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“Perhaps not so long as you think,
my child,” said Mrs. Raymond, her eyes
filling again at the despairing tone in
which this was said. “So promise me,
my love, for your mother’s sake, that you
will bear this nobly and without succumb
ing. Exert your strength of mind, Emi
ly, and for the love of God, do not let
me see you pining away, growing sad
and losing your sunny spirit."’
Mrs. Raymond burst into tears as she
ended ; she could not bear to think of
suah a misfortune, and Emily promised
to do her best, and save her beloved
mother the sight of sorrow’s trace upon
her sweet countenance. The dav wore
•/
heavily away ; the dinner bell rang, but
she heeded it not, and her father sat stern
ly opposite his wife, scarcely tasting a
morsel. He felt his injustice, and it irri
tated him the more—he missed his child
and longed to send for her, but his pride
was greater than his love. In his own
heart, he was convinced that young Nor
man’s high character and excellent po
sition, made him a worthy suitor for
her, and he could not but despise the pet
ty feeling that made him insult a man
every way his equal. He secretly re
gretted that he couid discover no fault
by which he could force Emily to dismiss
him with contempt, and he sighed as he
remembered that she must lose a portion
of the esteem in which she had ever held
her father, when she reflected that he was
capable of so puerile a motive as that of
actual spite. Arthur had a friend to
whom he confided his troubles, and re
ceived all the sympathy of which he was
really deserving. He burned with indig
nation as he recounted the contemptuous
treatment he had received at the hands
of Mr. Raymond, and was excited into a
fever that lasted two or three days.
“At least lie might have spoken to me
as a gentleman,” said he, as he paced the
room. Had he not been the father of
the woman I love, 1 should not submit
to it; but I am resolved, Clayton, to re
move his dislike, if human skill can do
it. lie shall like me; he shall give his
consent to our union, and that a willing
one.”
Clayton shook his head.
“He is a desperate old codger, Arthur,
beware how you tempt him, my dear fel
low. Can’t you run off with his daugh
ter?”
SOUTHERN LITERARY GAZETTE.
He coloured deeply.
“1 would never propose such a scheme.
Clayton, you little know Emily Raymond,
or you w r ould not mention it. Moreover,
it is too frightful a breach of duty ; 1
w ould not tempt the woman 1 expect to
marry, to such an act of disobedience.”
“Pshaw ! she would not be a worse
wife for that, man! Rut I interfere with
no man’s scruples, least of all w ith yours,
for I respect you too highly. Plow can
I serve you ?” and he held out his hand.
“You are my friend, and so serve me,”
was the reply. “1 expected your sym
pathy, and have it, be assured that I fully
value it. Meet me at Brook’s in an
hour, and I will join you in a ride.”
Clayton left him, and at the appointed
time proceeded to his appointment. He
was joined by an acquaintance, and after
ordering horses, sat down in the office to
speak w ith him.
“Well, Clayton, have you heard the
news? Norman proposed for Miss Ray
mond, and was driven from the house.
What a mighty polite old gentleman her
father must be, to be sure —to insult
the finest fellow 7 in the whole city ! By
George! I’d run oft’ with her in spite of
his teeth.”
“That would not he,” said Clayton in
reply, “for I proposed it to him myself,
and he told me he loved her too w'ell to
ask her to commit so ‘frightful a breach
of duty.’ I use his own words, and re
spect him for his views, although they
are not mine.”
At this moment, a gentleman who v 7 as
reading a newspaper on the opposite side
of the room, arose and walked to the
door. It was Mr. Raymond himself,
more than ever disturbed, as he felt how
greatly this generous speech added to
the merits of the man he had so outraged.
And face to face he met him, for Nor
man, punctual to the minute, came to
join his friend! He lifted his hat respect
fully and passed on, apparently unnoti
ced, (fer Mr. Raymond did not return
his salutation,) to the place where Clay
ton sat.
“Who was that Norman?” said he.
“Mr. Raymond,” said Norman, smi
ling.
The two exchanged glances, but said
nothing on the subject, though both re
joiced that their conversation had been
overheard by the one to whom it re-
ferred, and soon after they mounted their
horses and rode away.
CHAPTER 11.
“ How much longer do you intend to
keep Emily a prisoner, James?” said
Mrs. Raymond, as they sat down to
breakfast one morning. “Itis a week
since she has left her room, and her face
bears visible marks of the effect confine
ment has upon her. I see no excuse for
your injuring the health of a child so pre
cious.” And the mother’s voice faltered.
“ Let her learn her duty, and then she
can go out as usual,” said Mr. Raymond
sternly, but stung by self-reproach at his
wife’s words.
“ I have not remarked anything undu
tiful in her conduct,” said Mrs. Raymond
indignantly. “At least we live in a civ
ilized country, where children are not im
prisoned and allowed to pine away, be
cause they will not adopt the feelings of
others —nor their dislikes,” added she
hastily.
“ And pray, do you encourage your
daughter in her dislikes, Madam ? Does
she ow r e her insolent behaviour of last
week to your teaching ?”
She looked at him for a moment, and
forcing back the emotion that was chok
ing her, raised her head proudly. “Your
injustice to Emily is certainly no reason
why you should insult your wife. You
have found no faltering in my duty to
you during all our married life; is it pro
bable that now, I intend to forget it?
Have you ever heard of my preaching
dissension between you and my child ?
Has she ever wavered before now in her
submission to your wishes? There must
be a mournful change w ithin you, James,
when you dare ask me, if I teach my
daughter insolence.”
“ Go and tell Miss Raymond to come
down stair's,” said Mr. Raymond to the
servant who entered. “ And now, ma
dam, perhaps you will cease your ques
tioning. Instead of answering mine, you
assail me with half a hundred inquiries
about your duties, etc., which I really d°
not understand.”
His first glance at Emily showed him
the alteration in her once bright counte
nance. She was very pale, much thinned,
and a dark spot under her eyes tola
sleepless nights and troubled thoughts.
She murmured a “good morning,! 1
[Jan. 17