manner, as he was not only deprived of me, but Edgar also, whohad gone to Holland in an official capacity, soon after receiving thetidings of my death. "I am now childless," said my father in tears.Alfred's feelings were moved, and could he then have found you, he wouldhave told my father the truth; but lest he should relapse from presentdeterminations, he considered it his duty still with him, to continuethe deception.
"On enquiring at your father's, at Vincent's, and at Mr. Simpson's,he could learn nothing of you, except that you had gone to New London,judging possibly that you would find me there. Alfred thereforedetermined to proceed to that place immediately. He then confidentiallyunfolded to your father, Vincent, and Mr. Simpson, the scheme, desiringthat if you returned you would proceed immediately to Charleston. Myfather was still to be kept in ignorance.
"Alfred proceeded immediately to New London: from my cousin there he wasinformed of your interview with him; but from whence you then came, orwhere you went, he knew not; and after making the strictest enquiry, hecould hear nothing more of you. By a vessel in that port, bound directlyfor Holland, he wrote an account of the whole affair to Edgar,mentioning his unsuccessful search to find you; and returned toCharleston.
"Alfred learnt from my friends the circumstances which occasioned mysudden removal from the old mansion. The morning you left me you wasdiscovered by my aunt, who was passing the road in a chair with agentleman, whom she had then but recently become acquainted with. Myaunt knew you. They immediately drove to John's hut. On finding thatJohn had left the keys with me, she sent him for them; and on myrefusing to give them up, she came herself, as I have before related;and as she succeeded no better than John, she returned and dispatched amessage to my father, informing him of the circumstances, and hersuspicions of your having been to the mansion, and that, from my havingpossession of the keys and refusing to yield them up, there was littledoubt but that we had formed a plan for my escape.
"Alarmed at this information, my father immediately ordered hiscarriage, drove to the mansion, and removed me, as I have beforeinformed you.
"I ought to have told you, that the maid and man servant who attended meto Charleston, not liking the country, and growing sickly, were sentback by my uncle, after they had been there about two months."
Alonzo found by this narrative that John had deceived him, when he madehis enquiries of him concerning his knowledge of Melissa's removal. Butthis was not surprising: John was tenant to Melissa's aunt, andsubservient to all her views;--she had undoubtedly given himinstructions how to act.
"But who was the strange gentleman with your aunt?" enquired Alonzo."This I will also tell you, answered Melissa, tho' it unfolds a talewhich reflects no great honour to my family.
"Hamblin was the name which this man assumed: he said he had been aneminent merchant in New York, and had left it about the time it wastaken by the British. He lodged at an inn where my aunt frequentlystopped when she was out collecting her rents, where he first introducedhimself to her acquaintance, and ingratiated himself into her favour byart and insidiousness. He accompanied her on her visits to her tenants,and assisted her in collecting her rents. He told her, that when the warcame on, he had turned his effects into money, which he had with him,and was now in pursuit of some country place where he might purchase aresidence to remain during the war. To cut the story as short aspossible, he finally initiated himself so far in my aunt's favour thatshe accepted his hand, and, contrary to my father's opinion, she marriedhim, and he soon after persuaded her to sell her property, underpretence of removing to some populous town, and living in style. Herproperty, however, was no sooner sold (which my father bought for readycash, at a low price) than he found means to realize the money, andabsconded.
"It was afterwards found that his real name was Brenton; that he hadleft a wife and family in Virginia in indigent circumstances, where hehad spent an ample fortune, left him by his father, in debauchery, andinvolved himself deeply in debt. He had scarcely time to get off withthe booty he swindled from my aunt, when his creditors from Virginiawere at his heels. He fled to the British at New York, where he riotedfor a few months, was finally stabbed by a soldier in a fracas, and diedthe next day. He was about thirty-five years old.
"All these troubles bore so heavily upon my aunt, that she went into adecline, and died about six months ago.
"After Alfred returned from Connecticut, he wrote frequently to Vincentand Mr. Simpson, but could obtain no intelligence concerning you. Itwould be needless, Alonzo, to describe my conjectures, my anxieties, myfeelings! The death of my cousin and aunt had kept me in crape until, atthe instance of Alfred, I put it off yesterday morning at my uncle'shouse, which Alfred had proposed for the scene of action, after he haddiscovered the cause of my fainting at the theatre. I did not readilycome into Alfred's plan to deceive you: "Suffer me, he said, to try theconstancy of your _Leander_;----I doubt whether he would swim theHellespont for you." This aroused my pride and confidence, and Ipermitted him to proceed."
Alonzo then gave Melissa a minute account of all that happened to himfrom the time of their parting at the old mansion until he met with herthe day before. At the mention of Beauman's fate Melissa sighed. "Withhow many vain fears, said she, was I perplexed, lest, by some means heshould discover my existence and place of residence, after he, alas, wassilent in the tomb!"
Alonzo told Melissa that he had received a letter from Edgar, after hearrived in Holland, and that he had written him an answer, just as heleft Paris, informing him of his reasons for returning to America.
When the time arrived that Alonzo and Melissa were to set out forConnecticut, Melissa's uncle and Alfred accompanied them as far asGeorgetown, where an affectionate parting took place: The latterreturned to Charleston, and the former proceeded on their journey.
Philadelphia was now in possession of the British troops. Alonzo foundDr. Franklin's agent at Chester, transacted his business, went on,arrived at Vincent's, where he left Melissa, and proceeded immediatelyto his father's.
The friends of Alonzo and Melissa were joyfully surprised at theirarrival. Melissa's mother was sent for to Vincent's. Let imaginationpaint the meeting! As yet however they were not prepared to undeceiveher father.
Alonzo found his parents in penurious circumstances; indeed, his fatherhaving the preceeding summer, been too indisposed to manage his littlefarm with attention, and being unable to hire laborers, his crops hadyielded but a scanty supply, and he had been compelled to sell most ofhis stock to answer pressing demands. With great joy they welcomedAlonzo, whom they had given up as lost. "You still find your fatherpoor, Alonzo, said the old gentleman, but you find him stillhonest.--From my inability to labour, we have latterly been a littlemore pressed than usual; but having now recovered my health, I trustthat that difficulty will soon be removed."
Alonzo asked his father if he ever knew Dr. Franklin.
"We were school-mates, he replied, and were intimately acquainted afterwe became young men in business for ourselves. We have done each otherfavours; I once divided my money with Franklin on an urgent occasion tohim; he afterwards repaid me with ample interest--he will never forgetit."
Alonzo then related to his father all the incidents of his travels,minutely particularizing the disinterested conduct of Franklin, and thenpresented his father with the reversion of his estate. The old man fellon his knees, and with tears streaming down his withered cheeks, offereddevout thanks to the great Dispenser of all mercies.
Alonzo then visited Melissa's father, who received him with muchcomplacency. "I have injured, said he, my young friend, deeply injuredyou; but in doing this, I have inflicted a wound still deeper in my ownbosom."
Alonzo desired him not to renew his sorrows. "What is past, said he, isbeyond recal; but a subject of some importance to me, is the object ofmy present visit.--True it is, that your daughter was the object of myearliest affection--an affection which my bosom must ever retain; butbeing separated by the will of Providence--for I view Providence asoverruling all events for w
ise purposes--I betook myself to travel.Time, you know it is said, sir, will blunt the sharpest thorns ofsorrow.--[The old man sighed.]----In my travels I have found a lady sonearly resembling your daughter, that I was induced to sue for her hand,and have been so happy as to gain the promise of it. The favour I haveto ask of you, sir, is only that you will permit the marriage ceremonyto be celebrated in your house, as you know my father is poor, his housesmall and inconvenient, and that you will also honour me by giving thelady away. In receiving her from your hands, I shall in some measurerealize former anticipations; I shall receive her in the character ofMelissa."
"Ah! said Melissa's father, were it in my power--could I but give youthe original; But how vain that wish! Yes, my young friend, your requestshall be punctually complied with: I will take upon
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