Page:Reading for winter evenings.pdf/18

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remember her as if it were yesterday, coming behind my chair, and giving me a sly pull, and then running away that I might follow her for a kiss. I should be sorry if any thing had happened to her."—"Alas! Sir," said the eldest niece, "she has been the cause of an infinite deal of trouble to her friends. She was always a giddy girl, and her misconduct has proved her ruin. It would be happy if we could all forget her."—“What, then!" said the uncle, "has she dishonoured herself? Poor creature!"—"I cannot say," replied the niece, "that she has done so in the worst sense of the word; but she has disgraced herself and family by a hasty foolish match with one beneath her; and it has ended, as might he expected, in poverty and wretchedness.”—"I am glad," returned the captain, "that it is no worse; for though I much disapprove of improper matches, yet young girls may fall into still greater evils; and where there is no crime, there can be no irreparable disgrace. But who was the man, and what did my brother say. to it?"—"Why, Sir, I cannot say but it was partly my father's own fault; for he took a sort of liking to the young man, who was a drawing-master employed in the family, and would not forbid him the house after we had informed him of the danger of an attachment between Amelia and him. So, when it was too late, he fell into a violent passion about it, which had no other effect than to drive the girl directly into her lover's arms. They married, and soon fell into difficulties. My father, of course, would do nothing for them; and when he died, he not only disinherited her, but made us promise no longer to look upon her as a sister."—"And you did make that promise?" said the captain, in a tone of surprise and displeasure.—"We could not disobey our parent," replied the other sister; "but we have several times sent her relief in her necessities, though it was improper for us to see her."—“And pray what is become of her at last; where is she now?"—"Really, she and her husband lave shifted their lodgings so often, that it is some time since we heard any thing about them."—“Some time! how long?"—"Perhaps half a-year or more."—"Poor outcast!" cried the captain, in a sort of half-muttered voices "I have made no promise, however, to renounce thee. Be pleased, madam," he continued, addressing himself gravely to the married niece, "to favour me with the last direction you had to this unfortunate sister. She blushed, and looked confused; and at length, after a good deal of searching, presented it to her uncle. "But, my dear Sir," said she, "you will not think of leaving us to-night. My servant shall make all the inquiries yon choose, and save you the trouble