When sickness pal'd thy rosy cheek, And stole the lustre 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 blustering 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 assistance was necessary to alleviate his father, as he was now advanced in years, and had principally 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 principally 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 assured 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.