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"Vol. IV.
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FRANK MORTIMER.
SCI1HCHIPTI0X THKMR.
OXE DOLLAR 1'Ell IE All!
Oil 10 CKM'S I'KIt MONTH.
Fred's Courtship.
CONCLUDED.
66
All, FllED," excliiimed tlio delight
ed bachelor, " you aro a boy after
my own heart 1 Persevere and we'll snap
our fingers then at fortuno !"
After four similar visits at Pendleton
House, which occupied as many weeks
Frederick residing too far from his lady
love, to drivo the little black pony to sec
her oftcner than onco in seven days he
resolved, with tho advico and consent of
his uncle, to make an oiler of his hand.
"But I feel a kind of bushfulness in in
troducing tho subject," said Frederick,
"sho is such a dignified lady ! Suppose I
should write her a letter? Sho knows I
am a fellow moro conversant with books
than tho graces of society ; and sho will ap
preciate my delicacy."
"I don't sec anything out of tho way in
that," replied the old gentleman, who littlo
suspected Fred's motives. "An oiler is an
oiler, whether made on paper, or by word
of mouth. Draw up the document, and let
mo see it."
. Fred had three reasons for this step.
First, although ho had audacity enough to
act his part thus far, ho felt somo difli
denco about making a proposal whero ho
was confident of being coolly rejected. In
tho next place, ho thought it might be in
keeping with tho character ho had assum
ed, to writo Laura on the subject. The
main reason which induced him to take this
step, however, was a desire to convince his
undo that ho had made a formal and bona
file proposal for Miss Pondleton'sTknd,and
lay before him positive evidence of his re
fusal. Frederick accordingly produced an elab
orate document, full of sound sense, nicely
turned compliments, and a formal offer of
his hand; which, although it contained
scarcely love enough to meet tho old gen
tleman's ideas of ardent courtship, obtain
ed his general approbation.
This letter was scaled and despatched
under Uncle Philip's immediate supervis
ion ; and on the very same day, there was
received a reply. Frederick opened the let
ter in presence of his uncle.
"Lucky boy!" erlcd tho latter, in high
glee. "I am sure she will have you. Heart !
read !"
" You are sure?" said Frederick, forcing
a smile. "I havo my fears about it !"'
I need not state what tho fears were.
Notwithstanding all his precautions, Fred
was a littlo anxious. What a predicament
ho would bo in, should such a miracle oc
cur, as his uncle confidently expected !
" 'Respected sir,' " begun Fred.
"Rather cool, that," suggested his uncle.
"Cool, but polite," said Fred, who really
appeared well pleased. " I do not dislike
tho expression. A woman should respect
the man she intends to marry. " Allow mo
to thank you for tho high honor you have
conferred upon mo by the oiler of your
hand ; and rest assured that, although I
cannot accept it, I remain, with sentiments
of esteem, your obliged and gratitled
friend"
"I do not believo it !" interrupted Uncle
Philip, snatching the letter. "She never
IVcvw lOloomiiolcl, IJsi., Ocstoliei S2. 1870.
would refuse it is impossible good look
ing a fellow as you "
Ho glanced his eye over tho neatly writ
ten billet, and uttering a groan, dropped
his hands in mute dismay.
"A previous attachment," sighed Fred.
lT , l il i ..I . '
" j. ueciarc, mat mum uc it ; ' muttered
tho old gentleman. "Yes, you labored un
der a disadvantage, and I pity you."
Fred put his handkerchief to his eyes.
"Hut don't feel bad about it, my boy,"
said his uncle, consolingly. " Miss Pendle
ton is not tho last woman. Don't think of
her any moro I"
Fred left tho room. IIo hastened to Rose.
To her great joy he related the success of
his .stratagem. Only one thing remained
to mako them happy.
Hut whilo Fred was waiting for a favora
ble opportunity to speak to his uncle about
Rose, another storm was brewing for the
discomfiture of his hopes. Determined to
marry off his nephew, to mako him happy,
and himself comfortable, the old gentleman
had tho kindness to select for him anothor
bride Miss Paulina Clifton, a second cous
in of our hero's, who resided at a distance
of somo fifty miles from him, and of whom
ho knew comparatively nothing.
Uncle Philip's will was absolute ; there
was no hope of safely evading obedience ;
and accordingly Frcd,somcwhat encouraged
by tho success of his first stratagem, placed
confidence in his ability to invent and pros
ecute a second ; and having taken affection
ate leave of tho disconsolate Rose, ho set
out to visit his distant relative
As Mr. Grandison was careful to that
his excellent nephew was well provided and
equipod for his journey, Frederick could
not but choose to mako his first appearance
beforo Miss Paulino in a certain sort of
stylo ; besides, from what ho could gather
concerning tho character of his cousin, he
despaired being able to mako successful
uso of the same stratagem which had al
ready served him so well.
Frederick was well dressed, and ho drove
a handsomo horse. IIo arrived at his des
tination one fine afternoon, and met with a
hearty reception from his friends. Pauline,
in particular, expressed great joy at seeing
him, and shook his hand with almost mas
culine heartiness. For sho was a "dashing
woman" Miss Paulino ! Kono of your
dainty belles, who never speak without sim
pering and mincing their words ; but a
frank, bold, merry-hearted girl, who cared
not a straw for ceremony, and loved a
hearty laugh, and a gay horseback ride,
better than anything.
Sho was a beauty, too, in her way ; no
black eyes brighter, no brow moro noble,
no form more statoly than hers. Fred could
not help admiring her, so full of vigor and
tho love of life. But ho thought of Rose.
Tho Cliftons were rich ; but thero was a
carelessness in their stylo of living, strong
ly in contrast with what Fred had wit
nessed at Pendleton house.
Our hero was vexing his brain to invent
some means of bringing his second suit to
the same successful issuo as tho first, when
Paulino exclaimed :
"I am so glad you are come, cousin ! It i
has been so dull hero lately, that I havo al
most died with ennui. Sineo Cousin Harry
left, three weeks ago, I have suffered tho
very extremity of homesickness. Ah, you
should know Harry ! IIo is the companion
for a fox-hunt, or a chaso in tho woods, or
a race anywhere ! lie isn't afraid to rido
over fences ! IIo mounted a colt that had
thrown every man before him broken ono
shoulder and two arms but tho high-mettled
chestnut couldn't play his tricks with
Harry. An apo couldn't havo stuck closer.
Father made him a present of tho colt, for
taming him ; and ho deserved it ; though I
could have rodo him as well as ho did, if
everybody had not opposed mo."
! " You !" exclaimed Fred.
"I? Why not? I delight in horses 1
don't you?"
In an instant Frederick's mind was mado
i up for tho part ho w as to act.
"I must say," ho replied, shaking his
head, " I am no jockey. I never mounted
a horse that was not well broke. I I think
I'm a littlo afraid of horses !"
Pauline's faco was all wonder.
" Well, if you aro not just like the rest of
them, except Harry. Afraid of horses! A
person would not think so from your looks.
Really, you aro not sickly, or timid, or ef
feminate. I know you aro not ; and you
only rcquiro a tasto of tho pleasures of horse
manship, to becomo perfectly infatuated.
Ha ! ha ! I'll teach you ! Let me bo your
companion for a week, and you'll fall in
love with horses !"
"With you, I rather think," said Fred,
gallantly ; " for positively, I have no eques
trian tastes. I appreciate an easy chair and
a pile of old books, with an addition, in
winter, of a comfortable ilro and a cup of
coffee. I appreciate these luxuries too well,
to caro for horses. By the way, speaking
of books, havo you a copy of Massingcr?
I was thinking of a passage in ' The Bond
man,' as I was riding, to-day, and for my
life, I could not remember tho preciso lan
guage of tho poet."
" You may find such stuff in my father's
library ; I don't know," replied Pauline.
" But do try and forget your books for a
few days, cousin. Ah, you will ! I am
sure just tho sifijft of my Myrrha will in
spire you witlKiyiing of my tastes!"
Firm in thisjnftiotion, Pauline, at day
break, on tho Allowing morning, had her
favorite steed prepared for uso ; and whilo
the dew still sparkled on the grass, sho was
proudly mounted and riding gaily across tho
fields, regardless of fences, in order to put a
proper degree of life into Myrrha, beforo
displaying her beauties to Frederick. At
last, sho dashed up to tho door and called
to her cousin, who, to her despair, she
learned had not yet forsaken his couch !
Paulino took another turn, and onco moro
came up to tho house like a thunderbolt.
Nobody could lio abed until that time of
day, sho thought ; and being told that
Frederick had not yet made his appearance,
sho wheeled Myrrha, with an exclamation
of contempt, and riding off again, did not
return until tho family was half through
with breakfast.
"O," sho said, sarcastically, addressing
Frederick, " you have finally got up ! But
I am really provoked that you caro more for
breakfast than for Myrrha ! You would
not get up to seo her ; I was particular to
train her, expressly to draw forth your ad
miration." "I havo no doubt but I should havo ad
mired her," said Frederick, over his coffee.
" I like the name Myrrha it is classical.
Myrrha was tho daughter of a king of Cy
prus, named Cynarus, and according to
Ovid, in the tenth book of tho Metamor
phoses " '
"I tell you, you must forget your musty
books !" interrupted Pauline. " I will give
you no peace until you do. Aro you pre
pared to enjoy yourself after breakfast ?
What shall we do? Harry's colt is in tho
stable, and you can rido him if you like."
Frederick shuddered.
"Dear me ! I should not dare to mount
any horse that was not perfectly gentle. If
tho colt has already broken two arms and a
shoulder, I am afraid ho would fall into tho
temptation of adding a grand climax to his
former achievements, by breaking my neek !
If you have no objections, I think I will
look over your father's library j for he tolls
mo he has somo books thero that havo not
been opened for twenty years, to his knowl
edge j and I shall delight to sit doyu in nn
easy chair and exploro thoso relies of an
tiquity." To bo candid with tho reader, I must con
fess that Frederick, notwithstanding his
literary tastes, would havo keenly enjoyed
riding tho most spirited horse in Mr. Clif
ton's etables ; ho admired Pauline, sympa
thized with her in hor invigorating pursuits ;
and nothing at tho titno could have pleased
him better than to givo himself up wholly
to her guidance But ho felt tho necessity
of playing the hypocrite ; not that he loved
Paulino less, but that ho loved Rose more.
Since ho was to offer his hand to the for
mer, ho wished to run no risks of being ac
cepted. Accordingly, during tho week ho passed
with his relatives, ho denied himself like a
self-constituted martyr, and vexed Pauline
almost to desperation.
Whenever sho wished him to join in her
exercises, sho found him absorbed in some
book which ho seemed to prefer to both her
and her darling Myrrha ! He never made
her a promise to accompany her, without
stipulating tho condition that he should first
be permitted to finish a chapter or a page
in peace. In the morning, ho could not go
out, because, as autumn was now approach
ing, ho was afraid of taking cold. Before
dinner, ho was too hungry to exercise, and
after dinner ho complained of indigestion !
At tho end of a week, Frederick, having
only thrown out vague hints touching his
matrimonial purposes, wrapped himself up
warmly, to Pauline's great disgust and set
out to return to his unclo's house.
A singular correspondence between Fred
crick and his "intended," ensued, Undo
Philip claiming tho right to see all tho let
ters on both sides. Tho young man told his
uncle that ho was afraid Paulino was a littlo
too spirited to mako him tho right kind of
a wife ; but tho old gentleman exclaimed,
"not a bit ! not a bit !" and insisted on au
early proposal.
"I am afraid sho won't havo me," said
Frederick. Her letters aro too cold."
" What can you expect?" cried Undo
Philip. "Sho is not a literary woman, to
write eloquent letters. For my part, I hate
literary women! Paulino is a Diana, in
her way ; bold, but true, I warrant. At all
events, propose 1"
Frederick obeyed ; and in a few days re
ceived tho following reply, which amused
him and Roso almost as much as it discon
certed and confounded Uncle Philip :
" Deau Coz. : Yours ree'd. ' I must do
clino your offer ; for although I am con
vinced of tho worth of your amiable dispo
sition, I fear our tastes aro not enough alike
to warrant moro than a friendly intercourse
between us. Excuso haste. Myrrha is
sick, and I am dying with anxiety for her.
Your all'ectionato cousin,
Pauline."
"Fred !" exclaimed Undo Philip, as soon
as his cxtrcmo mortification and disap
pointment would permit him to speak,
" what is tho matter with you? Won't
anybody havo you ?"
"I was doubtful about Paulino," replied
Frederick. " Sho is so very spirited "
" And you are so very amiable ! But by
all tho laws of love ! I'll marry you off, if
it costs me a year's labor ! I'll find some
body amiablo enough for you ! Now I think
of it, there's Edith Wells ; gentlo as a lamb;
a very picture of mildness ; beautiful as a
houri ! She's just the girl for you I I won
der I did not think of her beforo !"
Frederick was oghast. But all his re
monstrances were in vain. His old uncle,
cruol and tyrannical, had spokon, and he,
tho subject, must obey.
Frcdorick did not despair, howovor. IIo
was already acquainted with Edith's char
acter. She was ono of tho most retiring,
affectionate, amiablo young ladies in tho
country, living among flowers, birds and
pet lambs, and devoting herself to making
everybody and everything around her hap-
py-
Frederick and Edith had been partial to
each other in their childhood ; but it was
now long sinco they had met, thanks to
the superior charms of Roso.
Edith was very well pleased to seo her
old friend, notwithstanding tho odor of
cigars which ho brought with him, and
which to hor delicato sense was very disa-
groeablc. Sho did not know ho had not
smoked boforo sinco ho left college ; and
that ho had mado himself sick for her es
pecial benefit !
Frederick took tea with tho family, and
amused himself afterwards by tormenting
Edith's beautiful lap-dog, to hor infinite
IV o.
distress. Then ho begged tho privilege
of smoking under tho porch, pretending
that ho was so addicted to cigars, that he
should bo low-spirited all tho evening, if
ho was deprived of the stimulant. Having
obtained tho desire, the dissipated fellow
could not, it seemed, think of anything
better to do than to blow smoko into the
cages of Edith's canaries pursuing this
amusement with such extreme reckless
ness, that she a perfect sensitivo plant
almost went into hysterics, and became
so nervous, that she did not sleep soundly
for thrco nights thereafter.
Having mado all the birds drunk except
one, and having broken off tho fairest
branch of Edith's most beautiful geranium
to tieklo that one with, ho turned to her
with a countenance full of candor, and
begged her to excuso him whilo ho walked
down tho street to tho village hotel, to ob
tain a glass of brandy ; being tumbled with
faintness, he said, whenever ho neglected
those habits contracted during his college
life I
Edith was stupefied with amazement !
Sho looked at Fred, and endeavored to ex
press a proper abhorrence of thoso 'habits,'
but sho could not find words to relieve her
mind. Fred accordingly went off; but he
did not go to the hotel, for he was, in reali
ty, as strict a temperanco man as there
was in the county.
Fred did not approach near enough to
Edith, that evening, to permit her td smell
his breath ; a delicacy, as sho considered
tho precaution, for which sho felt thankful
in her heart.
Tho young man visited the sensitivo
young lady regularly every Wednesday
ovening through the months of October
and November ; for, so anxious was sho to
obtain an influence over him which would
lead to his reform, that sho endured him
with fortitude, and rather encouraged his
attentions. At length matters canio to a
crisis. Frederick following tho counsel of
the uncle, mado Edith an olfcr of his hand
by word of momh.
"Mr. Fredorick," said she, looking ten
derly in his face, " you knew I feel an inter
est in you "
"Thank you," faltered Fred, tremb
ling. "And if I knew I could be tho means of
reforming you, and teaching you kindness
to dumb animals. I might accept your gen
erous offer, if for no other reason."
Fred turned pale.
"0, I am incorrigible !" ho hastoncd to
say. " I could never givo up my indepen
dence ! You should not montiou that sub
ject"
"I will not," repli ed Edith, smiling sad
ly, "provided you do not mention the
other. I feel only a friendship for you ; and
ns there is no likelihood that I can bo an
instrument of doing you good, I must de
cline tho honor of becoming Mis. Grandi
son." Frederick parted from Miss Wells with
commendable cheerfulness, and went home
to his uncle with tho news of his refusal.
Uncle Philip became livid with wrath.
IIo declared himself ashamed of a nephew
enjoying such small favor among tho ladies.
" I've a good notion to turn you out of
doors!" he exclaimed. " You disgrace the
family ! Can't find a woman to havo you !"
Frederick bowed his head, receiving tho
rebuke with as much equanimity as he had
received either of tho thrco refusals. But
his feelings appeared to bo touched when
his uncle addressed him with bitter irony.
"Poor fellow! It is too bad ! Can't get
married 1 If I was in your place, I'd go and
offer myself to poor littlo Roso over tin
way, and seo if sho'd havo you ! Perhaps
she will tako pity on you !"
Undo Philip turned upon his heel and
entering another room, raved about the hu
miliation tho family had suffered, until tho
door opened, and Frederick once morn
presented himself boforo him,
CONTINUKD ON BKCOND J'ACIK.