A man in search of a wife, or, The adventures of a bachelor in New York
page: (TitlePage) [View Page (TitlePage) ]I, IAN IN SEARCH OF A WIFE; OR, TIuE ~L \ -~ 9 4s IN NEW YORK. WTW NUMEROUS ILLaUSTRATIONS BY WALTER SEA'lON. tI NEW YORK: ?DE WITT & DAVENPORT, PUBILISHERS, 180 & 162 NAssAU 8TRENT page: 0[View Page 0] ; ~ I Entered according toict of Congress, In the year 1858, by A. I!. HART, Is tRio CZerk'e~Offioe cttbe DIBtr1ctCeu~t of tho Unltod5tates for the Southeni District of No~ * ~:i ~ 4 7? N N vYo& iS N. 'I K~LAN ~HlQ1~V~A IW~FJ~, N tJ~J~ APYI~NTU~1~S, 6F ~Q~A~Tfl~N, 0 1~1~TbTfl1Vf1VTflIT V L~BiJOR, J?~ 4~DN~k~~74 YJ~RY NB ~ITAt.~ ~ IN IUE PAR14OR~ \!~yotz ~C~9n~Lp~Uy US ~ of. our in the neighborhood& of ]~roadway; it ~ 4t ~p' er~sflp~RW,~f __ X n~1& ~ lp~tres, or. ~pd~bre~1 s~tq~1,, ~nit, ~nost as hi~~appet~teOr ~ ~ypu ~ ~~Peot~ *& ic~.r, ~ p@f ~ /t e ~4raq~ ~f "~ii~,"i y~ ~yjl1 see j~t~ ~it~ra, j~v~ yers, and otii~, w~iose daily revenues i0 not a11~~~ ei~i'~ 4e' ~pn~ r~pre f~s qa~e y~qe~ ~i~pz ~p~r~g~laon npagnp,, nor ~, ~ ~ this, it, ~l1IJi9*3s. to ~ that it i. situated between Orange and Oherryt Stre~ts, aii~1 ~etweei~ ~e~i1 It was near thre~ o'olooJ~ on a hot su~mrner's aftorn~ozi, .~IAat Jonathan ~Qldbt19k entered the ~a1pon ai~d ~eatec1 hims*3Jt at 9110 of~ thetables .,~ ~qa~jJz./933 1 ~4-~ 9 I 41 -~ 1 ~ ~ N N page: 6-7[View Page 6-7] '6 3ONATHAN OLDI3UOK Mt Ol4buok was a man of about forty-nine years of age, btxt who 'wished he was only thirty, and trie& all in his power to make him. -eelf appear so. He was not a good..loeking man by any means, his figure was about the riddle size, and as he was beginning to grow -stout, he buttoned his coat closely to make him look as thin as possible. He was not handsome, for his eyes were of a greyish hue, the balls rather bloodshot, and the eyelashes from age almost the -color of the 'eyes~ But 'Jonuithan Oldbnck wore spectacles, and he scarcely ever took them off, his nose was very flat, his chin rather rourfd, and his mouth large, but Mr. Oldbuck Would now and then put on a rather agreeable expression, for a smile would come to his aid, and when a man smiles, he always looks pleasant. In fine, ho was a man, who was very careful in his dress, an~ if ho had a little better head of hair, would have passed amongst the crowd, but he was bald on the summit, and as men generally look up to the fore~ head, he carefully tried to conceal the defect, by bringing his hair from the back of' his head to the front and performing the same - operation with that above his ears. Withal, it could only be said, that he had a very prominent forehead, and it was questionable, whether he should have worn a wig or not. You will see from this, 'that Mr Oldbuek was a man who had every desire to please; he possessed a very sensible heart, for he adored the fair sex, and love was the principal occupation of his life. There are' indeed very few persons, who have not experienced this feeling at some time or other, or who have not devoted a little of their ipisure to, dalliance with the ladies, for as Voltaire says#." we 'must love, it is that which sustains u~, and without loving, sad '~wo~uld be' the fate of man." Jonathan Oldbuck had, however, from his youthful years, carried "the thins to an excess. ]~ven in his childhood, he had given proofs of much tend'erz~ess; he loved birds, petted cats, and cried eight days, ~be~Oausa his ~favorite dog left, him. Then, when he reached the years of adles~e~ioe, he contracted a tender attachment for a fat Irish girl, 'who pi~esid:ed over the kitchen in his father's establishment. Young "Oldbuck was always in 'the kitoheii; he learnt his lessons there, and 4ried to toacl!~ Meggy the cook, the rudiments of Latin. Whilst Maggy was plucking a pigeon, or seasoning the spinage, Little Jonathan would look at her in the face, and say '~'4mo tib4 Maggy. Will you conjugate the verb emare, with me?" * "Let me alone, Master Jonathan, what do I know about Latin; speak in~ pure Inglisli, I tell ye, and don't bother me with what I ~don't understand." "No, no, Maggy; I want to tell you in Latin, that I love you, "Let ~ne alone, sir, or you will make me spoil my sauce." "I'll net prevent you, Maggy, mulier mulieris." 'lN~8EARCH'OF'A WIFE. '"What is that you' oafl rue, Master Jon~tha'n, 'a t~ule V 'I'm~ sure I'm adacent Christian woman, and ['11 tell your.father, sir, if you call me 'a mule,' again !" "Never mind, Maggy, you are a woman; I love you, and I only wish to tell you so in Latin." "Oh ! my spinage is too salty, let inc alone; sir, I tell you." "'Say then with me, Amo tild, and I will kiss you if you do." "And shure, is it about kissing ye spake, ye little fellow? why' ye are hardly big enough to leave your mother's apron strings. Let me alone, I tell you !" "Maggy, Formosum pastor Gorydon ardebat A1ext~a," and he- bellowed the words out, so that Maggy could not help hearing him. "I don't knoW those people, said Maggy, but I'll tell your father' of your behaviour, Sir." And little Jonathan went out of ~he kitchen, after giving a~ striking indication of the amatory disposition of his youth, which augured well for the mature development of his manhood. When the dinner hour had arrived and they were all seated at~' the table, Maggy brought in the pigeons and the spinage, but the former. was burnt, and the latter was so salty, that they couldn't eat it, and they scolded her well for her carelessness. "It's your son's fault, sir; he's always poking himself in the kitchen and is constantly behind my back. He wanted to teach me- Latin and talked about kissing. I told hirri to go away and he' wouldn't." The father scowled at his boy, and told Maggy to hold her tongue~ She pouted as she left the room, and the thing passed over. Jonathan Oldbuck senior was a native of New Bedford, ana a~ whaler by trade. He had made many voyages to the Pacific and been' successful in business. His conversation was generally engrossed with the perils and dangers of the deep, and he took great pleasure in descanting on the incidents of whale fishing. He passed hours" together in explaining how they separated the oil from the blubber,~. and at last ~his Aconversatioll partook of the terms peculiar to his. employment, and when anything did not please him, or he did not- rightly understand it, he was in the habit of saying, "it's aW blubber." It is surprising how a father's peculiarities will descend to the son, and how much he partakes of the nature and character of his - disposition. JonathanQOldbuck junior showed this in after life, for' when anything extraordinary occurred, or he could not well account: for it, he used his father's expression, and distinguished the shadow" from th~ substance. His father died before he had reached the age of manhood, leaving )xim, his only son, under the charge of his mother, who devoted her: maternal cares towards the development of th~ hopeful youth.' Jonathan Oldbuck junior had, as we have before said, furnishoJ~' 2A I1 page: 8-11[View Page 8-11] 3OIUATHAK~ OLDflUO~P IN) 41~9II ~Ff 4 ~WWE. 11 untt~ist~keable ~proofs*~ th~ ~ ~Ii*iincreased ~hisa~s ifyJtorthki*~ei~ i'tHwfthdwghtfhe Irna th~i talent to please, and he was unremitt~whi~ttebttole~x~ 'A~t~ 1i~&fen.ty. ye~rs.rof age,' yoirng JOidbuokFhad ~fl'ea4yi ~vsdvfl~ %r six women. He could hardly set his foot iwthe rat e'e1*'biitih~ fouiid;v .ampl& 'ooei*patibr~. A"g~nteeiiy*' dre~ed lady nvelopsdA~ a: ~h7hW1 would 'Pasa~by~ himrand~ibbstow b. glan~.' 'It was e~ingh,~Oldb~ibk's heart Wa ;t~lten ptivep'and he foIk~s thedlady, near.lyKtr~ad~ ba her beels~' 1e~ves~a deBpsigh as lisA er~as~s her path, ~rrrubte~rin~ s~mne words to himself, which the lady does not undetstw~d~, anil wa'tbherar' 'her 4ntil she~enters ~aAh se,'the~n~'mbe~;'ofwhieh,~si1d the ~iumxi&6f the ~treet'~ hascarefuilly notes'.on his ivory tablet;'and'resoWe~'~o"~'~ tlierer'aga~inr antir keeP7sentiue1'o~6rth&beauty. ~Jr~s~ lie'dt 'fit~t feels that fluttering of the heajt, which is an ~iini'nistbler1si~rmv4' love, and'prestImhTg~sfv6~ri th~ glaneeth'e~;lady ~ga~~itnvth~t she/is not, iinsertsible~to' hi&oharms~he~thiaksthe has inad'oomqi1esti"'i!i~ this way thb'ie&st agre~bl let rimrnay ~ heartst: if many 'a 1~airl&d~ for th~are~~ener~IIy'quiok"at dairtYkig their ~txrow~,:4whick ~ftimnes 'lyeaetrate ;the"bas6mssof moat f~ied.d"' Qldbuek I '~ingipassdUmost~ of~ hi~b~st years in ~follofwing l~diea:i with long shawls, pretty aideai~ itW4ittlerib~n~iJets~ and': fhirrnflk~ maids~, ia~ theyiwere Wending ~bhei'r'way to. ~nam3ke~p without hiu~+ihg met with's mublt~suoce~, oriia~viingAanrbopp~ovta11ityrIto entJei~ AintataiPS iatti~ue, resoLved 4o lea2vff th~Ait~le town 'of Now~ Hedt6rd ~nd3 o13~ to New YQrk to take up his residence. .3 Ujs~inotheif' did ~tiot lik~ tb aIrA~metse1f 'away frSm'~ber'~ldfrieii~ls and assooia'tion~v~bnt ~'Old~btick'~' 'entrea~ies4fiaaily~ Jpr~v~iled~Arfand~ havi~ig' au~Il~ie~t n~Vari~ to A4ive, in th~oity; she thoti~Iit siisf'wnai~d ~comss here'.and 'endbavb~"Wsettle:'her son~sin 'lifebandf~r~r5vtde 'I~i& wiw~h. o~ 1eIp~te~to.~pass~tlworrgh'fthis3wearisome Aexistdnc~. It's.'a' pty"he?'~soIi~assso roldp bi.it the mothbr~stil1~..thoughtA hitiLv young3; d~e4iad~ received a good ~du~atiun~i 'his manners wdre "poli~te~ and~r~a1th~ugh shelll& cohi~ out ~eocasiniiaL1y 4with'~k rather 'so~tish.". rrutiak, ':h~ rmightirhe~ve:beeli' considered ainia'bleprhad3 .her'sn6t &n urxeqrtunat~, 'm~Dia$ to3mnake~Iov&to ev~ry1la(ly~1Wh6m ~ :saswy' air& it iwas~un~ whi<titiie rather in~re sed~thawkIirniiiish&d~' f 's' When his mother came to New York, Jonathan mixed much 'AiIL.A thei ~o~ldphi~' eht' out; itoi fparties,"saeeornpaaied Ayoung"iadies ~to Chmvs~iadj4hdArBowery~q sniildcL, 4Iirted~ qand oourted~'suiitiL he:' thouglihimifia db2~erP ladiesAverer'sin love With. him'.~ ~LIe codldinot' rnaka~~pdlIs~mind M~hich~'t6 chdose4rnors hadi~h~ indeed spoken. to 'his' mot1ahs~bjeePzriage~i~~'; '~' ' 3~ 3 3 One night he returned home and mentioned to Mra~'Gldbuok, that"' h~ 'was in4itedst a~party~ o'~ JA )3'~'~' ;3~ ' ''. P .5 .. A[~M~rAk~ aga 3~rejaoula4~edAthe~'angryri ~nother,~for: she ~did~ not:; like her~~n~sto k~epr ehUinteAio ~aspai~ty 3youA yo1~uig4~bettiuexi YQ)~S it~ till ~oinete Iio~go6d~ after albd ky4lon~t'~ydtl) murr.M y F L put a stop to all this raking and quaking after the young ladies ?~' Clioqs~o~ae y~z J~, sir,. ar~4~~mnake he~yp~r, ~ijf~ I~m~suie' th~re~or~w9i~ q~gl4 ~noiigl~to1ta~ke;y~% w~at1an idea)' 1A~id Johath~94bij~l~ in the grass, arranged 'his hair over his forehead, smoothed' i~ sh4~ collar, adjusted his cravat, and thought himself the beau ideal of all thas~~ye1y 1a~id fashk~naI~Ie. I' QhtL suppose you will 4eny,1 Jopatb~a~ sai4t1~e ni~ther~" ~h~t you' areA in.~I9Yp with ~ny .on~ in partici4ar. Never .mind, r~iy.~py, mak0 the.xnost(of yo~ir youth, you are handsome euo~ght9 ~in tI~o( hea4 qf~a~y4ai~ 1ady,?'~and the o14 ~ornan,~t~ocLin rnt~teAdmiratiQu of Jona~1i~ari ~seeme~.1o .b&a1so~of the 8~k~? opinion ~ hian~o~her ;~he' lik~d~t~ l~r~hqr I1~in~her boy, ~ full grows, an&~4 aao~d ~years~ ~e L~eljevea l~i~ns~lf, yqut~g~ ~ mother advi~d hi~u to bqw~e~o~ i~ad;. oop~p~uom ~an&Anot rW st~y1~ot~t too late, as the streets. ~f New York~ w~eJ4 pg atnighf~. . Kd I. Jonathan had certainly made an impression ~m~he~ladios~ w~om he ~ 1a~ug~wd, at his ~igI ~sheep's.~ey~, apd all ~ ~iRdjoation~ ;he~ gav~ .pf. t~i9 inaaniniability of pa~s~i, 4'whQz~ ~Iiey~wpro~a1oue,; w'pl~boallr him a1 gqo~e,; but of course he never heard this, and went on ~linga~4. Lli4jng.. asMs4J4~NoW~ ie~ wo liake aAiber~y. ~i4h qrn~ q~'1~l~ f~e~g, ~he wl~g~slyr~pj~. this *insoleuoe~ by; .giving hiqi~ (a pip~4~ op ;thQ ~ ~ ii~wo~ildbeoome bolder1,~and a~ p~a~ki~ iu.tlz~, dark, the fair one wou'1&ibreak her ~an~ 2op his 4eek,: giy~i~, ~4iUA sucl~a, me~rJe, that tOldbi~ck cQuld not venture again.;in the parlor qr ex$e4ti~ f~e~by va~neUeLight. . ' The*e~wer~4he~enLyfuvbrs of which ouz roc~14~y~ bo~4; We do ~o~pi~t~nil to say 'th~t: he eonflned his smrn*rs 1~ thea gapts~el,1a~ die~wbe~r~'d~e fWeut~to: see, ;he. may hayeftequentpd~ other 4aes~,' but~of ~ll theses with ~whom he woul4~be seen~ in the st~e~ts, he l~ad~ not ~ ~l~oked~up~ eourageiexiough ito. make an op~n ~wal pf love,. or'ttoa~ie~.iwjinarriage, p .' On~,te~iuoon~,he was. ~seated 'in' a ~hair.readin~, a.n~wsp~pe~. '~ when a~ boyh~nd4d him a note. in which he read asf9lIpw8;: ~' ~ very sorry we cannot continue the agreeable relations that have suk~. .4 ~ us, my fui~e~fate' in. ~life 'forever~ s~p~tesA.n~e~ f~'9mn you~,Iatai sought in marriage by a respectable1 a~z,~iwhp ha~ a I~pu~e~4 readyijfi~rflished ~to'xeoeive me, and 'If think) it jnyoduty, to.~coept him. ~"I~ have ~therefore to.'reqiiestrthat. yo~i will ~ longer, pr~se~~1 yotirself~at~, my. :house' in' the 'quality of a'; loyer., or,:t~tyou,~iiL spea'k~to me .when'yo~ see me,. as this might ~ompro~1sQm~e. Yours, &o., 'P hm'. 4 7 1%, ~; ' .~A~IELIA ~ ;.~ 1...,,~' I I 33 3A3 I' 11, page: 12-13[View Page 12-13] JONATHAN OL~)BUC~ '1(t~1retui~n ~ the chain and rings you 'gave me. I forgot to you, that, the ,ox~e ~et in E~merald, the jeweller told me, was m~d~ ~ Yo~i' ~liot~ld take it back to'~ the person from whom~ LoW of roii. 'I It is rather disagreeable to receivee such letters, particularly when ~ person begins to labor under the impression that his loves returned, s&~OIdbuck flew into a rage, crumpled the note in his hands, and mnrmuro4 'a~ follows,: "She did well enough to write me as much, 'I 'never'lo~red her, I couldn't' bear hei~, 12 intended telling her so to- morrow.~ The nasty,, impudent creature, and to write about 'the' furnished house too, as if IL could'nt buy her what she wanted, a~ ho~iee, 'furniture, and e~e~ything. But my mother always told me women .weie sordid, and unless I inspired passion, never to marry. A~if ~yi~art~mia:s ~iiot alone sensible 'to love, and that I should ex- pect 'to find ~the"same in' the woinan I would make my wife. FaitW 'less Amelia ~ll I hope is, that thorns may beset your path, and that y~ii may never' lie on a bed' bf 'roses." It Was in the afternoon of the same day' he received this 'letter, that 'he entered the rest&urant, iii which we llrst introduced him to our readers, ahd of course his temperwas 'rather sourOd 'from having' r~eived such ~m epistle. ' ~fle looked around' and saw 'a rnotleyv group 'seated at the tables. lie w~ inclined 'to judge rather severely of the characters of the' people. whW were, ~seeknbled there, and' when he returned home, he told his rrrMher what his thbughts~were on the subject. 'He said he saw a pale-faced young man, who ate 'so ravenously, that he thought he had not partaken of ~Tood for a week; he had' a ~iVnken eye, 'distended' nostrils and his whois features indicated that he~'Mra~ bb1d~ring on' starvation. He fancied he was a writer,' far' hishat was filled with papers, which were covered with writing, and as~don~ as he eat his dinner, he hurriedly took his departure.: "Poor~ feW~w," said Jonathan to his mother, "if I thought he was in want, I would wil#ngly give him assistance. I dare say he w~s some poor forh~rra author, wh&wcaried his brains to furnish manuscripts for the p~lilishers, and who, as it very often happens, gets his labor for 'his palii~. ' ' ' "There was a~iother, whose sharpbpointed features and peering eye~' indicated' that'he belonged to a class, who were in the habit of prey.~ ingon mankind. They are called' lawyers; but as you know, father, whu wasaIways fond ~of usiOg terms wl~ich he learnt at sea, used to calI:therri sharks, a kind' of fish t~iat preyed on all others,' and whou~' they were caught, were found to be so fat, that' they almost IflIrSt from repletion. #" It dl4'ixt"soexi~' to be the case with him, for ~it I could judge froriL the spare meal he made, he had not' much shot in his looker,' asfar.~ IN S~ARCII OF A WlF~ thor used to say; I could swear he was a lawyer, for there was a grot ~1eal of cunning in his eyes, and he seemed to me as if he could pee ~hrongh a stone wall. He was cute enough, as we say down east, and if I had a case in court, I would willingly.give it to him. "There was a plough.boy, too, he eat, oh my, how he did eat! He 'eras so fat, that he weighed more than the two others put together. was evident, that he had been brought np in the country, and did ui$ wear out his mind and body by toiling in a garret or working at court. Farmers are, after all, happier than lawyers and authors p~t together. They sow and reap harvests, whilst lawyers some~ ti4ues reap them, without being put to the trouble of sowing, and, as for authors, I'm told, they neither sow nor reap, and are generally so poor and needy that they can be distinguished by their worn-out hat and thread-hare garments." '~Jonathan, my boy, when are you going to marry ?" '~1Earriage again, mother!" and he took a candle and went to bed N page: 14-15[View Page 14-15] IN ~A~OO~!A~W1T4I. 1$ 2" 'I U' P .j '~'. ~1 I 4' 'U" U'' 1 '.. ' ' . :2 . . . ' ' ..~ ? CflAPI~ft ft ' ' 'I 'z'~ FAMILY OF 5WI1~E1~f5 NYITA2IIoN To TIII~ MUSE~UM-FIR5T L&MARUIAGE ANU REFUSAl JtSV~~r~W ~' o&dv(~ain~& by trade, he h~d 'a farnil4f of. up daughters, tour in Wh~had~ ~..t& ~ii~cl~ grown ~, number, '~1tIi6~i .t~j~id qu~intances, th~y~W&& a1 noi~bt~ nAt~h 1'ltli6dpp~r' cfr~I~.4 of s~cie~, ~o~t~P 6f i~ir 'inti- macy with certain linen drapers and dry goods merchants, who had 4heir mansions in the avenues. Although Switzer was comparatively poor, the disparity between their condition did not prevent them 'from &x~asionally seeing each other, for it was not with them, as it is with most people, wealth did not engenger pride, nor did they forget that they first began life by measuring a yard of tape or showing a piece of calico. The Miss Switzers were not beautiful, although Louisa, who was the youngest, had some pretensions to symmetry, both in face and figure. The three eldest were not even handsome, their father's fea- tur0s were imprinted on their faces, they had long flat noses, very light eyes, which partook of the color of 'the feline race, wide mouths, irregular teeth, and thick lips; their complexion was of a whitey- brownish' tint, here and there speckled with a few spots, ~khich could not be mistaken for dimples, but which, in the shade, looked as if they had been the victims of the smallpox. Martha, Jane, and Eliza, were bordering on that age, when ladies are looking out earnestly for beaux, and were beginning to express their surprise that men were insensible to their charms. Louisa; the youngest, had the family features, and no one could mistake her for a Switzer, but' 'she was young, and youth adds charms to females generally. Besides, she was the only one in the family who could play on the piano, and whert she sang, all eyes were turned to her, admiring the melody of her voice, and the brilliance of her execution. The house was not furnished very fashionably, for the father had bought secondhand furniture, and the plush-covered seat~, which were once scarlet, had become so dirty from use, that you could not well distinguish the color. The tables were of mahogany,' but of a light color, and were so much scratched by the children 'w~hen they' Were young, that the varnish was iii many places almost e*itirely off' '%.1" of 4hern,~ndfthay1ooked ~as;if ~ oeuld~ 6iJ&tIidi~Jp6lish~'i The' sa~fle: rriighlrbe said i of Ithee~th4 ai~tiele~ ftui~j~er iiPtli~ ~ parlor, and aLl indicated, that th~' ifatli&r ~Was no~at~ exviv~iit man,. and did n6t like to spend his money~iwte6le~s ~ticle~ ~f beIJi~hment. There wa~ a~~rnirror hangiiig oti the'w~Il,' eriol6sd' iii ~ frarna which was once gilt, but which ~had xo~v~ass~im~d the ~ppe~J*~ anee of yellow painted wood;' the'gilt'haviz1gwo~! 6ff'6i~ gone 'thr6u~li'~ the sa'nie process' as the tables. It was large etioughp however, to adniit of the Mi~s Switzers, one afterthe other, admiring th&tise1~es' in~ it, and, looking at the. beautiful' pib~ortion~ ~bf theii~ nooks 'ei~ shoulders~. . , , " It was past seven o'clock 'when this 'candles 'we~& lit; '~tid' 'the ladies were in anxious expectation of the arrival of a visitor, .'to~ whom they had~'beeti ii~trodu~ed a 'fe~~days b'6for~, and whd ha~d been rather 'a~tt0ntive to Loui~a; I . r " .. , . I Mrs $wltzer had talked' ov~ "the'subjeh~ k~itI~he&h1~Ii4,4a~4A prepai'ations~ were. accordingly nade~to~efte Mr X~nAtIi&A 'Oldbtibk "" in .becoming~ ~tyl~. 'The' fuiniVixr&~s 'dn~ted; 'th& t~ th~~ ~iiit~li~)" order, and it was decided that Louisa should preside" ~nd'd6 'th~" honorsof the table. , .~ , , ~' ' . Louisa was not vei~y' wil1ing~to be th~bbject ~of ~Ol~lb1~ks~t. tensions and' would' havb preferred;~ had they ~ any other of hertaisters, as ~he 'ha4~ a' tender 'att~i h~eht~ ii' ti.~" quarter which she could not overlook. ~ ' with her another, ~bu1i it was of no't~se, ~id~th.~ pert little' 'xiiis~ w~p told~to taka 'care' howshe beh~v~d f~r'b6tlV 'kiet fath~'~xid4' ~tti~' preferred to 'have th&iich Mr~ Oldbuck fot ~ ikPlaW~th&~haii.Vr that, grocer's shop.boy,"who came '~aunte~rin~'e~b6ut th~ 1{6~i's~~.'~ Poor Louisa did not like to' reeeive'this' tani~~,'an& looked '~o '6r~~" before the visitor' arrived, that .her'rnother~ Was'sb~ry foth&iriAg~mad~ the remark. '" ' ' ' ' ' ' "' '' It was near eight o'clock before' 'Mr'Oldbtiok rnad& 'his ai~aiie~t the 'tea had be~n kept ~waiting~ and~ Mr Switzer had bec~ine~4iii~e impatient..' Both Jane atid Eiiza~ had' been a dc~cn timb.~ t6 the win- dow to se~ 'if 'theydould distinguish' i~h& fortn' ~f ~ p~r~s6ii apprda'otiL ing the hous~and~ ~they weiie~' abont~ 'gi~iii~ ~up; Mr~Oldbti6kizi d~±"" spj~, when a loud rap ~ae heard~t ti1~ 'door, '&ttd 'th64isitbr'cntbre~.'4 Martha, Jane, and Eliza were seated like so'~nany'~t n~tbhs ~ the wall, they said. 4nothing,~and *ere i'~ ~t~fo~tb6c~i6nal ling~ of~ their dressed~ thpy ~pp6aredrae if th~y~ had lo~t'all ~dnini~t~on. Lowisa was ~eated hext .'to her~m~ther, witb~ 'a' chai~'isft'4~a~htds hf by 'acci4o&t, whilst ithe~ 'father wa~ pacing ~4 ~nd down 'th~" """" more intent on his supper, than on makirigi ~ari~ati~eknent~' f~r~ho disposal'0fhis.danghter. ' ' ' '. ".( "~ '4 ~' I I~ . P Jo~athau Oldbuokientered and 'sal~t~d' thc ladi~ dne after ~ ~ other. ~Tha ordinary courtesie~'of"sooidy~"having bi~bn fiilfillJ~d,~ ~ I ..~ ' 44~ I ' 4 I' I 15 page: 16-17[View Page 16-17] JONATHAN OLDEUCK th~w~ather duly descanted upor~, there was a dead silence, for none seemed to be overburdened with the materials for conversation. ~!rSwit~e~ beckoned to his wife to go in to supper, and she in turz~ beokone~ to her daughters. Mr Oldbuok could not do otherE wisetlian, offerjus arm to Miss Louisa, and the procession being formed~ the mother followed up the rear with a smirk on her oounte~ nance, as if all h~r projects had already become matured. ~Phe party was seated at the tea table, where Miss Louisa did th'e honors with a grace, which must have been as pleasing to her mother as her admirer. Neither Martha, Jane, or Eliza, opened their lips, during the greater part of the time they were at table, and' all seemed to be intent on the few words that escaped from their guQst. ~Ie first spoke about the theatres, then the Museum, then about the play, that was performed there, "The Serious. Family," Mr~ Aminadab Sleek, and all the rest of the peculiar characters, with whioli it abounded~ $e finally wound up,, by giving a general in- vi~ition to the whole family to visit the Museum with him on the following evening. "You are too good," said the mother. 5' )1~eall.y, I shoxdd be delighted,~' said Martha, and there was a general titter throughout the company, which betokened their ad~. miration of Mr Oldbuok's generosity, and. the pleasure they should~ de*iye from accepting his invitation. The cenvers~tiori at the table began to wax low, and there was evidently a dearth of matter to afford them topics for continuing it, when Mr Switzer rose first, and apologizing for his unavoidable;ab.. sence, begged to be excused, as he had an account to settle for ecr~e hem~ he had bought in the morning. When the ladies returned to the parlor, they entered a short time into conversation, when Mr Oldbuck expressed his wish, that one of the ladies should perform on the piano. Martha looked at her mother, and Jane looked at Eliza, and all ~eemed to be in a state 'of consternation at the question that was~ put to them, and of doubt ~t the answer they should give, when the mother broke silence~ and said, "that Louisa was the only one who could play on the piano." 'Mrs Switzer took good care to add, "that her daughter Louisa, had, received an excellent musical' education, and could sing very well, if she pleased." "gay I have the extreme felicity," said Jonathan Oldbuck, to~ hear a song from Miss Louisa. "Now do, Miss," said he, "your rnot~ier'e remarks have quite raised my expectations, and I'm sure I sho ~1d be, enchanted with it." There was an evident twitching of the mouth, and a contortion' of poor ~fiss Louisa's countenance, as she reluctantly complied wi4h the request, ~ut assured Mr. .Oldb~iok that she seldom Mug. "Now don't say so, Louisa, for you're chirping all day," said the IN. SEARCH OF A WIFL mother.' "' You wake tue in the' mornings with your singing, aiid you are strumming constantly on the piano." And poor Louisa. sat down to the piano, and sang the "Rose of Allandale," with her notes pitched to 1~' sharp, and in such a clear shrill voice, that' it might have been heard at the distance of a mile. When the last line of the last verse was concluded, Mr Oldbuck expressed his delight at the able manner in which she had executed the piece, and the sweetness and melody of her voice. He hung over the piano in an attitude which expressed all his abandon & o~, devotedness to the object of his attachment; he could not find terms wherein to express his sense of the obligations he was under to the fair lady for the treat she had afforded him, and was going on to request a similar favor, when a loud rap was heard at the' door, and who should enter but Mr Charles Seagrave, the gentle~ man who, Louisa told him, had presented her with the piece of music which he so much admired. Mr Seagrave having saluted the company, and shaken han~Ia with the ladies, kept hold of that of Miss Louisa's longer than usual, or that Mr Oldbuck thought was necessary. Seagrave remained in conversation with Miss Louisa for some time, very much to the discomfiture of~ Mrs Switzer, and to the annoyance of Oldbuck, who shuffled about on his chair as if he had been seized with an attack of" St. "Vitis' dance." The' charm was indeed dissolved the moment Mr Charles Sea- grave made his appearance, for Louisa's attention was wholly~ absorbed in his interesting conversation. He spoke of the pleasure they had at the last party they were at, how agreeable was their walk home, and how much he should enjoy. another stroll by moon. light, all of which greeted very harshly ~ the ears of Oldbuck, and: disconcerted the mother's plans. She, gave several wincing glances at her daughter, which Louisa, however, did not take any notice~ of, but continued speaking with her Charley, unmindful of her~ mother or her admirer. , Mr Seagrave having concluded his conversation with Louisa,; began talking polities with the mother, and they necessarily turned' on the annexation of Cuba, Mr Seagrave taking care t~ mention's (at the same time casting a glance at Louisa,) that he was a mem~ ber of the "Lone Star" Association, and that he was resolved to die in the attempt to annex Cuba with this country. His remarks were very patriotic, and excited a good deal' of attention, but they were evidently displeasing to Oldbuck, who. would have preferred' to hear Miss Louisa sing, or engage her in conversations. Charley Seagrave was a young man of a rather prepossessing ap.: pearance; he was thin, which Mr Oldbuok was not; he wore a bl&e .coat with brass buttons, and Mr Oldbuck's was black, and he 'had~ ~a peculiar manner of dangling his pocket-handkerchief, which give him quite a distingue' air izi Miss Louisa's opinion.' In fact, he wa~ page: 18-19[View Page 18-19] TATHAN 4Ia~troic ~~4i ~t~X1~1H 6F A ~IFE~ 19 *n&xnoved. ft t~4so(gre1N~ ~xi~d'cjnietiy; ~ tj~tin~ ~At1~tpMias'Thrn'ieaj thdKts6~dth~'6Al~4raWb~k ~as~nthwt'dxe *aBs~oor~ h~ *as'nothinn~but it gx9occ~'~ shop-bog, and ~l1~hough he iid~ti'i'otx'& ~nd hbiIest~ Xr~ ~i't~er','ihiiet'w6A&. lyHmiu(Thdness ~thou~h)t; t e~erq~i&hities did' n6t ni~k~ i~' the"ag~e~ gai&ot~ ~~*hati shd scoueeiv~d~ a :mn~ft 'sh~hxld ~bc~ ~v~o A~~i~d' ~i "the Jiand uf oii~uof her ~itnghte~s: ~" ' ' "' ' ' heavening~wo~e~Wayii~nd itwas nearly ~t~n2je to leave,',hut nei. 'seerned;inchirieUt'6'm~ive,' fearful a~ niigIWb~ j~jio'sed1 to'~leave ~he ~thor;in: possession fof' the field. H6weA~6i"~the inoth~r bc~an ~to yawn, andMisa'flIiz~ be~an to talk'bf' ~ 6trisixi~ early, ko Qldbuck~ 'todk~'t~ie..iint,~nd'~biddin' 'L'6ixi~aa rat1ie~ 'm~ire affeo- tionate adieu, than he did to the oth~; prohli~ed ~to return 'oji 'the 1~ll~wing ~v~ning to. 'aceompany;the'm'te "~he"Miiseuni~ ~nd took his m f'~Wb&t a'siugul'ar person that is," s~id 'Seacwr~ve, "if he unbut- tedhis/o~at~he'would 'be'h m~n of ver~'la1~g'~ 'dimensi~n~,"tiiit he Oontraotshie~figaive' to make him look as' thiii a~ p'6~1ble:" ~' "Indeed,?'i said~ th'e~ mofhei~,v "1' thixik hi'n~i 'a' ~ry nibe personn," giving a glance at Louisa, which she did ii~t'itt all like~ Seagrave'~niain~d ~in'the 'rodni" &' short tim~ lbi~g~r; and after' vehly attemptirxg~ to ~persuakIe Louisa to accompany )air~i to a ball n4he.. fqllowiig ~enlu~, took 'his 'Thitve. ii'Whowhe h~d'~irlyzgot.outr~of: the' ho~ise; what ~ 0torin of indig- 31at on' biir~~etr th~ h o&~th~td~cted L~i~a? lTet niot~herip- plied.the ~topprobioti~ ~pit1icit V1~dV' citrh~ into hek Eead. znaii~ of vMr Oldbu~k's' beo~rM~Yg ap~e~i~a1i9e"~ d',f as 'we ares' told, great ~e~h~presents~. hllm~1f't&y6ilf t&~d6rn Thin' t~i~ke' i4' with grocer's dirty little errand boy, whpse acqu~Ahtance,' I ~oni inade~wheu ~eu~~t~t to' buy it' pouid df r~gar. '1' tell 'you. ~ha1~ Louisa,~ if you' j~sist 'izi4his c6ndti~t,? y6d' Will b&the dis- grace of your 'family~nd will' be basil ~ortt 'in the streets, Where you will soon aoccirriph'eh y~* ~i~'~" ~' ' '' ~" 'i '~ Mainma," said Lotiisa~'&M she'w&s goingto acid something, when herfrnother~aid or'Mther b~it'~l4'6ut~" ""' "' ' '~ if (*6 to be'd,~ ~y6ii vfle littin hus~e~*, and yo U ~ tak&care,, how' behave Louisa wen~iu ~taire td b'ed;' thinking over' the circumstances, that ~had oeourr'ed 'during 'th4' e'veiiihg, resolved rather to incur a. ther's'dispIe~ut~, tha'n ~ 'the advance~ of M~ Ol4~n6k' 'a's a Iis~thoi~gh'tsidid not quite ~run~ iii the 'saxkie 6hannei, for 'when he turnedd hoi~n~, after ~d'zniring: hulns~lf for 'a' feW' rnoinent~ 'i'm the' evening, ~nd when he thought of the sti~te of ~~j~Jfjg &edjj~d ~ ~ bf?~l1~ ~ co~sid~&bte free ~t' self- ~&irdti~~itit ~W1ten he i~b~ik~d '~th~ st~iddei~ td in&tibit~ if i~ir~ jb~A~h1~ &ndh the ~hAri~etabldfl~s~ of ti~an'~' tlisp~s~tI6~i, "h~ ~ idcri~d~Idu~ ~f her fait~h. Ho~v~vei, Loui~a litid &f&~r ~ thikoe~ ~6f her t hd~tega~d, ~n4aot, he~ e~tdd ~ii~t ~Ijh~w~A~he o~uld ~rith~andli~s t, harms, lind i4~sing iri~1ie ~6f-~th~rn~he ~tit~&sle~ep. / Jonathan Oldbuok ~ts '& ridV ~rri~n, thai~ t~s&y,. Ee 'was "ti~t ~a 'Kth&n wh~"hhd2to' v~brk foV~his k1~ily brea~Wnd po~s~s~in~ a~ma}1 re~ ~ve~iu6, ~4~hieh~ dlii 'n6t"~nid~*nt 'to a th6n~and dolhLrs he cotiklbti~e very well as bachelor and see 'a litti 6t'K~h'~ World 1{~s ~eaItl{' g&~e hlhi~a4it'tlet~ p~b~ e~~&hi the~ quarter' ~t~'the olty rn WEich he re- t~~d~d4' dln~th& 'being' afi"~'ged ~hiah, it w~s eu~pesed 'that ~ her dda'th~ he' w6iild r~cer~e a cdnsidei~bLe rnor~aset6 his '~to.. per.ty~ This got abroad amongst the* select *circle of his a~qnaint- ai~ces, arid of course h~ wa~' ~n objed~ 6fartcious solicitude to, those 'Mthi~r~'~Whh. ~h~iti ~ai'pIeMitu1 ~uppIy 6td~~1it~r~' ' ~f his was the ~'~l'u~ td s~lt2~r'~ 't~ld~1' beIia~vior to Loi.~isa, ~iid it wae ~iio wonder the poor girl went to bed Wi~th her mind' I~ii1l of' h6rrid yis~orw of angry ~ni~her~nd n~Iy h~i~bahds. '~h'e '~dhv~ng da~' 'wa~ s'per~t "b~r ~ OIdbi~ok 'in the w~y in IiViil~piVtheir rdv~thi~sii~a1ly ~p~n&the'it tim6 iii this f~ir oi4r." ~i~j~t~iiiib ~i te~n'aiid taking hi~br~l~fa~sE. h6 ~alled ~'ifr t1V~ileP~td, sand in'du~ing ~in d' ci~ar, he p~ii~ed th~' 'neWs of ~d~V;'~n~ ~hiiksophiZed o~'et ~he '6biii~ieii~s of tlia i3ditor. his ~ OI~{b k'~r~vell~d1u a "date" ~C ;\~ild 'd~1i~1ita~ the ~~r~sped n~i~1 h n~4& 'Uoj depc~pulate 'the World, ~ii4. pi~dveiit 'rn~ii 'from Aft~r' indutgi±~g' iii" t'he~d i~&ve~i~s f~r 'a short 'tiXx~e~' Jonath~n Oldbtwlt sdll~&d 6i~t'6k~' 'his 'i~si~1' diirrhal' ~ccti patiori cif a~l making love to women. W~ ~shail ' ~t 'MloWhii~u'hi 'his '~ anil lation~ but Leaving him ~'~loAb~i&hi~ Very ~s~date akid' ~na~nl~ vodati'ori, '~e'~hail retnr~i to ~ho tZ6~s,~\Vho '~e rn~iking ~repari~tion~ to attbnd 'thy 'MusehmVin the-. evening. "~h~io 4~a~ a family council held ix the'kx~b't~h' ~eo~tn. 'Loui~a!'1,~a~ b~bx~&th~r ~t~c6n~i1~cd i~6 her~admirer dtt~r~frs~ SWitz~r's e~ere rem~stratxce, 'axid 'really' Wished to appear' as well as she possinkly oouAd at the evening's cntertaixini~nt. 'She in~y hive had sdrxao '~ilti~cfp~tibn "that ~ih&rlcy would be therc,' for ~he had whispe'?ed to I I 9 page: 20-23[View Page 20-23] { - 3ONATHAN OLDBUC~ I him on the previous evi~ that they wet~ gei~ to l~arz~nrn's. er th~t~ma be we caniiot detenhine ~ bnt~ ~ha fqll~wrn~. 0011- the Sisters1 in Whioli the mother had ~i4#~s t~ing ~i her dress, which had just c\~me home from ~ and which. consisted of a blue dcta~e,, trimmed wits ~ of 4h~ same color, the corset being made ot1t~ of all pro. por4s~A~i~, th~ wearer's figure, o,~ the length of the dress, but, 1~ )~ ~ettI~q gxeat~advantage iho fair Louisa's plump bust, which woutd j~ear xnore prominent than ever. It was rather low- 4 waiste4 ~1J ~he better,~ as the motl~er thought, for it was unbeoozn. ing in yoi~ungiadies to hide the~r necks and shoulders, and all those which men so much admire. Martha, "I really don't like that dress. Why don't r~ wear your pink barge? you never look as well in any other, it auit& your complexion better' Mrs ~yi~r1~r intervened: '.' Why, Louisa, you will surely capti. vate Mr you look so handsome," and the mother sat down with her hands in her lap, admiring the graceful form of the, fair Louisa "Whatdo you think, Jifliza.?" asked Louisa. the IL think 1.ou look like a fright in that and if I were in your place, woul send it back to the say, again?" asked Louisa. fortified by Eliza.'s, Mrs Switzer seemed doubtful, arid 5hi~ remarked in answer to. her daughter's question, Louisa resolved. ~ child, ~ou always look lovely." her pink barege; and when Mr. the four sisters, availing themselves ~~would have liseri accepted by possibly he may not have conceived, and in full trim to accompany mre two of them, were ready him to the Museum. { The "Serious Family" was then in full vogue, and had been nightly repeated for the last three weeks. Mr. Aminadab Sleek, had entertained 'the audience with his drolleries and Vagaries, and ~ I~ ~ had drawn down thunders of applause, whenever he appeared pa the scene. *a~ But Jonathan O1~lbuck's plaudits exceeded all others; and when the hero of the pioee W~ rather more interesting than usual, his cheers amounted to a degree ,of"~ vociferation, which attracted the whole audience. p Louisa, who wa~ seated next to him, begged of him to be silent, but he still launched forth into the wildest bursts of enthusiasm. Their situation became really unpleasant, and it was with joy they greeted the falling of the curtain. On their way home, Jonathan Oldbuck became rather bolder in lN~ S~A~O~ e~ A ~ his advances towards Miss Louisa, and when he had fairly entered the Bowery, assumed to himself the privilege of squeezing how hand, at the same time asking her whether his visits to her zero agreeable. "I don't know what to say at present," replied Louia, very artlessly. Oldbuck becoming more importunate, said, "May I not have the pleasure of aspiring to your hand, Louisa, at some future day '!,~ "Really, Mr Oldbuck," said Louisa, "after our short ~acquaint.. anoo~ 1 did not expect this speedy avowal." '~ II~oW do &ri~wer me' Louisa, and I shall be so highly ~rptf~ed; I'lP1~4a~ dn 'hope; say will you become mine?" again squeezing her hand most affectionately. ~I4eiv#er! " cried Louisa, and letting go his arxn, she darted into tl~e house. The sisters came up shortly after, and finding Mr Oldbuok alone at the door, begged him pressingly to enter and take some refresk.~ meiite, but in spite of their repeated solicitations, lie pleaded the lateness of the hour, and departed on his way home. I page: 24-25[View Page 24-25] *14 JON4 THA~r, OLDBI3UK IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. 4 p) 3' ,CHAPTER III. MATERNAL REFLECTIONS-OOOD ADVICE-SALLY~ IN ANOTHER QURTEEJ (BUT HOPES I)OOMFsD TO BE DISAPPOINTED-MISS SYI'ORAH CLEMENTS. WHEN Jonathan dldbuok came down to breakfast the following rriorning, ha appeared rather paler than usual, and his mother,'wh. always expressed ,the most anxious solicitude for her son's health, inquired at what hour he came in on the previous evening. 'The son 'replied that it was early, and that he had been spending the' evening with the Switzers. "What, have 'you been wasting your time with that vulgar family? I'm sure there is none of them that ought to engage your attention; they're an ugly, flat-nosed, thick-lipped, set of girls, and I'm surprised you should find anything in them to attract your notice." "Mother," said Jonathan, "I thought at first Louisa was rather interesting, but I've since had reason to change my opinion. She has no conversation, her manners are vulgar, as you say, and I think 'she dresses' rather indecently, for her gown is made too low- waisted~and she doesn't wear any scarf." "The nasty, vnlgar thing," said Mrs Oldbuck. "I wonder her mother allows it. IL never'admired those girls, and as for the three eldest, they have necks as long as storks, and their noses reach almost to their chins. As for Louisa, she is a port, flippant, little thing, a~nd if I were her mother, I would confine her to the house, and make her sew all day." Jonathan's feelings corresponded with those of his mother's, for he was angry with the Switzers, and felt particularly indignant that Miss Louisa Switzer should not have responded to his profes- sions of love. He agreed with his mother that he had been mis-spending his time, and decided on making amends for the future, by directing his attention in another quarter. (G I'm sure there's the Olements, and the Smiths, and a host of other families, who would be proud to receive you,.and happy to make your acquaintance. In fact Mrs Clernents was here the other day, and almost insinuated as much as that she should like my son to visit her daughter. Theophilus Ciements is a rich man, '4 .Tonathai~, I knew him when ho was a boy; his father was an old. beau of mine, and I should 'certaitily have married him, had~ ther8 not been so 'great a disparity between our ages." This brought up sad reflections upon poor Jonathan's mind, ~or he thought he would encounter much difficulty in engaging the affections pf Miss Syporah Clenients, for the same reason that his mother had refused her father. He knew the young lady in question, but his ambition had never extended to seeking the hand of the rich Mr. Clements" daughter, and when his mother threw out the suggest response in his bosom. , on, it met with a ready Three o'clock had hardly struck by the time-piece in the parlor, when Jonathan Oldbuck, with a neat surtout tightly buttoned to show off the proportion of his fine person, with his boots polished like a mirror, his hat made after the -latest fall fashion, and his cane in hand, sallied out to walk in the direction of Mr Clenients' house, and solicit an interview with the lovely Syporah. Giving a fashionable rat-tat-tat at the knocker, he was admitted into the drawing-room, where Mrs Clements and her daughter were receiving their visitors. Every thing wore an air of rigidity 'in this house, to which Jonathan Oldbuck was not at all accustomed. The door was opened by a man-servant, who was habited in 'a neat costume, his i~ame was announced rather loudly, and he was ushered into the room, which was covered with a rich Wilton carpet, and in which the furniture generally was very different from that which he had seen at-the Switzers. There was ,a rich rose-wood piano, the sofas and chairs made, of the same material, were )covered with fawn- colored damask satin, and the curtains corresponded, there were beautiful mirrors, hanging on the wall, and every thing betokened an air of elegance and grandeur. Miss Syporah. Clemonts was seated in one of the fauteuils, Which was capacious enough to accommodate another of her rather diminutive size. She could not have been over seventeen years of age, for there was a sprightliness about her person which betokened youth and vivacity, her face was rather~ remarkable for beauty, she hada sparkling blue eye, her hair was auburn, and her nose and chin were so well proportioned, that they set off her ether features to advantage; she had a pearly set of teeth, her skin was beauti- fully white, and 'her complexion had that 'rosy tint which is so agreeable to most men. In fine, Jonathan Oldbuck' could not have desired that Nature should have modelled a creature of finer pro. portions to suit his taste. After strutting into the room in the most fashionable manner, and with that dktingue air which, he faiicied, he could at times assume, saluting the ladies of the house, he seated himself near an old maid, whose rustling silk dress he was afraid of spoiling, from k is et page: 26-27[View Page 26-27] ~kA~ dL11~K es ~rp:p~nte e~ui ~ Jf ~s~p~e ~eimamdei of th~ time he he room. * H:is awk~dz~ ~ ~pO the ~#v4~on of~~ss Sypurah, ~ ~rZan 'Oldbuok having n~tioed, it did nbt oontribnte to hI~cOfrklosur9.~ ~ A ..~ ~ ~hie~af~ ~~heothor t~ie visit leaving alone departed, Jonathan wit~i Mrs Cl ont~ an erdau~hter. I~ n9w~as~an~ oppprturnt .P~h ~r Obibi~pk was determined to~44~jq~. ~e dr~w ~i~s ~ir ~tQaIthily towards that p~toftli~j1~e ~ were ~eate *, 4, ~nd ~eg~n ihe conversa- 5B~?J~)k~t r~ioth~ ha4 iequ9sted ~hi~n t~ call :~nd ,in~- prove his acquaintanpewit~. J!Lr~ ,,9le~ep~, and herlaughter, tl~t he was hapgyto~iear that his visits would be ~wreeable, and with tl~4r pei i~sion~i9 would iore~t 'the~n. SIrs 'd 1eir~nts assured Mr Old buck that broth ~ husband and herself wGuld ~p happy to reoeiv~ t~e visits of the son of one~f their oldest friends, an4 t1~t]i~ Would always be we~orne. '~ This bri~h~ned up Jopat.~an's oour~tenar~op, who did not expect t~t ~the p~ ~J~i~h kd to ~iss Syporah's affections, should b~ so spnstrew~d, with *~es~ in fact ho expected ~p meet with s~ms doe~,~t 'after ,the opep, avowal whioh~1 Mrs Clernents had znQ4e, h& tanoled he was already' in j5oss~ssion 'of the prize. 1o~k~ ~o~igh l~is spec~c~es a~ Miss Syporal~, and was en~ ra~pti~rod witht~ ~I~arrn~ she displayed; ,his gaze was so int~nt tb4 the young girl turned away her head in utter, dismay at; the Xrotives wli0h courd prompt such a close irispeo~ion of ~ person~ 4ft9r rerx~aining some ~time at the Olern~nts, he took his do- p~ture, promisjn~. ~o. return* a~a~n soon. Wlien he left, both the mqth~r ~nd daughter burst o~it into a loud fiti~f laughter. ~" What a~i1e~traordinary cre iie,~' ~a~d ~Sypo~rah;. "why he has oj~os like a hypaa's, and ItIs well he wears speptaj9les to conceal ~ hi~ ~yeja~h~s ~re as grey a~ his hair, and taking l~im all in ~ ir my life. And a 1~I never saw aueh~ a hideous ~ wlata ~igtire h~ has!. why surely it can't be natural-his legs are out of all pr~porfion with his ~ody, ai~d us looks for all tiLe world as it ~i~j vr'e 4tv~ip}1dng on spindles; and what a nose he has, he's a pe~t f4h~Y his is the ~entlen~an, ~y~orah, that ~ friend ,1~rsOldbuok gave me, a hint th~ other day, would suit you veiny well, she was in *earp~stI c~n, ass~re you?' ~., "Wk~y, mama, 1i( hewere worth his weight not iii gold, but ja diamonds, I would'izt hav@ 'sueh arnan for a husband, I think it iN ~W'9" o~ A WJfl. very impudent of Mrs Oldbuok evant0 hint suoh a thing, and I sha not come ~owii ~tafrs t~ him agiin.'?2 'S' "Hedoes appear rather odd, 1n~r child, but tl~eo odd people some. timqs make very good husbands." , ~ K. Syporah, however, did not think so, and she wen~t QUt of the room, humming a tuue, whii had mi~ch resemblance t~ tI~ '~ir'~' Now I shall neve~ marry," &o. , " Jonathan Oldbuck's. anticipations ran quite in another ol~anne1, for when he returned home, su~h was the excess ~f 1ii~ jo~ 'at' th~2 unexpected reception. he had met with, tha4 he oould~ hardly esti'ain his emotion. "She's perfectly lovely, mother, and I should be the happiest of men, jf I could indulge the hope for a moment, that s'he tild b& come my wife." "I think, Jonathan, after what passed between Mrs Clements and myself the other day, that it would be wrong in you to visit th~ house, without first making known your intention~ to the father. You'll find him a worthy, sensible man, and I've no doubt, he w4l listen, to your proposals with attention.', "Mother, I scarcely kndw the girl yet, and how can I speak to the father about the matter you refer to, without first gaining her &fTeo- tions ?" "That's what I wish to avoid, my boy, for I think it very wron~ indeed, for young gentlemen to insinuate themselves into the affec. tions of young ladies, without first making known tb~eir intentions, to the parents, besides I hav&too high respect for TheophilusOleni ents to do him an injury, and with the graces and pec~liar charms you possess, it would be wrong to win the lady's heart, without first obtaining the father's consent." Jonathan seemed also to be of the same opinion, at first he was rather doubtful, but his mother's argument were so irresistible, that he soon coincided with her, and resolved to seek an interview with Mr Clements on the following morning. ' To the man of pleasure, New York affords almost as many amuse- ruents as the gay streets of ] ari~. In strolling through Broadway, there are nearly as' many Qbjeots to engage your attention, it's a little world in itself, and here may be see*i on a fih~ summer's after noon, people from every part of the globe. The swarthy Spaniard mixes with the fair Norwegian, and thelirunette of ih~ so~ith atferds a striking contrast with the ruddy oompl~xi&n' 6f~ th~ nqrth. There are Prussians, Russians, Swedes, and Danes, others the gay little I~'renchman, with hi~ lorgnette and gold-headed cane, espying beau. ties in the female form, which young ladiestry to conceal, ~uch a~ their neat little ankles and graceful little feet. Thore'~ ~he fas~iiona~ ble rout, with his oily ~urled moustache, thinking himself irre~ustiw ble, knodging and dodging the fair sex, and acting, as if he! were alone virtuous, and all the rest of the world vicious. You se~~ this 9 page: 28-29[View Page 28-29] 28 JONATHAN OLDBUCK ola~ in the wildest profusion, hanging about the precincts, of th~ Astor and the Irving, 'taking care not to wander too far from the vicinity of the saloons, where they have just regaled themselves, on a glass of ean devie, a mint julep, or a brandy cocktail. There's the merchant's clerk, too, who having spent the greater part of the day at the desk, thinks he might amuse himself by a stroll in Broadway. Putting on all the airs imaginable, he struts about, ac if he were in po8sessir~ of his employer's independent fortune, h~ may be spend~ lug a little of it, but that's the merchant's own look out; when he balances his books, there may be a trifling error, which defies the experience and ingenuity. of the book-keeper. There's the verdant oountryrnan, too, who, as the newspapers tell us, has a peculiar taste for the companionship of mock auctioneers and all that sort of persons. There's Paddy, with his better-half and a lot of little "crathurs" following him, just landed from the ship, and looking out for the guineas, which he was "tould" sprouted up spontane- olisly from the American soil. There's the sawny Scot~hman, too, who is always looking out for the main chance, and is searching for a good location, where lie can manufacturt3 the most approved taffy or Scotch marmalade. There~s a variety of other characters, mov- ing on the scene, shifting and changing about, as often as a kaleidi.- scope, and assuming new shapes and forms to s~uit every one's taste. There's that often described, but incomprehensible "Moso~' of the Bowery, who is never in his native element unless he's following a fire engine, or is "some" at a fight, and there's the "ghal," too, who is close on his heels, and who. thinks there's some intrinsic virtue in the deep scarlet shawl, which covers her bosom. All theso characters have been so often described, that it is tedious to dwell on them, but they serve to snake up a whole, which can only be~ seen on Broadway's wide pavement, on a fine summer's afternoon. Jonathan Oldbuck passed the remainder of the day, after his visit to Mr Clement's, by making one of the crowd that was hurrying through this thoroughfare, he was pushing and was pushed in his turn, now and then turning round to espy a young lady, whose fea.- tures attracted his attention, then seeing another, who he thought was prettier than the one that had passed, finally, his heart becom.- lag, so susceptiblee to the tender charms of the fair sex, tbat he thought them all lovely alike. In his admiration of the "human form diyine," of which he had so many opportunities of judging, he paid no attention to his pocket or his fob, and when he returned home found both.the one and the other minus his handkerchief and his watch. These, however, are only the trifling consequences of' that absence of mind, which is engendered by too much appreciation of female charms. ~ Jonathan Oldbuck thought he would step in at Delmonico's, where he would regale himself after the fatigues of his walk, on a Y~ SEARCH OF A WIFE. 29 beefsteak and a bottle of wine. When he entered, he saw' on~ of his old friends, who was there' f~r the same purpose, and both ~at down to a meal, wl;iich was worthy of the most particular~ epicure, and which was served up in a nice little alcove, where they could enjoy an hour's pleasant conversation. Jonathan called for another bottle, and as an indulgence in wine generally leads to conversation about women, he ~deseanted at great length on the peculiar charms of the young lady, who, in his fond. imagination, had already accepted him for a suitor. The name and residence he withheld, but he could not find language strong enough to express his unbounded admiration of the lady's virtue and beauty.# Ned Hammersley, for that was his companion's name, was almost envious of his happiness, and stipulated, if not for an invitation, at least for a large share of cake and other "fixings.,~ Jonathan Gidhuck assured him, That the moment his happiness was consummated, he should certainly not forget him. "And pray," asked Ned, "is the happy day fixed ?" "Why, not exactly so," replied Jonathan, "but I am to see the father to-morrow to settle the preliminaries." "Why, Oldbuck, my dear fellow, have things been pushed so far already? Indeed, you are a happy man, and I must congratulate you; but is the lady rich ?" "Rich, Ned. Why her father has the reputation of being a millionaire, and mother says he prefers me for old acquaintance sake." "Tell me her name. Oh, do!" rejoined Ned, "I'm getting quite Jonathan Oldbuck, who had already suffered "some" from the effects of rivalry, was sufficiently circumspect to withhold the name from a person of Ned's fine figure and rather handsnrie countenance. Twilight still found the friends in earnest conversation about the fair sex, and the shades of evening, whi~h were rapidly enveloping Broadway in darkness, would afford sufficient obscurity to hide the excesses of liquor, so the third bottle had been called for, and having, as they thought, indulged pretty freely, the two companions sallied out for a walk. As we have before said, Mrs Oldbuok hail not failed to put her son on his guard against evil associates, and the danger of Broad- way by gas..light. Jn fact Mr Oldbuck had an instinctive dread himself of vice, which assumes such alluring forms in that thorough. fare at night. He had taken quite enough wine to increase his love for woman, for the former is an article which, like alcohol, when it is applied to water, makes the latter boil and effervesce, until it becomes so inflammable, that it almost consumes the posses. sor. So it was with Jonathan Oldbuck, but his dread of vice was page: 30-31[View Page 30-31] / I~~N~TRAN QLDBUO~ ~a1~4 ~ere4itax * ~or ~i ~piJie of N~d'~ p~r~i~si.~n i~$ ~ ~ ~ 99~449tJap ~p~pe4 to q~ange t1i~ .c~ur~ pf ji~s 1~ua 'Eq~, pr to ~inb~rk ~m ~any illicit ~nt~erpr~. "WP~, ~d~rnpl~, yo~i ~re indeed very yirtnoia~; iu~t ye~ k~w, they say, a spark ignites tinder, an4 yoi'ie ~o'~ ~o ~~ary susce~~i~le, ~9Li'U soon tie~e ~e. rome ;~)Qng, old fellow, and we'll try what ereot Wifl0 pp yQ~, in yopr ~rnpurs with wo~nan. 'J4zey ~1~j~d rip ~roadway, and when t reaol~e4 ~pve f8tewait'~., ~Ned ~nnnier~ley noW and thou I~t ~o1ii~ fp~4's t9 w~i~per so UPz~g ip The ears of one or twp wo~nen w1~o p~sed him,; I~ut ~ was i rabl~, lIe wonld pot ~top ~vep ~pr a moment, fearful lest his tender heart, which was almost as ti~Ae as wa~, should be impressed by the fair forms or g~oeful fi~ur~s of these enchanting women. The truth was, ~Jonatji~n Oldbuek had not much~ e~n~i4ep~~ in his own v~rti~e, and knowing ~he truth of the old adage, cest Ic pre- mier pas ~juz coute,, was afraid lest the first step towards vine ~ni~hV hurry him down a precipice, from which he could not extricate himself. When Ned Hammersiey rejoined his companion after one of these temporary interludes, in which some of his fair but frail friends, ~ppeaxed ~n the seene~, Jonathan said- "I tell you what, Ned, father used to say, 'it's ~tl b4d~ber,' t~nd I'm pretty niuch of the same opinion." "Why, Oldbuck, you're a fool; there's nothing' like a about thorn, I tell ye." "I don't mean to say 'it's all blubber' about the girls, but ~what I mean is, that no good can come out of it. I want to go boni~." "Now do stop," said Ned. But in spite of hi8 friend's entreaties ~nd r~rg~nt remonstrances, Jonathan Oldbpck went home with as i~uoh ~pecd as if he were a fox with a pack of hounds baying at his heels-and a cunning fox he was in this respect at l~ast. He ~ad an ipstin~tive dread of vice! 0UAPTF4~ IV. ~ ~%~1~ I~ ~AI~G~ AND ITS OS~QU~9~. TO~I~I~5 CT~4~?JT5 A TYP~ 9~ ~ Q4S~-~JIULIWrOY AD SYPORAR CLEMENTS. O~ the following morning Jonathan ai~ose at an e~rJy hour, a~i a~ the day was to be big with his future fate in life, he lo~t no time in going down to breakfast, where his mother was~ pouring put a cup of hot 4~offee fQr her favoriLe son. .A.fter he had discussed a moderate share of broiled chiofr9xi, plastered over with hajf a dozen buckwheat cakes fresh from t~e oven, ho began talking with Mrs Oldbuck on what he to e during the day. Ho seemed to hesitate whether he should cafl 9" l~~Ir Clements or not, but his mother having remarked, that "f~~t heart never won fair lady," his mind was made up, and he. ~es.ly~dJ to wait on Mr Clements after he had finished his toilet. Going up stairs, after admiring himself a few minutes in the lo~king~glass, he set earnestly to work ~o make himself 1opl~ as fashipnabie as possible. I~js boots were neatly polished, his clothes niacly brushed, ~ri~i ~tr Oldbuek went through the ceremony of dressing with the UiQ~t perfect sangfroi4 imaginable; he was rather longer than uspa~ iu g~iying a proper tie to his cravat, and he was at a 1o88 whioh lie should choo~e. "First impressions. a~e generally the stror1geS~" thought Mr Oldbuck, and Mr Th~ophiIu~ Clements might possibly form a good opinion of him frogi the neatness and g~ntility of We dress. After surveying himself for a short 1~irne in the lookin~~glass~ and admiring his rotund figure, he went down stairs ana ask~d his mother how he looked? "Very well? indeed, my boy; now mind, play your car~s well, ai~id you'll be sure to get Syporah2' Ten o'clock had struck when Jonathan went to*see Mr Clement~. lit was a latterr of business, and he thought it a good time to find him at leisure. Mr ~heophilus Clements was in his private office, a sort of sa~c- turn, which was, located on the second floor of his private house in. University Place. He had enjoined the domestics not to disturb page: 32-33[View Page 32-33] 32 JONATHAN OLDDlJC~ * hie privacy on any.pretext whatsoever, but to send whoever might call on business to his counting-house in Water street. When ~r Oldbuck rang the bell for admittance, he was told that Mr Clements was engaged, and that he could not see him at pre- sent, he begged of the servant to go up stairs and tell his master that he wished to see him on very urgent business. Mr Clements was rather surprised at such an unexpected visit so early in the morning, and at once directed the servant to send the gentleman up into his room. He was introduced into a magnificent apartment, where he found Mr Theophilus Clements dressed in a rich Persian morning gown, and embroidered slippers, comfortably ensconced in a large arm- chair, and seated at a writing desk. Mr Clements belonged to that rather numerous class of persons who were at first unsuccessful in business, and having failed, had managed to save ,a large share of the profits of the concern for his own individual benefit. jie was the projector and manager of that enterprising company which was originally started under the name of the "Lake Winne- peg Copper Mine Association," in which so many persons had em- barked, and invested a great part of their capital. The stock immediately rese in the market, and reached on Change the enormous rate of one hundred and fifty-three per centum. There was quite an emulation amongst the citizens to become share- holders, and all augured the brightest prospects from the able man- agement of Mr. Theophilus Clements. Fall came round, and with the falling of the' leaves, the bright hopes of the share-holders fell to the ground, and in the first annual report, which was published, it appeared, that the large sum of, thirI~y thousand dollars had been expended in reports of geologists, * outfitting of the miners, and the erection of smelting furnaces, but not a word was said in it of the extent of the copper, save towards the end, a distant allusion was made to a rather "rich vein," that had been 'discovered, and which perhaps ran in union with Mr Theophilus Clements' deep cogitations on the subject. He wound uj - his report, by apologizing for the outlay, which he accounted for by the, enormous expenses of the first outfit, and promised economy, &c. for the fntt~e. The bait however would not take, and shares fell to an enormous discount.' Mr Clements bought them all in, at the current rate, * which was about three per cent on the share's of a hundred dollars paid in, and this was the beginning and end of his fortune. Mr Clements at once knew Oldbuck from having met~iim in the streets, and 'tried (from his former intimacy with his father) to prevail on him to tako shares in the "Lake Winnepeg Cop"per Mine Association." Oldbuck's mind was then impervious to Mr Olenibnts'~ IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. 33' arguments, and the latter must at least have had a good opinion, of his 'cuteness and penetration. So on entering the room, Clements at once recognized Oldbuok, and tendering him his hand, begged him to be seated. "Well, good morning, my dear friend, I'm happy to see you Pardon me if I receive you in my dressing-gown, but I went to bed very late last night, I was out, but never - mind, pray what is your business my good Sir ?" Oldbuck took a seat, and saw with pleasure, that Mrs Clements was not in the room, he first began the conversation by telling Mr Clements of Mrs Clements' visit to his mother, then spoke about the pleasure of his acquaintance with his daughter, and finally brought round the topic to marriage. Okibuck's point was gained so far, and he said "Mr Clements, I've an object in calling on you, you're my' father's old friend, and I've come to tell you, that I wish to get married. I want to put a stop to the follies of a bachelor's life, and to undertake thee responsibility of a wife and children, if Heaven should grant me such a blessing; I think it the consummation of man's ~appiness.~~ Mr Theophilus Clements shuffled about in his morning-gown, and' began to laugh. "My friend, you ma~ marry, if such be your wish, but I would advise you to make a good match, I mean by that, a rich one, for those only are good. One must place his name and family, like his money, at good interest in these times." "I can assure you, Sir, replied Jonathan, that I've no sort of interest in the proposition which I've come here to make to you. I've seen your daughter several times, and yesterday had the plea- sure of rather a long interview with her. I am not insensible to her very great charms, in fact, she pleases me very much, and I've come to ask of you, her hand in marriage." Mr Theoi~ilus Clements drew himself up in his arm chair, as- sumed a niore serious look, and scrutinizing Oldbuck in a way,, as if he had never before set eyes on him, or as one whose character he wished to know more of, said ,to him, in a tone ef voice,, which partook no longer of politeness, - "Is it my daughter's hand you have come to ask me for ?" "Yes," said Oldbuck, "it is her hand." "'Ah! that's a verx different thing. I didn't expect it. I suppose, you have wffi her heart, (the father giving a searching glance at Oldbuck) for that, you know is preliminary to asking her hand." Oldbuck was going to reply, when Mr Clementa continued "I know very little of your pecuniary affairs, I always took you' to be a man of moderate means, but I may have been mistaken, and possibly your fortune may be equal ~to mine. Excuse me, my dear page: 34-35[View Page 34-35] 44 ZQ~fATKAK OWBUC~. .frie~d~ if I have ~be9n mi~taken. My daughter must marry a man, ws~fortu~ is equarto my own.~ - O~upk was at a loss to. know ~hat to say, here was an unfor.. seen' difficulty, whioh 'he was 'not prepared to meet. Mr Clements observing his trepidation, came to his relief, and ~eaid :- "Now, betwee~i friends, tell me how much you are worth, in 'property, as in money ?" Oldbuck fixed his spectacles in their proper place, rubbed one of 'i1ip" ears, and replied That he was worth somethingg 'between eight and nine hundred dollars a year, in "United St~tes 6's." ~ What is that you say," asked Mr Clements, "eight or nine hundred dollars a year, in 'United States 6's.' 1 may not properly have understood you, perhaps you mean those are the stockss you hold~ have you no other property, or money ?" "' I ha~ve tile honor to tell you, Sir," said Oldbuok, "that all my revenues together, do not exceed' nine hundred dollars per annum." Mr Clem6nts 'again., drew himself back in his arm chair; and arranging' the folds of his morning go~.vn~ burst out into 'a loud 'laugh. "'Ah! ah! ah! * * * * 'Ah! ah! ahl joking ~s very good at times, I thought you were serious at first, you are a, funny fellow, my 4ear Oldbuck, but I did not think you would carry the jqke~ so far, it's very funny, indeed it is," and Mr Theophilus "Clements again gave vent to his merriment. "A joke, 3~Er Clemente, I can assure you, I am not joking at all, I have nine hundred dollars revenue, and for new beginners it is ~quite enoii~h. 'I've not come here to know how much I shall get with y~rir 'daughter, but to ask her hand in marriage, that's all.'? "Ah ah! "~h! it's very am~Using, my daughter who will get a 'hundred thousajid dollars on her wedding day, to marry a mail with nothing-This is. rich indeed." "' Ww, nothing.," rejoined Oldbuck, "why I've ju~ been telling 'gou hQw much I am worth, Sir." "" I will b~t, Oldbuck," said Olements, "that this is 'the result of wager, which somebody has been taking with you, to see how-I should4 aet in the matter," and he could not again restrain his 'laughter. "Sir," said Qldbuol~, "it is the i~esu1t' of no wager, I assure you. I t~rA serious in. the matter, and if my prb~sition is not acoe~table to' you, I see no reason why you should ~'Taugh at me before my face.~' ii:~~ Clements rose from his seat and went to the window, where a new thought struck him, and suingig his seat, he said rather militaryly "Oldbu ok, my friend, I shall think over the matter, and give you. 44 a*I1~ffe~e~ When Mr Oldbuek left thQ lVo~a~, ~k. ~C1ef ~~M'l~d h~s as if he h~d been intimate 'for ~ ir~ i~y fdi~~iIy, ~Vh)r, ~vh&t d6 3~t th~iik, h~ ~as had ~he iri.~ol~n~c~ to ~k the h~rid ot ~ny 'daughter in ~n~i Oharldtte biir~t 'forth in ~ Idjici ~t if 'lh~hter, i~i whio1~ h0r l~r6r s~k~ t~ ~i~d t~Syp'6r~h, ~nd The po6i~6hild Wt~s so frik1~t~ned a'iiid~~ tt~s, that she alm~stf~inted i~*ay." "I hope you didn't end&~~r~ge her, ChaAott6, i~k sn~h foolish "Why, Thd6plii1~, ybil si~r~ly don't ixft~d ~u~h & "~Rb, '2S~rta~ri1 kiot, but 'there 'may b~ g6m'e Olie e180 ~rhoii~i I sli8~i1d like ~o l~,e ~or & ~h-in-l&w, ~.hd ri~xy d .ghte~ triu~t ti~t be p~'~te~1 ~t6 I 't~ii~e iki ~icl whims." ~ like mi~ii~r ~th~r f~thi% '~iI#tIs &e~p a~d jil6ddliig In liTh s6heiI~es, ~h'd'ctniid not'bt~iofr. thb 'id6a, ih~t 1{1~ ~i~ir's feelfiig~ Wbit to ~Ii~ i~ulied on important subject of marriage. lIe thus followed up the ~juhy '~ ~ I~f ~ ~ j{~ ~ 'lik&eY~i~ydth~ 'girl df' her ~ and 'she may have one, that is more marked in his attentiofl~ "That~s iibt"Whdt I ~ii~ ~ 'k~I~r. 'can '~b~i ~ell ~iiie, ~wh~the~" "Re~~11y ~;'~~t ~sa here s ~6ilng ~'i&~m ~&)ibse f&th~ sifikie nsI~ln'6n ii '1~fth" ~ ~'lid2h~ '~afd '~vetal' th~ house, and is rather attentive to her, I believe ~he's ~rl~tA '~i~z~imtiion~, t~itz ~iMk*x~ns," Mr Th~c~hiln~'Cl~rrients rkii'slng page: 36-37[View Page 36-37] 38 JONATHAN OLD~UOK. 8tyle,~ and everything that could be thought of. As for Champagne, it flowed like water, and what with a few musicians front jDod~- worth'#. band, I can assure you, we enjoyed ourselves a great deal, and Syporah was very much pleased." The husband and father became rather irritated, as Charlotte was reciting the luxuries of the supper table, and pet1~ishly observed, "that such feasts in many cases prognosticate long fasts, and h8 believed Mr Fitz Simmons would find it so.~ "This will never do, this will never do," said Mr Theophihis Cl&ments, rising from his arm chair, and striding up and down the room in his long morning-gown and embroidered slippers. "For the future, you must let me know, who are Syporah's admirers. I have no idea of her contracting a mesalliance as the French term it, and as she will have some, money, I dare say many worthless young men will be paying their addresses to her." "You need'nt be afraid," said Charlotte, "that she will do any. thing against my wishes, she is a kind affectionate creature." "There's been a matter on my mind, for some time past," said Mr ~Theophilus Clements to his wife, "which I've been wishing to ~broach both to Syporab. and yourself. There's my old friend Isaiah *~ibson, who became a widower last year, he has a sneaking regard for Syporab., I know he has, and you should cultivate it as mu'ch as possible. He's rich, has an elegant house,. and moves in the best circles of society, he would make an excellent husband 'for my daughter." "Isaiah Gibson !" ejaculated Charlotte, "why he's old enough to be her father, that bald-headed, red-faced fellow, to be my Syporah's husband, why the poor girl would go into fits, if he even approached "That's the reasonn" said the father, "I wish to mention the subject to you, the girl must not be indulged in her whims. Pve set my mind on it, and you know (placing a peculiar 'emphasis on. the last word) that I generally have my way. He has monet, and those. only know how to value it, who have been at the most pains in ~aking it." "I know that," said Charlotte, "but isaiah Gibson, 'Angels and ministers of grace defend ~is,' I shall not even mention it to ~Syporah,~' and Mrs Theophilus Clernents banged the door az~d went ~ut of the room in a passion. Jonathan Old~buck spent the day pretty much in the same manner in which. he had passed the previous one, excepting that he tok a quiet dinner with his mother, who was particularly inquisitive' to find out the ~esul~ 'of his interview with Mr Clements. In reply to her repeated~ inquiries, Jonathan would hardly say a 'word, he told his mnot~mer, however, that he would let her know mare on the subje4 the next morning. 1z~th~ev~i.pg'h@.. ~ealle4 according to appointmentt at Mr 86-- IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. 31 Clements, where he was ushered into the same room he had entered in the morning. of Mr Theophilus Clements was more irritable than usual, the events tho morning did i~ot altogether please him, and what happened during the remainder .bf the day, did not tend to increase his coin- posure. He had been trying rather unsuccessfully to engage a few of his friends to take shares in another company, which he had lately formed to reclaim a valuable traot of land, which was well adapted for purposes of cultivation, but he could not induce any or them to enter into his views. ' He was thinking over the matte'rF when Jonathan Qidhuck entered, and his appearance in such an inopportune moment had no ~ffeet in making him more agreeable. "Sit down, Sir," said Mr Theophilus Clements, to Mr Jonathan Oldbuck, "pray, what is your business? Ah! I remember, mar- ?iage and so forth. "Ycu are too poor, Sir, I told you so in the morning, and there was no necessity for your returning to get the same answer in the ~evening. 'A word to the wise,' &c., you know my old boy," and tapping him on the shoulder, said, "you had better look out and fish in a~iothor quarter. If I remember rightly, my old school fellow, Jonathan Oldbuck, your father, I mean, managed to scrape together ~a few hundred dollars out of the greasy business, in which he was engaged, and with what he has left you, you ought to be able to procure a suitable partner in life, who will jog along with you pretty much in.your own way." "Mr Clements," said Jonathan, "I did not come here to be in- Lulted. You laughed at me this morning, and you insult me this evening. 1 love your daughter, 'and "Confound your love," said Theophilus Clements, "you are too poor, and I bid you good evening, ~5ir." Jonathan Old~uck made his exit, muttering between his teeth, "~ you're an impudent fellow," &c., but thinking "discretion the better part of valor," did not say it Clernents. loud enough to be heard by Mr He hurriedly returned home, and retired to test. page: 38-39[View Page 38-39] - .AJ.LLIA~kL~I.i ~ J~NATHAN OU~2BUCK I CHAPTER V. .A1~0THER NTRIGUI~"-MI55 CLARISSA 5~ tny~-4AuR I~OTki~k, ~ Y.AIR &NJ~A. W~1EN Jonathan Qidhuck rose in the morning, he wa~ in a m~iet phil9sophic mood, he thought on the ~anitie~ 'of human life, and p~de~ed.over the inordinate ambition of ~narxkind. Aftor all, life V~is ii~th~ng 'e1~e -but a instantt '~ti'uggle 't~i proonre the means ~of~ ~j~yrnent. ~M& ~hrrnted '~fter gold 'as if i~t WSre t~he &bj~et of all t~eirVho~ights, h~pu1ses, mid aotii~ns~ ~nd it ~vas no *~ndai, 'there /'w~sso much xnisery.in the world, ~wheu r~o fe'~v suae~eded in the oh~se,. "Awt'i ~s~cra fames," as Vi~git 'said, ~ut for iiTh ~ ~he ~nld 'be satisfied with love in a 'oottsge, ~aWd ~he did net ~aI~e whether .thei~irl wh6m he inarri~d, sh~rnld poese~ a 1ok~ttuie o~ '~Ot~ As for the Clements, they were a purse.proud, ignora~v ~et, andhe w~xdered why his 'mother ~hduld -have tdld him to ,a'll on ~uoh pe~ple. When he was again seatedit the breaki~ttabls, he rbmonet±~t~d with her on ihe ;itnprejifiety 'of 'her conduct, and ~~dd 'tli~t he 'would not take her advice for the future. " Jonathan, 'n1y'-b~y," -said MrsOldbuok,"' p~hs-t~'~ bebn. abru~tydu ~sl~oildh~vebbataboiit'the bir~Ka little kno~e 'a~ f0t~ yo~ 'gro1ind~ before ~you asked the 'girl 'in marriagee. "Why, mama, you to~d me, and ~ "I never told yoti~, ohiidto ask for ~ her; I only said it was improper to engage her affections before you had spoken to the father to get permission to visit the house. You've been too quick, Jonathan." Jonathan felt as if his mother were right, and he inwardly re~ broached himself for~having used more of the fortitet in re than the snaviter in modo, in his nt~gooiations with the Clernents. However, to a man of the world, like Jonathan Oldbuek, the contre temps, which he had experienced at the hands of Mr Theophi. Ins Clements, did not weigh long on his mind, and he begged of his mother, as a favor, not to refer to the subject again. At his usual flour he went out to take his afternoon's walk, and - IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. meetiiig with his friend, Ned Hammersicy, they both repaired to Thompson's for a lunch. On their way there, Ned Hammersicy asked Jonathan what day had been fixed for the celebration of his nuptials? "With whom do you mean ?" asked Mr Oldbuek. "Why, with that rich and beautiful girl, whose praises you sounded so extravagantly the other night, that you almost excited my jealousy." "Pooh! pooh !" said Jonathan; "it was only a joke, Ned, and. I wanted to see how you would take it." The matter passed off, and they both entered Thopmson's saloon, where they ordered roast quail and a bottle of claret, to regale their delicate appetites. Having taken a view of the surrounding VisitOrs, they entered rather seriously oi~ the task of discussing the choice repast set before them. Having done ample justice to it, they were about leaving, when a 'lady, dressed in black silk, having settled her bill at the counter,.accidentaily dropped he~r porte~manb ~ntde, and hurriedly left the saloon. Mr. Oldbnok picked it up, and with that gallantry~ for which he was always remarkable, went out in search of the lady; there wasa great crowd in Broadway and he could not find he?. Returning into the saloon, he mentiiined the circumstance to his friend Hammereley. The latter advised him 'to open it, to' see whether it would afford any clue to the name of the-owner. He did so, and found a letter in it,' which was addressed to Mra - Augustus Shrewsbury, street, New Yo~k. There ~as money in it also, and Jonathan putting it carefully into~his po~ket~ said he would deliver it personally to Mrs Shrewsbtmry. '~Let us go there now," said Ned, "it may be a"case,' and we may hei'vo some fun." "I. don't know what you mean by a 'asse.' Why what's a 'easel"' "Why, you foolish fellow, you. I mean the husband- may b~ picking up gold in California, while he's losing a treasure here." "Indeed, then let us go, we have nothing bOtter to do, and ean spend half an hour or so very agreeably in Mrs Augustus Slweww~. bury's company."' ~o off the gay roucs set, and had no difficulty in finding Mrs Shrewsbury's residence. ' - They were at once admitted and found 'the wid0vr in great ~l*. tress. She had discovered' her' loss, and sent 'Clarissa 'to the news. paper office with an advertisement, offering a large reward for tbe discovery of the porte.montzcde. It contained the -only letter that she had received from her beloved'" Gus," he had been absenb~ ~whQle yeax', and as it was -the first- taews she heatd' lroxti: him, -~4~' valtied it more highly than -all' 'the- money the- ptwte'm iIfiI0 (t. tamed. - page: 40-41[View Page 40-41] 40 'JONATHAN OLDBUOK £ Jonathan was the first to speak, he said,'" I am really happy to be the means of recovering such a precious testimonial of regard. It must be exceedingly soothing to a wife's feelings to receive a letter from her' husband after such a long, absence. I almost envy you your happiness, madam." Whether it was the recovery of the letter, or the very agreeable manner in which' it was announced, that wrought such a wonderful change in Mrs Shrewsbury's feelings, it is impossible to say, but ~she winced and smirked, and appeared so interesting, that she won insensibly on the hearts of her visitors. Mrs ShreWsbury was the wife of an officer who had distinguished himself in the Mexican War, and having married young, was blessed '~$th an only daughter, whom she had named Olarissa after her grandrizother, on her maternal side. The old lady died, leaving ~larissa nothing but her name, and the' family being reduced in circumstances , Mr Shrewsbury emigrated to California. His wife was a woman of about forty years of age, possessing the renin~,nts of what must have been handsome features in her youth; she had black hair, and flaming black eyes, the certain indications of burn- i~g passion, which must have reduced her to a cinder. It was a wonder how ~he~oould have so long withstood her husband's absence, *tid froin~ tli~ regret which she manifested at his departure from hei, *be must have felt it a great deal. She ~piAogized to the gentlemen for Clarissa's unavoidable #b~ence. but begged them to believe that she would always be grate- f~il to. thorn for their kindness, and would be happy to cultivate their ~quaintance. Mr Oldbuok looked at Mi~ Hammerslcy, and Mr Hamnrersley at ~ )~r Oldbuok, and both cast their eyes in turn on the '~ widow," who was waiting to hear what they would say. ~, Ned, who was always ~ready for a "venture," remarked, "L )e- hove, Oldbuok, we have no particular engagement this evening, I~ve we ?" "None, whatever, Hammersley, as 1 know of." ~" Then," replied the other, "we might come round this even- - "I shall be delighted to see you, gentlemen; come early, if. you pl~ase." "We shall do so with pleasure, madam," and they took leave of ~rs Augustus Slirewsbury. ~~Ont~heir4 way home, Ned revelled' in the delight of the, enjoyment ii. shcul4 4erivo from the lady's company. "Oldbixok," said he, ~.$hese C~li(ornia widows are a much persecuted race of beings; Al~y're neglected 1by their h~isbands, and meet yviill but little sym- 01hy from their friends. I pity, the poor forlorn creatures, who *jligo4~o ~oget~~ years ~ni £sii~glo I4essedness, wh&A t~hey might have their husbands with them." IN 'Sl~ARCH.OF A WIFI~ - "It's a sad state," said Jonathan, "to bejn." *" Yes, and that's the reason," rejoined Ned, "why I'm more par- ticular in my attentions to those ladies whose husbands have left thorn," at the same time nudging his friend under the arm. "It's a settled thing, then," said Oldbuck, "that your addresses will be paid to the widow, and mine to the daughter." "Very well," said Ned, "I'm pleased with the bargain." Ned Hammersley was one of those young men of the town whose company must have been very dangerous to young ladies or Califor. nia widows. His father died when he was young, leaving him .a handsome fortune, and with a disposition to use it freely. He was about thirty-five tears of age, of a good figure, rather dark corn. plexion, 'but with a manly face and forehead that was exceedingly pleasing. He had dark hair and dark eyes, which sparkled almost as much as those of the gay widow's herself, and when they looked at each other, it was impossible to say which werw~ the most corn. 'bustible. The two gay row, intent on an evening's amusement, repaired -at the appointed hour to the residence in -~- street. Of course, on this occasion, they found Clarissa at home, and bin Oldbuck's eyes, no one appeared more lovely. She was twenty years of age, .f a slight but graceful figure, and as for the face, it con~bined all 'the varied attractions of a 'perfect Hobe. She had dark hair and dark eyes, like her mother's, a small ear and nose, a row of ivory, which had never been under the dentist's paw, together. with a mellowness in the peculiar tint of her complexion, which rendered 4her enchanting in tIle eyes of all. Jonathan Oldb~ucks heart was always susceptible, but it became an easier conquest than ever, before the surpassing charms of the fair Clarissa. Whilst Ned Hammersl.y was engaged in earnest -eonversaticn on the sofa with Mrs Shrewabury, Jonathan's qyes were not large enough~ to I charms of Miss Clarissa. survey at one glance, the multip ied It had come to that affecting point in the conversation, when Mrs Shrewsbury showed Mr Ilammersley a daguerreotype of her husband, a display which California widows might well dispense with, for if the husband is found to be ugly, it only adds 8trongth to the ambitious hopes of the widow's admirers. Of course Ned Hammereley remarked what a good-looking man her husband was, although he could find no authority for the 8tate. meat in the picture itself. Mr Augustus Shrewsbury had a large hooked nose, which had some similarity with an elephant's tusk, and goggle eyes, which, if they could hayc revolved i~ the pi9tnre, would have given him a more natural appearance. Ned thought4 to himself what an ugly looking mortal 'this fellow is, and wondered ho~ 'he had ~aptivated the heart of the engaging Mrs Shrewebtiry.. "The oonvqrsation was on various 'a~bjects, and very entertaining. page: 42-43[View Page 42-43] 1~AT1A~ OWBT~OK N SEARCh OF A. Wf~E. Jonathan was intent On Mie~ Olari~sa~ di&~itation 6n the art of dta~w5ng, and ~her~*n.prdfioieney in it. She had *rniiietous speoi~ zVi~ris upstai.~s~ whiohehe Would like to shoW Mr Oldbuok, but she would avail he~lf ~f another opportunity to do so, as she supposed (at the ~ame xtir~ie looking ~t the mother) that they Would ~ee a a good deal of his t~on1pany. Jonathaii *~e ~no~ eloqueht than usual; he Was generally a man of few worde, but the~ W~r~ odc~sioas Whieh would bring out his native ~bwers ~fthnu~ght,~and this was one 6f'thenm. His proximity to MiS~ Olaries~ had ~n electrifyiu~ influeri~, for it gate him a ehook which ~.w~ak~ned all the ~e'e~linr ~b~6y~anoy of' his dispo~ition. There was ~no ti~1 ~sent~ ~for Ned ~s e~ro~d in his ~ttt~ntibn~s to 'the widttw, ~id ~lt Is ~r~irisir~g ht~w tiitu~h ~ ~iim~p~ly 6f ~. young lady's 4eTn~&tiy'teWda te ~ive nfid~Aoe4~i a 'lo~r's o~ip~ity to please, itw~s ~p 'ohIii~tni~rds ~ten '&'blo~k, and The ~is~tors j*~r~ beginning to apologise for trespassing too long, &c., whelm '~f~ A~xgustns Sha'eNvwbuw3t rerna.tk~d, that £th~r ~iIu~t ~t k~v&*itho~ut hearing ~ha~ her "dear4na "'u et&to h~ ib6lit4~i~ ed~neeiu Oalitiwnia. Ned H mn~ei~s1ey, ~rho 'had ~a mar~tied ~i~ter 'in Sa~ Fa~cisao, expressed his delight ~at~heaiing something ~botit it, and Jbrtathau (lbeking ~at~XissOla~issa to ~e hdW ~he #~uld ~&ke it,) eaid lie' h~i4~rne 'itite~mtions bin eif~ef~&hi~t~atlng to OA~1if6l~xht. M*8 ~hte~sbiiry beg~mv: "SONORA Dia~ee, 2Wa~8d, 1~5~'. ~ Ds~v.~s? At~eat~A- irornst~nces, mi~lm it ~W~tltd be tedleus to rnentio~~ ha~re i~itherto pre~vebtod kne fr6tfr~ritihg ~%rdu, but you mtistnotattribrite my lorig~ilenoe to any Want 4~f&~Thdti6u ~orAhe ~4fe ~f~rn~v ~ ~H~re rs~Aawuatt~s ShreWsbU~y hea~dd a ~deep ~igh~) Ever ~hxce I left 'yoi~m I ha~re beeh in a ~tate' nf the greatest misery at the necessity which compels ~ne to bdrsepar&t~l' from one whose fate~ is intejWovemrwith the 'very strings ~of thy heart. 'I loveyon With an inltenelty"-.(here Mr~ Augu~tns ShreWs. busai&thispai~t refers to private ~att~i~s, which, perhaps, "'O-u~"~ w~it~ldn'tJike herto r~eadan& she turned over about two '~agesGf~ closely written matter, 'which, if they oo~tained nothing but~profos. sions' of love, Mr Augi.lstus Shrewebury m~iet have' had an ~exuber. ano& of ~the fe~ling~. ~She continued: "'You Would be srpri~&d'at. all the diffleulties' I have 'e~perienoed since I have taken np'my resi~ deuce in Califerniu. TI~is is a proper plaee'to study mnen~s character; there arc peeplo froi~ all parts of the world, driven here froith the n~. cossities they felt at horthe, to endeavor to renovate their tte~ed fortunes, but' there are eom~, I believe, wbe have n44~er ~had an$r1to repair. 'A~inngst' these I '~rould ruentAon the'c~se of ~kt'1~e& i~lki'# who lately emigrated twin 'Illinois.' He told, ~ne 'th~t: h~ b~l~kmge~i to a family of groat political influence in that section ~f the oow~try~. that he married six years ago, and that every year his wife w~s sur~ to bring forth a fat chubbylittle baby~ to increase his diffioultiesofliy, ing. His friends, procured him the place of postmaster ir~, a.counti~y' town in Illinois, but when he had been in the office fo~ abo~ tb.m~e~ months, he found the inhabitants were compose4 chiefly of French. Canadians, who could neither read nor write. Qf purse the W~ little correspondence, and had it not been for the anniia.l stip~4 fron~ the department, he would not have been able to live. As itwa he had left his wife with one hundred dollars a year to sppp~rt har..1 self and sb~ children, az~d he himself had driven an ox team ac~rc~z the plains ~o work his way out to the land of promise, The ps~or fellow had not been successful in gold-digging, a~d he told me he hs4 met with nothing but disappointments since he had bee~ here. ~ instance, he was at work for some time on a spot whic~i was Ukely~' to yield him a good return, when one night his piok-~e s~d shoyeJ~ rocker, tin pans, and. everything were taken away, leavii~g his' rigi~~ to the ground which he had "prospected" in dispute, for' the follow& ing morning he found men busy at work on his ow'n property. Here it is not as it is elsewhere, the laws of meum and tuum' are not much respected, and whoever is strongest has the kqst. rigI~t. On another occasion his hopes were doomed to bitter ~pj~pintmez~ he had been working for three weeks among8t the rooks, iii 5Oa~ql~~ of a rich vein, and it turned out to be-(here Mrs Augnstn~ ~hre'~-.~ bury couldn't make out the writing very well), and 3oziath~n adde~2 "all blubber," I suppose. "Really," said Ned Hammersley, "you must excuse my friend here, for he has a vary singular mode of expressing himself, (at the same time giving a glance to Jonathan which he did not at all like 'he has learnt some nautical expressions which are not very polite." Mrs Shrewsbury continued, and it turned out to be all "moon- ~shine." " Now Hamrnersley," said Jonathan, "I don't see much differ- ence between o~.e and the other, and you need not hav~ interrupt. ed the lady." Ned rejoined) "it was you who perplexed her." "It was you," said Jonathan, and Mrs Shrewsbury intervened by begging of them to 'let her finish the reading of the letter. The widow continued, "'I have heard other instances of bitter and cruel disappointments, but' so far I have met with none myself, and hope to return in two or three years, my beloved, (here Mrs Augustus Shrewsbury heaved another deep sigh, which seemed to come up from the very profundity of her bosom) and spend the re. mainder of my life with you. I send you a draft in this lette~ for two hundred dollars, the fruits of severe toil and mueh hardship. (herp Mrs Augustus Shtewsbury raised her pocket handkerchief to her eyes, and ~with an ejaculation 'peor fellow!' continued,) here page: 44-45[View Page 44-45] 44 JONATHAN OLDBTJCK tre to be seen lawyers turned into laborers, doctors into drivers,. parsons into ploughmen, and a complete metamorphosis of all trades,. ooeu~ations and piofessions. It is surprising to what shifts ~nen. will turn, when they are driven to necessity. I saw Mr B.-.., the town clerk of S.-..-., peeling potatoes the other day, having been transformed during his sojourn in this land of promise, from a clerk into a cook. The only want we experience in this country is that of woman, '.happy woman,' for I can assure you the cooking is horrible, and we experience much trouble on that account. Were you here, I think I could enjoy a pate de fois gras, or a fat leg of * mutton." (Here Ned Hammersley looked at Jonathan Old buck, and both. looked at Mrs Shrewsbury, who was so intent on her husband's letter, that she did not notice them.) The widow proceeded with other matters in Mr Augustus ~hrews~ bury's letter, which were not of very great interest, but she read it to the end, which was concluded in these affectionate terms "Your faithful husband, till death, A. SHREWSBURY." Time had waxed on with the reading of this letter, and it was past eleven o'clock, when Ned' Harnmersley having given a rather tight squeeze of the hand to Mrs~ Shrewsbury, and Jonathan having, ?olled about his eyes to some advantage with Miss Clarissa, the 'vi~itor~ left, promising to return at an early d~y. TN SEARCH OF A WIFE. 0' CIIAPTER VI. AFFECTING FAREWELL TO TIlE CALIFORNIA WIDOW AND HER DAUGHTER- VISIT TO CINCINNATI-NEGRO CELEJ3RATION OF EMANCIPATION IN TER WEST INDIE5-INCIDENT5~ &O. / THE agreeable relations subsisting between the Shrewsbury's and their new friends had continued for aboiit ten days, during which time Jonathan Oldbuck and his friend Ned Hammersicy had reaped rich rewards from the overflowing gratitude of the gay widow and her daughter for the small favors which their friends had conferred on them, such as bringing them to the Bowery and the An1phitheatr~, slight donations, &c., when Mr Oldbuck with a face elongated as long as his arm, and Ned Hammersley with a sigh, which he could Dot repress, announced to them their intention of proceeding for a few days to Cincinnati on business, which required their immediate attention. They would not be long absent, f~r matters of importance would necessitate their return to the city by the beginning of the following week.. They had come for the purpose of bidding Mrs Shrewsbury' and her (laughter adieu, and when they made the an~ nouncement, all wore sorrowful countenances, but Mrs Shrewsbury'~ was the saddest of all. Her face was generally remarkable for' a. slight pallor, but on this occasion when she heard the sad news, it became so pale, that Ned Hammersley almost pitied her distress. "And will you be so long away ?" asked the gay widow, "bo& Olarissa and myself will miss you very much. I never shall forget, indeed I sha'nt, 'that delightful walk we took the other night, whem Clarissa. and Mr Oldbuck left us to go to the saloon.~~ "Why did you remain so long, Olarissa'? You were away at least an hour." Olarissa, said, "that Mr Oldbuck persuaded her to go into an io~-~ cream saloon, where they remained for a short time, that she didn't like to do so, but as Mr Oldbuck told her, that her mother was in good hands, she finally consented." "I never enjoyed myself so much in my life," said Mrs ~hriwa..- bury, 'giving rather an interesting look to her friend Ned Ham- mersley, and he looking as innocent as a lamb. Clarissa observed, "we spent our time very pleasantly, also, Mr 'Oldbuok was prolific in his generosity, he gave me a cornz4.copia, * page: 46-49[View Page 46-49] lN$EA.R(~H OF 4 WWE. 49 ~4O JONATHAN OLDBTJCK hUed with the choicest lion bons and mottoes, and I have been amus. nag myself for the last few days in reading them, and trying to find. out their meaning. Some of them are very ambiguous, indeed; and I think our poets might apply their wits to better purposes than writing such trash." Ol~rissa was rather nettled, which Mr JonathanOldbuck, her admirer, did not fail to observe, and he began muttering an apology for having given them to her. His face became as red' as fire; and in his excitement his spectacles were nearly falling off his nose. "Indeed," said he, "of course you cannot belieVe I knew what 7was on the mottoes, or otherwise I should certainly not have 9ffeflded my fair Clarissa's delicate taste by giving them to her." "I perfectly excuse you," said Clarissa, at the same tim~bLush- ing up to her eyes. After a rather protracted interview, the gentlemen got up to leave, t~ed Hammersley hanging most lovingly over the fair Angelina, and Jonathan Oldbuok looking most desperately into Clarissa's black eyes. They were loathe to part, but at length they tore themselves away, after heaving a bushel of sighs, and promising not to forget each other during their absence. The door had been shut for a few moments, when Mrs Shrews bury forgot something, which she ought to have said to Mr Ham mersicy, and the latter having heard the door open, went back to see \her. Whilst he was in the hall, she whispered something in his ear, as he held his arm half-way round her waist, ~nd they then separated. Railway travelling affords sufficient time for thought and reflec.~ tion, in fact, one's thoughts are often the only companions one has on a long journey. Ned Hammersley reviewed the scenes of the last few days, he thought of the folly of men in leaving their wives for so long a period, and of the frailty of women, and attributed the numerouss divorces and elopements, whioh had come to his knowl- adge to one cause or t~ie other, or perhaps to both. He thought, however, that men were most to blame, for knowing how weak and fragile is the female sex, generally, they require some support from ~ husbands or lovers. The human frame is weak, but human passion is strong, and the / tenement, which holds it, is like a boiling cauldron, which, when too much fire is applied, it runs the risk of ~being totally consumed. Woman's heart is indeed like a sapling, full of strength and elasticity, but liable to be broken by the slightest gale of adversity. It is a wonder then, that men can be .~sp cruel as to leave their ~ives for so long a~ time, pining away in that state of desolation they see around them, after having enjoyed the tender care of loving husbands. As for Mrs Shrewsbury, thought '~ed Harnmersley, she was a pattern of virtue and morality. I4~ is true, she was at that time of life, when passion was about to ebb :rat~.er than flow, but she still had a few nwre yeara loft to her, in which she. could indulge in the infirmities~ of her nature. What an ~eye, thought Ned, it sparkled, like a flame from the purest ant/ira. cite, and kindled emotions, which it was hard to repres.~ It is well I lett~ said he to himself, or IL might have been the very innocent means of severing a marriage knot, which I believe was once tied pretty closely; but which had become rather loose of late by the long absence of her husband. Jonathan Oldbuck's thoughts were directed in another channel, the course of his true love had run smooth enough, as long as ho indulged Miss Clarissa with tickets to the theatre or chocolate bon bons. This was the summum bonumm of her fond desires, and whilst his generosity lasted, she had no objection to lavish a few small favors on him, but whether she ever entertained any serious thoughts of a closer connexion than that of friendship, time alone could tell. Herattenti~ns to Mr Oldbuck were not, however, with- out their effect on his ,m~ind. He fancied she was extremely devoted to him, and conned over, whilst, he was in the rail ears, the many trifling indications she had shown of her love and regard for him. Mr Oldbudk was a man of inordinate vanity, he thought his ap.. pearance betokened a person, who would not have to wait long, whilst knocking for admission into a fair lady's heart. In his own opinion, his charms were irresistible, and he attributed his forrAer failures more to the want of appreciation amongst the fair sex, than t~ any defect of his own. For the future, said he to himself, I shall not wait to batter down the out-works, but shall storm the citadel itself. At the first shock it must yield before the power which is brought to bear against it. "Clarissa. Oh! the charming Clarissa, on my return from C~za- ~cinnati, I shall take you to my arms, and we shall live to happily !". getherso Such were his vain imaginings; he had again erected a castle in. the air, in which his fair Clarissa was to be the guardian angel, and he wpuld make the proposition to her as soon as he returned to the city. The travellers indulged in these fond aspirations, which served to while away the time on their journey, but the shades of night having intervened, they fell into a quiet repose, until the arrival of the cars in the Queen City. On the following morning, they found themselves comfortably ~setthid at the "Burnet," where they regaled themselves for.a few days on the choice fare which "min6 host," set before ihem. It was approaching the first of August, tI&e anniversary of that day, on which the sons of Africa were set free in the West India Islands, and their bretkren in Cincinnati were to keep up a jubilee on the occtision with more than usual sp~rit. The Programme had been published, a few day~s before. The page: 50-51[View Page 50-51] JONATHAN OLDBOCK procession was to move ~from the corner of Broadway and sixth, which was in the proximity of the quarter, inhabited by the colored race. Great were the doings on this memorable occasion, Dinah put era her neatest apron and most gaudy shawl, whilst the black barber of Race Street polished his boots to make them appear as shining as his face. The pinch-beck watch chain had been washed ~with soap, until it almost shined like gold, and CujJee looked as if he cot~Id enchant all the fair! ladies he met with, and point his arrows at their hearts. Fred Douglass was 'spected, to make a speech, 4~hich would astonish the whites. "Dinah," said Cuft'ee, "the words tumble out of his mouth like 'hot buck-wheat cakes out of Aunt Sally's pan, he's a regular rolling mill, he never tires,' and he goes on and on, until he has nothing more left." "Ah !" said Dinah, "you're only joking, sure the great 'Postle of Liberty and Champion of the Colored people's rights' stops te take breath, he can't speak for ever without taking time to think." "Now, Dinah, dear, I tell you what, he speaks first, and thinks arter'wards, he's' an ,extraordinary fellerr, and you'll open your eyes when you sees him." "Now, Cuffee, you don't say so," and Dinah went &way to tell Betsy what she had heard. This was pretty much the substance of what was said amongst the dense masses of the coal-colored gentry of Cincinnati on jubilee day. At length three or four carriages arrived, conveying the choicest specimens of black humanity to the starting point of the 'procession, but on looking through the windows of the vehicles, Jonathan observed several lighter shades of the "human form divine," he stopped to gaze, and wondered if that nice young lady, ~with her long flowing black curls, and delicate complexion wa~s going to the feast, in company with that black man. Ned said, "be quiet, Oldbuck; it may be his wife or daughter, and if the niggers overhear you, they may be offended." "Hammersley," said Jonathan, "I don't want to be humbugged,; and I tell you what, that girl is a white girl, and she has no right to be seated alongside of that big black Aigger." "Hold your tongue, Jonathan, or, I'll leave you; the colored raoe are not more sensitive on any point than on that of their color, and they don't like to be called niggers, I can assure you. If you oorne with me to the"' meeting which is only a couple of miles frora~ the city, I'll show you a sight which you never before have wit- nesseci. That girl'in the carriage is not a white girl, she has Africau blood in her, but the streani has poured through so many channels since it left its fountain, that it has assumed another color on the- passage." Carriages continued to arrive, bands of music played swe.t- s~ielodies, flags were flying, and corps of black "United Ameri-~ N SEARCH OF A WIFE. cans," with no other contrast but the white aprons they wore, joined in the procession. It was quite an animated scene, and the city seemed fer the day to be so much given up to the blacks, that one might have thought he, was sojourning in the dominions of King Faustin, rather than under the mild sway of President Fillmore. "This is a great sight," said Jonathan. "Yes," said Ned; ~" and I am glad to see it, for in this land of~ liberty, men of all classes, creeds, and colors, should enjoy'the most perfect equality, and although I do not believe that the negro race are either socially or physically our equals, yet, in a political point of view, they have a fair claim to equal rights." "This is a topic, Ned, on which I don't like to speak, it had better be left alone. Let every man mind his own business, and not attend to that of others, the world would jog on a little smoother." Oldbuck and Hammersley took the cars which brought them to the place of meeting. It was situated on a rising ground, from which there was a full view of the Ohio; with the neatly decorated - tents, from which flags were flying, the martial music which was heard, and the gay dresses of the colored ladies, who were there in numbers, it was an enlivening scene, and one which would remaiii impressed on the memory for some time. The locality which was selected, was agreeable in the extreme, the wildness of the scenery and the sylvan appearance of the green sward, on which the ladies were to dance, were in striking contrast with ~he view of th~ distant cupolas and church spires of the Queen City, and the gaily painted steamers, as they were stemtning their way down the Ohio. Everything betokened ~n afternoon and evening's amusement, and both Ned and Jona~than were delighted at the prospect. A stand had been erected for the speakers, and the motley group surrounded it in the anxious expectation of hearing the oratiox~s. It was a curious spectacle to ~c: There was the woolly-headed "nigger," who looked as if he had just made his escape from Africa, the mulatto, the quadroon, and the mustafina, they wete 6f all grades, shades, and tints, and it would have taken quite a c~rrn- noisseur in the varieties of the African race to have pronounced what class each belonged to. The "Postle of Liberty and Champion of the colored peoj~les~ rights," was not there, but there were other speakers from at home ~ and abroad,' there were freemen and bondsmen, and pretty little bondswomen too, who had obtained their masters' or mistress's leave to come and see the great spectacle on jubilee day. There was one in particular who struck Oldbuck's attention'frouL her great beauty. Her name was BelIb. Hall, and she came fror~ Covington, Kentucky. There were but few traces left of A~frioan origin in that girl; she had light hair and blue eyes, and her oem plexion yielded not in whiteness to P~rian marble; her figure was~ page: 52-53[View Page 52-53] IN ~WWfl OF ~A ~ JONATIIMf OLDIUOK as light ~d airy ~s a fawn,, and her vwaQity B4 rw11hKi4i~essjndi~ oated'that she' did not feel her eonditi9a as a slave. In answer to an inquiry, which Oldbuck rn&de. to one o.~ the -negroes, he heard that she was, the property of an old w~n~a~z in Kentueky,~who treated her with as much kindness as if she were 'ber child, and who, it was supposed, would give her her freedom; ~pnd leave her a large property at her death. * Jonathan bristled up like a. porcupine at the sight of so much loveliness in such an assembly, and it was with difficulty his friend, I{x1 Harnmersley, could restrain him from rendering homage on the spot to her, who might have been justly denominated the "Q..ueea of Be~u~ty" at the feast. He became quiet impetuous, and like a 1'nll.bloor.led steed, that wished to 'escape from, harness, tried to tear himself away from his friend Hammersley, and repair tp tue si4e' of the lovely slave. "Oldbuok, what are you about ?" said NecL "IDo you forget Clarissa, already ?" This name operated as a charm, or rather it hada p~ogative in- ~Iuenoe, over the min& of the ardent lover, which preventedhim 'from breaking his vows of constancy to the adorable ol~ject of his love,~the guardian angel in that sweet mansion in -~ street. U~e managed to control that overflowing passion which curdled his ~lopd, and kept him in a ~state of excitement during the whole of the evening, but he now and then, c9uld not restrain himself from castingg a. few sheeps' eyes in the direction where Bella. I{all was sitting, and watching 'her movements with anxiety. It was approaching towards sunset, and the scene became even more animated. Carriages continued to arrive, setting down some of the most fashionable scions of aristocracy in negrodom. Maria Seacoal and Harriet Ritchie, came in the same carriage with Peter 'L*room and 6~-eorge ~orgle, William Smart accompanied ]~etsy 'Palmer and Mary Ann TownsWind. All tha.t was lovely amongst 'the colored "gemmen" and ladies of the Qneen City, congregated *on the spot to celebrate the anniversary of the emancipation of their f~dlow 'countrymen in the British West India Islands. It was a cheeringg spectacle to behold, but the dance was the most amusing part of all. Mr Charles Price 'with his face shining like ivory-black, and his ouxly hair, which needed not the barber's tongs to pat it in order, but which derived additional lustre from a quantity of "Maoass4r" he had poured over it, was the type of his class on this occasion; he wore a black coat and pants, a richly variegated vest, in whi~h ~ora~ige and scarlet were the predominating colors, aud a scarf, which for originality and beauty, could not be surpassed, it had a rich fringe at both ends, which hung so gracefully over the vest, white 'kids and patent leather boots completed the costume, which must have made him quite captivating in the eyes of his sable corn- paililGuS. ~&r. Oltoales PrX4)O m~R8t have \beorl '~ thin rfl~ for j~ hl~ ant~iety t~impro~! his figure, he {had d~awn larg~i~ from the cotkrn /~eId8 tostuff fhis ~ it bulged, ou~t to such dimexisions, that~ it msd~ his~legs i~uk lik~ spiudle~, and he was sltogeth~r the be4~U~ ideal and personification of all that was fashionable in negi~-. cracy. Su~annah Leake did knot yield in point of female attractions to' any of her sex. What Charles Price was amongst the men, sh~ was amongst the w~men. When she alighted from her carriage all eyes were set upon her; she wore a light blue muslin, with a pro... fusion of jewelry, part of which she concealed by a rich lace scarf,, her hair was tastefully arranged with blue rosettes, which afforded a pleasing contrast with the jet black wool that was separated neatly over the forehead, and brushed back so smoothly that one could hardly distinguish the curls! She wore short sleeves, and her dress was low..neoked, displaying the admirable symmetry of a~ fine pair of shoulders and large fat arms. She put on all the aira imaginable, and carrying a colored paper fan in her hand, almost as large as a windsail, she never appeared more graceful or lovely in the eyes of 'her admirers. There was the usual quantity of stout "niggers" and f&t )~urly negresses, making up the crowd, and adding variety to the scene The ladies were seated on rows of long benche~, which were pro~ vided for the occasion, and when the band struck up the enlivening air of a cotillion, it was an amusing sight to see Mr Sam Mar- shall soliciting the hand of Miss Susan Crow in the dance. It was; still more amusing to see them dance. Jonathan envied Mr Charles Price as he gracefully bent over the pretty Bella Hall, and brought her to her position in the cotillion,. he said- "Ned, I should like to be in that nigger's place, and I shall asIc her to dance the next cotillion with me." "IDo you want to disgrace yourself?" said Ned. "Why, if if were known in New York, the very boys would cry out, 'that man, Oidbuok, danced with, a nigger,' and you would be shunned and despised by all respectable society. Even Clarissa wouldn't speak to you again, and then what would you do ?" "Let us go away, then," said Oldbuck, for I don't like to see that beautiful girl handled about so rudely by those rough-looking- uiggers.~~ "Indeed I shan't," said Ned; "are you such a fool that yon can't remain here' as a quiet spectator, and see what is going on, without wishing to out up your capers and dance with the niggers ?" Mr Oldbuck did not approve of his friend Hammersley's philoso-. pity, and seemed' to be in a state of doubt during the remainder or the evening. His was a very susceptible nature, it was like wat page: 54-55[View Page 54-55] [I1~ BIIAROII OF A WIFE. §5 3~ONATHAN OLDBUOK '#hich receives the slightest impression, but remains ineffaceable. When once he had been any object that attracted his attention, par- tioularly if it were in the guise~of a lovely female, he became so headstrong, that it was all hiE friends could do to prevent him from making himself ridiculous. Ned Hammersley finding at' last that if he tarried any longer, Jonathan Oldbuck could not restrain the effects of jealousy at be- holding Charles Price's attentions to Bella Hall, get into a carriage OHM 'rER VII. and returned to the Burnet House. IONATHAN OLDBIYCR~5 RETURN TO NEW YORK-IWRS 5HREW5BURY~ CLARISSA~S tOY AT SEEING THEIR OLD FR'IEND5-RAPS OF TUE 51 BUT A HARDER RAP PROK OLARIS5A-MR OLDBUOK~5 DI5OO~1ffl THEY remained a few days in Cincinnati, during which n interesting occurred, and becoming cnnuye of the dullness Queen City, they went to the rail-road station where the h and snorting locomotive was ready to whirl them along to abode. In thirty-six hours they found themselves within b distance of the objects of their love; and having arranged toilets, they hastened to make known their arrival to Mrs S~ bury and her daughter. Lovers take precedence of parent other relations, and neither Old buck nor Hammersley suffered filial duties to interfere with their feelings for the objects ol affection. Leaving their valises in a place of safety, they got into a - street stage, and were leisurely driven up Broadway. 01 seemed impatient, and cried out once or twice to the dri increase the spe&vJ of hisr horses, but the louder he cried the ~ he went, and it was some time before they reached the p0 their destination. Hastily alighting from the omnibus,~ and e forgetting to pay the man his fare, they wore wrapt up in at at the effect their arrival would have on Mrs Shrewsbury an daughter. When their names were ani~ouncod at the door, light foo were heard hurriedly going upstairs, and Jonathan and his were ushered into the parlor, where the4y waited for some before the ladies made their appearance. The fair Angelina came into the room exuberant of jo~ felicity at the unexpected arrival of her old friends. To Mr Oldbnck she gave her haiid and hastily withdrew i to N~d Hammersley her greeting was all that could be dE He k~Pt )iold of her hand for at least fiv0 minutes, and if the were the windows of the soul, as they are sometimes said they looked into each other&, until they actually sparkled brilliancy5 Mrs Slzrewsbury said that she was really de1i~rhted to we 5 AND 'IRIT5~ ~URE. - )thing f the missing their .ailin~g their Lrews- s and their ~ their dbuck ver to dower mt of Almost txiety d her steps friend time and t, but ~sired5 eyes to be, with loom. page: 56-57[View Page 56-57] 6s JO~ATHAN OLDBTJ~K IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. 57 him back, he had been so long away! in fact the hours appeared so~ tedious to her during his absence, that she really did not know what to do. As f& Clarissa, looking at Mr Oldbnck, I can assure you she missed all the concerts and theatres you took her to, and she. says she has not had a stick of candy! since you left. Clarissa came into the room to speak for herself, and if Mrs Shrewsbury's joy was excessive at meeting with Mr Harnmersley,. Mr 'Oldbuok's was equally immoderate at seeing the fair Clarissa. An hour passed off very agreeably between the re-united party, and nothing would have occurred to mar Mr *Oidbuck's pleasure on the~ occasion, but an allusion~, which his friend. Ned indiscreetly made, to "the love adyent~re at the jubilee. Clarissa was 'inquisitive-her mother stared-and Jonathan blushed to th~ eyes; but Ned adroitly turned it off by a remark 'to die widow '~liich engrossed all her, attention, it was to the effect that i~ she ~ ~ot engaged that evening, he would have much. pleasure in coming roun~I, rnd he was sure his friend ~r Oldbuck, '~orild'join him.' Jonathan smiled assent whilst Mrs 'Slirewsbi~iry was saying she would be rejoiced at having theircompany. They left, promising to return at an early hour in thQ evening. Au absenc& 'from home Aengenders a variety of duties on the rep- t~rn. People like to see their old frien~ls, they must unpack th.~r ~14hes and' put them in order, talk over \what has occurred sinoe~ ~iey)left, and attend to many other things, all of which takes i~p' their time, and makes the hours pass~quIckIy enough. ~rs q~dh~i~k was delighted to se~ hei son, her Jonathan, her dai4idg boy V Why, h~. had i~p~ovcd so rn~ich ainee he had left~ he was handsomee~ 'than ever; really the girls would be delighted to-' s~eIiirn look 'so well and hearty. Jo~athanlo~~ked in the glass to see if his mother's antieipatione~ turned out ~orreot, and arranging his spectacles on his ncse, v~hich, frorn~ its be~ug so small and flat, were constantly in dan~ g~er~of ~urr~bIii~g o11 he stood admiring himself for' a few minutes~ Th~ mother pxppared the very best dinner she could get ready' f~'her son. 'I~aving part~ken of it, Jonathan went up otairstotake ai~stez after the fittigue of th~ journey. 'Whilst our hero is' snoring ~nost lustily after the great hardship~ he had ex erienced on the voyage, it will be necessary to notice' a change in Miss 01 carissa's feelings since his departure from the. city. It was' not a oh~nge in her love for Mr Oldbw*, for ~he never had any, b4tit 'was that very natural transition from the ~tate of An"' sipidity, in whioh young .Iadies are east when they havp',~ beah~c, to that when their young hearts begin .to .tlut~er wi~h the ~rst en~o~ tions of love. O.iariesa Shrewsbu~y, wa~j~.rst i~ that state.' V~ntwor~th escoi~ted her home from church last StmdayiI~i~~ ii~jy~app~c~,neat dress, ~ud e~b~e osatli~nb#4 Won insensilily on'~her h~art. 'she never spoke to her mother about; lt, but she worshipped his image secretly in her heart, and 'thought of him night and day. Ned Hammersley called at seven for his friend Oldbuck, and they both proceeded to street. On theii~ way there, Ned said that the "rappers" had arrived in town, and that he should' like to take Mrs Shrewsbury 'and her daughter to see, them. Mr Oldbuck agreed to the proposition; and a short time after their arrival at Mrs Shrewsbury's, the ladies were habited in 'theit bonnets and shawls to ~go 'and hear what the spirits had to say. In rather a large hail in -~- street, there was a "social circle" sitting round a black walnut table. The company consisted of three ladies and two gentlemen, there being but one medium, present, and she was a fe!nale, for it seems the spirits have a peculiar taste for com- inunicating with their friends through the gentler sex, ~ sort of moral infirmity in which they share with other mortals. To judge of the character of the audience from the outward signs of in- tellectuality they manifested, one would not have had a very high opinion of their mental attainments, but they made up in credulity what they lacked in judgrr.ient, for they were deeply intent on every demonstration of spiritual agency. Whether it~ was from Mr Oldbuck's grotesquee appearance, or from his close proximity to the medium, he was the first to attract her notice, and she asked him whether he had any relations or friends in the other world, with whom he desired to communi- cate? Jonathan replied that he had; but his frequent glances at the other side of the table, where Miss Olarissa was seated, in- dicated that he would ' sooner commune with~ beings below than above. The medium handc4 him a paper on which. he was to write seve- ral names, and amongst them the name of the relative with whom he desired to communicate. The spirit would intimate his readi- ness to hold a communication, by giving three raps wheir he carrie to the name of his relative, and but one for all the others. Jonathan began with pencil and paper in hand, and having passed over several names, which he marked, when he came to his father's, of course he showed a little trepidation, which th'e keen eye of the fair medium did not fail to observe, and the spirit gave three raps. Jonathan leapt from the table, an~d' in the height of his credulity, said, "she was the devil." He afterwards begged pardon fo~ the impolite expression he had used, but expressed his intention 'to examine the table. After a few exciamatiokis from some of th. young ladies, who were present, how wonderful it was, he pro- ceeded with the search. He found no hidden springs, nor arty crack or crevice to elucidate the mystery, for a mystery it was to' 'him, how that tall creature, who was called a medium, could know bi~ page: 58-59[View Page 58-59] )O~{ATHAN OLDBUOK. I -tfather's name. It was not without a little' compunction, that ha consented to seat himself again at the table, which having done, he was desired to say, whether he wished to hold any tdther coxnmu- v~iieation with the spirit?' "Mr Oldbuck was by no means a brave man, and his face rather blanched, as the thought flashed across his mind, that he was hold- ing communication with the spiritual world. He begged to be excused, and remarked, "that he seemed.to be taking up too much of the spirits' time, that there were other persons in the room, who might wish to communicate." They all said, "go on with ]~r Old buck," and in spite of his wishes to the eputrary, the spirit again ~found, him with pencil and paper in hand, ready to hold further Jutercourse. Mr Oldbnck expressed his wish, that the communicant ~in the ether. world should tell him in what relation he sto~kl towards .liim, where he died, and how he was, ~t present? Having, gone through the same process of writing, all the different '~degrees of relationship~ and several names of* cities and towns, the spirit 'was again to signify his assent to the truth, by giving the ~same number of raps as ho did ~on the first 'occasion. Jonathan proceeded boldly to the task, ahd when he came. to the ~word "father," three distinct raps were again heard~ On this ~cca. i~ionhe did not wait~ to, comrngnjcate any further with the spirit, ~J~nt expressed his determination to leave. 'He teaUy was alarmed! 'p~ud he stared with his large goggle eyes at Miss Clarissa, until she did not know what to make of him. ~Time passed on, whilst the spirits were holding communications ,with the other persons in the room, in some of which they gave ~qorrect answers to the questions,. that were put to them, ,a~rd ig others they did not, but they left a strong impression on the minds ~f all, that they were knowingg un's at least, and on none more so ,~than on Mr Jonathan Oldbuck, who' indulged, in several exelama- ,~tions of astonishment, "at the wonderful spirit of the age." As for his' friend Ned Hammersley, he was too much ~taken up with corporeal substances, to think a~ great deal about the spirit 'world,, and Clarissa was an~dous, to leave, as~ she thought Mr Old- ,buck might treat her to bon bons on his way home.~ ~The ev~iiug's walk to 'Mrs Shrewsbury's mansion jn - 4s~reet, and, the evening's entertainment after the visit' to the rappers passed off pretty much as the othe# occasion, on which they had the ladies to the theatre, and which had afforded Mrs ~hrewsbnry such exquisite pleasure. Both' Mr Oldbuck and Ham- ~nersley were assiduous in their attentions to the gay widow and'her ~daughter,, but the, former was the more 'so, for he had serious in- ,j~ntions~fproposing' for Clarissa's hand. They spent two or three bother evez1ings in;thoir corripany, when, Oldbuck thought it was time ~tq ,,h~ye. an ,~cks~r~issement on the subject wit~h, Mis~ Shrewsbury; ~ ~a4.~beqn, 1o~gor t~a~i us~at. in aet~te of, doi~t and uncertainty, J~N SEARCh 013' A WIFE. 45,tO the feeling ~she entertained towards him, he believed it wa~ love, but after the experience he had in suoh matters, he was resolved to be certain, and would not protract the period any longer to ob. an open avowal of her se~tir~iei~ts. So one afternoon he pro. ceedad to ~wr residence with the 4etermination of knowing his fate, and found Miss Clarissa alone. Her mother had gone out shopping,* and be ~ou~d n~t ~ve a n~ore ~'avor~ble opportunity. of the question. popping "Miss Clarissa, you cannot haye mistaken tha object of my fre- quent visits to ypu, t~iey were di~tated, I can assure you, by a feeiing~strpnger ',t1~an th~t of mere friendship. .1 have long since wished to c~ia~e my. i~iojle of living, and choose a partner for~ life My thoughts by day and drean~s by iuight shave be~n of you alone, and I have come to ask you if you will cnnsent Lo~ be my wife'?" 9Jar~s~ was.~t~ken by s~prise~. she, at;. fhst appeared serious, but ~ftrd~ btirst out ii to ,a lo~i4 ~lt of j~j~htor. Collecting her~. Reif, and fearful that she might offend a person, whom her mother rather liked, she said, "Mr Ql~u9k, I vo4e~s I W~s not prepared to receive~ the deelk. ~ti9n ,ypu haye just now made to me, .~or.arh ~1 xeid~ to give .yot~. ~n answer, until. ]~ 9onkcr With my mQtb.er. Fron~i'. her lips, you will hear ~hat~ tire my sentiments on the. subject, and if you will have the goodness to call this evening, you will get your answer." "If it be your 1p~eaeure,~Iiss~Olarissa, that I. ~hould speak to your ,m4er 9fl the subject, I shall certainly, do so. Perhaps I 'may' have bee~i1 in, the~w*~g by addressing you first, before making known. niy intentions to your mother." 'QIt~s' just as well ~s it is,. ~r Qldbuck, I shall tell 'my mother as ~?948hOcofl~iOSifl. New, do, Olarissa, and pardon me for addressing you 50 fami.. liarly, say that you love me, and I shall live on hope." for it'd' d better live, pn something more substantial, Mr Ohibuok, the depends on my saying so at present, (laying a particular stress on last words~ I think you, are .likely to starve." "'Ah'~ do not say so, r~y dear, my lovely Clarissa, (at the same time throwing himself on his knees before her) I know you love me, ~ay but t~e word, ~and Isht4l be. the happiest of men." " $or the present, then, Mqldb~u.ok, I am afraid, you will be the rnqst, miserable. mother." can say nQ~hing xnore, until ~I speak to my "Let me know what youmean, 'by the present,' Miss Clarissa. Nothing that I cag do shall remain undone 'to ~merit your' esteem ~.and afThction~"' "Excuse me, if you please, Mr Oldbuck, 1 must go and see after the dinner," for the young girl was anxious to get away from her lover. I don't wish to detail you, at ~present, ~Miss, I shall page: 60-61[View Page 60-61] 60 JONATHAN OLDBTJCK return in the evening," and. saying so, he bid her adieu, and left. lie had hardly closed the door, when another loud peal of laughter rang through every room in the house. The mother shortly afterwards returned, and she had hardly time to take off her bonnet, before Clarissa came running into the parlor, and said:- ~' Mama, what do you think, that ugly old fellow, Oldbuck, has been here, frightening m~ out of my wits." "Why, what has he done, deat ?" "He threw himself on ibis knees, and wouldn't leave me, uni~il I said I loved him. I. couldn't say so, Mama, for I hate the ugly old x~nonster. What impertinence, indeed, I'm sure I've never given him any cause to believe thati love him." "You accepted his candies, dear." "I know I did'but I'm sorry for it now~ 0 dear me, I'm so happy,. I did not sit for my Daguerreotype 'for him, he wanted me so much to do so." "What answer did you give him, &larissa ?" I told him you would give him my answer, this evening, and you can tell him, for-me, that sooner than marry him, I would go to my grave. I shall not come into the room, should he call here a hundred times, and if I meet him in the street, I shall not speak to him." Anxious as Mrs Shr~wsbury may have been to provide a suitable match for her daughter, she knew too well those qualities in men, which inspire love, not to know, that Jonathan Oldbuok possessed none of them. In her eyes, he was 'repulsive for his surpassing t~gliness, and she could not- but believe, that Clarissa labored under the same impression. She did not wish to offend him, bu1~ she made up her mind to tell him once for all, that he could have no hopes in. that quarter. Mr Oldbuck called according to appointment in the evening, he found Mrs Shrewebury seated alone in the parlor. She relieved him from the necessity of making known the object of his visit, for lie bad hardly been ~eated a few moments on 'the sofa alongside of her,.. when she said "Mr Oldbuck, I heard from my daughter, that during my absence' this afternoon, you had solicited her ~nd in marriage, and she very properly referred you to me. Being~ her natural guardian, I think you might at first have expressed your intentions to me, before speaking with her on such a delicate subject." Mrs Shrewsbury was rather offended at his oversight, and she took good care to let him know, that she knew more ox~ the subject than he did. She had said nothing yet to raise or crush his hopes, so Mr Oldbuck remarked "Pardon me, madam, for having been guilty of an error, in not telling you first how deeply I live your daughter; I perfectly adore- IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. her, and she says you are to seal my happiness or misery now and forever." "I have no doubt, Mr Oldbuck, that it is a cruel alternative, but having conferred with my daughter on the subject, I will give you her answer, 'It is that she cannot marry you.'" Poor Jonathan Oldbuck's face relaxed in its rotundity, it oeoame so elongated, that it seemed as if it had gone through a rolling-mill, and s~ deep was his emotion, that he could hardly call up sufficient presence of mind to ask Mrs Shre~vsbury, what was the reason? At length he did so, begging of her at the same time to be candid and conceal nothing from him. The mother assured him, "that she never practiced any evasion4, but she would prefer his not pressing the question~" "Pray tell me, Oh, do, I am prepared for the worst, but if by any act of devotion during the remainder of my life, I could gain your daughter's love, I would willingly perform it." "It's impossible Mr Oldbuck, no act of yours could remove the impediment, which nature has thrown in the way." "What is it, do for heaven's sake tell me She whispered gently into his ear, you're too ugly." Poor Jonathan Oldbuck took his hat and left the house. Clarissa missed the cawfics, but it was the only loss she sustained. from Mr Oldbuck's absence. As for Ned Hammersley he paid visits occasionally at the house, and took long walks with Mrs Shrews. bury. She received no more letters from her husband, and wondered why he did not write to her. Towards spring, she pleaded indispo- sition, as an excuse for going to the country, leaving Clarissa in. charge of the house during her absence. On her return, she looked thinner than when she left, and her delicate state of health was the source of anxious solicitude to her daughter,, who wished to call in. a medical attendatit, a step, to which the mother was decidedly op- posed. Hammer~ley was unremitting in his attentions, and the " California widow" seemed to appreciate them as much as ever. I page: 62-63[View Page 62-63] ~O~A,~TflA~ OLD]3U0K I CHAPTER VIII. 3~RAVELLING A SOLACE FOR GRIEF-5EA-sI0K~ir~ AND ITS INOIPENTS.-. TUE "GRISETrEs" AND COUTURIERESS" OF FARIS-.NEEDy NEIGHBORS -~THE BEGfl~NING OF ANOTHER INTRIGUE-MARGUERITE GERBOIS. PARIs, the scene of intrigues, pleasures, and. love, the great whirl. pd&I 'which swallows up innocence and youth, virtue and integrity, and where Vic~ lies at the bottom, which is stirred up now and tlien to afford variety to the scene. The city of grisett~s and blondes, of princesses and duchesses, and where men have most opportunity of 'consulting their tash~s for "wine, wit, and Woman," it was decidedly th~ nib bUnk's at agreeable spot on~ earth to repair to, after Jonathan Old- numerous vexations' and disappointments on this side of the Water. A f~w months had elapsed since his last amours, during which time he had bcen devoting his leisure hours to the stndy of French, when one afternoon, after dinner, 'he expressed a wish to his mother to travel, to ~ee a' little of th~ world, which the latter readily agreed to, Saying that her dear departcd~husband had improved his mind so much by seeing so n~i'any countries', that ho had been from Noya- Zernbla to the Cape of'Good Rope, that he had danced with the Pin- landers, and Bi~n6ked pipes with the' CalVres, and 'thai his conversa- tion was so interesting, that he was' courted and admired by all who knew him. "Mama, why didn't you tell me so before? I'm sure that from having remained all my life in the little town of New Bedford, I've been denied many opportunities of improving my mind, and I think it's high time that I should L~egin to do so." "You're young yet, my boy; and your father did not begin to travel until he was older than you are." Jonathan appeared rather incredulous of what his mother had told him, particularly as he was turi~ing fifty years of age, so he resolved to set out on his journey without delay. His travelling appointments were soon arranged, and having engaged a berth in one of the .Uavre steamers, he bid adieu to his mother, not without feeling bitter regret at his separation from one who had always given him such good advice. IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. It was the first time that Jonathan had been at sea, and the weathe~ being rather tempestuous, he could not at first account for that peculiar sensation which he experienced; but the storm con. tinuing, he gave visible demonstration of what was the matter with him. He wa's sea'.sick, and such was the nature of the malady under which he labored, that the more he eat the more he found ho could not contain what he had eaten. "'Call the doctor! I'm dying, I tell you (I'm dying !" he cried out so lustily in the agony he experienced, that' the waiters looked on him with sheer pity, and whilst they were tellW~g him he would soon get better, he exclaimed, "I'm getting worse !~ Oh, my mother, my dear mother !" The storm lasted four days, and such was the shock to his sys. tem, which had not 'become enured to the incidents of a sea voyage, that he remained iu'bed during the rest of the passage. From Havre to Paris he was not long in making the journey~ and in less than three weeks after his departure from the empire city, he had taken lodgings in ~one of the numerous HoteiPgarnis hi the Faubourg Saint Jacques. Life in Paris has its pleasures and its sorrows; there is so much to attract the attention of a stranger as he is promenading along the Boulevards, or even the Citausee d'Antin, that time flies with the speed of an arrow. Whether, he studies human nature in the vicinity of the splendid mansions of the Faubourg Saint Antoine, or amongst the humbler dwellings of the 'Rue des Mathu#ins, at every step he takes he sees striking examples of wealth and poverty, and of virtue and vice. Human nature is the same every where, but in no place is it so much diversified as in the gay saloons and more humble places of resort of the bourgeoisie of 'Paris. We shall not follow our hero through all the adventures he ha~d in the gay capital, nor shall we stop to inquire how much he admired the ob- jects of 'art, which every where struck his attention, but it will be interesting, after the knowledge we have of his peculiar weakness in his relations with the fair sex; to see whether his visit to la belle France, contributed to give him that strength of mind which would render him more able to resist their temptations. Jonathan had learned a little French, but not sufficient to make himself acquainted with the art of conversation. He could parlor Prancais, and had gone pretty well through the past! and present! tense of the verb aimer (to love), but the future he had yet to learn; he could say, .Je vous ainze and J'ai aim6, but as for the future, wl~ether the word was too long for him to pronounce, or. he had not come to that part in the grammar, it's~ impossible to say, but he knew nothing about it. When strangers arrive in a foreign country, 'and are not ac- quainted with the language, the first words they find it useful t~ know ~re those by which they asks for their food, but with Jonatham page: 64-65[View Page 64-65] 64 JONATHAN OLDBUOK it ~was othei~wise, aud' h~ admired the perspicuity of the grammarian ~ taught his pupils to conjugate the word airner, asthe first lesson in the verbs. At the Hotel wh~re Mr. Oldbuok resided, there was a number of apartments occupied by bachelors and families, none of whom were blessed with a superabundance of the comforts of life.' They be- longed chiefly to the middle classes, who found it more economical to live in hired lodgings than in houses of their own. There was one family living on the same floor as Mr Oldbuck, rather reduced in circumstances; they evidently appeared to be more respeotabte than the persons who are usually found in a second- rate hotel in the .Faubourg Saint Jacques. One of the little boys belonging to the family, was in the habit of coming into Mr Old- buck's room to borrow severe[ things, i~ow a little sugar, then a little pepper, until Jonathan began to discover that his loans, though not extensive, were so often repeated, that they would add a con- ~iderable expense to his weekly ~bills. He began to remonstrate against his £travagance, and was ahnost' inclined to refuse the little fellow When he came again, but one afternoon he acci- dently met a young lady in the passage, who had just come out of 'his neighbor's toom, and this event, which might be so pregnant with consequences, whether for weal or woe to Mr Oldbuck. made / him alter his intentiOn. The next time the little gamin came into the room to ask if he had same fuel to spare for their fire, ~whioh was just going out, Jonathan loaded him with an armful; that would supply the family for a week. He began ~to interrogate the young messenger, but as his knowledge of French did not extend to the hard words in the language, he had to supply them with English, making such a jar- gon, that n~ one could understand him. "Fot~&s padez Anglais"-the little boy shook his head. "Vous .know la flUe in the chambre"-he nodded affirmatively this time. Jonathan took out a big 4ictionary, and in his desire to know the relationship of the young lady to his youthful mes~e~1ger, went through the whole category from mother down to second eunsins. He asked- "Est elle your mere, sceur, tante, cousin-germaine, or petite- ~ousine ?" The little boy did not understand him, so he ran oqt and brought his-father in ~to speak with the gentleman. The former was not more conversant with English than the latter was with French, so after seeing the difficulty in which he was placed, with that natural politeness, so characteristic of Frenchmen, he. bowed himself oi4 of the. room. The next day the little boy beckoned Mr. Oldbuck to follow him Auto his father's room, whete he was formally introduced to the i~{SEAUt~II OF A WIFE. 85 several members of the family, through the intervention of a young lady who was present, and understood a little English. The daughter of Oldbuok's neighbor was all smiles and cot rtesy when she understood that Jonathan intended to occupy the apartments some time longer, and therewas a general feeling of joy (lepieted on the countenances of all, when they heard that there was a likel~i- hood to have such a generous neighbor ne~ar them. As there were three Parisian belles in the room, and they were all more or less remarkable for beauty, Jonathan's heait was floating about on a sea of perplexity as to which he should choose. He wished much to have another flirtation, and as he had heard a great deal about intrigues and liaisons with ladies 9f the gay metropolis, he fancied he could trim his sails to such advantage, as to arrive at last at the goal of his aspirations. The fair interpreter was of great use to him, and as it was evi- dent from his limited knowledge of French,' he 'could not get along very well without her, he paid the most assiduous attention to' her. Miss Monmorand, for that was the young lady's name, who occupied apartments in Mr. Old buck's neighborhood, appeared rather jealous that Marguerite Gerbois should be more the object of his admiration than herself, and never 'regretted anything so much in her life, as her ignorance of the English language. The following dialogue took place between Mr. Oldbuck arid Miss Gerbois, in which the former's limited knowledge of' French, and the latter's imperfect acquaintance with English, ma~$e them use a phraseofogy, which was almost unintelligible to Englishmen or Frenchmen. "Ma chere, Miss," said Jonathan, "voulez vous assure Made- moiselle Mqnmorand, que ~e serai tres," (he hesitated, and could not remember the French word for "glad,") content de ~lui donner, all that she wanjs, no matter what it is. Xe serai always pret to serve young ladies who already began to understand him thoroughly, first chuckled, then la4hed out loud at Mr Oldbuek's devotion to Miss Monmorand; he did not understand what they meant, for whilst he thought that he had been offering them what his "hou~o and home" contained, they believed it was something tantamount to a declaration of love on his part. Miss Gerbois replied, "the family are very reconnoissant to you for all your politesse, and will be tres content a voue Jonathan smiled and bowed acquiescence, for he wished to culti- vate their acquaintance, in order to make himself more proficient in French. He said, "Mademoiselle Gerbois, will you tell Miss Lucie, that when she Wants some sucre (sugar) or some fen (fire) or anything else, that I shall tie most happy tres content to give it to her. I'll give her as much as she wants, indeLed I will," Jonathan Oldbuck's eyes spark- U 'I page: 66-67[View Page 66-67] '60 JONATHAN OI~DRTJCI~ li~' with d~ll~ht to see how' his gene~esity was appreciated, and I~ucie m~t quite understanding him, wh~ he should have se1e~ted ~tIi0se two art~icles in particular, as an exemplification of his good- ~ic~ss. The ladies smiled,'and Miss Ger~oia winked at Lucie, as much as say, that she had a very accommodating person for her neighbor. Jonathan went on, "VouleIa~ v~us, tell Mademoiselle Lucie, that I don't know how to speak French comme ii faut, and that I'm afraid she rpay not understand me very well." L~ieie, here said, "J'aimerai bien a cor/tprendre l'An8'lais,"' (I e1~ould like very much t& know English), but~ Jonathan who was an intentlistener, when he heard her pronounce the first person singular of thc future tense of the verb aimer (to' love), but which was not used in that sense here, thought Lucie said that she loved him very well. And he replied, "tell her, I am tres fier, (very proud) of the preference she shows me." Lucie agaii~ found his words incomprehensible, and when Miss Gerbois explained them to her, became rather indignant, that he should' 'be so explicit in his declarations before so many persons. The conversation was at length brought to an end., by the diffi.~ oulty which all seemed to experience to understand each other, but between Jonathan and Miss Gerbois, there arose quite an intimacy, and' as she and another young lady, who was with her were ahout leaving, Jonathan proposed to escort them home, an offer, which they willingly accepted. It was not far from the Faubourg Saint Jacques tQ the Rue de Ia .Poissardiere, where Miss Ge'rbois* resided, and' the time flew Jonathan was chatting and laughing with his lii the suburban parts of the City of Paris, there is a variety of lodging.houses,~which are occupied by poor families, whose means 4 not permit them to reside in more f~sIionable places. Twenty or ~ thirty separate *~stablisbxnents' are thus found in thesame dwelli~g. lPiuae, presenting a variety of the great human family, which ~frords much opportunity for observation to the student of character. %ry frequently y~u will find the atelier of the artist who. hopes to astonish the World with a cinefd'wuvre in painting, on the same floor 'with the rooms of a feuilletoniste, who is worrying his brains to produce a first-rate article for la Presse or la Patrie,, a demure Thbking old bachelor will occupy~ an apartment next to a gay little grnsette, and an old lady, who wishes to live in privacy will have heir rest disturbed by the singing or loud talking of her next door neighbors. There are doctors, lawyers, writers, poets, and painters, with a fair sprinkling of carpenters, joiners, and mecianios, all oc- ohpying the same flpor, and affording a complete conglomeration, of all' sorts of tastes, habits, feelings, and dispositions, it is quite a little IN $i~A'~H OP A Wi1~1~. & ~6rid in jtsel~, wh~e' ~.6h p1a~'liis'&~9ii pare wi'thchit thinidn~ 0f his neighbor. On the third ildor of4 6~i~' of the~ lbd~iAg.hoii~b~ in th~ Rub e~ la Poi.~sa~rdiere fived M~r~ii'drit~' ~erb'6is', akid her' fair eori~in, *h& gained theif liVelihb6~l' ~s~d ~ier~, or se'win~ gfrls; a~'d wh& o~- oupied the same apartlnients t6 e&in~mniizb' th~i~ niibans~. Into 'this abode was M~7 Oldbtick ushered, and h& w~~ surprised to find th&~. air of neatnidss Whicfrstr'uok'his att~nitibn~ The futhitr~re was but substantial, one~ a~attiiieii1 '~a~ occupied' as 'a' bedr~dm, '~iid~' the othei~ 'as a sWtiii~rb6m, ti~e W~fe' pi6tul~s 'ha2n~ing on the ~all~' and neat little pin-&u~hions lying on th'e table; there were saw' 4&' Colog~ze botti&s in profusion; a:ndi ptett~' little' China' ornamenit& the nianitle-picce and th~ boudoir. Everything seemed tobe arrall~ed~ so tasteh~dly, that Mr Oldbuck did' not kndw whioh'most t~ admire, the light' airy forxh~ of the pretty.lit~le grz~settes, or the general ap-' pea~ranO3 of Cdtnfort in the room. The former,, how~vor, pred&nI- nated, for Jonathan ,Oldbuck's susCeptible heart Was again lying pro~trate and' bleeding' at the feet of the pretty co~4uri~re. The fair Marguerite had completely captivated him, and hi~ whole ~ou1i ~aa' ab5o~bed in the admiration of list charnis. She had such deli- cat6 featu~e~ s~ch'~a small nCsC and Chin, such b'Cautiful blue ~ye$, and then her andes and pretty little feet we~C' s6~wC'll 'propo~tio~ied,~ that he th6uglit there was no better~ riiod~l, in Whieli ~he 6oUld have been east. Her 'conversation aiso Wa'~6 enterta~ihing; that h~e~ ~as enrapi~tired' With' th~' ~&w~iig girl.'~ The next apartment Was bccupied' by an old worhan, whom Mar- gi.~e~iW represented to Mr Oldbucli ~s her aunt, and he did ~rot at' fii~t'ni6t~ee, that thei~e Was a door' leading into the i~oom. HIe~ woiF. dered where. were the kitchen utensils a ' ~er 'things for ciilmnar~ pur~6sC.~, aiid soon found out, that the aunt' pr'esi'dCd over this depa~tnien~. J~oAath&n~ 'did not like the loCks df the old woman. He thdugM she w~as e~Css, and' as she sto&d s i'veyi'ng him from tbp to b~tto~ii, he took a dislike~ to' her, which tue did not eradicate.' From'hd~ app~arance, he was of opinion, that if she' stood in the rel~tiox~rip of a'uxit to'~~var4s' the young girls, they could not belong to a res~Cctable class Cf the community? but Jonathan was riot mti~Ali~ moved by- these e6nsider~tions, and' resolvCd to WOo' and wed' (if h&~ could) the pretty little seWing girl. 'He took his departure, promising to return again cii an 'early coca- sion, and not without looking well at the humble, mansion, in the Rue d~ Ia Poissardiere, that he might distinguish it again. Oh! love that confounds all. ranks and triumphs over every pro 'judice, that regards no distinction between the rich and t~e poor, but ~ visits the cottage and th~ palace alike, that shoots its arrows india. cniminat.ely, caring not whether the fatal shaft may strike the bosom of the unincess or the peasant, you never had a votary more persevering' page: 68-69[View Page 68-69] 08 JONATHAN OLDBUCK in his devotions at your shrine than Jor~athan Oldbnck, who wor. shipped'yon with a veneration, that; has never been equalled by any other mortal. His prayers were not propitious in the land of his birth, and he had travelIe~I far and wide, to see if he could make. any other offerings at the altar of tbi fickle god, but Ou~id appeared to be no friend of his, for he thwarted every effort to consummate )iis wishes. Whether in the humble mansion in street, or iu the still humbler apartments of the sewing girl, in the Rue de la .Z~nssardzere, there was an evil influence at work, that; foiled all hj~ plans, and counteracted all his efforts, to leap beyond the chasm, t1l~t separates the si ogle from the married state. He thought he w~s;doorned to disappointment, and was resolved to try once niore to change~ his condition. "I shall have one -more trial," said he, "and if I do not succeed, I shall return to America and live there in the quiet and seclusion of a bachelor's life. I shati trouble mysel( n~ longer about the fair sex, and aflow those who have neglected and spurned my offers, to live in ~he eonsciousrwss of the wrongs they' have done me, and regret how little they appreciated my per. BQnal charms." ~{e returned to his lodgings, where he found the little boy waiting at ~his dooi,. to asI~ him to lend his mother cinq francs, and she would return it to him the next morning. This request awakened Jonathan from the reveries of love and ~omance to the more sober realities of life, for he thought to him~ self, that his neighbors became more extravagant in their demands, and that Ahey were making heavy calls on his purse. The door was a~j~r, and the 8ight of Lucie made him come to a decision sooner than he would have done, for~he took out his purse and handed the boy a~ flyefranc piece. He, h~ad not been long in the room, when the little fellow again entered, and asked him for the loan of some vinegar. Jonathan in hi ~annoyance at their frequent requests, handed him the cruet- stai~id, and told him to take it with him~n, thinking by that means he w~u1d ~et rid of at least some of their importunities. He little thought, that~ his highly appreciated generosity would ozily add new zest to their desire to get all they could out of him, ~4 i~ was x~ot long before the fair Lucie herself came to the door as ~ lztzmble supplicant on his bounty and benevolence. IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. CHAPTER IX. TUE OE&BOIB FAMiLY-SU5PIOIOU5 LOOKING COUSINS-THE EXTRAVAGANZA OW OOURTsmP-REFLEOTIONS OF JONATHAN OLDBUOK ON THE 5TA~T1t OF XIS ~FINAN0E5-~-U(VOOATION TO MONEY. OLDBUCK dreamt all night about Mademoiselle Marguerite, her image was never out of his thoughts. On the following morning he went out ,a walking in the rue de la Poissardiere, he did not wi~h to call 'on :Miss aerbois so soon, too much precipitation, might appear ridiculous, but he would at all events walk in the same !street and breathe* the same air as she did, for there was at least. 'soifle satisfaction in that. The street was long, the houses were generally of four or flyer stories, and there wel'e but few porters, from whom he could mak~ inquiry as 1~o Mrs Gerbois' residence. He was at a lots to find it oju1~, for although he had taken notice of the house~ all the buildings. were so much alike, that he might easily mistake it. He stopped on the steps of a house and was about knocking for admission, when looking up to see if he was not wrong, an woman opened a window in the third story and threw out a ~ail-.' full of dust and rubbish, which falling on Jonathan, got. through~ his spectacles~and almost blinded him As for his clothes, they were ~ much bespattered With some~elimny substance, that he thought they~ were ruined, and was almost ashamed to walk through the str~ets. of Paris in that dirty condition. This is enough for to-day, thought 'Jonathan'; I ought to be more- careful, as to how I note the re~id~enoe of: my friends, however, I~ shall easily find it out to-morrow~ On the folloWing morningJiinatlian was more careful than usual his toilet, took his hat and cane and proceeded in the direction ci' the rue de la Poissardiere. He at length found the house, whe#e' the ladies lived, but did not rem$friber the panioular floor, on which~ -were their apartments. Oldbuck ascends a dark stair-case, and. decides on knocking at a door in the second 'story. An old woman in a short gown, who had ~it least four handker..- chiefs on her head, opened the door for Oldbuok, who asked her icr" .M'adame Geri.ois, that lives hero with her two nieoes. page: 70-71[View Page 70-71] 3ONATH4~? Q~P~3UOK "It's not here, Sir." Jonathan did not understand her very well, but he knew they lived in that house. "What do thiy do ?" asked the old woman. Jonathan seemed to understand her, for he made use of the word ~couturiere, which the old woman understood and beckoned with her hand that they lived up stairs. Jonathan. found out his mistake, for going up stairs he knocked at the door, which was opened by Marguerite herself. On enter~ ing he found a young manAhe~e, w~o was in conversation with the ~other cousin, and who seemed to regard Oldbuck's arrival as an inter- xtzpti~u ~vi~c~i ~eAid~pt~kp. ~ TsQpWTos~tqrpd his 9 4~ce,,f9r~~ho in~rod~w~d ,~r QW~uok in bo~4n~ s~y1e to the gentleman, who she told ~im~a~ a r9latipzi of.b~rs. ~Tpn~t4an soon perceived this, for the young man practiced familiarities with Ith 4~e~gi~l~, ~vhi~h~~ 14~e b~rr ~h 9~uWof~ery q~q~e~j~ of icj~pdr~d. ~4s ~e ~ni~p~d rgz~e~r4e qn th~e, cheek, ~r.O~dk~no~ er~4~d ~4s phru&e~s ,~id ~h~s 4i4g~z9e, ~in ~pi4t~ing 44s. j~r~s ~rou~nd ~he ~o~4l~ ~ l~i4io sewing girls ~q~t~d ~p~- ~tie~s,~ yv1~9h j~p ~o~4 4'~jp 14~eepse9d. r~rie~~oA~0 some affiliation between the girls and ~. y~uqgj,~n, ~y I~iF ~pJ~zpp ~l9Q~flflg ~ vitAl~ 4~ajr NS~d ;jh li~ey9s,: ~nd, ror~a ~s. ~ ~ ~ifj3e ~a ~fqfflqe~ iu;tl~rrny,;ai~4 81k8 replied that~ge4~ &~ 4l~*%bb~4i~s I~9r ~at ~ ~p ~ I tl~pp,~ f~ yQU £~ug~t P?~ ~npw ~all. al~q~t ,~your r~lfttipn,'~ .a94~k~e~ d ~4e4ja s~igl~ b~sh ~o g~.wri~es ~h~4i~d ji~p1~ ~ten~lto1 ~aIlay his ~pi9~ns aJ.ou~ js~e ~g~n~~ly si~pioioi~s,, e~id J~athan ~4d~not s{a~v~yr frqm ~44s~ .vagi~e 1~on~ght, tAaat he ~x*ight~ ~ea ~i~l~in~ad ~qf qla~o~n, ~~i9 ~p~rgw ite p9roeiv~ng, she 4ri9, to ~ass~ure Ijim, in the best way she coul4 ~that~her eker G~Qrges was ~ .~n~d& 1~s~ppearance, ~ ~d not rescmbl~ Georges either m~s ~ fep44~es, bLit 2~g~gt.~4e j~q~r~u4 ~ o~je~1q1~he~ 1~fm r~tie~n~ight lie :~&~tis~d ~ w*p r4hpr 9c~sins, and ~ha~~eh~4 ~ 4~ge ~ir~j~f e~14~s to~wlwm ~he woi4d13o~ Ji~ppy to ~fl1~qdMOe 4 ~ ~ wqp4erpd~ h~wA1; w~4h~t all. her r~l~ti9ns were ~tth- letic, full*sized los~a~d tl~at~.~ou~ ~ oalJ~d to ~ b pMev~ia$~q ~y: ii4~s~ might b~ tak~ for ~ii~j4~q~d ~c y~u4tth~at~he 1imight~ ~tf~4d4s fair 'fri.end~si.. IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. 11 Marguertte was very kind and considerate in her attentions to ~Mr Oldbnek, and entertained him for some time with the numeroi~s 'littIe~repartees, with which French girls are so familiar. All the time they were~ in conversation, the cousin, ~ho had last entered, appeared to be growing more impatient, and at length made a sign to Mr Oldbuck's belie, which she immediately understood. Beg- ging him to excuse her for a few moments, she followed Gustave (for that was his nam4 into the adjoining room, the door ~f which ~she closed. Jonathan did not know what to think about it, and went to the window, which looked out on the yard belonging to the building, with his mind in a state of perplexity, oven as to the oharaoter of the persons with whom he ld been thrown into communication; but his doubts we~re dispelled by what he k~ad been able to pick up' in French from L~cie about her friends, the Gerbois, and the frank open manner of the girls themselves. He was resolved, how- ever, to make further inquiries about their relatives, &o., and doubted not that all his apprehensions would be removed on that score, by what Lucre would tell him, he even ~reproached himself for entertaining suspicions which might be groundless, and thought ~at. la~st'~hat he had been doing injustice to the girls. )$I4rguerite remained a few minutes in, the ~ooai with ber cousin, and coming out, begged Mr Oldbuck to excuse her for hbr rude~ x~esa in having left him, at the sama time assuring himthat she had yery pre~i~ng b~isiziess to transact with Gust~ve, wh& was ~oiug to the ~oixntry in the morning. * The latter seemedto understand the impoi~t of v~at Marguerite was telling Mr. Oldbuok, 'for. he smiled' ajid put on sueh a pleasingair, that entirely conciliated him~ 'Th~e~two cousins left' together, and Jonathan was not ~at~ all 4i~pleased' that ho was alone with Marguerite and the other girL ilad Jonathan been left with Marguerite alone, he would no doubt' have trie~1 to practice a little familiarity also with' the girl, bu~ there is no saying, as his natural reserve and respect for, the' female I; sex wpuld forever prevent him from going beyond th~ bounds which courtesy prescribed. He never regretted anything so much 'in his life, that he' was not one of the cousins also, for the 'smack which ~e~rge.& had given to the pretty little grisette, still rang in his ears, and he could not forget it. He did! make an attempt to take h~J.dt of Marguerite's hand, to admire one of th9 rings she wore, hut having pressed it rather too tightly, she hastily withdrew it;' giving him at "the same time a look which h& did not much like. Pcox~ Jonathan ! the course of his true love never could ~riixt smooth, ~no matter how much carp he took to make it go through' a proper ~hi4nnel~ lie sighed ~and b~gan his protestations of love, but th~y seemed to fall heedless on the ears of the little gr~settc. 'It was~ only the beginning, however, and perseveraxic~ w~qmer.~ every qb~t~ol~, SQ Jonathan made~ ~ppO14ti~1ents, IQl1Oit0d~)RtOXVi8*S, and 1 page: 72-73[View Page 72-73] 12 JONATHAN OLDBUCK went on in his old way to the affections of his Parisian ac. quaintanee. He did not remain long after the cousins left, but~ promised ~to 'return on the following day with Lu.~ie, to take them a~ walking. In the 'meantime he would make further inquiries and ascertain all about them. 'On his return to his lodgings, he was not ~loncr in being thrown 'in communication with his neighbors, for scarcely an hour or tw& elapsed during the day, without they called to borrow something or other from their obliging friend. An opportunity soon presented itself, for Lucie came bounding into the room to ask for three centimes, which she knew Mr Oldbuck 'would readily 'give her, as their pr~yio~s demands had been for fr&ncs ' This put Jonathan in a g~1 humor, for their loans were becoming more moderate, and he took advantage of her being with him, to ask her eox~iething about her friends the Getbois. There was living on the same floor a young student, who had a smattering of English, and Lucie ran and asked him for his assistance,~ to come and 'tell her what Mr Oldbuck was saying to her. A pale thin young man soon made his appearance to act as translator for them. "Will you' tell Malemoiselle Lucie," said Jonathan, "that t want to"k~aow something about 'the Gerbois, who they are, and what. is their' f~niily ?" The young man told her, and she began their genealogy, which, for augbt he kn'ew~ 'might ~ve n'~ounted up to the Capets and * Oharletwiagnes ~of Prench history, for she mentioned several families, the~names ~f'whioh were'familiar to Jonathan, as being those of seve- ral of 4he leading' families of France~ - He had seen th~ names in' the newspapers 'and vas rather surprised ~to find that his new ac- quaintanoes were allied to such a noble stock. Entertaining, however, home srispioions 'of their legitimacy, he' pushed his in- cjniries ~ 'little further, and asked how they themselves stood in society? ' ' '~ Lucie replied! that they occupied an excellent position, and were courted and admired for' their rnann0rs and behavior. 'Jonathan appeared delighted a't the revelation, but not wishing to lose such a good ~pj~oriuoity of hearing more about them, he asked. *hat character the girls bore themselves? Lucie ask0d what he meant? Mr Oldbnck said that he wished to know if they bore good cha$~. actors, that is to say, if they were virtuous. Ltu~ie's ey~te inflamed like those of a perfect' virago, they seemed. as if they W~te leaping out 'of their sockets, her face became th~ color of crimson, and her wh9le frame assumed a most~ violent and agitated appearance. ~Tonatha~a~ked what's the'matter'? L.~cte replieddoes 'he '~ie~ri to insult me? does he think that. ~ IN SEARCH OF A V~IPE. ~sboiate with gids f bad character? He niust be bad himself et ho wouldn't be thitiking about such a ~thi~ig. Whether Jonathan was afraid that the claws df the angt~y~ Py Lhohess would soon be tcansfi*ecl to his eyes~ ~r of having gone too 'far, it is impossible to say, but he began a series of apologies, which was almost as long as Lucie's genealogy of the aerbois family. Recrimination ceased, as much on account of Lucie's inclinatida not to offend her generous friend, as from Jonathan's desire to stand well in her opinion. He expressed his regret for having thrown out' the slightest insinuation against the honor and high standing of the Gerbois.family, and almost begged of 'Lucie, on his knees, not t~ say a ~ord to them of what had occurred. Thus matters stood; an~1 Mr Oldbnck Was in a state of anxiety as to whether he 1i~d offefided his neighbors or not, until the& had renewed the agreeable relations subsisting between them, by asking him for the loan of' a~ little Wine, as one ~f the childreti had been t~ken ill. Jofathan gave them the bottle, at the satrte time doul5ting lii lziu rriind, whetherr wine was a 'good specific for '~hildreii,' but he would have willinglyy given thetn anything h~ had, to propitiate 'the frie~d~ of Ma~guerite Gerbois. On the following day he begged of Lucie to aec&np~ny h~n~ there, a~ he had promised them 'to go 'out a-walking, "which Luc~ readily agreed to, and taking but litt1~ tirr~e to put on her bonU~t and shawl, they proceeded in, the dir~tion of the Rice de ,i~ Pd~ss4rdiere. They found. the girls ~t home, bdt this ti~ie witk~ oi*t any cousins, and Oldbuck's counteitance beamed with joy~t receiving such a hearty welcome from the fair Marg4erite. '1k' th6n~ht hi~ hopes were almost realized, and from the &ff~ble 'n1~u~ net' in which ~he had received him, that it would n~t be long befo~' th6fr relations became so close, that he might pres~rrke on deo1ari~~' his intentions, and asking for her hand in marriage. Such a e6~i..' si.tThmation wds devoutly to be desired, and Jonathan lodked fdc.. wall With pleasure' to the moment when he could *in the pri~ which he had so long coveted, and take her to his artns. They went out and visited several t'e*taurants where they wei~'i' 3f ~eurse regaled at Mr Oldbuek's expqn~e, and he became so liberd in "his ~eutu~u~s,' that frightful inroads were being made o~ his piir~. This was nothing, however, to what followed, for Lnicie doolared' h* ~i~h 't~ ge a..shopping, and the party having entered ~ ~1r.~t.r~t ~a~tn~de modes, L~cie enqixired fdr some i'ibbons. Jonathaxi was 'most 'aesiduot~s in his attexiti~n~ to Marg~writ~ and having asked her, ho~ she liked a' rh~h ~W~er..silk 't#i&fte, ~tIki~' wa~ h~txgin~ 'on the Wall, she expr~ed her ait*iW~tinn of 'it' A*" such glowing terms, that~ Mr !Oldbijck ~&d&'~ b~itio~i~1~fr ~ ~ 'The~ *~n~a~i b~bii~d the '4ott~tet 'MVin~ ~6M~~&*l, ~Ll~~" ~to'~taiii' the articlee ~r ~the &fr iai'it~ '~f ~ page: 74-75[View Page 74-75] 74 JONATJIANOLDBTJGI(. asked twice as much for it~ as it was worth, and- the bargain was concluded by Mr Oldbuck's paying down thirty dollars for the first prq~ent he had given his belle. His generosity did not stop here, for~ somehow or other Lucie had forgotten her purse, an omission which Mr Oldbud would have fain attributed to accident, so of course, before liftcsrguerite and her cousin, he could not do other- wise than defray the bill, which amounted only to the small sum of seven dollars. The walk was concluded very much t6 the pleasure, and at the sa~ne time the annoyance of Jonathan Oldbuck, who was highly gratified at the marks of attention, which Margherite had shown h~ixi, but somewhat displeased at the suni of money he had spent. He was not a. man of, much means, and he was afraid that his. expenses were becoming so great, that he would have hardly enough money left to pay for his wedding, and bring his bride to America. This was a consideration, which he had almost overlooked, and when he returned to this lodgings, he begaa seriously to reflect on his extravagance. 1~ere was another difficulty, which he had never foreseen; on ~qr~nting overhis n~oney, he found he had only about two hundred and fifty dollars left, a sum, which he thought inadequate tQ~ Eis iuore~sed 9xpeIlses, on entering, the married state. He avuched forth into an outburst of passion at his reoklessness~ and pr~dioted all sorts o~' horrors at the position, in which he might b~ placed. He fancied he was in prison, without the means of corn- nuinicating with his friends in Americt~, and inwardly reproached hiniseif for having spent upward,~ of forty dollars in his morning's walk. ~oney! the representative of every enjoyment, the key to happi- z~e~s and all that this sublunary world can afford to. render one opnifortable. Thou art the object of every man's desires, without~ tJ~e.e, he is like a unit in the crowd, that surrounds him, they' sample on and shun him, with thee, he has troops of friends, who e~,erish him, ~s they do the apple of their~ eye. One cannot live without thee,. far less can he marry, without thou art pleaser te shed thy benign influence over him. . As a ~achelor he loves Thee, in rrt~arried life you soothe his sorrows and alleviate his pains.. En youth ~ud jn manhood, and ev~n i~ old age you are his best friend, his a~s~stant, and. comforter. ~hus thqugh4 Jonathan, as he revolved in his mind the nnplea~ant consequences of pecuniary embarrassment, a 'sad position for any mn~o. to be ~n, particularly gor one who contemplated matrimonial e~agenients. It w~ impossible for, him to g~et any further remit- t~oes froni Xrnerioa, until the. following year, as he had drawn all t~ezmoney, w~4oh wasooming to him. ~e ~iesita~ed,, Wh9~her he shQdld call ~on ~ils neighbors to. refund ~1~l~9 %~i~l~{~EeY: had bor~owod ~from.~ him, a~4. whioh .o~ IN SEARCH OF A WIFF~S calculating, he found amounted to about twenty dollars, including what he had paid for the ribbons that morning, and he was about putting his hafld on the latch of the door to go and see them, when he relented, for he was afraid he might offend them, and the con. sequences might be disastrous to the successful prosecution of his amours with Marg'uerite 9 page: 76-77[View Page 76-77] *Y~AT~lA~ OLD]ltJcK CHAPTER X. ANOTHER DEMAND IN MARRIAGE AND A WILLING AGCEP'I DE VERY SOLVES THE MY5TERY-T~IE COUSIN'S VISITS] 'TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE READER-RETURN TO N .~. ~ANCE-ALPHON5E ~'ULLY EXPLAINED~ EW YORK. THREE weeks had elapsed, and Oldbuck had been a constant ~Asitor at the 0-erbois apartments, so much so, that Margueritef u~lways became anxious to see him, when seven o'clock arrived and he had not made his appearance. Since that eventful day on which 118 had been introduced to the "cousins," he had not seen a solitary pair 4of breeches about the premises, which was a matter of satis- faction to a person of Jonathan's suspicious turn of mind. 'It is true he had not been there in the day time, for .Marguerite, on the plea~ of some other pressing engagements, 'said her time was so much occupied, that he must always calVin the evening, when he would be sure to see her. Jonathan~was so far pleased with this arrange. ruent, that it afforded him su0icient time to see the lions of Paris, an agreeable sight for a stranger, and particularly for one who had spent the greater part of his life, in a small town of New England. One evening, Mr Oldbuck started from his residence in the Fau.~ bourg Saint Jacques to the Rue de la Poissardiere, with the full deteriiiination of soliciting Marguerite's hand in marriage. There had been no precipitation in this case, for Jonathan had gone step by step, until he thought he had insinuated himself so completely in the fair grisette's affections, that he could safely claim her as hia bride. 'Hither therefore he repaired, and found Marguerite never looking so charming and lovely, nor her conversation so lively and interest- ing. After remaining about an hour in her company, he told her, that he h~d come that evening for the express purpose of hearing from her own lips, the doom which was to consign him to everlast- ing happiness or misery, that she could not fail to observe, how deep was his love for her, and that he wished to know, whether shewould become his wife? When Jonathan. made this declaration, which was rather familiar to him from his long practice in such matters, he was seated near Marguerite, who at first blushed or rather orimsoned to the eyes, she then to6k her handkerchief, an4 affected to wipe away a tear~ hanging in a position of the moat delightful abandon ovor Mr OWr buck's left shoulder. She gently, (oh ! how sweetly did th~ wdrd sound on the ear of her enraptured ad~nirer) pronounce& that monosyllable, "Yes," whi~h bomid her to him hencefor ard by tfr~ solemn ties of a, matrimonial engagement. A thought struck 1~targuerit~, (but it was by t at~ought), f~r sh~e had no intention of withdrawing her promise, that if she ~ ed some desire to make herself better a9qu~ir4ed with Mr Qid~ buck's family and antecede~its, it might give him a better op~uon of her good faith, and strengthe~i his deterrninatior~ to, marry her. ~o she begged of him to rela1~c tq her all about his birth and parent- age, at the same time begging him to pardon her, but intimating, that her aunt would be more satisfied,'if she ki~ew her niece was to be allied with, a family equally as respectable as her ow~i. Jonathan Oldbuek recapitulated all, with which th9 reader i~. acquainted, omitting however several passages in his past life, which. he would not for 'the world have said anything about to Mar-' guerite. Th~ latter went out of th~ room for a few monients to confer with her aunt, end on her return expressed herself satisfie& with his explanation and told him, she had her aunt's consent to the marriage. Jonathan took the rosettete on his knees? threw his long sinewy arms around her delicate waist, and implanted a kie~~. on her cheeks, which filled his so with rapture. The aunt herr ,, self shortly after made her appearance, and calling Marguerite to7 her, whispered sorrlething in her ear, which her niece assented to., Before Jonathan left that night, the grisette threw out a ger4~ hint, that they were rather reduced iz~ means, an~ that 4L~p afraid, she would not be able to have a very extravaga~it troussec~u~ on which Jonathan, of course, with that exuberant~ gen~rQ~ij~y for. which he was remarkable, took out oi'~'his pirse' a fifty dollar biW andhanded it to his fiancee~. Her eyes ~list9ned~with delight at th~ sight of so much money, and another kiss rewarded the liberaht~4 of 'the donor. The wedding day was fixed, and Wed~iesda~r of th~ following week was to seal the fate of Jonathan Oldbuck andco4~, stitute him a Benedict. During his walk ho~ne that night, Mr Oldbuck 'revelled in all the anticipations of his future happiness. At length he had reach-' e4 th~ goal of his fondest, desires, he was to take 'a partner to his bosom, who was every way worthy of his name a~n4 family. Sh~ was the personi4~cation of all that was lovely and amiable ~i~i liei' sex, and 'would be, wiien she arrived in America, the cynos~urc, around which all eyes would be fixed, admiring her grace an~ beauty. What would his mother say, that dear mother, who watched all' his youthful days with suqji anxiety, and attended: h4~i. with so much care when he should present her with a daughter-in-' law, ccrnbining so many attractions of mind and person. ~rneasure of, his blips was indeed full to overfiQwing, and Jonathan. 'U 7, IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. page: 78-79[View Page 78-79] Oldbuck ran wild in his contemplation of the happiness, that was in store for him. Ris dreams that night were of a delightful grove in Arcadia, where there was one presiding Deity clothed in garments of purple and silver, whose brow was radiant with beams of effulgence and glory, and that he alone was a worshipper at her feet, receiving her rewards and the oL(ject of her smiles. Oh! how pleasing was the reverie of his midnight hours, not more so however, than his thoughts by day, for they were engrossed with all that related to his fair .?ifarguerite, whom he loved and adored. On the following day and indeed during the whole time, which intervened before his wedding, he was occupied in making prepara- tions for the approaching solemnity; and what with his frequent visits to tailors, and shoemakers, and the hours he spent with his beloved, the days passed away, and time was flying with a celerity which hurried him on to the most important epoch in his life. Sunday came, a day which most people devote to religious pur- poses, but which many spend in gossipping and talking. Since Jonathan knew, that his neighbor, the student, understood a little English, he had cultivated his acquaintance and became rather familiar with him. Alphonse do Very was a fine young man, he was kind and affectionate, and when he formed an intimacy with. any one, looked upon him as a friend, aiid took a deep interest in his welfare. He was a student for one of the learned professions, and as he was rather destitute of the means of living, .devoted his leisure hours to writing for the fruilletons of the press. This made "It necessary for him to become acquainted with the "in's and out's" of society, the secret springs, which keep the body politic in motion, and which require oiling jxow and then to make things go on smoothly. He kne* every person and every thing, and was a por- table biography of every one's life, services, and actions. So he knew all abbut th~ Gerbois' and when that fatal Sunday arrived, on which Jonathan expressed to him his intention of marrying and solicited his services as groomsman, he was thunder-struck at the frightful chasm, into which his friend was leaping. He at first pitied him,' then burst out in a fit of the loudest laughter. Jonathan asked him what he meant? -, "What I mean," said Alphon~se do Very, "why, that you will disgrace yourself by such a Qonnection." Mr Old buck drew himself up to his full length. Marguerite wa~ ~the embo~lirnentof virtue and excellence, she was allied with the most noble families of France, and if he dared to say another word to her prejudice, he would consider it as a personal affront, and take vengeance on the spot. Alphonse do Very ,burst out into another almost hysterical fit of laughteft "Good God! what~ does this mean ?" said Mr. Oldbuok. 18 I '18 JONATHAN OLDBUOI( IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. 979 "It means," said Alphonse, "that Marguerite aerbois is a ~irl of the town, she has long been noted for her vicious habits, and I regard you too much as a friend, to allow you to be deceived any longer, and think it my dnty to put you on your guard against con- tracting any such alliance." Jonathai~ stride up and down the room with the pace of a giant, his face was blanched, his teeth were chattering, and his whole frame evinced ihe most sensible signs of emotion. "Give me some proofs," said he to Alphonse, at the same time shaking the young man with all his strength, "or I will challenge you to mortal combat, for the injury you have done to my affianced bride." Alphonse de Very would have left the room, and Mr Oldbuck to the fate which awaited him, but a feeling of benevolence prevented the young man from leaving his acquaintance on a precipice from which, in one leap, he would have been consigned to perpetual infamy. "Proofs," said he~ "come with me this afternoon, now, if you please, and I will give you snch evidence of her perfidy and vice, that you cannot be mistaken." "This afternoon-no, this very moment," said Oldbuck," or I will wring -.-." Alphonse observed, "You need not again get, into a passion, Mr Qldbuek, but I will undertake this very ~moment to convince you that you placed your affections .on an object that is entirely un- worthy of them. Come with me," said the young man, and both hurried their steps to the Rue de la Poissardiere. On their way thither, Alphonse met one of his friends, who spoke English fluently, and whom he introduced to Mr Oldbuek, saying, he wished him to accompany him. as a witness, to convince him that he was telling the truth. The three arrived at the Gerbois residence, where they were usjiered into the same room that was inhabited by the old woman whom Jonathan had see~ii op a previous occasion. por wine 1emme, sai Alph6nse, at the "Comment tez vous b 'i'" same time directing his friend to translate to Mr Oldbuck, in Eng- lish, what the old woman said in French. ~The substance of what she said was as follows: that she could no longer live in the house, that the noiseon the floor immediately above her was such, that she had no peace by day nor rest at night, that for the last three weeks, between the hours of seven and ten, or eleven at night, things were a little quieter, and that she availed herself of that time to. take a little rest, but during the whole day and remainder of the night, it was a constant thoroughfare for the wildest and most debauched yo~ing men, that there was drinking, singing, and dancing, and that for her 'part, she had almost made up her mind to leave the house, for she had complained to the land- lord, and he had taken no notice of her' remonstrances. Jonathan~s face grew paler and paler, during the recital of this +g page: 80-81[View Page 80-81] so JON ATH4N OLDRUOK story, but being not y4 convinced, said to Alphonse, "the proofs~ the proofs, J want !" "Is it immediate that. you, want ?" said Alphonse; "you sh~ll hav8 them see the ai~ZA~i~e met our friend Theodore Lavergue, on his way to Marguerite, the virtuous and tender grisette. We Miall go up stairs and pay them a visit, while you will look through the key hole, and see your affianced bride in his arms, he wilt implant a kiss on her cheeks, the sound of which you will hear in the h a1l~ and if ~hat'5 not enough, I know not what you re- q~zire." "It will be enoi~gh, enough," said Jonathan, "and II shall b~ satisfiedd tha~t I have been the dupe of the vilest of her sex." The threc proceeded up stairs, Alphonse and Theodore entering the room, while Mr Oldbuck remained without, with his eye to the key hole. His spectacles increased the magnitude of the sight which he Witnessed, for there was his amiable and adored 1J1argz~erite, the object of his love, and the cynosure around which all were to assemble in admiration of her charms, in the arms of Theodore Lav~rgne, who implanted a kiss on her cheeks, and ~ * * * * but we shall not remove the veil, which must for e~rer conceal such sights from the public ~eye, but which fell on the astonished vision of Jonathan Oldbuck, with frightful, almost alarm- ing effect. Sitting on the floor, he leaned his head against the door of the adjoining apartment, and when his friend Alphonse came out of the room, found him so pale and Weak, that he was afraid he wa~ going .1~o fall into a fit. Raising him up from the ground, AAp'honse stipported him on his arm, amd brought him hpme to his lodgings, where he was put to bed and remained confined for three 'weeks, with, a brain fever, which almost threatened his existence. Alphonse remained as a faithful attendant at his bedside during the whole of his illness, and often wondered what the man's antecedents were, or what was his disposition, that he should be taken ill in consequence4 of the unsuccessful termination of an affair of love. Hjs must indeed be a very susceptible heart, thought Alphonse, that is so easily impressed with the charms of the fair sex and he more than o~ice regretted the necessity of imparting to his friend, what he 'Acnew about the Gerbois family. Time is the assuager~of all evils, it alleviates man's sorrows,' and if there has been any thing reprehensible, which he has done, makes him ,regret his~'past conduct; but there is no period like that of oonvalesenoe, when one's' reflcctiQns crowd on his mind, an ci he -I~itterly repents his errors. Thus it was with Jonathan Oldbuck, in the long dreary hours~ when his returning strength enabled him '~ sit up in his bed with no attendant at his side,- for Alphonse's duty called him away; he thotight how credulous he had been, what overweening confidence he had placed in a girl who was, as ahe deserved to be, the oUtcast and refuse of society, lie blamed iN ~L~RCH QIIW A WIFE. ' "imetf he ~a4. what of tl~ mp~ey fqr .~. i~r~ pr~e, 1i~r~d- ~ 4o~I~ ~l4 not pi~y wl~t l}a h~4 thr9w~ ~way, 9fl tI4e. w~tph, ~l h~ would claim the ~ of the police, and sober r~e ~tiou q~rp3 t& his, ajd, for, he. tlwught, if h~ x~ientioz~ed the a~fli~r to the polic.~, h~ w~ul~l only. be e~q~~aing himself, and i~ot ~et b~p~ .t~e m~~ney ~ -all, Iie~ had g~v~n it to. -her, arid was ~~4$e. lpn~ t~ ~ve an am~r. to ~. question, Lu~cie's yow~g brother came into the room to borrow something else. Jonathan's visage assumed a most frightful aspect, it went through every contortion which ~could appear on the human countenance, and the little boy r~n out of the room in wild alarm, crying out that Monsieur Okibuck was dying. - The appearance of Lucie and her father did not add to the patient's composure, and he gave vent to the most violent expressions of anger, ordering them peremptorily out of the room, and telling them he never wished to see their faces again. There is no misunderstanding a man, when he is in a passion, the eyes proclaim what the lips may fail to tell, and the whole features. announce an outburst of feeling, which can always be comprehended. Lucie made her escape from the room, followed by her father, quite at a loss to know what had ~stirred up her friend's- ire against them. Had she understood Mr Jonathan Oldbuck's 'language, she would - have heard the ~ilest epithets applied both to the - Gerbois and her- self, imputing all his misery and the illness he had undergone, to her base and infamous falsehoods about their genealogy &nd descent. At length he was able to leave his bed, and 2look about his affairs preparatory to his - departure for New York. He had seen enough -of Paris to convince him, that in leaving America he had not altered his - condition for the' better, and he resolved on returning immedi- ately to greet his mother and friends in the Empire City. The first duty he performed, on rising from his bed' of sickness, was to make out the aocounf against his neighbors, and present it to them for payment. He found it amounted to upwards of forty dollars, a.- trifling sum to be sure, but as his means were rather reduced from the expenses attendant on his late illness,,~he wanted all that was - due to him, lie sent the bill to the occupants of the adjoining room, but no notice was taken of it, the second, third, and fourth - day passed, and still the bill was not paid. He requested his 'friend Alphonse de Yery to call on them and demand payment, which the young man agreed to do. Alphonse returned, followed I~ the father, who said, that he owed Mr Oldbuck nothing, that his daughter Lucie was a couturier, who was dependent for her livelihood on her needle, and that they had a bill against Mr Oldbui~k, for his daughter's time, which he had page: 82-83[View Page 82-83] 82 JONIALTHAN AT.1fl~Irc'R' I IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. taken up, in requesting her to accompany him to the Gerbois. Old.. euck flew in a rage, the father threatened to have him taken before - a .Tuge de Paix, for slander against his family, and there was a. scene of mutual recrimination, in which Jonathan came to th~ very wise decision, not to press the matter any further, and to put down the loss to sundry expenses in the City of Paris. The .Etavre packet was to sail for New York in a few days, and before three weeks had elapsed, Jonathan placed his foot on the piers of the-Empire City, with great joy at his release from the trials and temptations~ of life in Paris, and resolved to be wiser for the future. CHAPTER XI. GIRLS IN SEARCH OF HUSBANDS-JONATHAN'S REPUGNANCE TO THE SEX-LOUISA SWITZER AND HER HUSBAND-~REFLECTIONS ON IN ~ ANCE-NED HAMMERSLEY AND THE CALIFORNIA WIDOW. "'Tis distance lends enchantment to the view," and durii~ absence from his native land, where lie has left friends and r behind him, they are very prone to magnify his virtues, and him .to be a mpre worthy man than what he really is. Sue: than found to be the case, for on his return to his material ni after giving a hearty welcome to his aged mother, she ent~ him with what people had been saying about him during sence. She mentioned the names of several of her friends, v f~1l~grown daughters, who were very anxious to know, if he ii bringing out a wife with him from Paris, (here Jonathan h deep and heavy sigh) she said, there were the Browns, Spacers and ~ host of others, who had visited her si~ice huis del and there were atiwngst them several beautiful girls, from her dear son would have no dif~lculty in selecting a wife. Jonathan remarked, " my dear mother, if you have any for your son, for Heaven's sake, never mention that subject again. I know enough of the follies and frailties of woma to debar me for ever from a closer relationship with them, an only knew half the trials I have experienced, you wuld nev to the topic ag~iin." The old woman shook her head, and wondered why her J( had taken such a dislike to the fair sex. Six months had elapsed, during which time, Jonathan led bachelor's life, no persuasion or entreaty of 'his mother's could him to leave his room and come down stairs to see the fair ladies, who were fi#equent visitors at her house. They, heai Mrs Oldbuck had a son, who was rich, and had lately trave the improvement of his mind, and of course, they were ye ions to see him, to try, if their charms- could not captive * Jonathan, however, remained secluded, and spent the greater the time in his bed-room, where he had ample leisure to re the follies of his past career. 8S-~ FEMALH PEMPER~ ~g one's relative~ believe'~ I~ Jona.. Lansion,. ~rtainedA his ab- ~ho had tended~ eave(l a md the )arture~ whom regard to me n-kind, I if you~ er refer )nath~n aquiet~* induce young ~d, that lled for ~ry anx. te him. part of fleet oa~ page: 84-85[View Page 84-85] JONATHAN OLDBTJOK Wealth is like a load-stone, possessing powerful magnetic attrae. tion, bvtt when it is combined with intelligence, old maids and dowerlesss daughters flock around the owner, like flies in summer on a plate of molasses.~ The latter, however, partake of sweets, whilst the former, if they only had seen Mr Oldbuck, night have had their 'taste' so' much soured at the sight, that they would have envied neither his wealth nor his intelligence. He had not improved ~n his looks since his return, and his serious illness in Paris had ~shattered a constitution, whi6h age also was beginning to impair. Ladies are however proverbial for their curiosity, and with some of Xrs Oldbuck's acquaintances, it was almost diffiojilt to restrain them from going up to. Mr Oldbu0k's room, to take a peep at her eon. Jonathan was never remarkable for his beauty, although, when dress added to the adornment of his person, he might have been considered passable by some, but if the young ladies had gone up in h~is room and seen him, unshaven, with his long blue morning gown ~nd red slippers, they might have taken him for an apparition from a other world, and stoo?1 aghast at the sight. Jonathan Was beginning to get tired of this monotonous mode of 'living, so l~e frequented the coffee-houses and saloons oftener than usual, un~l' his mother began to remonstrate with him on the late- ness of the hour, at which he returned home, and advised him to be more pruden* for the future. One evening, Oldbuok strolled into a bowling saloon, in the vici- nity of Ohatham square, where he became rather interested in the sport. There was a young man, who was so expert in knocking down the nine-pins, that he attracted Jonathan's attention, and he was surprised to'find in the successful player the person of his old rival, Charley Seagrave. They mutually recognized each other, and it was ncTt long 'before they becarndb so friendly, that they took a glass of brandy together at the adjoining bar. The conversation soon turned about the Switzers, where Seagrave remembered he was introduced to his fr~nd, and Jonathan was surprised to hear, tb~at'his first love Louisa Switzer was the mother of two children and likely to have a third. Seagrave. 'mentioned to him, how often Louisa spoke to him of her old friend and admirer, Jonathan Old- buck, and said that he was sure, no visit would afford~ her greater pleasure than his, if.he would call upon her. Taking out a card and pencil, he wrote his name and address, which was in Madison street, No.-. Jonathan replied, he would have much pleasure in calling on Mrs Seagrave. Talk not of your palaces in the avenues, of those noble man- sions, where their inmates are pampered with every luxury, that wealth oaff'afford, where the favored' child of, fortune is brought up by fond parents, who allow no wish to remain ungratified, nor no bope to be unfulfilled. It is not there! in the midst of the splen- '.dor, which surrounds you, with all those appliances, which human. axi~ ht~a ik~'t~flte4 'tb ~ 'liiximry~ar~d reujoymeut of mwn~. that you Will find the n~sst neble irmetances of self- e~otinn and loVe. 'N6~ y6~i "vnu~t go to the 'hoVel, the abode of want and pov- erty, where wietchechiess stare~ yott in the fa4Ye, s~nd 'gaunt despaii~' follows on its' track, where the faithful wife is deserted by her' IPisband and ptotOoto~, or the Widowed mother laments the fate of her desolate orphans, and it is there~ you will"see instances of fortitude in dlstress'and of heroism ~mi1lst trials. On the following morning Mr Oldbuck repaired to the pl&oe,~ which had been indicated as 'Seagrave's residence, and found Louisa~ at home. Sh~ wa~ 'rriueh altered in her appearance, and he soaree~~ ly recognised her. The place and the furniture were so different from that'whioh he had seen in her fathers 'house,' that he was at- no loss to account forihe' change in her person. In 'tWo apartrra.ents on the right Irand side of the 'hall, on the~ first floor, was the abode of Charley Seagrave's wife' and 'children, for 'it could hardly be said to be the' residence of the: husband; who spent his' 'days and nights' around the bars of restaurants' or 'in the' bowling saloon. Three ricketty straw-bottomed chairs, a table, on which were the orurVibs. of perhaps the last!' h~kf; that was in the hotise, '&' small stoVe, and' a cradle, *ere the ~oul~' 'articles' of furniture in the room, and~ in the 'oorue~ of the 'other was :sotne5traw, on *hi~h a blanket' find covered -were carelessly thrown, which' Jonathan judged ~orreotiy,~ served as 'a-boil, dii Whidh Louisa' Switzer with her youngest child' rested' her wearied 'limbs at ni~ht~ Such poverty and deetitutibn,' Jonathan had never 'before 'seen~ find hisheart was moved' to pity' at the sight of an old fi~eird, in such a stste of dietrbss. She beg. ged hii~i to be seated, 'and in answer to an irVqr~iey about her par- ents and sisters, she' bui~t into a flood of tears, 'find replied, that' as for the 'former, 'she had never' seen them since her marriage, and for' the letter,' when she did' meet some of them in the streets, they scawely noticed her. 'She supposed, however, she 'said, that it was~ owing to' her fa'the~'s Orders, for he Was very severe in his judg-- ments, 'and perhaps had told therrinot to speak to her. "Jonathan asked her the reason, why her parents were angry w'itht her; 'when' ehe began the recital of' atale of woe, that would have- softened the heart of the most obdurate.' She said, "After you had ceased, sir, to visit at the house, my brother' was ocustantly reproaohing me with 'having been the cause of i't ~ she applied the vilest terms-to me~ which ought hot to escape ev~en from a 'moth-er's lips; my life was one of otuelty and per5ecu~~ tioh, and' it'~Was embittered by my parentss~ hostility to ~eagrave,~, whom they f~*bade 'to" euter the houpe. I' hived' him, for 'he~was the- c~Wpal1i6Vi' of 'my' girlish' days, and in' 'our long Walks' together, we had exchanged ~cws, whioh neither of' 'us ~would break'; we did'not~ elope~ ~but were 'married'prlvately, '&nd" itwas'~on~y w~ten 'my patents' found that I did not return to the house one night, they know of;. I IN~~1t~'A O~ A' WTh~fl. page: 86-87[View Page 86-87] our intimacy and marriage. Charley remained in his employment~ for some months after, earning six dollars a week, a sum, which was quite adequate to our expenses, but when our family increased, they became insufficient, and he left his place to go to another, where~he was promised higher wages. From some cause or other, he was not long in this employment, and although the failure to receive his weekly stipend caused us some annoyance, we did not at ~rst feel it, but weeks passed over and he got no place. I would have taken in sewing, but he would not hearof it one; after the other, however, of the few things we had, was sold to buy us our food, and pay for the rent of these rooms; in all my distress, I then never regretted my marriage with Charley, he was kind and affec.. tionate to me, and when he had the means, there was no wish of mine that he did not gratify. He finally got a place, but was in it ~only three weeks, when he lost it again. I could not account for the misfortune, but a few days after, the mystery was solved, for any husband came into the room reeling in a state of intoxication, ~and here Louisa put her hands to her face, which became suffused with tears. Jonathan Oldbuck was not a man of much sensibility (excepting in matters of love), he was rather hardhearted in all others, but he could not withhold his' sympathy from the young mother, as she Was detailing her wrongs and misfortunes. Intemperance is the canker-worm which gnaws at the vitals of all who are its victims. it degrades man from the position he might occupy in t~ie social scale, and renders him unfit for the common offices and duties of life. If its evils fell on his own head alone, there might be suffi~ cient punishment for the crime, but when they fall on the wife and. mother, and on those who are least able to avoid them, the latter become indeed fit objects for the charity and benevolence of man. So thought Jjonathan, as he looked on the mother in afflic- tion, withdier two babes at her side, deprived of their protector, who was spending his days and nights at the drinking saloon! He asked Louisa when she had last seen he~ husband, and she replied that he scarcely ever came there, but when he did, would throw a half dollar on the table, and'leave the house, without even kissing the children, and here the young mother again burst forth into the wildest expressions of grief. Jonathan found that nothing ho could say, would console Louisa in her afiliotion, btit he could do something, and that he did imme.. 4iately, by taking his purse tout of his pocket, and handing her a five dollar bill. At first she did not like to accept it, but when he told her it was the grateful offering of an old friend,~ who would, for the~ future, take pleasure in watching over the fate of herself ~nd her babes, she took it with herr eyes glistening with joy. "One favor," said Jonathan, "I must request of you; it is, that. you will give no part of the money to your husband, for he would only~ take it to the saloon and spend it in liquor." "Indeed I shall not," said Louisa, "in fact he will not know that I have it, and if he 'did, he would not get it." Jonathan left, promising to return again shortly, with his mind full of sad reflections on the vices of men, and the pitifull state to which they ofttimes reduce the partners of their bosoms. Did a solitary idea spring up in Jonathan's mind, that if Louisa Switzer had married him, her fate would have been different? No, there did not, for it was engrossed with the memory of what he had just seen and heard, a picture of misery and a tale of woe, that would move the heart of the most insensible. Could there be, thought Oldbuck, a wretch in human form who would desert a wife, who had always been faithful to him and her young children, for the intoxicating pleasures of the cup; if there were, it were better that poison were mixed in the baneful beverage, than that 4inother and an innocent person should suffer. He returned home, and told his mother of what he had seen that morning, and the old woman was quite afflicted at the narration. She wanted to go and see her immediately, but when'Jonathan told her that he had relieved her ,necessities for the present, she said, "you did right, my boy, and heaven will bless you." Jonathan continued to lead the same life he had done, since his return from France, but would occasionally go out in the evening to whxi~ away an hour or two at some of his favorite places of resort. He had not seen Ned Hammersley since his return, and one evening as he was walking in the park, espied his old friend with a lady hanging on his arm, whom he had no difficulty in recognizing as the fair Angelina herself, Mrs Augustus Shrewsbury, whose trusting husband, he supposed, was still digging gold in California. He would not salute him at that moment, for the sight of Mrs Shrewsbury revived recollections, which he would fain have buried in oblivion, but he resolved to call on him the following morning, and talk about old times. He went there the next day, and the greeting was cordial on both sides. "Well, Ned," said Jonathan, "how goes on the California 'widow ?"' "She wants to get a divorce from her husband," said Ned, "a measure to which I am decidedly opposed. Since my return from Cuba (for he too had been travelling), I wished to get rid of her, but she finds my company so entertaining, that it is rather a difficult matter." . / "And I dare say," said Jonathan, "that you find her's so agree.. able, that you don't wish t~ do any thing of the kind." Hammersley turned round and whistled a tune, whilst4Jonathan was thinking of the confidence of husbands, and the faithlesSness ~f JONAT~EAN OLJ~BUCK9 IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. ST page: 88-91[View Page 88-91] I JGNAT~IA 4 OtIk~tJ&~K ~Iives. 1~i6t a word was said by Jonathan about Olarissa, whiol~ Ned leaving r~6~iced, he observed."- ~' ~ou Adn't ask what has become of the daughter; she is not yet mt~rried, but has had a number of beaux since you left? I don't ki{OW the reason wh~r she does not marry, perhaps they don't give her candle~ enough,' (looking *at Jonathan sarcastically,) "or per- hafis t~ie poor girl has ihe misfortukie to be the child of a woman who'doesn't bear a very good name herself." - Sonathan had too re9eiitly escaped the danger of contracting an iii4roper ~liie~ice, to think ati~iii6re of the fair Clarissa, even if her ~jection of bis forziiet suit did not oppose an insuperable barrier te A rei~Vdl iif ~the I rcdifr~e. II~ remained some time 'with his #i'iei~d ha ereley, and att~r ~ha~17x~ appointed an early d~y to dine ~g~in 'a~t ~ ndni~d's,"h~ t~dk his d~pa~rture I :1 '4.' I; 1 It. IN SEARCH OF. A WIFE. "Holloa, Ned," cried Jonathan, as they were proceeding on their way down town, "whose beautiful pair of greys are those in that carriage ?" "They belong to old Isaiah Gibson, who married a short time ago, a young and lovely wife; I'll tell you all about it after dinner," and the two friends proceeded to flelmonico's, according to appoint. inent, to regale themselves on the dainties that are usually set be. fore visitors in that favorite place of resort. On their way there, Hammereley entertained Jonathan with a short account of hie travels in Louisiana and Cuba, those tropii~al climes to which ardent young men are in the habit of repairing, to admire the mellow complexions' and fair forms of southern ladies. He had visited Natchitochez on Red River, and seen plantations on the Washita and the Alabama, and had returned quite a convert on the important subject of slavery. Like many others, he viewed the question relatively to the state of the master rather than the slave; for the latter he had little sympathy, but he envied the power of the former, and had almost come to the conclusion of selling out his property in New York~ and emigrating to the South. There is something alluring in the aspect of southern slavery to a young man of warm temperament, whose regard for the welfare of his race is not circumscribed by country or color, but' who views all alike, as fit objects of his sdicitude and benevolence. The two entered Delmonico's, where they renewed their friendly relations over the choice fare and delicious wine, of which they par took, and after dinner, Hammersley narrated to Jonathan the town gossip" about old Isaiah Gibson's marriage with Theophilus Olements' young and lovely daught~r. He began: "Clarence Fitz Simmons was deeply enamoured of the girl, and report, says, she returned his affection He belonged to one of the first families in the city, and his father 4eeupied a mansion in one of the Avenues; he was about twenty.thre~ years of age, remarkable for 4.' CHAPTER XII. 1LL'A~ORTIID MAERIAG~--IS&xAH GIBSON AND HIS YOUNG WIFE SYPORAIK 0LXMEN1~-eORD1D FATHERS AND OBEDThNT OHILDIIEN.-VIsIT ~ LOUIsA swrrzER .&GAIN-HITrY SPIoZa OHANGKD HER NAME-JONATHAN OLD- BU0K~S )tA.RRIAGE. page: 92-93[View Page 92-93] 92, JOKATIALN OLD~U~K~ the beauty of his person, and ~dressed so fashionably, that he ~was the object of admiration to half the girls in town. They courted and smiled on him, quite as much for the many virtues he possessed, as from the fact, that his father was reputed to be 'a man of large property. Amoinlgst all the girls of his acquaintance, there was none, who attracted his attention so much as Syporah Clements." (Here there was a twinge of Jonathan's upper lip, which it Was well Ned did not notce-he was intent on the narration.) "They took theij e~tening~ walks together, in which, no doubt, there was a great deal of love and romance, for, when two young hearts beat in unison with each other, they xevel in the delight of the fondest aiitmcipa~ tjp~s. Thit they wbre in this. instance doQmed to be disappointed, as~ The9pl~lns, ql~m~e.nts set~ 1&4 Jieart on his daughter Syporo~h's marriage with that lecherous old fellow, Isaiah ~hbson~ lie was upwards of sixty years of age, and had a family of children, all of ~hpm were ~older than his promised bride,, but he had wealth~ and y~u know what a powerful influence it eqercises over the minds~of all, particularly of those, who have been most unscrupulous in their e~ts to obtain it. qleniente was Que ~f these.; he had been all his life engaged, in the schern@s~ which he projected to enrich himself by. th~ ruin of otherss,. and it was no wonder he would sacrifice his. da~ighter, his only i~hil~l, as a victim on the altar of that god, whom he worshipped in such blind adoration. What was home or the pl~asnes ofsocial converse in the family circle, where his daughter was admired and beloved, in comparison with the untold treiisures, which her connection with Gibson would unlock to him. Syporah held the golden wand in her hand, and she had only to do her fa4her's bidding, to ensure her! misery, and his! happiness. "Fitz Simmons' visits to his house were strictly forbidden, and all i4trcourse between him and his da~nghter interdicted, un4er pain j of his heavy displeasuree. A servant was hired and paid for by her father, to watch all her movements, and she could not leave tho house without the spy, standing like a janitor at the door, would follow and track her path, and should he observe her talking to a g#ntleman, would. report his appearance and the length of the inter- view to the infatuated father. "In the meantime, every opportunity was afforded to old Gibson to visit at the house. His appearance must have been loathsome in the highest degree, to the tastes and inclinations of a young girl of seventeen. H~e was, bald-headed, with the exception of a few grey Iw~rs, which were drawn over his ears, he had an ugly pug-nose, on' the bridge of which was a large wart, from which three or four white hairs emerged, his face was red, almost approaching to' a crimson, his eyes brown, and as for his teeth, the few that ho showed, looked like the prongs of some wild animal, rather than tl~* ivory of man., ~Uaking him altogether, hewas the most hideous. leong n~wr~al, ,thatGod ever made. U IN~ S]~AROF OF~ A ~Wfl~B, 98g "And this. ivaa Athe man, that TheophilusOlemeRts designed for the husband of his only child, the weight that was to~hang around her neck, and sink. her.~gradually but imperceptibly to a premature grave. What must have been the feelings of the poor girl, when she was thrown in, communication with a man, whose very presence must have been hateful to her, whose touch was pollution, and who. eoul4 have had no~ympathies or feelings in common with her owns jt was an awful doom% but one, which had been pronounced by' the severe judgment of an inexorable parent. Better far had he been the, mourner behind the bier of his only child, than that he should' have stood as, a witness at the alt~j~ to consecrate a marriage, which the laws~of God and: man. repudiated. But the die was cast and all was over; Isaiah~ibson stood before the world as.tltehuAband ot'~yporah Clements, whose body was the lawful. priz& of greedy wealth, but whose soul would.,soon fly to other realm~, Where it would be free from the. impQrtunities of man. "I was present last winter at a ball, whioh.was given by Mr Gib- son; im1 Avenue; the wealth and, the beauty of'~o.nr fair City '~ were well represented ;. in the.mnidst of all that gorgeous magnificence, which distinguishes some of the houses in that~ewenueaudin which ~ Gibson's yielded to none, with. all the mirrors, candelabra, and rich drapery, which ornamented the walls, with everything that could make life happy 'in this world, wa~ . there content. ~nent in that household? There was not, there could not have been, for in a corner of the large room, in which the company was received, there sat the poor frail creature, who had been. offered up as a victim at the shrine of Mammnon. Her pale face and attenuated form betokened the ravages which consumption was surrepliously making on her constitution, and she stood there a living picture of the heart's despair, and a striking example of the brutality of man. Her days were numbered, and although you saw her this morning seated ~y the side of her husband in a carriage drawn by those grey horses, which attracted your attention, all who know her, say, that she is going fast to her grave.~~ "And what became of Fitz Sii'nmons ?" asked Jonathan. "He b~ame almost raving mad, and at one time his friends were about taking him to an asylum. I believe, however, they travelled with him, and I have not heard of him lately?' "It's a sad talc," said Jopatlian, "and I dare say there arc many fathers in this happy country, who sell their daughters for money." "Yes," replied, Ned, "and Ah good they get of it. Poor miserable beings, who are like moths, that flicker about a candle, only leading .to their destruction; wealth is the Ilame which con- sumes them at last, it lures them, for it is attractive, but it swal. lows up every noble impulse of virtue and honor." During the conversation at the dinner table, -Jonathan appeared wholly absorbed with what Hammnersley was telling him, he had page: 94-95[View Page 94-95] # JONATHAN OLDBUOK been too deeply interested himself in the fate of byporah Clements, not to feel anxious to hear all that concerned her, and when his friend Ned had finished his sorrowful tale, he was cast into a state of the deepest reflection. His thoughts wandered to the scenes of other days, when he considered he had a fair claim to the hand and heart of the girl he was speaking about. He was repulsed on account of his poverty; 'the father, said he to himself, will soon have a good example of the effects of wealth, and the memory of the. wrongs he has done his child will cling to him, till he follows her to the grave. Did a thought again obtrude itself on Jonathan's mind, that had she married hem, her fate also might have been different? There did not, for the sadness of the tale which he had heard, chased away any ideas of a selfish character. They remained until rather alate hour at Delmonico's, when they bade each other adieu, and returned to their respective homes. On the following day, Jonathan accompanied his mother on a visit to' Mrs Seagrave, who again appeared quite happy oi~ seeihg her old friends. When she told Mrs Oldbuck, what she had nar. rated to Jonathan the day~~before, the old woman volunteered he' services to call en her parents and endeavor to effect a reconciliation but the young mother begged of her to desist from doing so, as sh~ was not sensible of having offered them any injury, and they should' be the first to call and see her. "However wrong I may have been," said Louisa, "in having married a man against their wishes, I think there should be a 1~ernx to a parents' displeasure, and I should be the last person in th~ world~ to do violence to my feelings, by making them believe, that I was a supplant on their' charity. No4 said ~he, I would soone# toil night and day for the support of my helpless orphans, (for they have been abandoned by their natural protector) rather than beg fox' assistance at the hands of those who should be the first to oLThr i\ to me. 'I was a young girl, and may have committed errors, (ane~ ~ here poor Louisa shed again abundant tears) but a father shouk~ never forget his daughter, and we are taught to believe by the pre c.epts of our holy religion, that repentance can never come'.1;oo late~ it is the bright spot which shows us the errors of the past, and illu wines our paths for the future."' Thus spoke the lonely mother, with one babe suckling at he&' breast, and the other in a oradleiat her feet, and what father who could look on his child in such a state4 ought not to feel compassion for her misery, and repent for the wrongs he had done her? Jonathan and his mother left the young woman with sad reflee.. tions on the severity of fathers, and the errors of children. On their return home, they found the Spicers waiting for them in the parlor, for Kitty Spicer, having heard from the 'servant, that Mrs Oldbuok had gone out for a few moments, accompanied by her 1 son, thought, as tie would of course return with her,. it would be a favorable opportunity, to make his acquaintance, and see how. her charms would work upon him. She was a' tall, ugly looking girl, with a nose almost as long as the ringlets that fell from her hair, it was crooked too, but there was something in her eye, which possessed the powers of attraction, and she wore bracelets with rib- bons on her long skinny arms, which gave her in 5onathan's opinion quite a fascinating appearance. Her conversation was lively and interesting, she had a quick mode of pronouncing her words, which sounded rather harsh, it was true, and her voice was shriller than what' Mr Oldbuck might have desired, but had she been "fat," besides being "fresh and forty," she would have been a very suit- able match for one who was rather advanced in years. Jonathan appeared rather smitten with her charms, and she' took good care to cast glances "fast and thick" at the object of her attraction. They fell so thickly around ~him, that the arrows at length pierced his heart, and he was for the last time, it is to be hoped, a humble sup- pliant at the feet of Kitty Spicer. His courtship was not of long duration, for when an old maid beings to bear such a heavy battery against the heart of an old bachelor, the citadel is sure to yield, after the storming it has on- countered. The breach was made, and Jonathan thought there was no hope of filling it up, but by entering into an alliance, so he pro- posed marriage, the only mode of putting a stop to tbi~ warfare. Kitty Spicer accepted him, and he had thus a fair prospect of enter- ing the hyrneneal state, and becoming a Benedict. Matters pro- gresssed favorably, and after the usual quantity of sighs, oaths, and protestations, both parties prepared for an alteration in their respeotive~~6onditions in life Old Mrs Oldbuck clapped her hands with joy, when Jonathan came h~nie and told her, that Kitty Spicer had accepted him, and immediately began to make preparations for the wedding. Jona- titan him~eIf was as "happy es man could be," and spent his time be- tWeen visits to the tailors, and the object of his affections. Kitty was as kind and affectionate as her nature permitted her, but one day, as Jonathan *as standing behind tier, while she was looking in the glass, he thought he detected rather a queer looking expression, which betokened anger, a' rather, bad feeling on the eve of one's marriage. He chased away the idea from his mind, thinking it might only have arisen from dissatisfaction at the fit of a new dress she was trying on, ~r perhaps that the mirror being dusty, it did not reflect the' charms of her beautiful! face. The peculiar expres- sion and contortion of her countenance on that morning haunted him however in the trying scenes of his after life, and he reproacheal himself more than once for having overlooked it, and married such a girl. The wedding day at length arrived, and it was ushered in with 95 IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. page: 96-97[View Page 96-97] JON ATHAN OLIU~UCK all due solemnities and forms. Carriages were sent to the residence ot~M:rs Spicer, and the happy bride and bridegroom proceeded to t~huroh, where the knot was tied, the Register of Church, iii this City, showing, that on the day of March, 185-., Jona- th~n Oldbuck, Esquire, was 'lawfull~? joined in the holy bands of matrimony, with Catherine Spicer, both of New York. * The honeymoon passed over with the usual enjoyment of that happy period in life. Jonathan told his mother, that the measure ~f'his ha~~iness was full to overflowing, whil~t Kitty assured her's, she wondered how she c~uld so long have done without a husband, was so kind and good. tI~he newly married couple hired a house in East Broadway, where they passed their 4Ame pleasantly enough for a few, months. Mar- ried life certainly operates a very great change in a man's habits and tastes, he no longer keeps late hours, but settles down as a. ~piiet, domesticated anirhal, ready to do his wife's bidding, and con- sult all lies wishes. So it was with Jonathan at first, but he ~oori found out that his wife was a shrew, that' she was inclined to have n~re of her way than he wished, and finally began to doubt whether hehad changed his condition for the better. Kitty was all smiles at first, then all frowns, until at length he became accustomed to ~idge of her temper by her face, as one looks at a barometer to tell what sort of weather he may expect. Jonathan, however, made a ~e6d1iusband, and performed on his parf all his rnatrimoni4 duties~, 597' 9 CHAJ'TER XIII. CONCLUSION-FAMILY 3ARS-DOMICILIARY VISIT OF THE NEW YORK POLICE TO SONATHAN OLIThUCK'S RESIDENCE-KITTY SPICER NOT IMPROVED BY MARRIAGE OnE afternoon, Jonathan came running into his mother's. house exclaiming, "Mother! mother! she's the very di~vi1; I can Jive no longer with her, indeed I cannot." "Who, my boy ?" asked Mr~ Oldbuck. "Why, Kitty, mother'; I happened to trample on her little dog, a poodle, as ehe calls it, and she flew at me, calling me a brute and every name she could put her tongue to. She was in such a passion, that I thought she would have scratched me with her long nails, and I was glad to make my escape from the house~" "~ ~toiiathan, my boy," said Mrs Oldbuck,' "this will never answer, I must go and see Kitty." "It~sno use, mother, I tell you it's no use, she is a perfect virago, and she gives way so much to her passion that ~he won't'sp~ak'to me for *hole days together, and .at nights she turns her back ~ me, and' mtkes mc feel miserable. I'm sorry I've married, mother, but 'I si4pose I must put up with it the best way I can." Mrs Oldbuck was a benevolent old 'lady, she loved her son an affection which is even seldom shown by mothers, and she really pitied Jonathan as he rebited to her ~is wrongs. She finally per- suaded him to allow her to accompany him to his house, and wh~n thej arrived there, a scene of crimination and recrimination ensu&l, whieli baffles all description. ' 'Sonathan reproached Kitty for her cruel conduct towards him, Kility called him a brute. Jonathan said, "see mother, what language' ehe uses," and the2' latter replied, "my children, this should not be so, you should live 'in, peace together." * ""I can't," 'said' Kitty, "indeed I can't;" ahd ehe began to shed a few crocodile tears; "he's a br~ate," l6oki~g'~rp with her l&tgo 4 IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. page: 98-99[View Page 98-99] 98 JONATHAN OLDBUCK * flaming eyes at Jonathan, which quite alarmed him, and almos* made him lose his equilibrium. "He does every thing to annoy me, he linds fault if I see my friends, keeps me waiting for him for dinner, broke a beautiful, china ornament on the mantle-~iece the other day, and this morning almost killed my dog, by trampling on it with his big heavy foot." "Jonathan," said his mother, "you shouldn't do so." "Mamma, I never did anything of the kind." "Your'e a liar," said Kitty. "Your'e a ," but he restrained himself in his mother's presence. "I was going to tell you," saiE Jonathan, "all about it. Mr. Wilkins, who called here the other day, remained so long fri the room speaking with Kitty about old times, pleasant evenings spent together and so forth, that I thought I would leave them alone and read the newspapers. I did so, and remained~ about an hour before I returned to the room, whqre I still found Mr Wilkins in company with my wife." '~ Ah! you jealous wretch! you !" exclaimed Kitty. Jonathan proceeded without paying attention to her. "He ~- mained a few moments after I came down and then left. I am sure I Was 'not wrong, mamma, in ~hav~ng left the room, but he had no sooner got out of the house, than she (pointing to Kitty) said I was ruining her, that Mr Wilkins would never call again, because I had insulted him by lcaviiig the room and going up stairs to road the newspapers, that all her old friends were one after the other desert- ing her, and that I was the cause of it." "It's ~ said Kitty, and drawing ~er chair near Mrs Oldbuok, ~ began telling her ~vhat she said was the truth and nothing but the truth, that after Mr Wilkins left that afternoon, Jonathan pouted and became so disagreeable 'at the dinner table, that he would not eat linything, whereupon she reproached him with being attacked by the green~eyed monster, she was sure he was jealous of Mr Wilkins,- and that was the reason he wouldn't eat any of the fine.. apple dumplings she had made for dinner. Jonat~han denied this, but Kitty persisted in saying it was true, when the mother intervened by observing, "My children, you should live in peace, I, believe Jonathan is partly wrong, and you must be- have better for the future," turning to her son, but at the same time wishing toAonciliate both parties. "I was going to tell you," said Kitty, "about his trampling o~i my dear little poodle this morning." "Never mi1pd, my child," said Mrs Oldbuok, "never mind, he will behave better for the future. Kiss and m.~ke friends, my children." - Jonathnn looked at Kitty, and Kitty at Jonathan. The latter w~u1d have purchased peace no matter on what terms, but the I former was inexorable, and her very looks indicated that. she would not allow him to approach her. Mrs Oldhuck having remained a short time, and finding a rather more amicable feeling existing between man and wife, took her departure, not without Jonathan expressing a wish to see her home, which his mother would not consent to, saying that bhe would pre- t'er his staying at home and making up with his wife. The feud may have been healed for the moment, and a truce effected, but it could not have been of long duration, for there was evidently no congeniality between the tastes or feelings, and what was far worse, between the tempers of Jonathan and Kitty. The latter bore weapons about her person, in the shape of long pointed n~ils on her fingers, which kept him in dread of her, and he was ~cry cautious how he gave her offence. At length the storm burst out with renewed fury, the quarrel arose from a trifling incident, but as ~great events proceed from slight causes, it was attended this time by the most serious con. - sequences. Jonathan found fault with Kitty because there was no meat on the snpper-table, he-ordered the servant to bring ~om~ from the cupboard, Kitty said she should not do so, as- there was enough to -eat on the table. Jonathan said sire should, but ~Wy's orders were paramount with the servant maid, so Jonathan went dowa* himself to the cupboard to get the meat, and on' coming up stairs, his foot slipped, and the dish was broken to pieces. Kitty raved like a maniac, when she found her best stone china dish broken to atoms, she called her husband the vilest names she could tnink of, and he stood gaping at the mischief he had done, and thinking how utterly un~.bie he was to repair it. As Kitty entered the room with a piece of the broken dish in her hand, she found Jonathan standing at the door, and she gave hltn such a blow on his cheek, that he cried out "murder." To prevent any further mischief he caught hold of one of Kitty's hands, when she began to scratch his face with, the other, and both being soon released and in full play, she flew at him like a tigress, whilst he was holloa- ing out "murder" at the top of his voice. The police burst into the house, and found Jonathan in, a. sad plight, his face was dreadfully bruised, and the blood streaming down it; he had not yet ceased to get over his fright, for he really believed the -woman intended to murder him. Mr ~, one of our .mQst worthy and efficient police officers, finding it was nothing but a quarrel between man and wife, and having considerable ex- perience in such matters, suggested the best remedy against a repe- tition of such scenes, by a separation for the night, if not for ever! "For ever," cried Jonathan, "in God's name; I cannot live with the woman, and I ~hall apply for a divorce to-morrow ;" saying this, -he accompanied the officer as far as hi~ mother's residence. On the I iN S1~ARCH OF A WIFE. 99 page: 100-101[View Page 100-101] '4 100 f~A1owlngday he inewhich he was bed and board), v 5ONAT1~A~ OTE~DJ~UCK took the advice of counsel on the peculiar position placed, and a separation a mettse et thoro (from ~as sued for, and pronounced in due course of law "Procrastination 'is the thief of time," as Jonathan Oldbuok thought, when he was courting Louisa Switzer, Syporah Olernents, atid Clarissa Shrewsbury, but of ePthe truth of the other' adage, f' Marry in 'haste and repent at leisure," he was nearly having a rull !conviction in his amours with Alksrg'uerite Gerbots, and cer~ tainly 'received striking' proofs in the case of Kitty Spic~r. "Make no more haste than speed," is the safest rule to go by, for if Jonathan had shown less anxiety to contract marriage in the earlier period 'of his life, and taken more time to win the affections the ladies he loved, he might not have been obliged to marry a shrew in his old age. He was too importunate in his amours, and to 'that cause may be attributed the little success he met with in his relations with the fair sex. "Weijlth does not always confer happiness," is the other moral that can be drawn from a perusal of tb, preceding' pagos, and whilst virtue may take up its abode in the lowly dwellings of the ~poor, it is not always found in the palaces oI the rich. TUE END I
