sole her; for, in the thoughtlessness of youth, he had never considered, any more than herself, what might be the consequence of this imprudent marriage. His generous and humane soul was violently agitated, at the bare idea of the cruelties and insults his Elmira would suffer; and wild with his tender and impetuous feelings on her account, he rushed with the open letter in his hand, to the apartment Read there, my Lord,' he

of his father.

exclaimed, and permit me to go to that suffering angel, or you have no longer a son.' Lord Cliffden was disagreeably surprised on reading the letter, but treated his application with contempt; and finding him determined, notwithstanding all he said, to fly to Elmira, ordered him to be confined in one of the towers of the Castle.

"Seven or eight months after this affair took place, one cold stormy night in the depth of winter, when the rain beat against

the

the windows, and the northern blast howled loudly round the house; my wife and myself were seated by a cheerful fire, talking of our dear young lord, and wondering we had not seen or heard from him, since I left him happily reconciled to the Earl; when our discourse was interrupted, by a loud ringing at the bell of the outer gate, and whilst we were expressing our pity for the person who was obliged to encounter the weather on such a tempestuous night, our man introduced a gentleman. muffled up in a slouched hat and great coat, drenched with rain; which suddenly throwing off, discovered to my astonished eyes, the well known features of Lord Rossmore.

Alas, how changed! if when I saw him last, I found him altered; how trifling was the alteration, compared to his present appearance! reduced to a mere skeleton, and trembling and exhausted, he wrung my hand, and sunk into a chair. My wife hastened

How

hastened for some brandy and dry clothes, and when he had somewhat recovered, he related to me the cruel treatment he had received from his savage father, which had reduced him to his present deplorable state; and the strict confinement in which he was held, operating with the constant agony of mind he felt, respecting Elmira, threatened to subvert his senses. ever, he contrived at length to escape, by offering a large bribe to one of his keepers, who had compassion likewise for him; ‘And before the morning dawns," said Lord Rossmore, addressing me, from the fear of pursuit, and some base scheme of my father's to get me into his power, I shall set forward on my journey to my beloved Elmira; and on my return to England, shall place her with you, till I can procure some method of supporting her, as my father, I fear, will never relent; but I have friends to whom I can apply, when my mind is at ease, by having, what is dearer to me than life, in my possession, with the pleasing

6

pleasing certainty, that no human power can deprive me of her.'

"My heart dilated with joy," continued the good farmer, "at being able and thought worthy enough, to afford an asylum to the honored lady of my young master and benefactor; which I warmly expressed, and afforded him apparently the utmost plea-, sure. When the hour came for his departure, which all my entreaties for him to wait till he was more recovered, could not retard; I beheld him depart with a sad foreboding, though he promised to hasten to me on his return.

"Lord Cliffden was in the greatest distress at his flight, and sent repeatedly, knowing his regard for me, to inquire if I knew any thing about him; but I cautiously disguised having even seen him, that his lady might not be molested when resident with us.

"Several

"Several months passed away, during which period I heard nothing of my lord, when unexpectedly one morning, I received an express from the Earl, desiring me to repair instantly to the Castle, in a carriage he had sent to convey me there. I felt a repugnance at entering again, that scene of tyranny and oppression to Lord Rossmore; but conjecturing the occasion: on which my presence was required, related to him, I did not hesitate to obey Lord Cliffden; and when I was introduced to him, observed that his countenance wore the deepest expression of grief I ever wit nessed, with the exception of exception of my lord's..

Heartwell, said he, with unusual affability, you are attached to my son. He is dangerously ill, but refuses to see me. Go directly to him; tell him to command every thing I possess; though that will. poorly atone for my injustice, which has reduced him to the brink of the grave. He is now at Dorchester, at an inn, where the conflict