182 THERE IS NO HURRY.

to their exertions—another family added to their
own; it is not enough that an uncomfortable
feeling has grown between my father and mo-
ther on this account, and that cold looks -and
sharp words have come where they never came
before, but my peace of mind must be destroy-
ed. ly would I have taken a smaller por-

_ tion, if I could have kept the affections which I
gee ee plainly my cousin has stolen from
FA nd my thoughtless aunt to say, only yes-
terday, that ‘at all events her husband was no
man’s enemy but his own.’ Has not his want

 
 
 
   

. ei. prudent foretggught been the ruin of his own
—@thildren? and my parents ever recover the
anxiety, the pain, the sacrifices, brought on by
one man’s culpable neglect? Oh, uncle! if
you could look from your grave upon the mise-
ry you have caused !”—and then, exhausted by
her own emotion, the affectionate but jealous
girl began to question herself as to what she
should do. After what she considered mature
deliberation, she made up her mind to upbraid
her cousin with treachery, and she put her de-
sign into execution that same evening.

It was no easy matter to oblige her cousin to
understand what she meant; but at last the de-
claration that she had refused her old lover be-
cause she had placed her affections upon Edwin
Lechmere, whom she was endeavouring to
“entrap,” was not to be mistaken; and the
country girl was altogether unprepared for the