The Heir Of Bendersleigh; Or, The Freemason's Promise.

"Yes , Sir , " continued Rachel , who had taken a seat , " yes , Sir , she takes on so , that I thought last , night she would have been participated into u fit of Delirium Tremoitrs . " " Indeed ! " said Mr . Grainger , " I thought she had fully made up her mind to the change . But it is a natural anxiety , no doubt . " " Oh , it isn't afore'her mother and her sister that she takes on so . Lord

bless you , Sir , to see her before them , although she is as pale as a statute ^ yet she never afore them gives way . No , Sir , it is in the secret privacy of her seclusion that she is so wound upon , " said Rachel , who , as we have before observed , was fond of the redundant mode of expressing herself . "But why should she exhibit so much uneasiness ? " enquired Mr . Grainger .

"Bless your soul , Sir , when I told her as the carriages was ordered at twelve , she looked as though a heavy blow had stagnated her . " By which rather eccentric phrase it must be understood , that Rachel meant staggered . "Ah , well , ii is but natural , " said Mr . Grainger , "the prospect of her happiness works upon her imagination . " " Happiness ! " exclaimed Rachel , " I should think it did ; Oh , Sir , Mr .

Grainger , can't you break this horrid match asunder , Sir ? Oh , ao , Sir . " Why are you so earnest in the matter , Rachel ? " enquired Mr . Grainger ,. " Oh , Sir , if you could be as I am , Sir , " replied she loftily , " and feci what I feel , you would then feel what other people ' s feelings is , " and believing , that she had said something which ought to penetrate Mr . Grainger ' s heart ,, she drew herself very tightly up .

Mr . Grainger smiled . " I would give up anything , Sir , I would go to the Injies and work among the blacks—I'd lie down and put my head upon the block , and call upon the executioner to excommunicate me there . I would—I would , " exclaimed she , passionately , but hesitatingly , " go down upon my bended knees upon two spikes , if I could see Miss Harriet as happy

as she used to be , Sir , before that— " and here she sunk the would be martyr in the woman , " before that nasty spottled Mr . Raker , which is as the scriptures says , the snake among the herbs—" "You wrong the gentleman , I fear , Rachel , " said Mr . Grainger , who could scarcely refrain from smiling . " You cannot wrong the man , that wrongs a woman , Sir , " replied Rachel , with determination .

" Without expressing any opinion upon your doctrine , I may say that in the matter which you are alluding to , no wrong is intended to any one . " " Oh , Sir , you can know very little about the young lady ' s heart—you know very little about a young lady ' s happiness , if you can talk in that way ; I'd sooner cut both my hands off myself" a difficult operation by

, the way , " than I'd see that Mr . Rakei—" Rachel would have gone on at some length in her onslaught upon the character of Mr . Raker , if that gentleman himself had not thrown open the door at that very moment , exclaiming-as he entered the office , " come along