Forgotten Stories.

blackest despair : —all , all these miseries owed their birth to the disgraceful folly and cruel indiscretion of Edward Overton His unhappy father , although nearly sinking beneath the accumulation of distress heaped upon . him by an unworthy

son , had still the resolution , after having settled upon that son a handsome income , to dismiss him from the home whose joys and endearments he had eternally blasted . Yet , while he despaired of working any reformation upon his heart , he

nevertheless , with some of the most tender and affecting admonitions which parental love could utter , bade him farewell for ever . Edward Overton , whatever might be his failings , and great indeed they were , was by no means destitute of feeling . He saw

clearly , and felt acutely , the miseries which be had wrought upon the very persons who deserved his most earnest attention , and most affectionate sincerity . Often did he repent ; and fervently did he desire to cast himself upon the pity and forgiveness

of those whom he had so deeply afflicted . But could he return to that roof ^ could he enter those doors , could he look upon those countenances , once so happy , when

any other feeling than that of horror , melancholy , and self-reproach ? His wishes were in vain ; nor could he endure the thought of turning his footsteps to that home , whence lie had banished happiness , tranquility and love . For the space of a year he gave himself

up to solitude and remorse ; entirely relinquishing society . But the impressions of woe gradually faded away , and he again appeared in the world . None of his own friends indeed would form any connexion with him ; but they kindly spared those

strictures upon his character , which he had so frequently and so illiberally distributed against others . Hence his dangerous qualities were little known ; and , from his superior talents , elegant education , and gentlemanly appearance , he

was much admired and esteemed in all the circles of his new acquaintance . He chanced to meet , at an evening Party , a young lady of great beauty and accomp lishments ; and , being somewhat captivated with her appearance at his first introduction to her , requested the favour of her band in a dance , which constituted the principal evening ' s amusement . The

favour was not denied him . He imperceptibly admitted sentiments , which , once entertained , quickly led to an attachment , and his feelings soon convinced him of it , when , at the close of the dance , after handing her to the carriage which was to convey her home , he left the assembly with emotions which his breast had never before

known . Having obtained her permission on the preceding night to visit her father , aud inquire respecting her safe arrival , he proceeded in the morning to her abode . Air . Williams was so much delig hted with his conversation and engaging mannersthat

, he requested him to renew his visits frequently . We need not doubt that the offer was accepted—that he soon became an inmate of the family—and that finally , having discovered his affection to the daughter and the father , he was successful

in all his hopes , and received a promise of the hand of Emma Williams in marriage . It may not be improper here to give a short account of the family to which he was about to connect himself . Mr . Williams was a man of large property ,

which depended chiefly upon an extensive mercantile firm in Liverpool . His wife had been dead for many years ; and Emma was the sole hope , delight , and consolation of his declinin ' 2 life .

Every arrangement was proceeding m a most favourable way for the completion of their nuptials , when Edward Overton chanced one morning to enter a coffeehouse , where he passed much of his leisure time in reading the news , and sundry other trivial employmentsby which the

, idle beguile a tedious hour . He was loitering in solitude , and scarcely knowing in what manner he might dissipate ennui , when he fancied that he heard the voices

of persons holding a serious conference in the next room . His culpable curiosity was immediately excited ; and thinking that he now had found something to divert his attention , he applied his ear to the thin wainscoating which separated him from the unknown speakers . The subject

which one was explaining to the other seemed to contain a secret of the greatest importance and mystery . The Avords which he could collect appeared to be relative to a large mercantile concern , which was pronounced in great danger , and