ring of 1745, an uncle of her mother's, who
resided at York, was about to celebrate the marriage of one of his
daughters; Mary Chambellan, with her father and brothers, were invited to
the festivities. The father would have sent an excuse for himself and
Mary; he was getting old, and did not like to be put out of his usual
ways. The brothers, however, pleaded earnestly that their sister might
have a little recreation. Finally consent was obtained, and she went with
her brothers.

It was a very fine wedding, and a ball and supper finished the rejoicings.
Some of the officers, quartered with their regiments in York, were invited
to this ball. Among others was a certain Captain Henry Pollexfen. He was a
young man of good family in the south of England, heir to a large fortune;
and extremely handsome and attractive on his own account, independent of
these advantages.

He was, by all accounts, a type of the fine, high-spirited young fellow of
those days; good-tempered, generous, and overflowing with wild animal life
and spirits, which he threw off in a thousand impetuous extravagances. He
could dance all night at a ball, ride a dozen miles to meet the hounds the
following morning, and, after a hard day's sport, sit down to a deep
carouse, and be as fresh and gay after it as if he had been following the
precepts of Lewis Cornaro. The women contended with each other to attract
his attentions; but although he was devoted to every woman he came near,
and responded to their universal good-will by flirting indefatigably, his
attentions were so indiscriminate, that there was not one belle who could
flatter herself that she had secured him for her "humble servant"--as
lovers were then wont to style themselves. Mary Chambellan was not,
certainly, the belle of the wedding ball-room, and by no means equal in
fortune or social position to most of the women present; but whether from
perverseness, or caprice, or love of novelty, Henry Pollexfen was
attracted by her, and devoted himself to her exclusively.

The next York Assembly was to take place in a few days; and this young
man, who did not know what contradiction meant, made Mary promise to be
his partner there. Old Mr. Chambellan, however, who thought his daughter
had been away from home quite long enough, fetched her back himself on the
following day; and Mary would as soon have dared to ask to go to the moon
as to remain to go to the assembly. Henry Pollexfen was extremely
disappo