs. Stanley and I were sitting alone together,
the gentlemen having left us, and Mrs. Creighton being with
another party, they came and walked up and down before
Mr. Clapp took off his hat, and running his hand
through his hair, as he does so often, he said in a loud voice :
'Well, Mr. Stanley, when do you go to Greatwood?' Hap-
pily, Harry saw us from the other side of the deck, and he
instantly joined us. Of course we did not mention to him
what had passed; and although Mr. Clapp was noisy and
vulgar, yet he did not come so near us again.”
us.
"What a miserable man he is !" exclaimed Elinor. "And
is it possible that sailor is going to take possession of my
uncle Stanley's house immediately?"
"I do not know, my child. Everything has been left in
the hands of Robert Hazlehurst and Mr. Grant, by our
friends."
Already had Elinor's mind been busy with planning relief
for Hazlehurst; if he were now worse than penniless, she
was rich-it would be in her power to assist him. The point
itself had been long since settled by her, but the manner in
which it was to be done was now to be considered. She
was determined at least that her old playfellow should have
the use of any sum he might require, under the circumstances
that would be the easiest and most acceptable to himself.
Her grandfather must make the offer; they would either
wait until he returned from the cruise in the Petrel, or pos-
sibly it would be better to write to him while absent.
·
22*
258
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Elinor had, perhaps, been more disappointed by the verdict
than any one, for she had been very sanguine as to the result;
she had not conceived it possible that such gross injustice
could triumph.
But, alas, how imperfect is merely human justice in its
best form! It is a humiliating reflection for the human race,
that Justice, one of the highest attributes of Truth, should
have so little power among men ; that when guided by human
reason alone she should so often err !
To guard faithfully the general purity of Justice, to watch
that her arm is neither crippled by violence nor palsied by
fear, that her hands are not polluted by bribery, nor her ears
assailed by flattery, is all that human means can do ; but wo
to the society where this duty is neglected, for disgrace and
general corruption are then inevitable.
It was a day of movement at Wyllys-Roof; after the
arrival of the party from Philadelphia there were constant
communications with their neighbours at Broadlawn, as the
long talked of cruise of the Petrel had been only postponed
for Harry's return, and young de Vaux was now all impatience
to be off. When Elinor went down for dinner she found
Ellsworth and Harry on the piazza playing with Bruno, the
fine Newfoundland dog which Hazlehurst had given her when
he first went abroad.
"He is a noble creature!" exclaimed Ellsworth.
I am making friends with Bruno again, you see," said
Harry as Elinor drew near. "What would you say if I
coaxed him off to the Petrel with me to-morrow?"
“You are very welcome to his company for the voyage,
if you can persuade him to go. Down Bruno, down my
good friend," she said, as the dog bounded towards her; “I
wish you would remember that a thin white dress must be
treated with some respect. Are you really going to-morrow?”
she added, turning to Harry.
"Yes; we are under sailing orders. I have just been
over to look at the Petrel, and everything is ready. De
}
i
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
259
+
Vaux has only been waiting for me-the rest of the party
has been collected for some days. I found Smith the con-
chologist, and Stryker, at Broadlawn.”
"Has your course been finally settled ?" asked Ellsworth.
"Yes; we are to circumnavigate Long-Island."
"You will have an agreeable cruise, I dare say, with a
pleasant set of messmates; Hubert de Vaux is a good fellow
himself, and Stryker is in his element on such occasions."
"We are to have Charlie Hubbard too, and Harman Van
Horne."
"How long will you be gone?" said Elinor.
"Some ten days, or a fortnight at the very farthest.”
"Can we see anything of Mr. de Vaux's boat from here?"
asked Mrs. Creighton, stepping on the piazza.
"Only her masts; in this direction, near the grove," replied
Harry. "She is a schooner, and a beautiful craft, too.”
"Miss Wyllys, you should coax Mr. de Vaux to give the
ladies a pic-nic when he returns," said Mrs. Creighton.
"No doubt he would be happy to do so, if you were to
express the wish," said Elinor.
"Unfortunately I shall not be here. Wyllys-Roof is a
dangerous place, one always stays here too long; but I can-
not positively afford more than a day or two at present; I
have promised to be in town on Thursday.”
Elinor expressed her regrets very hospitably; and they
were soon after summoned to dinner.
In the evening, Hubert de Vaux and the gentlemen from
Broadlawn, engaged for the cruise, walked in. Charlie
Hubbard was there too; he had remained in Philadelphia
during the whole trial, and had just returned home that
morning.
"And so you are positively going to-morrow," said Mr.
Wyllys to young de Vaux.
66
Positively; at six in the morning.
"Is it part of your plan, to stow yourselves away at night
in the Petrel ?"
260
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
邀
​"The Petrel's cabin is not to be despised, I assure you,
sir. It has six as good berths as those of any North-River
sloop that ever carried passengers in days of yore. But we
shall only sleep on board occasionally, for the fun of the
thing."
"At what places do you intend to put into port?"
"We are going to shoot for a day or two on Long-Island;
and we shall let the Yankees have a sight of the Petrel, at
New Haven, Sachem's-Head, and Nantucket."
“I have no doubt you will have a pleasant excursion."
"Our only difficulty at present seems the prospect of too
much comfort," said Charlie. "Mrs. de Vaux expressed
some fears of a famine at Longbridge in consequence of this
cruise, we carry off such a stock of provisions.'
""
"Not a bit too much; people always want twice as much
on a party of pleasure as at other times," said Hubert de
Vaux.
The plan of the cruise was talked over in all its details,
and the whole party seemed pleased with the idea. Young
Van Horne, now a practising physician in New York, was
delighted with the prospect of a week's liberty; Mr. Smith,
the conchologist, hoped to pick up some precious univalve
or bivalve; Charlie talked of taking a sketch of Cape Cod ;
Harry declared he was determined to enjoy the trip, as the
last holiday he could allow himself for a long time; and Mr.
Stryker promised himself the best of chowders, a sea-dish
in which he professed himself to be a great connoisseur.
Mrs. Creighton indeed declared, that he looked upon that
season as lost, in which he could not make some improve-
ment in his celebrated receipt for chowder. Whether it was
that this lady's gaiety and coquetry instinctively revived in
the company of so many gentlemen, or whether she felt
afraid of Mr. Stryker's keen, worldly scrutiny, her manner
in the evening resumed entirely its wonted appearance; she
was witty, graceful, piquant, and flattering as ever, and quite
as much so with Hazlehurst as with any.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
261
C
"What do you say to a game of chess, Mrs. Creighton?"
asked Mr. Wyllys.
"With pleasure, sir; I am always at your service. Not
that it is very pleasant to be beaten so often, but I really think
I improve under your instructions. You are so much inte-
rested yourself that you inspire others."
You must allow me, Mrs. Creighton, to suggest some-
thing for your improvement," said Mr. Stryker.
"And what is it, pray?"
"You talk too much; you make yourself too agreeable
to your adversary-that is not fair."
(6
4
Oh, it is only a ruse de guerre; and Mr. Wyllys beats
me nine games out of ten, in spite of my chattering."
"No doubt; but if you could make up your mind to be
less charming for half an hour, you might have the honours
of the game oftener."
"I must gain the battle my own way, Mr. Stryker, or not
at all."
"I leave you to your fate, then," said the gentleman,
turning away.
Charlie, Elinor, Harry, and Jane were quietly talking to-
gether; Jane having now resumed her place in the family
circle. They were speaking of Charlie's sketches, and the
young widow asked if he ever painted portraits now; Miss
Wyllys wished to have her's taken, before she left them to
return to her parents.
"You do paint portraits," said Elinor; "I have seen those
of your mother and Miss Patsey."
Charlie changed colour, and hastily denied any claim to
be called a portrait-painter.'
"Yet it would be pleasant," said Elinor, “to have a pic-
ture of my cousin painted by you."
Jane observed she should like to have Elinor's, by the
same hand.
66
Oh, my portrait would not be worth having," said Elinor,
smiling; "certainly not if taken by an honest artist.”
99
1
262
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"You will both, I hope, fare better from the hands of Mr.
," said Charlie, with some little embar-
I or Mr. S-
or Mr. S
rassment.
Mr. Ellsworth, who had been standing near the group, now
asked Elinor to sing.
"What will you have?" she replied, taking a seat at the
piano.
"Anything you please."
Pray then give us Robin Adair, Miss Elinor," said
Charlie.
Elinor sang the well-known song with greater sweetness
than usual-she was decidedly in good voice; both Charlie
and Harry listened with great pleasure as they stood by her
side. Jane was also sitting near the piano, and seemed more
interested in the music than usual; it was a song which the
young
widow had so often heard, in what she now looked
back to as the happy days of her girlhood. More than one
individual in the room thought it charming to listen to Elinor
and look at Jane, at the same instant. Several of the gentle-
men then sang, and the party broke up cheerfully.
Little was it thought, that never again could the same
circle be re-united at Wyllys-Roof; all who crossed the
threshold that night were not to return.
66
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
263
CHAPTER XX.
"I pr'ythee hear me speak!"
Richard III
HAZLEHURST had gone out with his friends, and continued
walking on the piazza, first with Charlie and then with Ells-
worth; at length Mrs. Stanley called him from the window
to say good-bye, as she did not expect to see him again before
the cruise; the other ladies also wished him a pleasant ex-
cursion at the same moment.
"Good fishing and no musquitoes-which, I take it, is all
that is desirable on such an occasion," said Mrs. Creighton,
smiling brightly but carelessly, as she offered her hand.
"Thank you; I suppose you have no commands for Cape
Cod?"
"None at all, I believe, unless you can bring us the true
Yankee receipt for chowder, which Mr. Stryker was explain-
ing this evening."
"You will be off so early to-morrow that we shall scarcely
see you, Harry," said Miss Wyllys. "You must come back
to us, however, and fall into the old habit of considering
Wyllys-Roof as home, whenever you please," she added
kindly.
Harry's thanks were expressed with feeling.
“And in the mean time I hope you will have a pleasant
cruise," said Elinor. "Fair winds and better prospects
attend you !”—and as she raised her eyes, Harry observed
they had filled with tears when she made this allusion to his
difficulties. Perhaps Ellsworth made the same remark, and
appreciated her kindness; for when Elinor turned to wish
him good-night we strongly suspect that his countenance said
so; there could be no doubt at least, that she blushed at the
time, though pale but a moment before.
264
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
After the ladies had gone, Mr. Wyllys and Ellsworth went
off together, and Harry returned to the piazza.
It was perhaps inconsiderate in Hazlehurst to continue
walking so late, for the sound of his footsteps fell regularly
on the stillness of the night, long after the family had gone
to rest, and may possibly have disturbed some of his friends;
but many busy thoughts of the past and the future crowded
on his mind, while pacing that familiar spot, the piazza of
Wyllys-Roof. It is time that these thoughts should be par-
tially revealed to the reader, and for that purpose we must
pause a moment, in order to look backward.
Long since, Harry's heart had warmed again towards his
old playfellow, Elinor. As soon as the first novelty of a life
at Rio had worn off, Harry, whose affections were strong,
began to miss his old friends; the more so, since Mr. Henley,
although his principles and talents entirely commanded his
secretary's esteem, was not a pleasant companion in every-
day life.
Hazlehurst soon began to contrast the minister's
formal, old bachelor establishment with the pleasant house
of his friend Ellsworth, where Mrs. Creighton did the honours.
charmingly, and with the cheerful home of his brother, where
his sister-in-law always received him kindly: still oftener
he compared the cold, stately atmosphere which seemed to
fill Mr. Henley's house, with the pleasant, genial spirit which
prevailed at Wyllys-Roof, where everything excellent wore
so amiable an aspect. Until lately he had always been so
closely connected with the family there, that he accused him-
self of not having done full justice to all their worth. He
took a pleasure in dwelling on Mr. Wyllys's high moral cha-
racter, so happily tempered by the benevolence of cheerful
old age; he remembered the quiet, unpretending virtues of
Miss Wyllys, always mingled with unvarying kindness to
himself; and could he forget Elinor, whose whole character
was so engaging; uniting strength of principle and intelli-
gence, with a disposition so lovely, so endearing? A place in
this family had been his, his for life, and he had trifled with it,
L
F
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
OF
265
rejected it; worse than that-well he knew that the best place
in Elinor's generous heart had once been wholly his; he had
applied for it, he had won it; and what return had he made for
her warmest affections? He had trifled with her; the world
said he had jilted her, jilted the true-hearted Elinor, his friend
and companion from childhood! Knowing her as well as
he did, he had treated her as if she were a mere ball-room
coquette; he had forgotten her as soon as if it had been a
mere holiday fancy of a boy of fifteen. He had been com-
pletely infatuated, dazzled, blinded by a beautiful face. That
it was sheer infatuation was now evident; for, absent from
both Elinor and Jane, all feeling for the latter seemed to have
vanished like a dream. It is said that love without hope
cannot live the question must be settled by those who have
suffered most frequently from the wounds of Cupid; but it
seems evident, at least from Harry's experience, that love
which has fed plentifully upon hopes for some months, when
suddenly put upon a change of diet, and receiving a large
dose of mortification to boot, falls immediately into a rapid.
decline. The recollection of his fancy for Jane was now
unpleasant under every aspect, but where it was connected
with Elinor he soon began to consider it as particularly pain-
ful. He regretted that he had engaged Elinor in the hasty,
boyish manner he had done, before going abroad; had he
not taken this step, the momentary mortification of a refusal
by Jane would have been the only evil; Elinor would not
have suffered, and all might have gone well. Gradually the
idea gained upon him, that it was not impossible to repair
the past. His conduct had been unpardonable, no doubt;
yet, perhaps it might be forgiven. But even if Elinor could
forget his inexcusable fickleness, would her friends ever con-
sent to risk her future peace with one who had so recklessly
trifled with her already? Mr. Wyllys had been deeply in-
dignant at his conduct; his whole manner had changed,
there had been a cold civility in it when they had met, which
Harry had felt keenly-it amounted almost to contempt.
VOL. II. - 23
266
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
{
Miss Wyllys, too, was no longer the kind, indulgent Aunt
Agnes of his boyhood; there was a very decided coldness
and reserve in her whole expression, which it seemed all but
impossible to overcome. He wished, however, that he had
it in his power to make advances towards a reconciliation;
he was prepared for merited coldness at first, but he would
willingly submit to it as a just penance, if he could but hope
eventually to regain his position with Elinor. Such a wife
as Elinor would be, was worth a serious struggle to obtain.
Then, at other moments, this idea appeared preposterous to
him; how could the Wyllyses ever forgive him after so keen
an insult, so cruel a blow? No, it was a dream; he would
not indulge in it any longer; he would not think of marry-
ing; he would turn out an old bachelor diplomatist, like Mr.
Henley. It is not to be supposed that Mrs. Creighton was
entirely forgotten in these reveries of Harry's, which formed
occasional interludes to his diplomatic labours while at Rio.
On the contrary she was remembered quite frequently; and
every one who knew her must always think of the pretty
widow as a charming woman; clever, graceful, gay, and
well-bred. Nor had Hazlehurst been blind to her peculiarly
flattering manner towards himself. The lady was his friend
Ellsworth's sister, which was another claim; she was gene-
rally admired too, and this alone, with some men, would
have given her a decided advantage: since we are revealing
Harry's foibles, however, we must do him the justice to say,
that he was not one of the class referred to. When he liked,
he liked honestly, for good reasons of his own. At the time
he left home with Mr. Henley, he had not been able to de-
cide entirely to his own satisfaction, whether Mrs. Creighton
really had any partiality for him or not; he waited with a
little interest and a little curiosity, to know what she would
do after he left Philadelphia. News soon reached him that
the lady was gay and charming as ever, much admired, and
taking much pleasure in admiration, as usual. He had
known Mrs. Creighton from a girl; she was a year or two
*
}
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
267
older than himself, and had been a married woman while he
was still a boy, and he had been long aware of her repu-
tation as a coquette; this had no doubt put him on his guard.
He had occasionally remarked her conduct himself; and
having been so intimate with women of very different cha-
racters-his brother's wife, Miss Wyllys, and Elinor-he
knew very well that all women were not coquettes; he had
received a higher standard of female delicacy and female
truth than many young men. So long, therefore, as he be-
lieved Mrs. Creighton a decided flirt, he was in little danger
from her the lady, however, was no common coquette-
cleverness, tact, good taste, gave her very great advantages ;
she was generally admired, and Hazlehurst expected daily
to hear that she was married.
He had become very tired of Rio Janeiro, and very desi-
rous of returning home, long before Mr. Henley was recalled
to exchange the court of Brazil for that of St. Petersburgh.
Sincere respect for Mr. Henley had alone kept him at Rio;
and when he arrived at Norfolk, he was still undecided
whether he should continue in the legation or not. He
found that all his friends were at Saratoga, and he hastened
there; he was anxious to see the Wyllyses, anxious to see
Elinor, and yet he dreaded the first meeting-he had already
determined to be guided entirely in his future steps by their
manner towards himself; if they did not absolutely shun
him, he would make an effort for a complete reconciliation.
He knew Elinor was unmarried; he had never heard of any
engagement, and he might then hope to regain all he had
lost. He arrived, he was received kindly, and the sight of
Elinor's plain face did not change his determination; on the
contrary, he found her just wh- he remembered her, just
what he had always known he to be-everything that was
naturally feminine and amiable. But if Elinor were still
herself, Harry soon found that her position had very mate-
rially altered of late; she was now an heiress, it seemed,
What a contemptible interpretation might be placed on his
268
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
advances under such circumstances! Then came the dis-
covery of Mr. Ellsworth's views and hopes; and his friend
was evidently sanguine of success. Thus everything was
changed; he was compelled to remain in the back-ground,
to avoid carefully any interference with his friend.
There appeared no reason to doubt that Elinor would, ere
long, marry Ellsworth; she herself certainly liked him, and
her friends very evidently favoured his suit. On the other
hand, Mrs. Creighton seemed particularly well pleased with
his own return; she was certainly very charming, and it was
by no means an unpleasant task to play cavalier to his friend's
sister. Still he looked on with great interest, as Ellsworth
pursued his courtship; and he often found himself making
observations upon Elinor's movements. Now she will
do this"-"I am sure she thinks that" "I know her
better than Ellsworth"-
'-"She can't endure Stryker"—and
other remarks of the kind, which kept his attention fixed
upon his old playfellow; the more closely he observed her
the more he saw to love and admire; for their former long
intimacy had given him a key to her character, and greater
knowledge of the world enabled him fully to appreciate her
purity of principle, her native grace and modesty, the gene-
rous tone of her mind, the unaffected sweetness of her dis-
position. It appeared strange and unpleasant to him, that
he must now draw back and see her engrossed by Ellsworth,
when she had so long been his own favourite companion;
still he had no right to complain, it was his own fault that
matters were so much changed. As for Mrs. Creighton,
Harry could not satisfy himself with regard to her real feel-
ings; there were times when he thought she was attached
to him, but just as it began to appear clear that she was not
merely coquetting, just as he began to inquire if he could ever
offer himself to a woman whom he admired very much, but
whom he did not entirely respect, the pretty widow would
run off, apparently in spite of herself, into some very evident
flirtation with Stryker, with de Vaux, with Mr. Wyllys, in
S
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
269
fact, with any man who came in her way. Generally he
felt relieved by these caprices, since they left perfect liberty
of action to himself; ocasionally he was vexed with her
coquetry, vexed with himself for admiring her in spite of it
all. Had Harry never known Mrs. Creighton previously,
he would doubtless have fallen very decidedly in love with
her in a short time; but he had known her too long, and
half mistrusted her; had he never known Elinor so tho-
roughly, he would not have understood Mrs. Creighton. He
involuntarily compared the two together; both were particu-
larly clever, well-bred, and graceful; but Harry felt that one
was ingenuous, amiable, and natural, while he knew that the
other was worldly, bright, but cold, and interested in all her
views and actions. Elinor's charm lay in the perfect confi-
dence one reposed in the firmness of her principles, the
strength of her affections, softened as they were by feminine
grace of mind and person. Mrs. Creighton fascinated by
the brilliant gloss of the world, the perfection of art, inspired
by the natural instincts of a clever, educated coquette. There
had been moments when Hazlehurst was all but deceived
into believing himself unjust towards Mrs. Creighton, so
charmingly piquant, so gracefully flattering was her manner;
but he owed his eventual escape to the only talisman which
can ever save a young man, or an old one either, from the
wiles of a pretty, artful coquette; he carried about with him
the reflection of a purer model of womanly virtue, one gra-
dually formed from boyhood upon Elinor's mould, and which
at last had entirely filled his mind and his heart.
1
Since the commencement of the Stanley suit, Hazlehurst
had become quite disgusted with Mrs. Creighton's conduct;
art may reach a great way, but it can never cover the whole
ground, and the pretty widow involuntarily betrayed too many
variations of manner, graduated by Harry's varying prospects;
his eyes were completely opened; he was ashamed of himself
for having been half-persuaded that she was attached to him.
How different had been Elinor's conduct! she had shown
23*
270
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
throughout a warm, unwavering interest in his difficulties,
always more frankly expressed in his least encouraging
moments; indeed she had sometimes blushed, from the fear
that her sympathy might be mistaken for something more
than friendly regard for her kinsman. Harry saw it all; he
understood the conduct of both, and he felt Elinor's kindness
deeply; he was no longer ungrateful, and he longed to tell
her so.
True, she would ere long become his friend's wife,
but might he not, under the circumstances, be permitted first
to declare his feelings? It would, perhaps, be only a just
atonement for the past-only what was due to Elinor. Harry
tried to persuade himself into this view of the case, as he
looked up towards her window, invoking a blessing on her
gentle head.
Hazlehurst's reflections, while on the piazza, had com-
menced with his pecuniary difficulties, and the consequences
of his late defeat, but they gradually centered on Elinor in a
very lover-like manner, much in the shape we have given
them. But at length the moon went down behind the wood,
and those whose rooms were on that side of the house found
that the sound of his footsteps had ceased; and nothing
farther disturbed the stillness of the night.
"Did you see the Petrel this morning, grandpapa ?” said
Elinor, as she was pouring out the coffee at the breakfast-
table.
"No, I did not, my child; I took it for granted they were
off before sun-rise, and did not look for them."
They were behind their time; they were in sight from
my window about an hour since."
"Some of the youngsters have been lazy, I suppose; I
hope Harry was not the delinquent."
"I heard him pass my door quite early," observed Miss
Agnes.
66
"When I saw them," said Elinor, "they had drawn off
from the wharf, and were lying in the river, as if they were
waiting for something that had been forgotten; the boat looked
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
271
beautifully, for there was very little air, and she lay motion-
less on the water, with her sails half-furled."
Perhaps they stopped for Mr. Hubbard to make a
sketch," said Ellsworth to Elinor.
66
Hardly, I should think; time and tide, you know, wait
for no man-not even to be sketched.”
66
“But Hazlehurst told me his friend Hubbard had pro-
mised to immortalize the Petrel and her crew by a picture;
perhaps he chose the moment of departure; you say she
appeared to great advantage then.”
"I should think he would prefer waiting for some more
striking moment. Who knows what adventures they may
meet with! Mr. de Vaux expects to win a race; perhaps
they may catch a whale, or see the sea-serpent."
“No doubt Mr. Stryker would try to catch the monster, if
they were to meet with him; his fishing ambition is bound-
less," said Mrs. Creighton.
But there is no fashionable apparatus for catching sea-
serpents," observed Elinor; "and Mr. Stryker's ambition is
all fashionable."
66
Stryker is not much of an Izaak Walton, certainly," re-
marked Ellsworth. "He calls it murder, to catch a trout
with a common rod and a natural fly. He will scarcely be
the man to bring in the sea-serpent; he would go after it
though, in a moment, if a regular European sportsman were
to propose it to him.”
"I almost wonder we have not yet had an English yacht.
over here, whale-hunting, or sea-serpent-hunting," said Mrs.
Creighton; "they are so fond of novelty and wild-goose
chasing of any kind."
"It would make a lion of a dandy, at once,” said Ells-
worth, "if he could catch the sea-serpent."
"A single fin would be glory enough for one lion," said
Elinor; “remember how many yards there are of him.'
"If Stryker should catch a slice of the serpent, no doubt
99
272
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
:
he will throw it into his chowder-pot, and add it to the re-
ceipt,” said Mr. Wyllys.
"Well, Miss Wyllys, I think you and I might engage to
eat all the monsters he catches, as Beatrice did Benedict's
slain," said Mrs. Creighton.
"Do you intend to make up with Stryker, à la Beatrice ?"
asked the lady's brother. It is some time now that you
have carried on the war of wit with him."
“No, indeed; I have no such intentions. I leave him
entirely to Miss Wyllys; all but his chowder, which I like
now and then," said the lady, carelessly.
"I am sorry you will not be here, Mrs. Creighton, for the
pic-nic to the ladies, which de Vaux is to give when he
comes back," said Mr. Wyllys; "Mr. Stryker will give us a
fine chowder, no doubt."
“Thank you, sir; I should enjoy the party exceedingly.
I must not think too much of it, or I might be tempted to
break my engagement with the Ramsays."
Have you really decided to go so soon?—I was in hopes
we should be able to keep you much longer," said Miss
Wyllys.
"I should be delighted to stay; but in addition to my visit
to the Ramsays, who are going to town expressly for me, I
must also pick up my little neice."
Miss Wyllys then made some inquiries about Mr. Ells-
worth's little girl.
"She was very well and happy, with her cousins, when I
heard from my eldest sister, a day or two since," he replied.
"She has been with me very little this summer; I hope we
shall be able to make some pleasanter arrangement for the
future," he added, with a half-glance at Elinor.
66
My brother has a very poor opinion of my abilities, Miss
Wyllys; because I have no children of my own, he fancies
that I cannot manage his little girl.”
"I am much obliged to you, Josephine, for what you have
done for her, as you very well know."
1
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
273
“Oh, yes; you are much obliged to me, and so forth; but
you think Mary is in better hands with Mrs. Ellis, and so do
I; I cannot keep the little thing in very good order, I ac-
knowledge."
"It must be difficult not to spoil her, Mrs. Creighton,"
remarked Mr. Wyllys. "She is a very pretty and engaging
child-just the size and age for a pet."
"That is the misfortune; she is so pretty that Frank thinks
I make a little doll of her; that I dress her too much. I
believe he thinks I wear too many flowers and ribbons my-
self; he has become very fastidious in his taste about such
matters lately; he wishes his daughter to dress with elegant
simplicity; now I have a decided fancy for elegant ornament.'
"He must be very bold, Mrs. Creighton, if he proposes
any alteration to you."
"I agree with you, entirely," said the lady, laughing;
"for the last year or two I have been even less successful in
suiting him than of old. He seems to have some very su-
perior model in his mind's eye. But it is rather annoying
to have one's taste in dress criticised, after having been ac-
customed to hear it commended and consulted, ever since I
was fifteen.'
>>
"You must tolerate my less brilliant notions for the sake
of variety," said her brother, smiling.
"I shall hope to make over Mary's wardrobe to some other
direction, before she grows up," said Mrs. Creighton; "for
you and I would certainly quarrel over it."
The party rose from table. Elinor felt a touch of nervous-
ness come upon her, as she remarked that Mr. Ellsworth
seemed to be watching her movements; while his face had
worn rather a pre-occupied expression all the morning, seem-
ing to threaten something important.
The day was very pleasant; and as Mr. Wyllys had some
business at certain mills on Chewattan Lake, he proposed a
ride on horseback to his friends, offering a seat in his old-
fashioned chair to any lady who chose to take it.
274
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
·
Mrs. Creighton accepted the offer very readily.
"I have not been in any carriage so rustic and farmer-like
these twenty years," she said.
"I shall be happy to drive you, if you can be satisfied
with a sober old whip like myself, and a sober old pony
like Timo:"
"It is settled then; you ride I suppose, Miss Wyllys.
Elinor assented; Mary Van Alstyne was also to go on
horseback. Mr. Ellsworth thought that he would have pre-
ferred escorting one lady instead of two on that occasion.
He seemed destined that morning to discover, that a lover's
course is not only impeded by important obstacles, but often
obstructed by things trifling in themselves. Before the chair
and horses appeared at the door, there was an arrival from
Longbridge. Mr. Taylor and his daughter, Miss Emma,
had come from New York the previous evening, and now
appeared at Wyllys-Roof; the merchant had come over
with the double object of blessing his grandchild, and taking
his share in a speculation then going on in the neighbour-
hood. The Taylors had been asked to Wyllys-Roof, at any
time when they wished to see Jane, and they had now come
for twenty-four hours, in accordance with the invitation. At
first Mr. Ellsworth supposed the ride to Chewattan Lake
must be abandoned, but it was only deferred for an hour.
Miss Emma Taylor, ever ready for an enterprise of liveliness,
had no sooner embraced her sister-in-law, and learned that
some of the family had proposed riding, than she immediately
expressed a great desire to join them. Mary Van Alstyne
very readily gave up her horse and habit to the young lady;
and Mr. Ellsworth walked over to Broadlawn, to invite Bob
de Vaux, a boy of sixteen, to be her especial escort. He
thought this a very clever manœuvre of his own. While
these arrangements were going on, and the Taylors were
taking some refreshment, Mr. Taylor had found time to ex-
press his regrets at the result of the law-suit.
"I was much disposed, however, to anticipate such a ver-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
275
dict," he observed; "Mr. Clapp is a very talented lawyer
for so young a man; this cause, which has attracted so much
attention, will probably make his fortune at the bar. But I
was fearful, sir, from the beginning, that neither yourself nor
your friend, Mr. Hazlehurst, was fully aware of Mr. Clapp's
abilities."
"I do not conceive, however, that the cause was won by
Mr. Clapp's legal acumen,” observed Mr. Wyllys, drily.
Perhaps not; still, I understand that he succeeded in
making out a very strong case in behalf of his client."
(6
"Of that there is no doubt."
"And the less foundation he had to work on, the greater
his talents must appear," said Mr. Taylor, with a look, which
expressed both admiration for Mr. Clapp, and the suspicion
that he had been assisting an impostor.
"The kind of talent you refer to is not of a very enviable
character, I think," said Mr. Wyllys.
“I don't know that, my dear sir," added Mr. Taylor, as
he drank off a glass of wine; "it is a talent which has
gained a fine property at least. I regret, however, that my
friend, Mr. Hazlehurst, should have suffered so heavy a loss.”
"Mr. Wyllys bowed; and well aware that his own views
of the case and those of Mr. Taylor would not agree, he
changed the conversation.
"You will find your old place much changed," observed
Miss Wyllys to the merchant.
“Yes, madam ; I understand considerable alterations have
been made at my former mansion. I had almost forgotten
this morning that the estate was no longer mine, and was
half-inclined to enter the gate as we passed it."
"I am delighted, pa, that it is not yours any longer!" ex-
claimed Miss Emma, with a liveliness which accorded par-
ticularly ill with her deep mourning-dress. "We shall have
ten times more fun at Rockaway; Colonnade Manor was
the stupidest place in creation; we were often a whole day
without seeing a beau!"
276
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
At length, Miss Emma having declared herself more than
sufficiently rested, she put on the habit; and the chair and
horses were brought to the door. Mr. Taylor was to set out
shortly after, in another direction, to go over the manufactory
in which he was about to become interested.
All agreed that the day was delightful. There was a fine
air, the dust had been laid by a shower, and as the road led
through several woods, they had not too much sun. For a
while the four equestrians kept together, and common-place
matters only were talked over; the Petrel was not forgotten.
Miss Emma Taylor declared she would have gone along, if
she had been on the spot when they sailed. Bob de Vaux
said his brother Hubert had offered to take him, but he did
not care to go; he had rather ride than sail, any day.
"Here's for a gallop then!" exclaimed the young lady,
and off the two set at a rapid pace.
"How does that flirtation come on ?" asked Miss Emma,
when they lessened their pace at some distance in advance
of the rest of the party.
“All settled, I believe," replied the youth.
"What, actually engaged? I have been quite exercised
about all your doings over here, this summer; you must
have had a lively time, three or four flirtations all going on
at once. But, do you know I am bent on spiting Mr. Ells-
worth this morning. He meant to have a tête-à-tête, I know,
and only asked you just to get rid of me. But he shan't
have a moment's peace to pay for it; let's turn round and
go back again at full speed."
Bob de Vaux had not the least objections; he liked motion
and mischief almost as much as did the lively belle; they
both enjoyed the joke exceedingly, and succeeded in pro-
voking Mr. Ellsworth not a little. Miss Emma and her
companion were in high glee at their success; they would
first ride half a mile by the side of the others, then gallop
off to a distance, and at a signal from the young lady, sud-
#
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
277
denly facing about they would return, just in time, as Miss
Emma thought, to cut short any tender speech.
"That young lady seems to have gone twice over every
foot of the road," innocently observed Mr. Wyllys, little
aware of her object.
"What a restless creature it is!" replied Mrs. Creighton;
"she must worry her horse as much as she annoys her ra-
tional companions."
"Miss Taylor is a perfect rattle," remarked Mr. Ellsworth.
"Quite inferior to her sister, Mrs. Hunter, I should say."
"Her excess of spirits will wear itself out one of these
days, I dare say,” replied Elinor.
"It is to be hoped so," said the gentleman, drily.
When they reached the lake they dismounted, and passed
half an hour at a farm-house, to rest, and lunch upon iced
milk and dew-berries, which the farmer's wife kindly offered
them. Mrs. Creighton professed herself rather disappointed
with Chewattan Lake; the shores were quite low, there was
only one good hill, and one pretty, projecting point, with a
fine group of elms-standing in graceful relief against the
sky; she thought Mr. Hubbard's painting had flattered
nature. Mr. Ellsworth would not allow that Charlie ever
flattered; but remarked that it was his peculiar merit, to
throw a charm about the simplest water scene; and his last
view of Chewattan Lake was certainly one of his happiest
pictures.
On their way home, Miss Emma and her companion again
commenced their quizzing system. Towards the end of the
ride, however, the young lady relaxed a little in her vigi-
lance; when they reached a turnpike-gate, about two miles
from Wyllys-Roof, she suddenly proposed to Bob de Vaux
to run a race with Elinor and Mr. Ellsworth.
"What do you say to it, Miss Wyllys?"
"Excuse me; I had much rather not."
“Oh, but you don't know what I mean. Now, you and
VOL. II.-24
278
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Mr. Ellsworth go cantering and trotting along, in such a
sober, Darby and Joan fashion, that I am sure Mr. de Vaux
and I can turn off here, take this by-road, which you know
comes in nearly opposite your gate, and although it is twice
as far round, I bet you a pair of gloves we are at Wyllys-
Roof before you."
"Done!" exclaimed Mr. Ellsworth, delighted with the
idea; and off the young lady gallopped with her companion.
It is not to be supposed that the gentleman allowed the
half-hour that followed to pass unimproved. He could speak
at last, and he admired Elinor too sincerely, not to express
himself in terms both warm and respectful. Although Eli-
nor had been for some time fully prepared for this declara-
tion, yet she did not receive it without betraying feeling and
embarrassment. Emotion in woman, at such moments, or
in connexion with similar subjects, is generally traced to one
cause alone; and yet half the time it should rather be attri-
buted to some other source. Anxiety, modesty, mere nerv-
ousness, or even vexation at this very misinterpretation, often
raise the colour, and make the voice falter. Elinor had fully
made up her mind, and she felt that a frank explanation was
due to Mr. Ellsworth, but her regard for him was too sincere
not to make the moment a painful one to her. He was re-
jected; but rejected with so much consideration, so much
modesty and feeling, so much good sense, that the very act
only increased his regret. He was much disappointed, for
he had been a hopeful suitor. Elinor had always liked him,
and he had thought her manner encouraging; Mr. Wyllys
and Miss Agnes had not concealed their approbation; and
Mrs. Creighton had often told him she had no doubt of his
success. He was more than mortified, however, by the re-
fusal, he was pained. Elinor repeated assurances of respect
and friendship, and regret that she felt herself unable to re-
turn his regard as it deserved. She even alluded to his
generosity in overlooking her want of personal attractions;
she said she had, on that account, been slow to believe that
o
܀
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
279
he had any serious object in view. At the time he had first
proposed, through her grandfather, she herself had wished
to prevent his going any farther, but her friends had desired
her to defer the answer; he himself had begged her to do
so, and named the time fixed-she had reluctantly consented
to this arrangement; and, although the more she knew of
Mr. Ellsworth, the more highly she esteemed and respected
him, yet the result had been what she first foresaw; she
could not conscientiously offer him the full attachment he had
a right to expect from a wife.
Mr. Ellsworth rode on in silence for a moment.
"Is it then true, Miss Wyllys, that I must give up all idea
of obtaining a more indulgent hearing, at some future day?"
"Judge for yourself if I am capricious, Mr. Ellsworth.
Do not imagine that I have lightly rejected the regard of a
man whom I esteem so highly as yourself. I could scarcely
name another in my whole acquaintance, for whom I should
have hesitated so long; but " Elinor paused, suddenly
became very red, and then deadly pale.
"But-what would you say, Miss Wyllys?-go on, I
entreat!" exclaimed Mr. Ellsworth.
It was a moment before Elinor rallied. She then con-
tinued, in a low voice, and in an agitated, hesitating manner:
"Mr. Ellsworth, I shall speak with perfect frankness;
your kindness and forbearance deserve it. When I consented
to wait so long before giving you a final answer, it was chiefly
that I might discover if I could regain entire command over
feelings which have not always been my own. I am afraid
you are not aware of this. The feeling itself to which I
allude is changed; but be it weakness or not, it has left
traces for life. I was willing to make an experiment in
favour of one who deserved the full confidence of my friends
and myself; but the trial has not succeeded; if I know my-
self, it can never succeed-I shall never marry.'
99
And then after a moment's silence she gently continued,
in a calmer tone;
280
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"But you will soon forget all this, I trust. You will find
elsewhere some one more worthy of you; one who can better
repay your kindness."
I
Mr. Ellsworth chafed a little under this suggestion; though
not so much as a more passionate man might have done.
"To forget one of so much womanly excellence as your-
self, Miss Wyllys, is not the easy task you seem to suppose.”
Elinor could have sighed and smiled as the thought re-
curred to her, that Harry had not found it very difficult to
forget her. They had now reached the gate, on their way
home, and turning towards her companion as they entered,
she said:
"I hope, indeed, you will always remember that you have
very sincere friends at Wyllys-Roof, Mr. Ellsworth; believe
me, friends capable of appreciating your merits, and aware
of what is their due."
Mr. Ellsworth thanked her, but he looked very evidently
disturbed. When they reached the piazza he helped Elinor
from her horse, perhaps more carefully than usual; Miss
Emma Taylor and her cavalier had already arrived; and
the young lady immediately attacked Mr. Ellsworth, bidding
him remember his bet. When Mrs. Creighton stepped from
the chair, she looked for her brother and Elinor, a little curious
to discover if anything decisive had passed, but both had
already entered the house.
Mr. Wyllys learned in the course of the day, from Ells-
worth himself, that he had been rejected; he was very much
disappointed, and more disposed to find fault with Elinor
than he had ever been before.
"I am afraid you have not acted wisely, Elinor," said her
grandfather; words more like a reproof than any that Elinor
could remember to have heard fall from his lips, addressed
to herself.
Miss Agnes also evidently regretted her niece's decision;
but she said nothing on the subject. As for Mrs. Creighton,
she thought it all easy to be understood.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
281
"You may say what you please, Frank, about Miss Wyllys,
but you will never persuade me she is not a coquette.'
But this Mr. Ellsworth would by no means allow.
Elinor laid her head on her pillow that night with the
unpleasant reflection, that four persons under the same roof
were reproaching her for the step she had taken that day.
But she herself knew that she had acted conscientiously.
CHAPTER XXI.
"Such news, my lord, as grieves me to unfold."
Henry IV.
THE Petrel was a very pretty little schooner, pronounced
a crack craft by the knowing ones. She sat so buoyantly on
the water when motionless, and glided along so gracefully
when under way, that even landsmen and landswomen must
have admired her. Let it not be supposed that the word
landswomen is here used unadvisedly: although the Navy
Department is decidedly ungallant in its general character,
and seldom allows ladies to appear on board ship, excepting
at a collation or a ball, yet it is well known that in some of
the smaller sea-port towns, the female portion of the popula-
tion are so much interested in nautical matters, and give so
much time and attention to the subject, that they are looked
upon as very good judges of spars and rigging; and it is
even affirmed, that some of these charming young "salts"
are quite capable of examining a midshipman on points of
seamanship. If fame has not belied them, such are the ac-
complishments of the belles of Norfolk and Pensacola; while
the wives and daughters of the whalers at Nantucket, are
24*
282
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
said to have also a critical eye for the cut of a jib and the
shape of a hull. Hubert de Vaux hoped they had, for he
thought it a pity that the Petrel's beauties should be thrown
away.
On the morning they sailed, when Elinor had watched the
boat as she lay in the river, they had been waiting for Bruno.
Harry wished to carry the dog with him; but after following
Hazlehurst to the boat, he had returned home again; he was,
however, enticed on board, and they hoisted sail, and slowly
moved out of sight.
In spite of some little delay, the Petrel made a very good
day's work. That night and the following the party slept
on board, and seemed very well satisfied with their quarters:
they intended to run out of sight of land before the end of
their cruise, but as yet they had landed every few hours for
fresh water, vegetables, milk, &c.; as it did not enter at all
into their calculations to be put on a short allowance of any ·
thing desirable. On the afternoon of the third day, the
Petrel reached the wharf of a country place on Long-Island,
where the party landed, according to a previous invitation,
and joined some friends for a couple of days' shooting, which
proved a pleasant variety in the excursion; the sport was
pronounced good, and the gentlemen made the most of it.
Mr. Stryker, however, complained that the pomp and cir-
cumstance of sporting was wanted in this country.
"So long as we have the important items of good guns,
good marksmen, and real wild-game, we need not find fault,"
said Harry.
Many lamentations succeeded, however, upon the rapid
disappearance of game from all parts of the country.
"There I have the best of it," said Mr. Stryker to his
host. “In the next twenty years you may expect to find
your occupation gone; but I shall at least have fishing in
abundance all my days; though at times I am not quite so
sure of the brook-trout."
"I don't think Jonathan will be able to exterminate all
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
283
the trout in the land," said Hazlehurst, "though he is a
shamefully wasteful fellow; but I really think there is some.
danger for the oysters; if the population increases, and con-
tinues to eat them, in the same proportion they do now, I
am afraid Jonathan of the next generation will devour the
whole species."
From Glen-Cove the Petrel made a reach across the Sound
to Sachem's-Head, where Mr. Stryker enjoyed to perfection
the luxuries of clam-soup, lobster-salad, and chowder.
Their next port was Nantucket. They happened to arrive
there just before a thunder-shower, and Charlie Hubbard
was much struck with the wild, desolate look of the island.
He pointed out to Hazlehurst the fine variety of neutral tints
to be traced in the waves, in the low sand-banks, and the
dark sky forming the back-ground. Nantucket is a barren.
spot, indeed, all but bare of vegetation; scarcely a shrub
will grow there, and even the tough beach-grass is often
swept away in large tracts; while the forms of the sand-hills
vary with every storm. The town itself, however, is a busy,
lively little spot-one of the most nautical in feeling and
character to be found on the globe. The chief interests of
the inhabitants centre in the ocean; and even the very orna-
ments of their houses are spoils of the deep, shells and fish-
bones from distant latitudes, and sailor's fancy-work in various
materials, all connected in some way with the sea. Charlie
made a sketch of the island, and determined to return there
and paint a picture of some size. The next day, which was
Sunday, they remained at Nantucket; there is a pretty little
church in the town, and Charlie, Harry, and Mr. Smith
attended service there; the rest of the gentlemen preferring
to idle away the morning in a less praiseworthy manner.
One of young de Vaux's crew was taken sick here, and
he was obliged to secure another man before leaving the
island; it was easy to do so, however, as one who was wait-
ing for a passage to New York soon offered, and the matter
was settled.
284
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Early on Monday morning they again made sail, for
Martha's Vineyard; from thence the Petrel's head was to be
turned southward, and after coasting the eastern shore of
Long-Island, they expected to return to the wharf at Broad-
lawn, as fast as the winds would carry them. The Vineyard,
owing to a more sheltered position, bears a different aspect
from the barren sands of Nantucket; parts of the island are
well wooded. Choosing a pleasant bay known to their pilot,
where a rude wharf had been built, the party landed and
prepared to dine, and pass some hours there. They were
no sooner on shore than Mr. Stryker made his arrangements
for fishing; having secured bait, Dr. Van Horne and him-
self, with one of the men, took the Petrel's boat and rowed
off from shore, changing their ground occasionally, until they
had turned the point which formed the bay on one side, and
were no longer in sight. De Vaux and Smith took their
guns and went into the wood; Charlie brought out his sketch-
book, and was soon engaged in taking some tints, in water-
colours, from a heavy bank of clouds which had been slowly
rising in the west for several hours. Hazlehurst was lying
on the grass near him, with a spy-glass, watching a couple
of sloops in the distance: turning his head accidentally to-
wards the spot where they were commencing preparations
for dinner, Harry saw one of the men, the new recruit, whom
he had not yet remarked, looking at him closely. It struck
Hazlehurst that he had met this man before; the sailor saw
that he was observed, and after a moment's hesitation he
approached, touching his hat with the common salutation of
a seaman, and looking as if he wished to speak, but scarcely
knew how to begin.
"Have you anything to say to me, my friend ?-It strikes
me I have seen your face somewhere lately."
"If you are Mr. Hazlehurst, I guess, sir, you seed me not
long since," replied the man, a little embarrassed.
It suddenly flashed upon Harry's mind, that it was during
the Stanley trial that he had seen this person; yes, he could
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
285
not be mistaken, he was one of the witnesses for the plaintiff
on that occasion. Hazlehurst gave him a keen look; the
fellow faltered a little, but begged Harry to step aside for
a moment, as he wished to speak alone with him. They
moved to the adjoining bank, within the edge of the wood,
and a conversation followed of some consequence to Hazle-
hurst, certainly. After a few prefatory remarks, this man
offered to make important revelations, upon condition that he
should be screened from justice-being considered as state's
evidence and rewarded by Harry for volunteering his ser-
vices; to which Hazlehurst readily agreed.
We shall tell his story for him, rather as it appeared at a
later day, than in the precise words in which it was first
given at Martha's Vineyard. By his disclosures, the villany
of Clapp and his client were placed beyond a doubt; and he
himself was good authority, for he was Robert Stebbins, the
witness who had sworn to having returned the pocket-book
and the accompanying documents to the plaintiff, as their
rightful owner; he now confessed that he had perjured him-
self for a heavy bribe, but stood ready to turn state's evidence,
and reveal all he knew of the plot. Those papers had actu-
ally been placed in his care thirteen years since by his own
brother, Jonathan Stebbins, who had died of small-pox in an
hospital at Marseilles. This brother had been a favourite
companion of William Stanley's from his first voyage; they
had shipped together in the Jefferson, and before sailing,
Stanley had placed a package of papers and other articles,
for safe-keeping, in an old chest of Stebbins's, which was
left with the sailor's mother in Massachusetts. They were
wrecked in the Jefferson on the coast of Africa, as had been
already reported; but they were not drowned, they both
succeeded in reaching the shore, having lashed themselves.
to the same spar. It was a desert, sandy coast, and they
were almost starved after having reached the land; their
only shelter was a small cave in a low ledge of rocks near
the beach; they fed upon half-putrid shell-fish thrown upon.
286
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
the sands by the gale, and they drank from the pools of rain-
water that had formed on the rock during the storm; for they
had saved nothing from the wreck but a sealed bottle, con-
taining their protections as American sailors, some money in
an old glove, and a few other papers. William Stanley had
been ill before the gale, and he had not strength to bear up
against these hardships; he declined rapidly, and aware that
he could not live, the young man charged his companion, if
he ever returned to America, to seek his family, relate the
circumstances of his death, and show the papers in the
bottle—an old letter to himself, and within it the notice of
his father's marriage, which he had cut from a paper, ob-
tained from an American vessel spoken on the voyage-and
also the package left on shore in the old chest, as these docu-
ments would be considered testimonials of his veracity. He
farther charged Stebbins to say that he asked his father's for-
giveness, acknowledging that he died repenting of his past
misconduct. The third day after the gale the young man
expired, and Stebbins buried him in the sand near the cave.
The survivor had a hard struggle for life; the rain-water had
soon dried away, and he set out at night in search of a spring
to relieve his thirst, still keeping in sight of the shore. As
the morning sun rose, when all but exhausted, he discovered
on the beach several objects from the wreck, which had
drifted in that direction, the wind having changed after the
gale. He found a keg of spirits and some half-spoiled bis-
cuit, and by these means his life was prolonged. He made
a bag of his shirt, bound a few things on his back, and buried
others in the sand, to return to if necessary, and then con-
tinued to follow the shore northward, in search of some spring
or stream. Fortunately, he soon came to a woody tract
which promised water, and climbing a tree he watched the
wild animals, hoping to discover where they drank; at length,
following a flock of antelopes, he came suddenly upon the
bank of a stream of some size; and to his unspeakable joy,
saw on the opposite bank a party of white men, the first
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
287
human beings he had beheld since Stanley's death; they
proved to be Swedes belonging to a ship in the offing, and
immediately took him into their boat. The vessel was bound
to Stockholm, where she carried young Stanley's shipmate;
from there he went to St. Petersburgh, where he met with
the brother who related his story to Hazlehurst, and both
soon after enlisted in the Russian navy. They were sent to
the Black Sea, and kept there and in the Mediterranean for
five years, until the elder brother, Jonathan Stebbins, died of
small-pox in a hospital at Marseilles, having never returned
to America since the wreck of the Jefferson. Before his
death, however, he left all his effects and William Stanley's
papers to his brother. This man, Robert Stebbins, seemed
to have paid very little attention to the documents; it was by
mere chance that he preserved the old letter, and the marriage
notice within it, for he confessed that he had torn up the pro-
tection, once when he wanted a bit of paper: he had never
known William Stanley himself, the inquiries about the
young man had ceased before he returned to America, and
he had attached no importance whatever to these papers.
He had left them where they had first been placed, in the
old sea-chest at his mother's house, near New Bedford, while
he led the usual wandering life of a sailor. He told Harry
that he had at last quite forgotten this package, until he acci-
dentally fell in with a man calling himself William Stanley,
at a low tavern, only some five or six years since, and, to his
amazement, heard him declare he had been wrecked in the
Jefferson.
"The fellow was half-drunk," said Stebbins; "but I knew
his yarn was a lie all the time, for I had sailed with him in
another ship, at the time my brother Jonathan was wrecked
in the Jefferson. He shipped then under the name of Benson,
but I knew his real name was Edward Hopgood—”
"Edward Hopgood!" exclaimed Harry, passing his hand
over his forehead—“ surely I have heard that name before.
Wait a moment," he added, to Stebbins; while he endea-
288
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
voured to recollect why that name, singular in itself, had a
familiar sound to him. At length his eye brightened, the
whole matter became more clear; he recollected when a
mere child, a year or two before Mr. Stanley's death, while
staying at Greatwood during a vacation, to have heard of the
bad conduct of a young man named Edward Hopgood, a
lawyer's clerk in the adjoining village, who had committed
forgery and then run away. The circumstances had occurred
while Harry was at Greatwood, and had been so much
talked of in a quiet, country neighbourhood, as to make a
decided impression on himself, child as he was. Harry also
remembered to have heard Mr. Stanley tell Mr. Wyllys that
this Hopgood was very distantly related to himself, through
the mother, who had made a very bad connexion; adding,
that this lad had been at Greatwood, and would have been
assisted by himself, had he not behaved very badly, and done
so much to injure his own son that he had been forbidden
the house. Harry farther remembered, that Clapp had be-
longed to the same office from which this Hopgood had run
away. There was, however, one point which he did not
understand; he thought he had since heard that this Hop-
good had turned actor, and died long since of yellow-fever,
at New Orleans. Still, he felt convinced that there was a
good foundation for Stebbins's story, and he hoped soon to
unravel the whole plot, from the clue thus placed in his
hands.
"Go on," said Harry, after this pause. "You say this
man, whom you knew to be Hopgood, called himself William
Stanley. What became of him?”
64
It is the same chap that hoisted your colours, Mr. Hazle-
hurst him that the jury gave the verdict to in Philadelphia.”
Yes; I knew it must be the same individual before
you
spoke," said Harry, with a view to keep his informant accu-
rate. “But how did you know that his name was Hopgood?
for you say he had shipped under another.”
"I knew it because he had told me so himself. He told me
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
289
how he had run away from a lawyer's office in Pennsylvany,
gone to New Orleans and turned play-actor a while, then
shammed dead, and had his name printed in the papers
among them that died of yellow-fever. He told me all that
in his first voyage, when we were shipmates, and that was
just the time that my brother Jonathan was wrecked in the
Jefferson."
"When you afterwards heard him say he was William
Stanley, did you tell him you knew his real name ?”
"Yes; I told him I knew he lied; for my brother had
buried Stanley with his own hands, and that I had his papers
at home. Then he told me he was only laughing at the
green-horns."
"Did you mention to any one at the time that you knew
this man was not William Stanley ?”
(6
No, sir, for I didn't speak to him until we were alone;
and we parted company next morning, for I went to sea.”
“When did you next see Hopgood?”
“Well, I didn't fall in with him again for a long while,
until this last spring. When I came home from a voyage to
China in the Mandarin, last May, I went to my mother's,
near New Bedford, and then I found a chap had been to see
her in the winter, and persuaded her to give him all the
papers in the old chest, that had belonged to William Stanley,
making out he was one of the young man's relations. It
was that lawyer Clapp; and Hopgood had put him on the
track of them 'ere papers."
"What were the documents in your chest?"
"Most of what they had to show came from me: to be
sure, Hopgood had got some letters and papers, written to
himself of late years under the name of William Stanley;
but all they had before the wreck of the Jefferson came from
me."
"Were there any books among the articles in your pos-
session ?"
"No, sir; nothing but the pocket-book."
VOL. II.-25
290
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"Are you quite sure? Was there not one book with
William Stanley's name in it?"
"Not one ;-that 'ere book they had in court didn't come
from me; how they got it I don't know," replied Stebbins
positively; who, it seemed, knew nothing of the volume of
the Spectator.
“Where did you next meet Hopgood?"
"Well, I was mad when I found he had got them papers;
but the lawyer had left a message with my mother, saying
if I came home, she was to tell me I'd hear something to my
advantage by applying to him. So I went after him to the
place where he lives; and sure enough there was Hopgood,
and he and Clapp as thick as can be together. I guess they'd
have liked it better if I had never showed myself again:
but they got round me, and told me how it was all settled,
and if I would only lend a hand, and keep quiet about Hop-
good, and speak for them once in a while, they would enter
into an agreement to give me enough to make a skipper of
me at once. Them 'ere lawyers they can make black look
like white-and so I agreed to it at last."
Hazlehurst strongly suspected that less persuasion had
been necessary than the man wished him to believe.
"Did they tell you all their plan?"
"Pretty much all; they said it was easy to make people
believe Hopgood was William Stanley, for he looked so much
like the young man, that he had been asked if that wasn't
his name. He said it was that first gave him the notion of
passing off for William Stanley-that, and knowing all about
the family, and the young man himself. He said Stanley
had no near relations who would be likely to remember him ;
there was only one old gentleman they was afraid of, but
they calculated they knew enough to puzzle him too. Hop-
good had been practising after Stanley's handwriting; he
was pretty good at that trade when he was a shaver,” said
Stebbins, with a look which showed he knew the story of
the forgery. "He was bred a lawyer, and them 'ere lawyers
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
291
are good at all sorts of tricks. Clapp and him had made
out a story from my papers and what they know'd before, and
got it all ready in a letter; they agreed that from the time of
the wreck, they had better keep pretty straight to Hopgood's
real life; and so they did.”
"C
They seem to have laid all their plans before you."
Well, they couldn't help it, for they wanted me to tell
them all I heard from my brother; but I told 'em to speak
first. They made out that Hopgood had a right to the pro-
perty; for they said that old Mr. Stanley had no family to
leave it to, that you was a stranger, and that Hopgood was a
relation."
"This Hopgood, who first helped to corrupt William
Stanley, even if he had actually been a near relation, would
have been the last human being to whom Mr. Stanley would
have left his property," said Harry, coolly. "But go on
with your story; why did they not show the pocket-book
before the trial?”
"They settled it so, because they thought it would look
better before the jury."
66
'Why did you change your own mind so soon after the
trial? You should have come to me before."
"Hopgood and I had a quarrel only three days ago, when
he was drunk; he swore they could have done without me,
and I swore I'd be revenged. Then that fellow, Clapp,
wouldn't pay me on the spot according to agreement, as soon
as they had gained the cause. I had kept my part, and he
hadn't lifted a finger yet for me; nor he wouldn't if he could
help it, for all he had given me his word. I know him from
more than one thing that came out; he is one of your fellows
who sham gentlemen, with a fine coat to his back; but I
wouldn't trust him with a sixpence out of sight; no, nor out
of arm's length," and Stebbins went on, swearing roundly at
Clapp and Hopgood, until Harry interrupted him.
"I know them 'ere lawyers, they think they can cheat
Jack any day; but I won't trust him an hour longer! I know
292
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
your real gentleman from your tricky sham at a minute's
warning, though their coats be both cut off the same piece
of broadcloth. I haven't served under Uncle Sam's officers
for nothing. Now I'll trust you, Mr. Hazlehurst, as long
as it suits you; I'd no more have talked to Clapp without
having his name down in black and white, as I have to you,
than I'd be shot."
"The agreement I have made shall be strictly kept,” re-
plied Harry, coldly. "Had you come to me before the trial,
you would have had the same reward, without the crime of
perjury."
"Well, that 'ere perjury made me feel uncomfortable; and
what with having sworn vengeance on Clapp and Hopgood,
I made up my mind to go straight back to Philadelphy, and
turn state's evidence. I was waiting for a chance to get to
New York when I saw you on the wharf at Nantucket, and
I knew you in a minute.”
The conversation was here interrupted by a call from the
beach, which attracted Harry's attention, after having been
so much engrossed during the disclosures of Stebbins, as to
be quite regardless of what was going on about him. It was
de Vaux who had called--he now approached.
"I couldn't think where that fellow, Stebbins, had got to;
if you have nothing for him to do here, Hazlehurst, he is
wanted yonder."
Harry and the sailor accordingly parted. After exchanging
a few words to conclude their agreement, they both returned
to the beach.
The Petrel seemed to be getting under way again; Smith
and de Vaux, who had just returned from the wood with
their guns, and Charlie, who had just left his sketching ap-
paratus, were standing together looking on when Harry
joined them.
“I didn't know what had become of you," said Charlie.
"What a long yarn that fellow seemed to be telling you !”
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
293
"It was well worth hearing," said Harry, with a signifi-
cant look at his friend.
"C
Really? I had some hope it might prove so from the
man's look," added Charlie, comprehending at once the drift
of the conversation, though he had little idea of its complete
success in unravelling the plot.
“You shall hear it before long," added Harry.
"When you please; in the mean time I wish you joy of
any good news!"
"But what are you about here, de Vaux? I thought we
were to remain on the island till sun-set."
“So we shall; but it seems that fellow, Black Bob, has
forgot the vegetables I ordered him to bring from Nantucket;
we have discovered a house with something like a garden
on the opposite point, and I am going to send Bob with the
boy Sam on a foraging expedition; I dare say they will find
potatoes and onions at least. That is the spot; do you see
the apple-trees? With the glass I saw a woman moving
about, and milk-pans drying in the sun.'
(6
Why don't you send the boat?
"Stryker hasn't come back yet, and there is wind enough
to carry the Petrel over and back again in half an hour."
"Smith and I are going as commanding officers; and you
will have a much better dinner for our exertions, no doubt,"
said Charlie.
Holloa, there, Bob-Sam!-tumble on board; mind you
bring all the garden-stuff they can spare. You Bob, see if
you can pick up half you contrived to forget, sir, at Nan-
tucket. You deserve to be made to swim across for it," said
de Vaux.
“Never could swim a stroke in my born days, sir,” mut-
tered Black Bob.
“There isn't much choice of sa'ace at Nantucket, any
way,” added the boy Sam.
"Here we go," said Charlie, jumping lightly on board,
followed by Smith.
66
25*
294
ELINOR WYLLYS; OK,
"It is possible you may find some melons, Hubbard; don't
forget to ask for them," said de Vaux.
CC
Ay, ay, sir,” replied Charlie, nodding as the Petrel
moved off. The boy was steering, while Black Bob and the
gentlemen tended the sails; and the little schooner glided
gracefully on her way, with a light breeze, sufficiently
favourable.
Harry went to take a look at Charlie's sketch, which he
found just as the young artist had left it-spirited and true
to nature as usual, but only half-finished. De Vaux looked
into the chowder pot, where all seemed to be going on well.
He then joined Harry, and the young men continued walking
together near the shanty, where preparations for dinner were
going on under the charge of Stebbins and the acting steward
of the cruise.
"It is nearly time Stryker made his appearance with the
fish," said Harry.
"If the sport is good, we shan't see him this hour yet,"
replied de Vaux. "He will only come back in time to put
the finishing stroke to the chowder.”
"If he waits too long he will have a shower," observed
Harry, pointing eastward, where dark clouds were beginning
to appear above the wood.
"Not under an hour I think," said de Vaux. "He will
take care of himself at any rate-trust to Stryker for that."
They turned to look at the Petrel. Some ten or fifteen
minutes had passed since she left the little wharf, and she
was already near her destination; the point on which the
farm-house stood being scarcely more than a mile distant, in
a direct line, and a single tack having proved sufficient to
carry her there.
"The wind seems to be falling," said Harry, holding up
his hand to feel the air. "It is to be hoped they will make
a quick bargain, or they may keep your potatoes too late to
be boiled for to-day's dinner."
De Vaux took up the glass to look after their movements.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
295
"They have made the point, handsomely," he said; "and
there is a woman coming down to the shore, and a boy, too."
The friends agreed that there seemed every prospect of a
successful negotiation; for a woman was seen going towards
the garden with a basket, and Sam, the boy, had landed.
Before long a basket was carried down from the house;
while Sam and the woman were still busy in the garden.
66
They had better be off as soon as they can," said de
Vaux, "for the wind is certainly falling."
"There is a shower coming up over the island, Captain
de Vaux," said Stebbins, touching his hat.
Coming, sure enough! - look yonder!"-exclaimed
Harry, pointing eastward, where heavy clouds were now seen
rising rapidly over the wood.
"We shall have a shower, and something of a squall, I
guess,” added Stebbins.
66
There could not indeed be much doubt of the fact, for a
heavy shower now seemed advancing, with the sudden
rapidity not unusual after very warm weather; the position
of the bay, and a wooded bank having concealed its approach
until close at hand.
“We shall have a dead calm in ten minutes," said de
Vaux; “I wish the Petrel was off.”
But still there seemed something going on in the garden;
the woman and Sam were very busy, and Charlie and Smith
had joined them.
66
They must see the shower coming up by this time!"
exclaimed de Vaux.
"There will be a squall and a sharp one, too, "added
Stebbins.
"The wind, which had prevailed steadily all the morning
in a light, sultry breeze from the south, was now dying
away; the sullen roll of distant thunder was heard, while
here and there a sudden flash burst from a nearer cloud.
"Thank Heaven, they are off at last!" cried de Vaux,
who was watching the schooner with some anxiety.
296
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Harry and the two men were busy gathering together
under cover of the shanty, the different articles scattered
about, and among others Charlie's half-finished sketch.
•
The sun was now obscured; light, detached clouds, look-
ing heated and angry, were hurrying in advance with a low
flight, while the heavens were half-covered by the threatening
mass which came gathering in dark and heavy folds about
the island. Suddenly the great body of vapour which had
been hanging sullenly over the western horizon all the
morning, now set in motion by a fresh current of air, began
to rise with a slow movement, as if to meet the array ad-
vancing so eagerly from the opposite direction; it came on-
ward steadily, with a higher and a wider sweep than the
mass which was pouring immediately over the little bay.
The landscape had hung out its storm-lights; the dark scowl
of the approaching gust fell alike on wood, beach, and
waters; the birds were wheeling about anxiously; the gulls
and other water-fowl flying lower and lower, nearer and
nearer to their favourite element; the land-birds hurrying
hither and thither, seeking shelter among their native branches.
But not a drop of rain had yet fallen; and the waves still
came rolling in upon the sands with the measured, lulling
sound of fair weather.
The air from the south revived for a moment, sweeping
in light, fitful puffs over the bay. Favoured by this last
flickering current of the morning's breeze, the Petrel had
succeeded in making her way half across the bay, though
returning less steadily than she had gone on her errand an
hour before.
"Give us another puff or two, and she will yet be here
before the squall," said de Vaux.
The little schooner was now indeed within less than half
a mile of the wharf; but here at length the wind entirely
failed her, and she sat idly on the water. De Vaux was
watching her through the glass; there seemed to be some
little hesitation and confusion on board; Sam, the boy, had
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
297
given up the tiller to Black Bob. Suddenly the first blast
of the gust from the east came rustling through the wood,
making the young trees bend before it; then as it passed
over the water there was a minute's respite.
"How she dodges!-What are they about?" exclaimed
Harry.
"What do they mean?-Are they blind?—can't they see
the squall coming?" cried de Vaux in great anxiety, as he
watched the hesitation on board the Petrel.
"As my name is Nat Fisher, that nigger is drunk!—I
thought so this morning!" exclaimed the steward.
"And Smith and Hubbard know nothing of a boat!” cried
de Vaux, in despair.
The words had scarcely passed his lips before the wind
came rushing over the wood, in a sudden, furious blast,
bringing darker and heavier clouds, accompanied by quick,
vivid flashes of lightning, and sharp cracks of thunder; the
rain pouring down in torrents. It was with difficulty the
young men kept their footing on the end of the wharf, such
was the first fury of the gust; but they forgot themselves in
fears for their friends.
"Are they mad!" cried de Vaux, as he marked the un-
certainty of their movements; while the wind was sweeping
furiously over the darkened waters towards them.
A heavy sheet of rain, pouring in a flood from the clouds,
completely enveloped the party on the wharf; another second
and a shout was indistinctly heard amid the tumult of the
winds and waters; a lighter cloud passed over, the bay was
partially seen again; but neither the white sails of the Petrel
nor her buoyant form could be traced by the eager eyes on
the wharf. She had been struck by the gust and capsized.
"She is gone!" exclaimed de Vaux, with a cry of horror.
“Charlie can't swim !" cried Harry.
"Nor Bob, for certain," said the steward. "I don't know
about the others."
Three shots from a fowling-piece were rapidly fired, as a
298
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
signal to the party in the Petrel that their situation was known
to their friends on shore. The steward was instantly ordered
to run along the beach to the farthest point, and carry the
boat from there to the spot; it was a distance of more than two
miles by land, still de Vaux thought it best to be done; while
he himself and Stebbins seized another pair of oars, and set
off at full speed in the opposite direction, to the nearest point,
about a mile from the wharf, beyond which Stryker was
fishing with their own boat, intending to carry her instantly
to the relief of the party in the schooner.
Harry thought of his friend; Charlie could not swim, he
himself was a remarkably good swimmer. It must be some
little time before either boat could reach the capsized schooner,
and in the interval, two at least of the four individuals in the
Petrel, were helpless and in imminent peril. The idea of
Charlie's danger decided his course; in a moment he had
cast off his clothes, and with Bruno at his side-a faithful
ally at such a moment-he had thrown himself into the
water, confident that he could swim the distance himself with
ease.
The next half-hour was one of fearful anxiety. The gust
still raged with sullen fury; the shower from eastward, col-
lected among the mists of the ocean, and the array from the
west, gathered amid the woods and marshes of the land, met
with a fierce shock on the shores of the Vineyard. The
thunder and lightning were unusually severe, several bolts
falling within a short distance about the bay; the rain pour-
ing down in a dense sheet, as the wind drove cloud after
cloud over the spot in its stormy flight. And amid this scene
of violence four human beings were struggling for life, while
their anxious friends were hurrying to their relief, with every
nerve alive. Frederick Smith was the first who rose after
the Petrel capsized; in another moment he saw the head of
the boy emerge from the water at a little distance; the lad
could swim, and both had soon gained the portion of the little
schooner's hull which was partially bare, though constantly
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
299
washed by the waves. Another minute, and Smith saw amid
the spray Charlie's head; he knew that Hubbard could not
swim, and moved towards him with a cry of encouragement.
"Here!" replied the young painter; but he had disap-
peared before Smith could reach him.
A fresh blast of wind, rain, and hail passed over the spot ;
Smith moved about calling to Hubbard and the negro, but he
received no answer from either.
"There's one of them!" cried the boy eagerly; he swam
towards the object he had seen, but it proved to be only a
hat.
Both returned to the Petrel's side, watching as closely as
the violence of the wind and rain would permit. Not a
trace of the negro was seen; yet Smith thought he must
have risen to the surface at some point unobserved by them,
for he was a man of a large, corpulent body, more likely to
float than many others. A second time Smith was relieved
by seeing Charlie rise, but at a greater distance from the
Petrel's hull; a second time he strained every nerve to reach
him, but again the young man sunk beneath the waves.
A shout was now heard. "It is the boat!" said Smith, as
he answered the call. He was mistaken; it was Hazlehurst
who now approached, with Bruno at his side, guided by the
voices of Smith and the boy.
"Charlie !” cried Harry, as he made his way through the
water. "Charlie !" he repeated again.
“Hubbard has sunk twice, and the negro is
gone!" cried
Smith.
"Come to the hull and take breath," added Smith.
But just as he spoke, Harry had seen an arm left bare by
a passing wave; he made a desperate effort, reached the
spot, and seized Charlie's body, crying joyfully, "It is Hub-
bard; I have him!-Charlie, do you know me?-Charlie,
speak but a word, my good fellow !"
But the young man had lost his consciousness; he returned
no answer either by look or word. Harry grasped his collar,
300
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
holding his face above the water, and, at the same time moving
towards the Petrel's hull as rapidly as he could.
"Here Bruno, my noble dog! That's right, Smith, get
a firm hold on the schooner; we must draw him up, he has
fainted; but the boats must be here soon."
Smith was following Hazlehurst's directions; but ere
Bruno had joined his master, Harry, now within a short dis-
tance of the schooner, suddenly cried, "Help!"-and in
another second both he and Charlie had disappeared beneath
the water, in a manner as incomprehensible, as it was unex-
pected and distressing to Smith.
"He's sunk!" cried the boy.
"How ?-where? Surely he was not exhausted!
A howl burst from Bruno.
"Perhaps it's the cramp," said the lad.
“Both sunk !—Hazlehurst too!" again exclaimed Smith,
as much amazed as he was distressed. He and the boy
threw themselves from the schooner's side again, looking
anxiously for some trace of Hazlehurst.
"Look sharp, my lad, as you would save a fellow-crea-
ture !"
"There's one of them!" cried the boy, and in another
instant he had caught Charlie by the hair. But not a trace
of Hazlehurst was seen since he first disappeared, and the
waters had closed so suddenly over him. Charlie was car-
ried to the Petrel's side; and while Smith and the lad were
endeavouring to raise him on the schooner, Bruno was
swimming hither and thither, howling piteously for his master.
A shout was now heard.
"The boat at last, thank Heaven!" cried Smith, returning
the call.
A minute passed; nothing was seen of Harry; Charlie
was raised entirely above water; when at length the Petrel's
boat dashed towards them, urged by all the strength of four
rowers.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
301
"Hubbard !-Bob!" cried de Vaux, as the first glance.
showed him that both Smith and the boy were safe.
"Hubbard is here, insensible-Bob gone.
sunk, too!"
Hazlehurst and Bob, too!-Merciful powers!" exclaimed
Hazlehurst
the party.
A hurried, eager search succeeded, as soon as Charlie,
with Smith and Sam, now somewhat exhausted by fatigue
and agitation, were taken on board. Hubbard was quite
insensible; young Van Horne, the physician, thought his
appearance unfavourable, but instantly resorted to every
means possible under the circumstances, with the hope of
restoring animation. Still nothing was seen of Harry; his
entire disappearance was quite incomprehensible.
It must have been cramp ; yet I never knew him have it,
and he is one of the best swimmers in the country!" said de
Vaux.
"He must have felt it coming, and had presence of mind
to loosen his hold of Hubbard at the same moment he cried
for help," observed Smith.
Bruno was still swimming, now here, now there, encircling
the Petrel in wider or narrower reaches, howling from time
to time with a sound that went to the hearts of all who heard
him. Different objects floating about beguiled the party for
an instant with hope, but each time a few strokes of the oars
undeceived them.
Suddenly Bruno stopped within a short distance of the
Petrel, and dove; those in the boat watched him eagerly;
he rose with a sharp bark, calling them to the spot; then
dove again, rose with a howl, and for a third time disappeared
beneath the water. Convinced that he had found either
Harry or the negro, de Vaux threw off his coat and plunged
into the water, to examine the spot thoroughly. The dog
soon rose again with a rope in his mouth, pulling it with all
his strength, uttering at the same time a smothered cry. The
VOL. II.-26
302
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
rope was seized by those in the boat, and de Vaux dove; he
touched first one body, then another; but all his strength was
unequal to the task of raising either. After a hurried exami-
nation, it was found that one body, that of the negro, was
entangled in a rope and thus held under water from the
first; while Harry's leg was firmly clenched in the dying
grip of Black Bob, who must have seized it as Hazlehurst
passed, and drawn him downward in that way.
In as short a time as possible, Hazlehurst and the negro
were placed in the boat by the side of Hubbard, who had
not yet showed any sign of life; every effort was made to
revive them by some of the party, while the others rowed
with all their strength towards the shore.
All watched the face of Van Horne, the young physician,
with the greatest anxiety, as he leaned first over one, then
over another, directing the labours of the rest.
(6
Surely there must be some hope!" cried de Vaux to him.
"We will leave no effort untried," replied the other;
though he could not look sanguine.
The boat from the most distant point, rowed by the steward
and a boy from the farm-house, now joined them; and
those who could not be of use in assisting Van Horne, passed
into her, taking their oars, and towing the boat of the ill-fated
Petrel with her melancholy burden towards the beach.
Bruno could not be moved from his old master's side; it was
painful to see him crawling from one body to the other, with
as much watchfulness, as much grief, and almost as much
intelligence as the surviving friends; now crouching at the
cold feet of Hazlehurst, now licking the stiff hand, now
raising himself to gaze wistfully at the inanimate features of
the young man.
The shower was passing over; the rain soon ceased, the
clouds broke away, the sun burst again in full glory upon
the bay, the beach, the woods, throwing a brilliant bow over
the island. But three of those upon whom it had shone
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONG BRIDGE.
303
only an hour earlier, were now stretched cold and lifeless on
the sands; while the mourning survivors were hanging in
heartfelt grief over the bodies of the two friends and the
negro sailor.
CHAPTER XXII.
"And e'en to wakeful conscience unconfest,
Her fear, her grief, her joy were his alone."
COLERIDGE.
THE melancholy disaster of the Petrel happened on Mon-
day; it was not until the Thursday following that the evil
tidings reached Longbridge.
Elinor, accompanied by Mary Van Alstyne, set out quite
early in the morning to pay some visits at different country-
houses in the neighbourhood. They had been out some
little time, having driven several miles, and made three or
four calls, when they reached Mrs. Van Horne's. On enter-
ing the parlour they found the mistress of the house was not
there, but a much less agreeable person, the elder Mrs. Tibbs,
the greatest gossip in Longbridge.
I am glad to see you this morning, young ladies,” she
said.
"Thank you, ma'am; it is a very pleasant morning, cer-
tainly," replied Elinor, as she took a seat on the sofa.
66
Very pleasant, yes; but I was fearful you might have
been kept at home by the bad news we Longbridge people
have just heard."
"It does not seem to have kept you at home either, Mrs,
Tibbs, whatever it may be," replied Elinor, smiling; for she
knew that any news, whether good or bad, always set this
304
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
lady in motion. Little did the poor young girl suspect the
nature of the intelligence that awaited her!
"No; I thought my good friend, Mrs. Van Horne, might
feel uneasy about her son, and came over to be with her."
"Mrs. Van Horne! Has anything happened to the
family?"
"You haven't heard the news then ?—I am surprised at
that. But here is an account of the accident in the New
Haven Eagle. It has made us all feel quite dreadfully at
home!"
"What has happened?-Pray tell us !" exclaimed Elinor,
now looking alarmed.
"Here is the account; but perhaps you had better let Miss
Mary read it; she was not so intimate with the deceased."
“What is it ?—let me see the paper, Mary. An accident
to one of the Van Hornes !" and she took the sheet from the
table. Her eye immediately fell on the following article:
"Our city was painfully excited this morning by the in-
telligence which reached here, of a distressing accident to a
beautiful little schooner, the property of Hubert de Vaux,
Esq., of New York, which was seen in our waters only a
few days since, and attracted universal admiration in our
port."
Elinor's eyes could see no farther; she stretched out the
paper to her cousin, saying in a faint voice, "Mary, read!"
Mary Van Alstyne took the paper, and continued silently
to look over the
passage.
"This little schooner, bound on a cruise of pleasure, had
reached Martha's Vineyard, when, during the sudden squall
which passed over this section also on Monday, she capsized,
and melancholy to relate, four persons lost their lives. The
party consisted of Mr. de Vaux himself, Colonel Stryker,
and Dr. Van Horne, of New York; Charles Hubbard, Esq.,
the distinguished young artist; Henry Hazlehurst, Esq., our
Secretary of Legation to the court of Russia, where he was
shortly to proceed with Mr. Henley, our Envoy; and also
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
305
Frederick Smith, Esq., a young gentleman from Philadel-
phia. There were in addition five men in the crew. We
regret to add that Mr. Hazlehurst and Mr. Hubbard, a negro
sailor known as Black Bob, and another man, name not
mentioned, were drowned; the bodies were all recovered,
but every effort to restore life proved unavailing.”
Mary Van Alstyne had strong nerves, but the suddenness
of these melancholy tidings, and a dread of the effect upon
Elinor, made her turn deadly pale.
"Tell me, Mary," said her cousin faintly.
Mary waited a moment to recover herself, when the ques-
tion was anxiously repeated. She took Elinor's hand and
sat down by her side, using every precaution of delicacy and
tenderness in breaking the bad news to her cousin; she ap-
proached the worst as gradually as she could, and mentioned
every favourable circumstance first; while Elinor sat trem-
bling in every limb, yet endeavouring to retain command
over her senses and her feelings. But it was in vain ; when
Mary was at length forced to confess that two of their friends
were among the lost, Elinor put her hand to her heart, while
her eyes were fixed on her cousin's lips; when the name of
Hazlehurst was at length reluctantly pronounced, she started
from her chair, and fell quite insensible on the floor, at her
companion's feet.
It was a long time before she could be restored. Mrs.
Van Horne and the doctor, who was happily in the house,
did all in their power to relieve their young friend; and Mrs.
Tibbs was really quite distressed and mortified, when she
found the effects of her allusion to the accident were so
serious.
"Poor young thing!-I'd no notion, Mrs. Van Horne, that
she would have taken it so much to heart. Do you suppose
she was engaged to one of the young gentlemen ?”
An imploring look from Mary Van Alstyne said to the
doctor as plainly as look could speak, "Do send her away!”
The doctor was very ready to do so, and by virtue of his
26*
306
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
medical authority requested the gossip to walk into the other
room, where he permitted himself to give her a sharp repri-
mand for having been in such haste to tell the evil tidings.
It was some time before Elinor fully recovered her con-
sciousness; her first words expressed a wish to be carried
home.
"Home, Mary," she said faintly.
Mrs. Van Horne, who was deeply interested in her young
friend, was anxious she should remain where she was until
her strength had entirely returned.
"I am strong now," said Elinor feebly, making an effort
to rise.
Mary looked inquiringly at the doctor.
"You shall go in a few minutes, my dear Miss Elinor,"
said the doctor after an instant's hesitation; he thought it
best that she should do so, but determined that his wife and
himself would accompany her to Wyllys-Roof.
66
Mary,' said Elinor, with an effort, looking towards Mrs.
Van Horne, "ask if—”
Mary guessed that she wished to know if the Van Hornes
had heard anything in addition to the account in the paper.
Without speaking, she looked the question.
"We have had a few lines, sent us by Mrs. de Vaux from
New York," said Mrs. Van Horne, gently.
Elinor closed her eyes, and fell back again on the cushion.
"You must not talk, my dear," said the doctor kindly.
Young de Vaux had in fact written a line or two to his
mother, who was in New York, by the boat which he sent
off immediately to engage a small steamer, as soon as the
squall had passed over; and this note had been considerately
forwarded by Mrs. de Vaux to the Van Hornes, as it men-
tioned the safety of their own son. It ran as follows:
“Martha's Vineyard.
"MY DEAR MOTHER:-We are greatly distressed by a
melancholy accident which befell us scarce an hour since.
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
307
The Petrel capsized; most of our party are safe; but two
of my friends are gone, Hazlehurst and Hubbard! You
will understand our grief; mine especially! We shall re-
turn immediately.
"Your son, H. de V."
The doctor handed this note to Mary, at a moment when
Mrs. Van Horne was bending over Elinor.
In a few minutes Elinor made another request to be carried
home.
"Pray take me home, doctor," she said; "I can go now.
The doctor felt her pulse, and observing that although very
feeble, she seemed to have command of herself, he thought
the air and motion would be of service. The carriage was
ordered, she took a restorative, and making a great effort to
rally, leaning on the doctor's arm she walked to the door.
Dr. and Mrs. Van Horne accompanied her, as well as her
cousin.
“Thank you,” she said with her usual gentleness, as she
remarked their kind intention, and then throwing herself
back in her seat she closed her eyes; her face was deadly
pale, large tears would force themselves slowly from beneath
her eyelids, and a shudder pass over her limbs; and yet it
was evident she made a strong effort to control her emotion.
There was something in her whole expression and manner,
that bore all the stamp of the deepest feeling; it was no
common nervousness, no shock of sudden surprise, nor
merely friendly sympathy; it was the expression of unal-
loyed grief springing from the very depths of a noble heart.
Even Dr. Van Horne, whose nerves had been hardened
by the exercise of years amid scenes peculiar to his calling,
could scarcely refrain from shedding tears, as he looked with
compassion and with respect at his young friend. She
seemed quite indifferent to the observation of others; her
heart and mind were apparently engrossed by one idea, one
feeling, and all her strength engaged in facing one evil.
308
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
Mrs. Van Horne had not supposed that the bad news
would have affected her so deeply, nor was Mary Van Al-
styne prepared for the result; but however Elinor might have
hitherto deceived herself, however much her friends might
have misunderstood her, the truth was now only too clear
her heart had spoken too loudly to be misunderstood - it
was wholly Hazlehurst's.
They drove on steadily and slowly, the silence only inter-
rupted by occasional remarks of Elinor's companions, as they
offered her some assistance. When they came in sight of
the Hubbard cottage, Mary Van Alstyne's heart sunk anew,
as she remembered the blow which had also fallen upon
their good neighbours.
Elinor's efforts for self-command increased as she drew
near home for the sake of her friends, her aunt and grand-
father, she strained every nerve; but on reaching the house
it was in vain, her resolution gave way entirely when she
saw Bruno lying in his usual place on the piazza. She
became so much agitated that it was feared she would again
fall into a deep swoon, and she was carried from the carriage
to a sofa in the drawing-room. Neither Miss Agnes nor
Mr. Wyllys was at home; they had gone to their afflicted
neighbours the Hubbards. An express had brought a report
of the melancholy catastrophe, not half an hour after Elinor
had left Wyllys-Roof in the morning; the lifeless body of
our poor young friend, Charlie, was to reach Longbridge
that afternoon, and Hubert de Vaux had come to request
Miss Agnes to break the sad truth to the bereaved mother
and sister. Jane also was absent, she was in New York
with the Taylors; but Elinor's faithful nurse and the old
black cook came hurrying to her assistance, as soon as they
knew she had reached the house so much indisposed.
Miss Agnes was sent for; but Elinor had revived again
when her aunt returned, though she was still surrounded by
the anxious circle, Mary, the Van Hornes, her nurse, and old
Hetty. When she heard the footsteps approaching, she made
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
309
an effort to raise herself, with a sort of instinctive desire to
spare her aunt a sight of all her weakness.
“You had better lie still, my dear Miss Elinor," said the
doctor kindly, offering her a glass of some restorative.
Miss Agnes entered the room and advanced anxiously to
the sofa.
64
My poor child!" exclaimed Miss Wyllys. "What is
it, doctor?—illness ?" she added anxiously.
The doctor shook his head. "She heard the news too
suddenly," he said.
Mr. Wyllys now followed his daughter. Elinor turned
her eyes towards the door as he entered; a cry burst from
her lips-she saw Hazlehurst!
Yes, Hazlehurst standing in the doorway, looking pale
and distressed, but living, breathing, moving!
In another second Elinor had started to her feet, sprung
towards him, and thrown herself in his arms-heedless of
the family, heedless of friends and servants about her, for-
getting in that one sudden revulsion of feeling, the whole
world but Harry.
Hazlehurst seemed quite forgetful himself of the everyday
rules of society, and the merely friendly position in which
they had stood at parting, but a week before; his whole ex-
pression and manner now betrayed an interest in Elinor too
strong to be disguised, and which could be explained in one
way only.
All this was the work of a moment; the various degrees
of amazement, produced by the sudden appearance of Harry,
on some individuals of the group of spectators, the surprise
of others at the strong emotions betrayed by the young couple
had not subsided, when an exclamation from Hazlehurst
himself again fixed their attention entirely on Elinor
"She has fainted!" he cried, and carried her to the sofa.
But joy is life to the heart and spirits; Elinor lost her
consciousness for a moment only. She raised her eyes and
fixed them upon Hazlehurst, who still held one of her hands.
310
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
She
"It is Harry!" she exclaimed, and burst into tears.
felt that he was safe, that he was by her side; she already
felt that he loved her, that they understood each other; and
yet she was still quite incapable of giving anything like a
reason for what had passed. It was all confusion in her
mind, all indistinct but the blessed truth that Harry was safe,
accompanied by a hope she had not dared to cherish for
years. She was still feeble and agitated, her colour varying
with every beat of her heart; her face now covered with a
deep natural blush at the sound of Harry's voice, at the ex-
pression of his eye; now deadly pale again as she caught
some allusion to the Petrel.
The doctor recommended that she should be left alone
with Miss Wyllys. Her grandfather kissed her tenderly
and left the room, as well as the rest of the party; with one
exception, however-Hazlehurst lingered behind.
Having reached the adjoining room, explanations were
exchanged between the friends. Mr. Wyllys learned that
Elinor and the Van Hornes had supposed Harry lost, from
the paper, and the first hurried note of de Vaux. When
they arrived at Wyllys-Roof, there was no one there to give
them any later information; Mammy Sarah, the nurse, knew
no more than themselves; she had heard the Broadlawn
story, after having seen young de Vaux leave the house with
Miss Agnes, when they first went to the Hubbards'. Hazle-
hurst had not accompanied his friend, for he had seen Mr.
Wyllys in a neighbouring field, and went there to give
him the information; and thence they had both gone to the
cottage, where they remained until Mrs. Clapp and Mr.
Joseph Hubbard arrived from Longbridge. Neither Mr.
Wyllys nor Miss Agnes had received the least intimation of
the accident, until they heard a correct account from de Vaux,
and Harry himself; consequently they had not felt the same
alarm for Hazlehurst.
Dr. and Mrs. Van Horne were much gratified by hearing,
that Hazlehurst's restoration was owing to the devoted per-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
311
severance of their son; for it was only after every one else
had given up the hope of reviving him, after long and cease-
less exertions, that signs of life were discovered. They also
now learned the circumstances of the accident, the fact that
two instead of four persons were lost, and they found that it
was in endeavouring to save Charlie that Harry had so nearly
lost his own life. But we leave them together to express
their natural feelings of gratitude for those who had escaped,
sympathy with the sufferers, their surprise at Harry's ap-
pearance, and all the varying emotions of such a moment.
While this conversation was passing in one room, Elinor
was in some measure recovering from the first sudden shock
of the morning in the other. Harry seemed fully determined
to maintain his post at her side, and still kept possession of
her hand; in fact, the solemn, anxious moment, hallowed
by grief, at which the disclosure of their mutual feelings had
been made, seemed to banish all common, petty embarrass-
ments. Miss Agnes and Harry required but a word and a
look to explain matters; the aunt already understood it all.
"Poor Charlie!" exclaimed Elinor, with a half-inquiring
look, as if with a faint hope that he too might have returned,
like Harry.
"Our friend is gone, dearest !" said Harry, his eyes moist-
ened with tears as he spoke.
"His
Elinor wept, and a silence of a minute ensued.
poor mother, and his sister!" she exclaimed at length.
His two mothers, rather," said Harry, with a faltering
voice.
After another silence, Elinor turned to Hazlehurst with
an anxious look, saying:
"And your other friends ?”
"All safe, love."
"The crew too?"
"One of the crew is lost; Black Bob, a sailor from Long-
bridge."
312
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
"I remember him; he had no family I believe, Aunt,”
she said.
"None, my child, that I have ever heard of."
"The heaviest blow has fallen upon the Hubbards," said
Harry.
After a pause, in which aunt and niece had prayed for the
mourners, Elinor again made some inquiries.
“Were all in the Petrel at the time?" asked Elinor.
"Smith and our poor Charlie, the negro and a boy were
crossing a bay in the Petrel, when she capsized, by the bad
management of the negro, who had been drinking. The
rest of us were on shore."
“You were not in any danger then?" said Elinor, as if
relieved that he had not even been exposed to past peril.
"I owe my life to my friend Van Horne," he replied.
Elinor shuddered, and turned deadly pale again. Harry
threw his arms about her and embraced her fervently, until
Elinor, who had now partially recovered the common cur-
rent of her ideas, made a gentle struggle to release herself.
"But you were not in the Petrel?" she said again, as if
anxious to understand all that related to him.
"We all went to our friends as soon as we saw the schooner
capsize," said Harry.
"Hubert de Vaux told me that Harry swam some distance,
with the hope of saving poor Charles, who could not swim
himself," said Miss Agnes. "It was in that way, my child,
that he was exposed."
“To save Charlie !—that was like you," said Elinor, with
a glow on her cheek.
"There was no danger-no merit whatever in doing so-
I have often swum farther," said Harry; "the only difficulty
was caused by my becoming entangled in some ropes, which
drew me under water."
"But where was the boat?"
"It was not at hand at the moment; they brought it as
soon as possible."
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
313
"Did Charlie speak?" asked Elinor, sadly.
"My poor friend was insensible when I reached him."
Again a moment's pause ensued.
"I must not forget to tell you, love, that we owe a great
deal to another friend of ours," said Harry, smiling. "You
will be glad to hear that Bruno behaved nobly; he first dis-
covered the ropes in which we were entangled."
"Bruno !—Where is my noble dog? Pray call him; let
me see him!"
Harry went to the door, and there was Bruno lying across
the threshold, as if waiting to be admitted; he came in at
Harry's call, but not with his usual bound; he seemed to
understand that if his old master had been saved, his master's
friend was lost. The noble creature was much caressed by
Miss Wyllys and Elinor; and we are not ashamed to confess
that the latter kissed him more than once. At length, Miss
Agnes observing that her niece was very much recovered,
rose from her seat, and stooping to kiss Elinor's forehead,
placed her hand in that of Harry, saying with much feeling,
as she joined them, "God bless you, my children!" and
then left the room.
As for what passed after Miss Agnes left her young friends,
we cannot say; Bruno was the only witness to that inter-
view between Harry and Elinor, and as Bruno was no tell-
tale, nothing has ever transpired on the subject.
We may
suppose, however, that two young people, strongly attached
to each other, united under such peculiar circumstances, did
not part again until a conclusive and satisfactory explanation
had taken place. Harry no doubt was enabled to quiet any
scruples he may have felt with regard to Ellsworth; and
probably Elinor was assured, that she had entirely mistaken
Hazlehurst's feelings during the past summer; that Mrs.
Creighton was his friend's sister, and a charming woman,
but not the woman he loved, not the woman he could ever
love, after having known his Elinor. Then, as both parties
were frank and warm-hearted, as they had known each other
VOL. II. — 27
314
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
for years, and had just been reunited under circumstances so
solemn, there was probably more truth, less reserve, and
possibly more tenderness than usual at similar meetings.
Doubtless there were some smiles; and to judge from the
tone of both parties on separating, we think that some tears
must have been shed. We are certain that amid their own
intimate personal communications, the young friend so dear
to both, so recently lost, was more than once remembered;
while at the same time it is a fact, that another communica-
tion of some importance to Harry, the disclosures of Stebbins,
was forgotten by him, or deferred until the interview was
interrupted. Mr. Wyllys entered to let Harry know that
Hubert de Vaux had come for him.
"De Vaux is here waiting for you, Harry," said Mr.
Wyllys, opening the drawing-room door.
'Is it possible, my dear sir?—Is it so late?? exclaimed
Harry.
It was in fact de Vaux, come to accompany Harry to Long-
bridge, to meet the body of our poor Charlie: so closely, on
that eventful day, were joy and sadness mingled to the
friends at Wyllys-Roof.
Elinor had risen from her seat as her grandfather ap-
proached.
"You feel better, my child," he said kindly.
I am happy, grandpapa!-happy as I can be to-day!"
she added, blushing, and weeping, and throwing her arms
about his neck.
"It is all right, I see. May you be blessed, together, my
children!" said the venerable man, uniting their hands.
After an instant's silence, Elinor made a movement to leave
the room.
"I am going to Longbridge, but I shall hope to see you
again in the evening," said Harry, before she left him.
"When you come back, then. You are going to Long-
bridge, you say?"
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
315
"Yes," said Harry sadly; "to meet Van Horne and
Smith, with—”
Elinor made no reply; she understood his sad errand;
offered him her hand again, and left the room. She retired
to her own apartment, and remained there alone for a long
time; and there the young girl fell on her knees, and offered
up most fervent, heartfelt thanksgivings for the safety of one
she loved truly, one she had long loved, so recently rescued
from the grave.
That afternoon, just as the autumn sun was sinking to-
wards the woods, throwing a rich, warm glow over the
country, a simple procession was seen moving slowly and
sadly over the Longbridge highway. It was the body of
Charlie Hubbard, brought home by his friends, to pass a few
hours beneath his mother's roof, ere it was consigned to its
last resting-place under the sod. We have not yet dared
to intrude upon the stricken inmates of the old grey cottage;
we shall not attempt to paint their grief, such grief is sacred.
The bereaved mother, half-infirm in body and mind, seemed
to feel the blow without fully understanding it: Patsey, poor
Patsey felt the affliction fully, comprehended it wholly.
Charlie had been her idol from infancy; she had watched
over the boy with an engrossing affection, an earnest devo-
tion, which could be only compared to a mother's love, which
might claim a mother's sacred name. She was entirely
overcome when the young artist's body was brought into the
house, and placed in the coffin, beneath his father's portrait.
"My boy!-my brother!-Charlie!" she cried wildly;
all her usual calmness, her usual firmness giving way at the
moment, as the young face she loved so tenderly was first
disclosed to her view, pale and lifeless. But the fine features
of the young artist, almost feminine in their delicate beauty,
returned no answering glance-they were rigid, cold, and
partially discoloured by death.
Hazlehurst and de Vaux passed the night beside the body
316
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
of their friend; Miss Agnes and Mrs. Van Horne were with
the bereaved mother and sisters.
Early on the following morning, Mr. Wyllys and Elinor
came to take a last look at their young friend.
'Can it indeed be true?-Charlie gone for ever, gone so
suddenly!' thought Elinor, as she leaned over his body,
weeping with the sincere, heartfelt grief of a true friend,
until Hazlehurst, pained by her emotion, gently drew her
away; not, however, before she had bent over poor Charlie,
and gently kissed the discoloured forehead of her young
companion, for the first and the last time.
Patsey's grief, though not less deep, was more calm than
at first. Again and again she had returned to her young
brother's coffin, with varying feelings; now overwhelmed
by poignant grief, now partially soothed by the first balm of
holy resignation; now alone, now accompanied by her friends.
Once, early that morning, the infirm mother was brought
into the room to look for the last time on the face of her son;
she was carried in a chair and placed by the coffin, then
assisted to rise by Miss Agnes and her daughter Kate. Her
tears flowed long, falling on her boy's cold, but still beautiful
features; she wiped them away herself, and with an humble
phrase of resignation, in the words of Scripture, expressed
the thought that ere long she should be laid by his side.
Her's was not the bitter, living grief of Patsey; she felt that
she was near the grave herself. Tears of gentle-hearted
women were not the only tears which fell upon Charlie's
bier; his uncles, his elder brothers, and more than one true
friend were there. But amid all the strong, contending
emotions of those who crowded the humble room, who hung
over the coffin, still that youthful form lay rigid in the fearful
chill, the awful silence of death; he, whose bright eye,
whose pleasant smile had never yet met the look of a friend
without the quick glance of intellect, or the glow of kindly
feeling. Patsey felt the change; she felt that the being she
loved was not all there, the dearer portion was already be-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
317
yond her sight-and with this reflection came the blessed
consolations of Christian hope; for the unfeigned faith and
the penitent obedience of the Christian, had been known to
Charlie Hubbard from childhood; nor had they ever been
forgotten by the young man.
Soon after sun-rise, friends and neighbours began to collect;
they came from miles around, all classes and all ages-for
the family was much respected, and their sudden bereave-
ment had excited general compassion. The little door-yard
and the humble parlour were filled, with those who justly
claimed the name of friends; the highway and an adjoining
field were crowded with neighbours.
After a solemn prayer within the house, those who had
loved the dead fixed their eyes for the last time on his fea-
tures; the coffin was closed from the light, the body was
carried for the last time over the threshold, it was placed on
a carriage, and the living crowd moved away, following the
dead, with the slow, heavy movement of sorrow. The
mother, the sisters, and the nearest female friends remained
in privacy together at the house of mourning. As the funeral
train moved along the highway towards Longbridge, it gra-
dually increased in length; the different dwellings before
which it passed had their windows closed, as a simple token
of sympathy, and on approaching the village, one bell after
another was heard, tolling sadly. The hearse paused for a
moment before the house of Mr. Joseph Hubbard; those
who had come thus far in carriages alighted, and joined by
others collected in the village, they moved from there on
foot. Several brother artists from New York, and other
associates of the young man's, bore the cloth which covered
his coffin; and immediately after the nearest relatives, the
elder brothers, and the uncles, came Hazlehurst and de Vaux,
with the whole party of the Petrel, and the crew of the little
schooner: and sincerely did they mourn their young friend;
it is seldom indeed that the simple feeling of grief and com-
passion pervades a whole funeral train so generally as that
27*
318
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
of the young artist. But our poor Charlie had been much
loved by all who knew him; he was carried to the grave
among old friends of his family, in his native village-and
there were many there capable of admiring his genius and
respecting his character. As the procession entered the en-
closure it passed before a new-made grave, that of the negro
sailor, who had been decently interred by the directions of
de Vaux, on the preceding evening, the party of the Petrel
having also attended his funeral. On reaching the final
resting-place of the young artist, among the tombs of his
family, by the side of his father the minister, an impressive
prayer and a short but touching address were made; the
coffin was lowered, the earth thrown on it, and the grave
closed over Charlie Hubbard: the story of his life was told.
Harry was the last to leave the spot. While the funeral
train returned with the mourners to the house of Mr. Joseph
Hubbard, he remained standing by the grave of his friend,
his mind filled with the recollection of the brilliant hopes so
suddenly extinguished, the warm fancies so suddenly chilled,
the bright dreams so suddenly blighted by the cold hand of
death. The solemn truth, that the shadow of death had also
passed over himself was not forgotten; life in its true cha-
racter, with all its real value, all its uncertainties, all its re-
sponsibilities, rose more clearly revealed to him than it had
ever yet done; he turned from Charlie's grave a wiser man,
carrying with him, in the recollection of his own unexpected
restoration, an impulse for higher and more steadfast exertion
in the discharge of duty.
But if Hazlehurst's thoughts, as he retraced his solitary
way towards Wyllys-Roof, were partly sad, they were not all
gloomy. Wisdom does not lessen our enjoyment of one real
blessing of life; she merely teaches us to distinguish the false
from the true, and she even increases our happiness amid the
evils and sorrows against which we are warned, by purifying
our pleasures, and giving life and strength to every better
thought and feeling. When Harry entered the gate of
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONG BRIDGE.
319
Wyllys-Roof, his heart beat with joy again, as he saw Elinor,
now his betrothed wife, awaiting his return on the piazza;
he joined her, and they had a long conversation together in
the fullness of confidence and affection. They were at length
interrupted by Miss Agnes, who returned from the Hubbards'.
The young people inquired particularly after Miss Patsey.
"She is much more calm than she was yesterday; more
like herself, more resigned, thinking again of others, attending
to Mrs. Hubbard; she seems already to have found some
consoling thoughts.”
“It seems, indeed," said Harry, "as if Hubbard's memory
would furnish consolation to his friends by the very greatness
of their loss; his character, his conduct, were always so ex-
cellent; the best consolation for Miss Patsey."
“It is touching to see that excellent woman's deep affection
for one, so different from herself in many respects,” observed
Mr. Wyllys.
“Fraternal affection is a very strong tie," said Miss Agnes
gently.
She might have added that it is one of the most honour-
able to the human heart, as it is peculiar to our race. Other
natural affections; even the best, may be partially traced
among the inferior beings of creation; something of the
conjugal, paternal, and filial attachment may be roused for a
moment in most living creatures; but fraternal affection is
known to man alone, and would seem in its perfect disinte-
restedness, almost worthy to pass unchanged to a higher
sphere.
"I have often thought," said Mr. Wyllys, "that the affec-
tion of an unmarried sister for a brother or a sister, whose
chief interests and affections belong by right to another, if
not the most tender, is surely the most purely disinterested
and generous which the human heart can know: and single
women probably feel the tie more strongly than others."
Mr. Wyllys was thinking, when he spoke, of his daughter
Agnes and Patsey Hubbard; and he might have thought of
320
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
hundreds of others in the same circumstances, for happily
such instances are very common.
"I have never had either brother or sister, but I can well
imagine it must be a strong tie," said Elinor.
"I flattered myself I had been a sort of brother to you in
old times," said Harry smiling.
"Your romantic, adopted brothers, Nelly, are not good for
much," said her grandfather. "We tried the experiment
with Harry, and see how it has turned out; it generally
proves so, either too much or too little. Don't fancy you
know anything about plain, honest, brotherly affection," he
added, smiling kindly on his granddaughter, who sat by his
side.
Probably Harry was quite as well satisfied with the actual
state of things.
“But Charlie was also a son to Miss Patsey," he added,
after a moment.
Yes; he had been almost entirely under her care from
an infant," replied Miss Agnes.
"Poor Charlie !—little did I think that bright young head
would be laid in the grave before mine !" said Mr. Wyllys.
66
A moment's pause ensued.
"Much as I loved Hubbard, much as I regret his loss,"
said Harry, "I shall always think of him with a melancholy
pleasure."
Excepting his loss, there does not seem indeed to be one
painful reflection connected with his name," observed Miss
Agnes.
66
“Cherish his memory then among your better recollec-
tions," added Mr. Wyllys, to Harry and Elinor.
"And an
old man can tell you the full value of happy recollections;
you will find one day the blessing of such treasures of
memory."
It is a legacy, however, which the good alone can leave
their friends," said Miss Agnes.
And so it proved, indeed; after the first severe grief of
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
321
the sudden bereavement had passed away, the young man
was remembered among his friends with a peculiar tender-
ness, connected with his youth, his genius, his excellent cha-
racter, his blameless life, and early death. Life had been
but a morning to Charlie Hubbard, but it was a glowing
summer morning; its hours had not been wasted, abused,
misspent; brief as they were, yet in passing they had brought
blessings to himself, to his fellow-beings; and they had left.
to those who loved him the best consolations of memory.
CHAPTER XXIII.
"Is not true love of higher price
Than outward form, though fair to see?"
COLERIDGE.
HARRY had a busy autumn that year. He had two im-
portant objects in view, and within a few weeks he suc-
ceeded in accomplishing both. He was very desirous, now
all difficulties were removed, that his marriage with Elinor
should not be deferred any longer than was absolutely ne-
cessary.
"There cannot be the shadow of a reason, love, for wait-
ing," he said to her within a few days of the explanation.
"Remember, it is now six years since you first promised to
become my wife-since we were first engaged."
"Six years, off and on," said Elinor smiling.
"Not really off more than a moment.
Elinor shook her head and smiled.
""
"No; not really off more than a very short time."
“Very well,” said Elinor archly; "but don't you think
322
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
the less we say about that second year the better? Perhaps
the third and the fourth too.”
“No indeed; I have been thinking it all over; and in the
first place there has not been a moment in those six years
when I have not loved you; though to my bitter mortification
I confess, there was also a moment when I was in love with
another, but it was a very short moment, and a very disagree-
able one to remember. No; I wish you to look well into
those six years, for I honestly think they will appear more to
my credit than you are at all aware of. I shan't be satisfied
until we have talked them over again, my part at least; I
don't know that you will submit to the same examination."
“Oh, you have already heard all I have to say," she re-
plied, blushing deeply; "I shan't allude to my part of the
story again this long while."
Nevertheless, Harry soon succeeded in obtaining her con-
sent to be married within six weeks; in fact she made but
few objections to the arrangement, although she would have
preferred waiting longer, on account of the recent afflictions
of Jane and the Hubbards.
The important day soon arrived, and the wedding took
place at Wyllys-Roof. A number of friends and relatives
of both parties were collected for the occasion; Mrs. Stanley,
Robert Hazlehurst and his wife, the late Mrs. George Wyllys
and her new husband, or as Harry called them, Mr. and
Mrs. Uncle Dozie, the Van Hornes, de Vauxes, Bernards,
and others. Mary Van Alstyne was bridesmaid, and Hubert
de Vaux groomsman. The ceremony which at length united
our two young friends, was impressively performed by the
clergyman of the parish to which the Wyllyses belonged;
and it may be doubted whether there were another couple
married that day, in the whole wide world, whose feelings
as they took the solemn vows were more true, more honour-
able to their natures, than those of Harry and Elinor.
Talking of vows, it was remarked by the spectators that
the groom made his promises and engagements in a more
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
323
decided tone of voice, a less embarrassed manner than usual;
for, strange to say, your grooms, happy men, are often awk-
ward, miserable swains enough in appearance; though it
would be uncharitable in the extreme, not to suppose them
always abounding in internal felicity. There was also an-
other observation made by several of the wedding-guests,
friends of Harry, who were then at Wyllys-Roof for the
first time, and it becomes our duty to record the remark,
since it related to no less a person than the bride; it was
observed that she was not as pretty as a bride should be.
"Mrs. Harry Hazlehurst is no beauty, certainly," said
Albert Dangler to Orlando Flyrter.
"No beauty! She is downright ugly-I wonder at Hazle-
hurst's taste !"
Unfortunately for Elinor, the days are past when bene-
volent fairies arrive just at the important moment, and by a
tap of the wand or a phial of elixir, change the coarsest
features, the most unfavourable complexion, into a dazzling
image of everything most lovely, most beautiful. Nor had
she the good luck of certain young ladies of whom one reads
quite often, who improve so astonishingly in personal ap-
pearance between fifteen and twenty-generally during the
absence of the hero-that they are not to be recognized, and
a second introduction becomes necessary. No; Elinor was
no nearer to being a beauty when Harry returned from
Brazil, than when he went to Paris; she was just as plain
on the evening of her wedding as she was six years before,
when first presented to the reader's notice.
Jane, though now in widow's weeds, was just as beautiful
too, as when we first saw her; she was present at her cousin's
wedding, as Elinor wished her to be there, although in a
deep mourning dress. Patsey Hubbard was also in the
drawing-room during the ceremony, and in deep black; but
she left her friends as soon as she had expressed her warmest
wishes for the happiness of her former pupil: she wept as
she turned from the house, for she could not yet see that
324
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
well-known, cheerful circle at Wyllys-Roof, without missing
one bright young face from the group.
Among those who had declined invitations to the wedding,
were Mr. Ellsworth and Mrs. Creighton, although both had
expressed many good wishes for the affianced couple; the
gentleman wrote sincerely, but a little sadly perhaps, as it
was only six weeks since his refusal; the lady wrote grace-
fully, but a little spitefully it is believed, since it was now
generally known that Harry must recover entire possession
of his fortune.
This vexatious affair was, in fact, finally settled about the
time of Harry's marriage; and, thanks to the disclosures of
Stebbins, it was no longer a difficult matter to unravel the
plot. As soon as William Stanley's representative, or in
other words, Hopgood, found that Stebbins had betrayed him,
he ran off, but was arrested shortly after, tried and convicted.
He was no sooner sentenced, than he offered to answer any
questions that might be asked, for he was anxious that his
accomplice, Clapp-who had also taken flight, and succeeded
in eluding all pursuit-should be punished as well as him-
self. It appeared that his resemblance to the Stanleys was
the first cause of his taking the name of William Stanley;
he was distantly related to them through his mother, and, as
we may often observe, the family likeness, after having been
partially lost for one or two generations, had appeared quite
strongly again in himself; and as usual, the peculiarities of
the resemblance had become more deeply marked as he grew
older. Being very nearly of the same age, and of the same
pursuit as William Stanley, he had actually been taken for
the young man on several occasions. He had been in the
same lawyer's office as Clapp, whom he had known as a
boy, and had always kept up some intercourse with him;
meeting him one day accidentally, he related the fact of his
having passed himself off for William Stanley by way of a
joke. The sight of means to do ill deeds, makes deeds
ill done:" Clapp seemed from that moment to have first
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
325
taken the idea of the plot; he gradually disclosed his plan
to Hopgood, who was quick-witted, a good mimic, and quite
clever enough for the purpose. The idea was repeatedly
abandoned, then resumed again; Hopgood having purposely
shipped under the name of William Stanley, several times,
and practised an imitation of William Stanley's hand by
way of an experiment. Finding no difficulties in these first
steps, they gradually grew bolder, collecting information
about the Stanleys, and carefully arranging all the details.
Stebbins had frightened them on one occasion; but after
having obtained possession of the papers in his hands, Clapp
determined to carry out their plan at once; he thought the
probability of success was strongly in their favour, with so
much evidence within their reach; and the spoils were so
considerable, that they were in his opinion worth the risk.
The profits of their roguery were to be equally divided, if
they succeeded; and they had also agreed that if at any
moment matters began to look badly, they would make their
escape from the country together. Hopgood, who was gene-
rally supposed by those who had known him, to have died
at New Orleans twenty years since, had been often with
William Stanley when a lad in the lawyer's office; he knew
the house and neighbourhood of Greatwood perfectly, and had
a distinct recollection of Mr. Stanley, the father, and of many
persons and circumstances that would prove very useful.
Clapp easily obtained other necessary information, and they
went to Greatwood, examining the whole house and place,
in order to revive Hopgood's recollections; while at the same
time they made but little mystery of their excursion, hoping
rather that when discovered it would pass off as a natural
visit of William Stanley to the old home which he was
about to claim. The whole plan was carefully matured
under Clapp's cunning management; on some doubtful
points they were to be cautious, and a set of signals were
agreed upon for moments of difficulty; but generally they
were to assume a bold, confident aspect, freely offering an
VOL. II.-28
326*
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
interview to the executors, and sending a specimen of the
forged handwriting as a letter to Mrs. Stanley. The volume
of the Spectator was a thought of Clapp's; he bribed a boy
to admit him into the library at Greatwood one Sunday,
when the housekeeper was at church, and he selected the
volume which seemed well suited to his purpose; removing
the boy from the neighbourhood immediately after, by giving
him high wages in a distant part of the country. As for
Mr. Reed he was completely their dupe, having been him-
self honestly convinced of the identity of Clapp's client.
It was nine years from the time the plot first suggested itself,
until they finally appeared as public claimants of the estate
and name of William Stanley, and during that time, Clapp,
who had never entirely abandoned the idea, although Hop-
good had repeatedly done so, had been able to mature the
plan very thoroughly.
The declarations of Stebbins and Hopgood were easily
proved; and Harry had no further difficulty in resuming
possession of Greatwood.
Clapp was not heard of for years. His wife, little Willie,
and two younger children, became inmates of the old grey
cottage, under the care of Miss Patsey, who still continues
the same honest, whole-souled, benevolent being she was
years ago. Patsey was now quite at her ease, and enabled
to provide for her sister Kate and the three children, and it
was to poor Charlie she owed the means of doing so; by
an unusual precaution in one so young, he had left a will,
giving everything he owned to his mother and eldest sister.
Shortly after his death, some of his friends, Hazlehurst
among the number, got up an exhibition of all his pictures;
they made a fine and quite numerous collection, for Charlie
had painted very rapidly. The melancholy interest con-
nected with the young painter's name, his high reputation
in the particular field he had chosen, the fact that all his
paintings were collected together, from the first view of Che-
wattan lake taken when a mere boy, to the sketch of Nan-
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
327
tucket which he was retouching but a moment before his
death, and the sad recollection that his palette was now
broken for ever, attracted unusual attention. The result of
that melancholy exhibition, with the sale of some remaining
pictures, proved sufficient to place his mother and sister,
with their moderate views, in very comfortable circumstances;
thus even after his death Charlie proved a blessing to his
family. In looking over the young man's papers, Patsey
found some lines which surprised her, although they explained
several circumstances which she had never before fully un-
derstood; they betrayed a secret, undeclared attachment,
which had expressed itself simply and gracefully in verses.
full of feeling and well written. It was evident from these
lines that poor Charlie's poetical imagination, even from
early boyhood, had been filled with the lovely image of his
young companion, Jane Graham: there was a beautiful
sketch of her face among his papers, which from the date,
must have been taken from memory while she was in Paris.
It was clear from the tone of the verses, that Charlie had
scrupulously confined his secret within his own bosom, for
there were a few lines addressed to Jane since her widowhood,
lamenting that grief should so soon have thrown a shadow
over that lovely head, and concluding with a fear that she
would little value even this expression of sympathy from
one, to whom she had only given careless indifference, and
one who had never asked more than the friendship of early
companionship. Patsey hesitated for a moment, but then
decided that the miniature and the verses should never be
shown-they should meet no eyes but her own; Charlie had
not spoken himself, his secret should remain untold.
We must not omit to mention, that a few weeks after
Charlie's death young Van Horne offered himself to Mary
Hubbard, the youngest daughter of the family; he was ac-
cepted, and the commexion, which was very gratifying to
Patsey and her mother, proved a happy one. Mrs. Hub-
bard survived her daughter's marriage several years. Kate
328
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
and her little ones have remained at the old grey cottage
from the time of Clapp's flight; the children are now growing
up promising young people, and they owe much to Patsey's
judicious care. Willie, the hero of the temperance meeting,
is her favourite, for she persuades herself that he is like her
lost Charlie; and in many respects the boy happily resem-
bles his uncle far more than his father. Last year Mrs. Clapp
received for the first time, a letter in a handwriting very like
that of her husband; its contents seemed distressing, for she
wept much, and held several consultations with Patsey. At
length quite a little sum was drawn from their modest means,
Kate packed up her trunk, took leave of her sister and chil
dren, and set out upon a long and a solitary journey. She
was absent for months; but letters were occasionally received
from her, and at length she returned to the grey cottage in
deep mourning. It was supposed that she was now a widow;
and as Patsey upon one single occasion confirmed the report,
the opinion must have been correct, for Patsey Hubbard's
word was truth itself. No public account of Clapp's death,
however, reached Longbridge, and his name was never
mentioned by the Hubbards; still, it seemed to be known at
last that Mrs. Clapp had gone to a great distance, to attend
her husband during a long and fatal illness: and Mrs. Tibbs
also found out by indefatigable inquiries, far and near, that
about the same time one of the elders of Joe Smith, the
Mormon impostor, had died of consumption at Nauvoo; that
he had written somewhere several months before his death,
that a delicate-looking woman had arrived, and had not
quitted his side as long as he lived; that immediately after
his death she had left Nauvoo, and had gone no one knew
whither. It is quite certain that a young man from Long-
bridge travelling at the west, wrote home that he had seen
Mrs. Clapp on board a Mississippi steamer, just about that
time. The story is probably true, although nothing very
positive is known at Longbridge.
As for Hopgood, we have already mentioned that he had
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
329
been arrested, and most righteously condemned to a long
imprisonment for his share in that unprincipled, audacious
conspiracy. A year afterwards, however, it pleased those in
authority to send him out into the community again; he
was pardoned-
As all reserve is generally dropped in the last chapter, we
may as well tell the reader a secret of Mrs. Creighton's.
We have every reason to believe that she never cared much
for Harry, although she always cared a great deal for his
fortune. She was determined to marry again, for two rea-
sons; in the first place she did not wish to give way to a
sister-in-law, and she knew her brother intended marrying;
and then she never could manage that brother as she wished;
he was by no means disposed to throw away as much time,
thought, and money upon dissipation, as she would have
liked. She wanted a rich husband, of course; Harry did
very
well in every particular but one-she thought him too
much like her brother in his tastes to be all she desired; still
he suited her better than any of her other admirers, and she
would have been quite satisfied to accept him, had he kept
his fortune. Without that fortune, it was a very different
affair; he was no longer to be thought of for a moment.
We strongly suspect also, that the pretty widow saw farther
than any one else into the true state of matters between
Elinor and Harry, long before the parties themselves had
had an explanation; and for that reason, so long as she was
determined to take Hazlehurst for her second husband, she
decidedly encouraged Ellsworth's attention to Elinor. Since
we are so near the last page, we shall also admit that Mrs.
Creighton had quite a strong partiality for Mr. Stryker, while
the gentleman was thoroughly in love with her; but neither
was rich, and money, that is to say wealth, was absolutely
necessary in the opinion of both parties; so Mr. Stryker
went off to New Orleans in quest of a quadroon heiress re-
commended to him, and Mrs. Creighton became Mrs. Pompey
Taylor, junior; marrying the second son of the merchant,
28*
330
ELINOR WYLLYS; OR,
an individual who was nearly ten years younger than her-
self, and resembled his brother in every respect except in
being much less handsome. The happy couple sailed for
Europe immediately after the ceremony.
We are sorry to say that Mr. Taylor, the father, suffered
severely, not long after the marriage of his second son, by
the great fire; he suffered also in the great panic, and in
various other panics which have succeeded one another.
Still he has not failed, but he is a poorer man than when we
first had the honour of making his acquaintance. In other
respects he is much what he was fifteen years ago, devoted
as much as ever and as exclusively as ever to making money;
still valuing everything, visible or invisible, by the market-
price in gold, silver, or bank-notes; although unfortunately
much less successful than at the commencement of his career,
in accumulating dollars and cents; his seems to be "the fruit-
less race, without a prize;" and yet Mr. Taylor is approach-
ing the time of life when the end of the race cannot be very
distant.
Adeline is improved in many respects, her mother's advice
has had a good effect on her; still it is amusing to see her
already training up several little girls for future belles, on her
own pattern; rather it is believed to the annoyance of her
quiet husband. Emma Taylor is decidedly less lively, she
too having in some measure composed herself, after achiev-
ing belle-ship and matrimony.
Mr. and Mrs. Uncle Dozie removed from Longbridge not
long after their marriage; they have since returned there
again, and now, by the last accounts, they are again talking
of leaving the place.
Mrs. Hilson still continues to annoy her family with a
persevering ingenuity, for which certain silly women appear
peculiarly well qualified; at times she talks of taking the
veil in a nunnery, at others, of again entering the bands of
Hymen with some English aristocrat of illustrious lineage;
she confesses that either step would be sufficiently romantic
and aristocratic to suit her refined tastes, but which she will
THE YOUNG FOLK OF LONGBRIDGE.
331
tually adopt cannot yet be known. Fortunately, her
r Emmeline has profited much more than the "city lady"
erself by the follies of the past; she has lately married a
respectable man, one of their Longbridge neighbours, much
to her father's satisfaction.
Mary Van Alstyne remains single, and passes much of
her time with Elinor.
Some eighteen months after Harry's marriage, one evening
as he was sitting on the piazza at Wyllys-Roof, he received
a letter which made him smile; calling Elinor from the
drawing-room, he communicated the contents to her. It was
from Ellsworth, announcing his approaching marriage with
the lovely Mrs. Taylor, or in other words, our friend Jane.
Harry laughed a good deal, and coloured a little too, as he
plainly saw by the tone of the letter, that his friend was
going through precisely the same process as himself, during
his Paris days, when he first discovered such wisdom in the
depths of Jane's dark eyes, such delicacy of sentiment in the
purity of her complexion, such tenderness in every common
smile of her beautiful lips. Ellsworth, however, would pro-
bably not find out as soon as himself, that all these beauties
made up a lovely picture indeed, but nothing more; for his
friend was an accepted suitor, and might indulge himself by
keeping agreeable fancies alive as long as he chose; while
Harry had been rather rudely awakened from his trance by
very shabby treatment in the first place, and a refusal at last.
To Hazlehurst, the most amusing part of Ellsworth's story
was, an allusion to a certain resemblance in character between
Mrs. Taylor and 'one whom he had so much admired, one
whom he must always admire.'
66
Now, Elinor, do me the justice to say I was never half
so bad as that; I never pretended to think Jane like you, in
one good quality."
"It would be a pity if you had―Jane has good qualities
of her own. But I am rejoiced to hear the news; it is an
excellent match for both parties.”
“Yes; though Jane is a lovely puppet, and nothing more,
332
ELINOR WYLLYS.
yet it is a good match on that very account; Ellsworth will
look after her. It is to be hoped they are satisfied; I think
we are, my sweet wife; don't you?"
His frank, natural, affectionate smile as he spoke, was tole-
rably satisfactory, certainly as to his estimate of his own fate;
and it is to be hoped the reader is by this time sufficiently
well acquainted with Elinor and Harry, to credit his account
of the matter. From all we know of both, we are ourselves
disposed to believe them very well qualified to pass through
life happily together, making the cheerful days pleasanter,
and the dark hours less gloomy to each other.
Harry seems to have given up his diplomatic pursuits for
the present at least; he remains at home, making himself
useful both in private and public life. Last year he and
Elinor were at the Rip-Raps, accompanied by Mr. Wyllys
and Miss Agnes, and a little family of their own-several
engaging, clever, well-trained children. The little girls,
without being beauties, are not plain; they are indeed quite
as pretty as Jane's daughters; the only ugly face in the
young troop belongs to a fine-spirited little fellow, to whom
it is of no consequence at all, as he has just discarded his
petticoats for ever. Perhaps both father and mother are
pleased that such is the case; the feeling would seem to be
one of those weaknesses which will linger about every
parent's heart. Yet Elinor acknowledges that she is herself
a happy woman without beauty; and Harry, loving her as
he does for a thousand good reasons, and inclinations, and
partialities, sometimes actually believes that he loves her the
better for that plain face which appeals to his more generous
feelings. Many men will always laugh at an ugly woman,
and the idea of loving her; but is it an error in Hazlehurst's
biographer to suppose that there are others who, placed in
similar circumstances, would feel as Harry felt?
THE END.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
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