Alida Part 41

[_Sketch of Harrison_:

The various and arduous duties of governor of Indiana required, for this office, a man of very superior abilities -- one possessed of stern integrity and prudent moderation, accompanied by the most unwavering firmness. Such a man Governor Harrison, in the long course of his a administration fully proved himself to be.

his remarkable readiness in debate soon rendered him a prominent member, and the nervous and impa.s.sioned eloquence, and cla.s.sical felicity of ill.u.s.tration with which he enforced his arguments, gained him much influence.

with abilities of the highest order, with integrity pure as the unsullied snow, and with the truest republican principles....

an ardent love for his country, and an earnest desire to serve her best interests....

though vested with unusual powers, General Harrison was never known, during the whole of his command, to exercise his authority in an unjust or oppressive manner. His measures were energetic, but always qualified by his characteristic moderation and humanity....

integrity, prudence, and capacity for civil government.

This high encomium came from those whose friends and neighbours had partic.i.p.ated in the late campaign, and who were consequently familiar with its details, and with the merits of the commander.]

And Detroit is destined to be remembered, as the place of the battle ground of one of the most remarkable and decisive actions that took place during the late war.

[_Sketch of Harrison_:

a place which is destined to be remembered, as the battle ground of one of the most remarkable and decisive actions fought during the war.]

Shortly after this action was over, Bonville, who was one among the soldiers, returned to New-York. He furnished plausible reason, and obtained a furlough from his commanding officer, for leave of absence.

In the meantime, he thought again to visit Alida; he had at present a double motive again to address her,--and if he should prove successful, her expected fortune would make him ample amends for what he had squandered away in scenes of folly. And if the father of Theodore had become a bankrupt by misfortune, he had now almost become one by dissipation and extravagance.

Albert had been extremely busy through the day, and was just returning home from his store in Pearl-street one evening, when he met Bonville in Broadway on his way to his father's. He accosted him in a very friendly manner, and then interrogated him by numerous questions concerning the family,--and very inquisitively with regard to his sister. Albert made no reply that gave him any particular satisfaction. When they arrived at the house, they found no company except Mr. More. Alida was truly shocked and surprised at this unexpected visit from Bonville, who she had no idea was in town. After making to her his compliments, and expressing his pleasure at finding her well, he by degrees drew her into a conversation which lasted the greater part of the evening. He offered an ill-timed consolation for the absence of Theodore, and affected much regret,--although he said his case was not as deplorable as that of many others, as he was still among the living. That though he was a person he could not esteem, still he had felt so far interested in his welfare, as to make particular inquiries how the British were accustomed to treat their prisoners. He then gave some dark intimations against his general character, which could not fail to throw over the mind of Alida a deep dejection.

[_Alida_ page 158 (chapter XXI):

Alida was truly shocked and surprised at a proposition so unexpected from Mr. Bolton....]

[_A&M_ (Melissa speaking):

My aunt added her taunts to his severities, and Beauman interfered with his ill timed consolation.]

[_Alida_ page 168 (chapter XXIII):

He expressed his surprise, and after giving many dark intimations of his perfidy, he changed the subject....]

She was now apprised of the fate of Theodore:--She was unable to suppress the feelings of sorrow, that these words of Bonville had excited. She remained silent; wholly engrossed by the confused thoughts and sad ideas, that arose in succession in her mind, till at length she became regardless of all around her.

The penetrating eyes of Mr. More were fixed upon her during this conversation. He seemed wholly insensible to every other object. He was apprehensive that her heart was insensible to the strong affection that pervaded his own,--and he thought should she prove incapable of loving like himself, and should become devoted to another, thoughts he could scarcely endure,--though they sometimes impressed the idea that she might never be interested in his favour. Hope would again flatter him with the pleasing thought, that her bosom may have been fraught with congenial feelings, and her heart beat with sensations even more fervent than his own. Her image filled his waking thoughts, and disturbed with visionary happiness his sleeping hours,--yet it seemed to his devoted mind the love of merit alone; and he imagined that while she was happy, he could never be altogether otherwise.

After Mr. More and Bonville had taken leave, and her parents had retired to rest, Alida remained by the fire-side till a late hour. She was meditating on recent circ.u.mstances, on the many late trying events which had crowded so rapidly that they could scarcely be said to succeed each other, and which had given so great variety to her life, that for years had rolled on in the same peaceful, unvaried course. She felt displeased at Bonville for his insinuations concerning Theodore, which were ungenerous and ill-natured,--while he seemed to flatter himself with the idea that she would become forgetful of him. He had hitherto yielded to every selfish propensity, without once seriously reflecting on its consequences to himself or others. His understanding, warped by prejudice, and without control, often misled him, and the superiority an elevated station gave him caused him to neglect to practice those better principles of which his nature might have been capable. His pride would suffer to see Alida united to another, therefore he was determined not to relinquish her. He concluded that finally she would look upon Theodore with indifference, and become favourably disposed towards himself; while his regard for her should prove unchangeable. That, unacquainted as she was with the world, she would at length be brought to accede to his wishes. That his rhetoric operating on her inexperience would ultimately influence her in his favour.

CHAPTER XVI.

"Dejection pales thy rosy cheek, And steals the l.u.s.tre from thine eye; The minutes of each tedious hour, Are mark'd by sad anxiety:

"And all thy soft, endearing smiles, That spoke with such expressive grace, Alas! are fled, and only care Is seen upon that pensive face."

[_NY Weekly_: On the recovery of an Only Child from the Small-pox, lines 1-8:

When sickness pal'd thy rosy cheek, And stole the l.u.s.tre from thine eye, The minutes of each tedious hour Were mark'd by sad anxiety.

For all thy soft endearing smiles, Which spoke with such expressive grace, Alas! were fled, and only pain Was trac'd upon thy cherub face.]

The sublime works of nature had shed abroad their cheering influences, and the mild and salubrious breezes of spring had succeeded to the bl.u.s.tering gales of winter. The parents of Alida made preparation to return to the country. Alida's father was declining in health. He had imparted to his son his wish for him to close and settle his mercantile affairs in the city, (as the times were dreary,) and return to the paternal estate. In the meantime, Albert's a.s.sistance was necessary to alleviate his father, as he was now advanced in years, and had princ.i.p.ally relinquished all public business, except attending to its calls only when requested in cases of emergency.

[_Alida_ page 153 (chapter XX):

He had long wished him to close his affairs of business in the city, and settle himself on the paternal estate.]

[_Alida_ page 206 (chapter XXIX):

It had long been the wish of his parent, that he should close his business in New-York, and settle himself on the paternal estate.]

[_Lives of Signers_: Thornton of New Hampshire:

Being advanced in years, he princ.i.p.ally relinquished the business of his medical profession, attending to its calls only when requested in cases of special urgency.]

Mr. Bolton had been with the family several days, and attended them on board the steamboat. One would scarcely suppose that so interesting an exterior as his, blended with highly polished manners, should not have made some impression on the mind of Alida if her heart had been disengaged. Besides, he was a person too amiable not to be esteemed. His ideas with regard to Alida were altogether sanguine. He believed, as soon as he should ask the consent of her parents, he would easily obtain his wishes. He considered his own fortune already sufficient, without seeking more in the din of business. And he possessed many other advantages which pleaded in his favour. With these hopes of a.s.sured success, he made proposals to her father. The manner in which her father replied to him was altogether discouraging, which excluded the hope of his ever gaining the hand of his daughter by his consent. This denial was a sensible cause of chagrin to Mr. Bolton, but yet it did not discourage him.

The impatience sometimes of obtaining a thing which is refused to us, renders it still more desirable, and the heart is never in a greater flutter than when it is agitated with the fear of losing the object it most wishes to gain. Moreover, he believed that Alida was already interested in his favour, and he determined to suggest to her, the first opportunity, the plan to elope with him, and thus put it out of the power of her father to impede their happiness.

The day was calm and serene, and the air invigorating. The steam-boat floated slowly upon the waters in monotonous movement. There was music on board. A company of militia were going to the village of ----, where they usually paraded the town for several hours, took dinner at the hotel, and then returned again to the city.

Alida remained on deck nearly the whole way, to be a spectator of the various, beautiful landscapes that presented themselves on the river, particularly at this season of the year. A gentle breeze sprung up as they pa.s.sed the little islands at the entrance of the bay, on whose gla.s.sy surface the sun shone with meridian splendour, ill.u.s.trating the peculiar beauty of the diversified scenery. In the course of a few hours they arrived at the village of ----, where they obtained a conveyance to take them on to their family residence, where they arrived some time in the afternoon.

[[The phrase "shone with meridian splendour" is widely quoted from Boswell's _Life of Johnson_.]]

Although all nature was smiling around, and the variegated landscape never appeared more enchanting, birds of every description were seen chirping on the spray, and the trees resounded with their sportive melody, and Alida might still have been happy if she had never become acquainted with Theodore; yet while she had the appearance of serenity, she still cherished a secret uneasiness. She had never received any intelligence concerning him since they had last parted. She imagined herself altogether forgotten, as Bonville had frequently suggested.

Besides, he had represented Theodore as worthless. Harra.s.sed and oppressed by a thousand different conjectures, she could scarcely support herself under them with any degree of resignation.

In this frame of mind, in serious meditation, she took a seat by the window. The sun was declining slowly beneath the horizon to gladden other regions. The spire of the village church was tipped with gold, and the resplendent rays reflected from the window dazzled the eye. Above was the azure vault variegated with fleecy clouds; beneath was nature's verdant carpet. The little songsters of the adjoining grove were paying their tribute of praise in melodious strains. The bleating of the lambs, and the lowing of the milky train, re-echoed from the fields and valleys; while the gentle murmuring of the water-fall at the mill, with its rumbling cadence over the dam, was heard at a little distance.

[_NY Weekly_: A Fragment, after the manner of J. Y. (abbreviated "Fragment JY"):

The sun was retiring behind a lofty ridge of mountains to gladden other regions; the towering spires of the village churches were tipt with gold; while the resplendent rays reflected from the windows dazzled the eye. Above was the azure vault, variegated with fleecy clouds; beneath was Nature's verdant carpet. The little songsters of the grove were paying their tributes of praise in melodious strains; the bleatings of the lambs, and the lowings of the milky mothers re-echoed from the vallies.]

[_Alida_ page 166 (chapter XXIII):

The rumbling water-fall was again heard at the mill....]

"How still is nature," said Alida. "The sun has withdrawn his radiance, yet the gleam from yonder western sky bespeaks him still at hand, promising to return with his reviving warmth when nature is refreshed with darkness. The bay is already beginning to be silvered over by the mild rays of the queen of night. Gently she steals on the world, while she bestows on us her borrowed splendour. She lights the wandering traveller, she warms the earth with gentle heat. She dazzles not the eye of the philosopher, but invites him to contemplate and admire. Scarcely a breeze is stirring; the shadow of each tree remains undisturbed; the unruffled bay and river glide smoothly on, reflecting nature's face.

Again the attention is drawn, and the eye wanders to yon vast concave, where the mind follows in silent wonder, wandering among the planets, till, struck with beauty of the whole, it acknowledges 'the Hand that made it is divine.'