DELAWARE COUNTY. 315 ^^Gude morning/^ and they were soon in familiar talk. Reader, what do you tliink they talked about ? Not about the weather — nor about Such-a-one's courting such-another — nor about each other's appearance— nor about love — or any such trash. But they conversed like persons of common sense, on subjects of some importance. Her conversation pleased him extremely, and time passed with unusual velocity, until she arose to return, when she very politely invited him to walk along and take breakfast, which request he as politely accepted. A hearty breakfast was prepared in the true Dutch style, and after indulging some chat with the ^^old folks'^ (which was somewhat difficult, as they had but a partial knowledge of English, and he less of Dutch, he departed, not, however, with- out a request to call again. Here an old lady remarked, with a knowing twist of the head, that Murphy frequently passed in that direction as he went on a scout. Whether he went to see the romantic scenery in that region, or in pursuit of Indians, or to see " That lovely being, gently formed and moulded, A rose with all its sweetness just unfolded," we leave for the prolific imagination of the reader to determine. At length her parents, considering his visits rather too fre- quent, directed her to inform him peremptorily that they were not acceptable. But little were they aware of the moral courage and determination of a girl in the vigor of youth, who has fixed her love. Byron told the truth when he says : " The tree Rent from its forest root of years, the river Dammed from its fountain ; the child from the knee And breast maternal, weaned at once forever, Would wither less than these two toi*n apart — Alas, there is no instinct like the heart."
