xcept attending to its
calls only when requested in cases of emergency.

[_Alida_ page 153 (chapter XX):

He had long wished him to close his affairs of business in the city,
and settle himself on the paternal estate.]

[_Alida_ page 206 (chapter XXIX):

It had long been the wish of his parent, that he should close his
business in New-York, and settle himself on the paternal estate.]

[_Lives of Signers_: Thornton of New Hampshire:

Being advanced in years, he principally relinquished the business of
his medical profession, attending to its calls only when requested
in cases of special urgency.]

Mr. Bolton had been with the family several days, and attended them on
board the steamboat. One would scarcely suppose that so interesting an
exterior as his, blended with highly polished manners, should not have
made some impression on the mind of Alida if her heart had been
disengaged. Besides, he was a person too amiable not to be esteemed. His
ideas with regard to Alida were altogether sanguine. He believed, as
soon as he should ask the consent of her parents, he would easily obtain
his wishes. He considered his own fortune already sufficient, without
seeking more in the din of business. And he possessed many other
advantages which pleaded in his favour. With these hopes of assured
success, he made proposals to her father. The manner in which her father
replied to him was altogether discouraging, which excluded the hope of
his ever gaining the hand of his daughter by his consent. This denial
was a sensible cause of chagrin to Mr. Bolton, but yet it did not
discourage him.

The impatience sometimes of obtaining a thing which is refused to us,
renders it still more desirable, and the heart is never in a greater
flutter than when it is agitated with the fear of losing the object it
most wishes to gain. Moreover, he believed that Alida was already
interested in his favour, and he determined to suggest to her, the first
opportunity, the plan to elope with him, and thus put it out of the
power of her father to impede their happiness.

The day was calm and serene, and the air invigorating. The steam-boat
floated slowly upon the waters in monotonous movement. There was music
on board. A company of militia were going to the village of ----, where
they usually paraded the town for several hours, took dinner at the
hotel, and then returned again to the city.

Alida remained on deck nearly the whol