rise, and told her
plainly that I was not thus to be trifled with; that if her regard for
me was sincere, if she really intended to form a connection with me, she
could not thus protract the time, try my patience, and prefer every
other pleasure to the rational interchange of affection, to the calm
delights of domestic life. But in vain did I argue against her false
notions of happiness, in vain did I represent the dangerous system of
conduct which she now pursued, and urge her to accept, before it was too
late, the hand and heart which were devoted to her service. That, she
said, she purposed ere long to do, and hoped amply to reward my faithful
love; but she could not fix the time this evening. She must consider a
little further, and likewise consult her mother. "Is it not Major
Sanford whom you wish to consult, madam?" said I. She blushed, and gave
me no answer. "Tell me, Eliza," I continued, "tell me frankly, if he has
not supplanted me in your affections--if he be not the cause of my being
thus evasively, thus cruelly, treated." "Major Sanford, sir," replied
she, "has done you no harm. He is a particular friend of mine, a polite
gentleman, and an agreeable neighbor, and therefore I treat him with
civility; but he is not so much interested in my concerns as to alter my
disposition towards any other person." "Why," said I, "do you talk of
friendship with a man of his character? Between his society and mine
there is a great contrast. Such opposite pursuits and inclinations
cannot be equally pleasing to the same taste. It is, therefore,
necessary that you renounce the one to enjoy the other; I will give you
time to decide which. I am going to a friend's house to spend the night,
and will call on you to-morrow, if agreeable, and converse with you
further upon the matter." She bowed assent, and I retired.

The next afternoon I went, as agreed, and found her mamma and her alone
in the parlor. She was very pensive, and appeared to have been in tears.
The sight affected me. The idea of having treated her harshly the
evening before disarmed me of my resolution to insist on her decision
that day. I invited her to ride with me and visit a friend, to which
she readily consented. We spent our time agreeably. I forbore to press
her on the subject of our future union, but strove rather to soothe her
mind, and inspire her with sentiments of tenderness towards me. I
conducted her home, and returned early in the evening to my friend'