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he took not uire to view it in the true and propel‘
ll ht.
Tlieso were serious considerations not easily to
fortnight, and if no ship ap cared in the interim
to take them from the islan he then felt that he
should be bound, in every point of view to deter-
mine on the course of conduct which he should
ado t for tiie future guidance of his owrrhfe
an that of her whoui Providence had committed
to his care. .
The two intervening Sabbaths passed, marked
by the solemn exercises with which he had always
been accustomed to observe them. The last
of the allotted fortnight elapsed. and nothliig
more than the occasional gleam of a tiny speck
on the dim horizon announced the approach of a
;.-: 1.7:; . ...,
‘<
When the sun went down he at once abandoned
the hope tiiat so iuiig tormented him of quit-
ting the island on which be had been eserted
and :IA.lili‘('s.sed iiimself to tire consideration of that
course of conduct most likely to contribute to the
c. -
were now to remain upon it in all probability for
their lives.
After most mature and deliberate consideration,
which forbade him making a proposal of immedi-
ate marriage to bliss Livingstone, by that form of
written contract which was common in his own
country, and which would establish the validity of
the union or the legality of its issue, should re-
iehting fortune ever restore them to their own
coun ry.
The only difficulty that now presented itself, was
that of breakiiig‘to her the conclusion at which he
had arrived. Here, however, more fortunate than
in many things, chance gave him an opportunity
of so doing, in amode of which he most gladly
aviailed himself.
Withiiia few days Angela. attained her eight-
teenth year, and on the morning of her birthday
after wishing her a long and ha py recurrence of
the anniversary, he laced wit iin her -hanvls a
aper, folded in the form of a. letter, and szning
t was his birthday offering. requested her to tell
blur, on hni return from sh "Jig, whether it was
such a one as she could ac e,...
‘f Nay then,” replied the fair and laughing
“since it comes from you, I do accept it, an
without a moment's thought or hesitation.”
“It is like your Venerosity to do so,” replied
Ramsay, lifting her and to his lips; “but I shall
- not less esteem the kindness, if you as readily do
so after iving it a day’s reflection.”
“Who can it be, then?” demanded
color rising,.and her deep blue eyes sparkling like
sapphires with the ingenuous beauty that so dis-
tinguished her countenance, raising the packet at
the same tiine'with the most eager curiosity, as
, if no moment should be lost in mastering its
, mystery.
- “ Not now-do not read it now, Angela-wait.
’ till 1.41111 out of sigh and then give it your be
:. consideration. Is 1 not be back much before
ll sundown. If you accept my birthday gift, I shall
fin you in our mutual sitting-room; if you refuse
it, you will have retired l.Otl.l0J1I'lVILCy of your own
chamber, and I shall be spare the pain of your
denying me the only request the inouarch of the
l isle has ever made to his fair and beloved visitor.”
l Some hint. of‘Ramsay’s iiie .ning, and the nature
i of the packet, in all probability, here occurred to
t
i
m
=9
Aiigela’s mind. The hand which Ilamsay held
trembled violently-the blood mounted even to the
very summit of her clear ample forehead, and
;i. though her eyes were averted toward the ground,
.;‘1 Ranisay marked the large tears coursing each other
1" rapidly over the dark silken fringe of lashes, and
. , the war of emotion so visibly raging within her
s m.
i i Whispering in her ear the oft.re eated vow of
i alioction, an adeep-felt prayer for ierhappiness,
ii under-any circumstaiices, Ramsay turned away
‘ i toward the deeper alleys of the forest.
l At last Aiirzela summoned courage to open the
paper and read its contents. The crimson on her
neck tied and came during its perusal, like the
fiasiiings of the aurora. The eye, so framed for
l the eloquence of every softer feeling,
; bright and pierciiigly brilliant. Again an again
. l the brief writing was gone over. The eye, losing
its intense brightness, sought the repose and re-
fiectioii of its own lid. The color faded altogether
from her face, and she reclined her liead upon her
hands in the attitude of deep tliouglit.
Rising from her seat, after a. little time thus
spent, she retired to the cottage, and flinging her-
self on the sofa that had formerly ornainented the
cabin of the lcibiades, poured forth her
thoughts and prayers to Heaven. The paper that
‘ Ramsay had given to her was simply a writing of
marriage, wit out other words or comment. She
i had placed it within her bosom, and, tranquiiized
.: l and assured at once b the act of suppiication,
she sank into a profoun slumber.
l A well known step first roused her from this
prolonged repose. She started up with mingled
emotions of fear and love. Something seemed to
be weighing on her heart-some part to be acted
or gone through-she knew not what.
lgnomnt of the cause of her involuntary pres-
, , ence in that room, Ramsay uttered a. loud shout of
.ji‘gly;,and sprang forward. Confused-surprised-
v H en unawares as she was-it was too late for
2 l
til
M
‘ K
=;.r.>'n1...v..-.r,-<ia,v-s.=',n
beovcriooked; he determined to wait another pro
happiiiess of liiiriself and companion since they s
be was unable to discover any satisfactory reason sh
Tl-IE LAKESIDE LIBRAR
W ' lied
thought: but truth, nature, and atlection SIJDD
its place; and in the next moment i%e1:'icti$a‘1;5a:’;D
i haven of her life-the honor-
of a mind that was. committed “I8
able pillow to we gamed mp of 3 us,
as the snow
9
'<
1 d calami
his joy he fear:-,d that some impen mg I
must lie near at hand, to b%ltJaJ;<!:13atti:l‘;;1f)';1’h‘E;’1,”'ii;:
Elli‘: E:nhge:l;?Bn0fi(ll.Beulll‘t ticius mutely E‘.'iV9" ‘-0
in‘ . <
their Mi" "“i'ai":..<:.5.“2.‘.‘:“.:>.i.i&
passed penwen' rite ilvas rend bi’ 1110"‘
ixlamffli-;i'C‘e ;zlLIi)iI<i)O"t1lieir vows of truth and
soemnly uttered before the De1ttY.h:;'g10t51‘1’an the
are the hills Lot 51:; hit;-glgiymlilgrea
hulzllldlylelliitilulfotllglil)SCi"ll)i’.ti the marriBg9'W1'm,i‘k‘5v
. ‘ . . e
which Ramsay, in default of more pfgcwg) ‘his
ts, had drawn up; and bpfeifngot “mp
heart one who was in futtire to do P In Dung
ell, Ramsay with no stpics 8305- Tewa :1 gm“ 3
Wiws trembling arm vm<hvm ms mldnliriii neither
“‘““"g 0’ ‘="“‘“'“l ““7m” um mbied toward the
utterance nor expression, they ram
i ' ' blossoms of the
“"l3“ “'9 “.x'i‘::;i‘:‘2‘.i....ieis or ms
go e,'3t0lm5"'%e. ma while they enjoyed tlie’shade
imtlilll u ciglnt. ilboin cedar or vast and magnif
Oi t e gin '.’1li)'gli‘e(‘ lie climbed the towerintl dim’
ell] "$2; 8ilL(‘:t“'el' its lirscious fruit. near the worship-
(,3 3,, of Anueia, or shook down the mili-r-bezir-
in cocoa-iiutto supply the wants of thirst.
‘die envious fools, shut out from every
I iioel of bliss in their own persons, were tin“
ibuiuai-re or meddle with tales malicious or absur-i.
‘Iothin tended to dniw awar one kind eIn0ti<7ll
from tlige mutual service of eaicli other. The verb’
fact of their hiiiisliiiient in the lonely desert
where the lived hemmed them with eve kind
forbearancye-evclry anxi ty to oblige and rgeligillv
each other, as naturally as the ocean bounded in
thgilrlllilf. after month glid0d SW21? in this “ndi5'
turbed serenity of deli ht; and had their votes
been taken u to Llie en of the first twelvemontii
which ensue: upon their marriage, as to WIN’-U101‘
they should return to the jarring world, or remain
in the little Eden that witnessed all -their felicity.
they would have prefcrredto have seen either
man nor ship to tempt them to the follyo risk-
ing an exquisite certainty foradoubtful advan-
she, her tags.
CIIAPFERXXXVI.
A twelvenionth then, had assed over the heads
of Angela and Ramsay. ‘T e former was now
nineteen, and the latter tive-and-twenty: all 3119
that promised every congeniality of sentiment,
while it placed the burtheii on the right shoulder.
Health and a long life were before tliein-niore
brilliant, more delightful, than most mortals may
hope to enjoy. , - ,
With every succeeding day their mere tem oral
comforts had been increasing about them. an that
deep batlios from love to life we must as a vein-
cious chroniclcr, explain and declare. To all the
vegetables, fruits and productions nxitural to the
island, Ramsay had added from the frigate’s stores
both potatoes and peas: while the Alcibiades, hav-
ing still had on board, when Ramsay first discov-
ered her, some of tli - porciiie creation, afew goats,
and several fowis, those living treasures had so iii-
creased upon his hands, as to render want next, to
inipossible, witiiout some sudden mortality which
it was idle to anticipate.
The soil, moreover, was so ,rolific, that two
days’ labor out of the seven su ced most amply
for reaping all that they required from its grateful
bosom. The ship had of course contained a cat
quantity of flour, and though much had en
thrown away from its condition, a plentiful sup-
ply still remained; and failing this, he had dis-
covered one of t is species of palms, whose fruit
would supply all the farinaceous food that they
were like y to require. . .
On the first anniversary of their wedding, the
past. year seeiiied to have gone like a dream of
suminer morning; and, filled with gratitude for
the past and security in the future, they thought
witii equal ride and pleasure that not a. moment’s
uneasiiiess liad ever found expression from the
lips of either. ,
A few months more, and the prospect of their
happiness was likely still further to be increased ;
but some portion of care and anxiety, at the same
time, once more found an entrance into their little
paradise: and though neitlier of them could con-
template the blessing of such an addition to their
happiness without intense rapture yet the fond
father could not but anticipate with dread the in-
creased danger which such an event must bring
with it on Angela.
Still time stole on with all the swiftness that
marks the flight of happiness from man; still
Ramsay's nervousness increased. At length, one
morning, unable to wnfine his uneasiness to his
own bosom, yet not daring to give expression to it
in his young wlfe’s presence, he put his on
93
his shoulder, and stole quietly and um erved
away, to indulge his grief in a lonely ramble, leav-
(1 that he was abse
Ore.
How the day passed they knew 110'“ Ramsay 1)
Von. II.
Y.
with a book, and not suspecting
nt farther tlllall tdiiettazlzhdehli h
‘ bldtoagri-aer is co an ,3
intended, and having made himself
fully as wretched and miserable as it was Ilossible
for him to do, he began to conceive that the end
0 .
ing Angela busy
‘ irrie he sh , . -
thftlthlgadritimi juncture, his strolling had led
him to the edge of a narrow defile, “fllicllf almost,
impasslble, and wholly oversliadowed ‘by he thick
growth of trees, must, as he conceived, lead down
the shore. , .
mxow, merely to dnvo away the torturuig
thoughts that maddened him, he scrambled, with
no little labor, down to the shore, and gazed list-
iessly out upon the familiar face of the ocean. But
gracious lieaven i what unwonted sight met his
smmled eyes, to make his strong frame shiver, and
his bold cheek flame, that never changed color
r ‘P .
f'”r?ef:%oc he had often before observed. with a.
determination of ex iorini-’. its unl-‘HOW?! pass. not
then, because he has no time, but on the morrow.
He who had heard no sound of human accents
ad been cast upon that lonely stran
10'' h had seen nothing but the bare ex-
anse of water on one lian and forest on the
other now look round upon the sea, and there-
if his mind had not waiidi-red-‘beiield a boat
' hi, on sliorc, the otlicers and men
' "f.,:’l“’-‘.?.ii"”’”$ill’l" .
' sa sto iesi - mg ier or no
he‘Xd]Ii1ll?i byelief to the reality of approaching
rescue the light boat shot ‘along the surface of the
wave, iivitli arrow-like rapidity, right towards the
he stoo ‘ “’
Bpggrlddlgiiilden command he heard given, but be
hardly knew what it meant, though his eyes were
riveted on the boat. lie seeuied in a dream. .
The tossing in of the nienfs ours, as the bowpf
the boat dashed against his little hiliock, led him
to conclude thatit must have ecu. Aghast and
incredulous, still he could not believe that this was
more than a wily client of overwrought fancy, and
he shrank disappointed against the first rock.
A minute’s ause the seamen gave as their boat
touched the s ore-a min1ite’s searching scrutiny
in silence and wonder-and then the paptam
they stern-sheets, breaking silence, exclaimed- '
“ I say, in fine fellow, you’re What 30,11 mg! Glll
close-hauled, “I-think ; where the devil di you
spring from ’
since his
'-wiio so long
friendly though unknown lips conveyed strange
transports to his heart, and told
less to .
gtviglrimpulse-tlie lare forsook his eye for some
softer emotion-and in the next instant he had
sprung amongst them, with open arms and
more open he
ldudicheckmt ll ore eager desire ‘hear a
I s own s in - , .
iflriom the great world from which he had livid so
long apart, be acquainted the captain with the
reasons for his iniinn-rllato return l’.0.liiS but, and
the strong arms of the rowers again urged the
swift boat over the waters. 0
We may well imagine the manner of feehngs
with which Angela discovered the return of her
husband, and such unexpected guests ,
were all seated within the house, and again the sea.
men eagerly demanded the history of two beingsso
strangely set apart from the busy haunts of men.
As our hero proceeded in his story, he could not
help thinking that the captain of the . y
sumed somewhat more of the autiiorita ive style
of his majesty’s officer than certainly was pleasant
to his feelings, or necessary for the occasion.
Knowing that this was a. foible common to men in
a1ltll0i’it,V, when they meet with any one junior to
themselves in any service to which both might hap-
pen to belong, his good temper and philosophy
making allowance, refused to take otfense at this
want of good iireedin . I '
is guest express himself greatly surprised
and interested at the conclusion of our hero s nar-
rative, and in return informed him that he was
Captain Robinson, .
of-war-that he had made the island an anchored
off a smooth sandy bay, not far to the northward,
Where, having watered,.h.o was pulling along the
shore in his ig, admiring the scenery of the
island, when t iey discovers Ra
Ca tain .
sage send on board his brig before sunset, by his
midshipman who was waituig ; and that as soon
as this youngster returned, he himself should o
on, board. on hearing this, msay offered
walk down to the wreck of the Alcibiades with
the captain, winch he did, the seamen accompany-
ing them; and Ca taln Robinson, having walked
orders, sent his away, retaining only the cock.
swain with hinise f, and then going over the wreck
of the frigate with our hero.
rtainiy did strike Ramsay as singular, and
somewuatwhat suspicions, that. iis new acquaint-
ance siould think
guard for his person,es it. were.
accountable in his e es appeared the brace of
pistols belted round he coxswai.n’s body; for be-
fore he saw none of them so
as
n
(b
Still it was just possible
in t
The accents of his own language falling from ‘
him miraculous
as it seemed, that he was saved! Ills hand fell‘
still '
the eager inquiries of the seamen,‘ V
I msag. ,
Robinson then said that e had a mes-
inn...
commanding the S(plder brig- ' K
apart with his midshipman, and given him his -
it thus necessary to retain a ‘ i ,
Still more un- ' ‘ ‘
ann ’
that, excited and o<i- ,