The Southern Literary Messenger, Volume I., 1834-35Various
General
The Southern Literary Messenger, Volume I., 1834-35
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
One may easily imagine the state of the young fellow's mind. To be
driven with insult and barbarity from the house in which he had been
received a thousand times with courtesy and kindness--which he looked
upon as his own! Then, what was to be done? Rosalie's uncle, after
all, had told him nothing but the truth. His father had died a beggar!
Dear as Rosalie was to Theodore, his own pride recoiled at the idea of
offering her a hand which was not the master of a shilling! Yet was
not Theodore portionless. His education was finished; that term he had
completed his collegiate studies. If his father had not left him a
fortune, he had provided him with the means of making one himself--at
all events, of commanding a competency. He had the credit of being a
young man of decided genius, too. "I will not offer Rosalie a beggar's
hand!" exclaimed Theodore; "I shall ask her to remain true to me for a
year; and I'll go to London, and maintain myself by my pen. It may
acquire me fame as well as fortune; and then I may marry Rosalie?"
This was a great deal of work to be done in a year; but if Theodore
was not a man of genius, he possessed a mind of that sanguine
temperament, which is usually an accompaniment of the richer gift.
Before the hour of dinner all his plans were laid, and he was ready to
start for London. He waited for nothing but a message from Rosalie,
and as soon as the sweet girl could send it, it came to him. It
appointed him to meet her in the green lane after sunset; the sun had
scarcely set when he was there; and there, too, was Rosalie. He found
that she was Rosalie still. Fate had stripped him of fortune; but she
could not persuade Rosalie to refuse him her hand, or her lip; when,
half-way down the lane, she heard a light quick step behind her, and,
turning, beheld Theodore.
Theodore's wishes, as I stated before, were granted soon as
communicated: and now nothing remained but to say good by--perhaps the
hardest thing to two young lovers. Rosalie stood passive in the arms
of Theodore, as he took the farewell kiss, which appeared as if it
would join his lips to hers for ever, instead of tearing them away.
She heard her name called from a short distance, and in
half-suppressed voice; she started and turned towards the direction
whence the pre-concerted warning came; she heard it again; she had
stopped till the last moment! She had half withdrawn herself from
Theodore's arms; she looked at him; flung her own around him, and
burst into tears upon his neck!--In another minute there was nobody in
the lane.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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