Alonzo and Melissa; Or, The Unfeeling Father: An American TaleMitchell, I. (Isaac)
History
Alonzo and Melissa; Or, The Unfeeling Father: An American Tale
Mitchell, I. (Isaac)
Gothic fiction; Love stories; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Fiction
"I immediately raised the bridge, and made fast the gate, determining,
on no considerations, to suffer it to be opened until evening. The day
passed away without any occurrence worthy of note, and as soon as it was
dark, I went, opened the gate, and cautiously let down the bridge.
I then returned to the mansion, and placed the candle, as we had
concerted, at the window. Shortly after I heard a carriage roll over the
bridge and proceed up the avenue.--My heart fluttered; I wished--I
hardly knew what I did wish; but I feared I was about to act improperly,
as I had no other idea but that it was you, Alonzo, who was approaching.
The carriage stopped near the door of the mansion; a footstep ascended
the stairs. Judge of my surprise and agitation, when my father entered
the chamber! A maid and two men servants followed him. He directed me to
make immediate preparations for leaving the mansion--which command, with
the assistance of the servants, I obeyed with a heart too full for
utterance.
"As soon as I was ready, we entered the carriage, which drove rapidly
away. As we passed out of the gate, I looked back at the mansion, and
saw the light of the candle, which I had forgotten to remove, streaming
from the window, and it was by an extraordinary effort that I prevented
myself from fainting.
"The carriage drove, as near as I could judge, about ten miles, when we
stopped at an inn for the night, except my father, who returned home on
horseback, leaving me at the inn in company with the servants, where the
carriage also remained. The maid was a person who had been attached to
me from my infancy. I asked her whether she could explain these
mysterious proceedings.
"All I know, Miss, I will tell you, said she. Your father received a
letter to-day from your aunt, which put him in a terrible flutter:--he
immediately ordered his carriage and directed us to attend him. He met
your aunt at a tavern somewhere away back, and she told him that the
gentleman who used to come to our house so much once, had contrived to
carry you off from the place where you lived with her; so your father
concluded to send you to your uncle's in Carolina, and said that I must
go with you. And to tell you the truth, Miss, I was not displeased with
it; for your father has grown so sour of late, that we have little peace
in the house.
"By this I found that my fate was fixed, and I gave myself up for some
time to unavailing sorrow. The maid informed me that my mother was well,
which was one sweet consolation among my many troubles; but she knew
nothing of my father's late conduct.
"The next morning we proceeded, and I was hurried on by rapid stages to
the Chesapeak, where, with the maid and one man servant, I was put on
board a packet for Charleston, at which place we arrived in due time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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