ALONZO AND MELISSA ; 
 
 UNFEELING FATHER. 
 
 Sale, 
 
 on jpact. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 LEAVITT & ALLEN BROS., 
 No. 8 HOWARD STREET. 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA 
 
 A TALE 
 
 IN the time of the late revolution, two young 
 gentlemen of Connecticut, who had formed an in 
 dissoluble friendship, graduated at Yale College, in 
 New-Haven: their names were Edgar and Alonzo. 
 Edgar was the son of a respectable farmer. Alon- 
 za s father was an eminent merchant. Edgar was 
 designed for the desk, Alonzo for the bar; but as 
 they were allowed some vacant time after their grad 
 uation before they entered upon their professional 
 studies, they improved the interim in mutual friend 
 ly visits, mingling with select parties in the amuse 
 ments of the day, and in travelling through some 
 parts of the United States. 
 
 Edgar had a sister, who for some time had resid 
 ed with her cousin at New-London. She was now 
 about to return, and it was designed that Edgar 
 should go and attend her home. Previous to the 
 day on which he was to set out, he was unfortu 
 nately thrown from his horse, which so much injur 
 ed him as to prevent his prosecuting his intended 
 journey: he therefore invited Alonzo to supply his 
 
8 ALOIfZO AlfD MELISIA. 
 
 place, which invitation he readily accepted, and on 
 the day appointed, set out for New-London, where 
 he arrived, delivered his introductory letters to Ed 
 gar s cousin, and was received with the most friend 
 ly politeness. 
 
 Melissa, the sister of Kdgar, was about sixteen 
 years of age. She was not what is esteemed a 
 striking beauty, but her appearance was pleasingly 
 interesting. Her figure was elegant; her aspect was 
 tempered with a pensive mildness s which in her cheer 
 ful moments would light up into sprightlincss and 
 vivacity. Though on first impression her counte 
 nance was marked by a sweet and thoughtful seren 
 ity, yet she eminently possessed the power to 
 
 Call round her laughing eyes, in playful turns, 
 The glance that lightens and the smile that burns. 
 
 Her mind was adorned with those delicate graces 
 which are the first ornaments of female excellence. 
 Her manners were graceful without affectation, and 
 her taste had been properly directed by a suitable 
 education. 
 
 Alonzo was about twenty-one years old; he had 
 been esteemed an excellent student. His appear 
 ance was manly, open and free. His eye indicated 
 a nobleness of soul; although his aspect was tingod 
 with melancholy, yet he was naturally cheerful Hi* 
 disposition was of a romantic cast; 
 
 "For far beyond the pride or pomp of power, 
 He lov d the realms of nature to explore; 
 With lingering gaze Edinian spring survey d; 
 Morn s fairy splendours; night s gay curtain d shade, 
 The high hoar cliff, the grove s benighting gloom, 
 The wild rose, widow d o er the mouldering tomb 
 The heaven embosom d sun; the rainbow s die, 
 Where lucid forms disport to fancv s eye; 
 
ALONZO AWD MELISSA. 3 
 
 The vernal flower, mild autumn s purpling glow, 
 The summer s thunder and the winter s snow." 
 
 It was evening when Alonzo arrived at the house 
 of Edgar s cousin. Melissa was at a ball which had 
 been given on a matrimonial occasion in the town. 
 Her cousin waited on Aionzo to the ball, and in 
 troduced him to Melissa, who received him with po 
 liteness. She was dressed in white, embroidered 
 and spangled with rich silver lace; a silk girdle 
 enwrought and tasselled with gold surrounded her 
 waist; her hair was unadorned except by a wreath 
 of artificial flowers, studded by a single diamond. 
 
 After the ball closed they returned to the house 
 of Edgar s cousin. Melissa s partner at the ball 
 was the son of a gentleman of independent fortune 
 in New-London. He was a gay young man, aged 
 about twenty-five. His address was easy, his man 
 ners rather voluptuous than refined; confident, but not 
 ungraceful. He led the ton in fashionable circles; 
 gave taste its zest, and was quite a favorite with the 
 ladies generally. His name was Beauman. 
 
 Edgar s cousin proposed to detain Alonzo and Me 
 lissa a few days, which time they passed in waa 
 visiting select friends and in social parties. Beauman 
 an assiduous attendant upon Melissa. He came 
 one afternoon to invite her to ride out; she was 
 indisposed and excused herself. At evening she pro 
 posed walking out with her cousin and his lady; but 
 they were prevented from attending her by unexpect 
 ed company. Alonzo offered to accompany her. It 
 was one of those beautiful evenings in the month of 
 June, when nature in those parts of America is ar 
 rayed in her richest dress. They left the town and 
 walked through fields adjoining the harbor. Tha 
 moon shone in full lustre, her white beams trem^>- 
 
10 ALONZO AND MELISSA, 
 
 ling upon the glassy main, where skiffs and sails of 
 various descriptions were passing and repassing. 
 The shores of Long-Island and the other islands in 
 the harbor, appeared dimly to float among the waves. 
 The air was adorned with the fragrance of sur 
 rounding flowers; the sound of instrumental mu 
 sic wafted from the town, rendered sweeter by dis 
 tance, while the whippoorwill s sprightly song echoed 
 along the adjacent groves. Far in the eastern ho 
 rizon hung a pile of brazen clouds, which had pas- 
 ed from the north, over which the crinkling red 
 lightning momentarily darted, and at times, long 
 peals of thunder were faintly heard. They walked 
 to a point of the beach, where stood a large rock 
 whose base was washed by every tide. On this rock 
 they seated themselves, and enjoyed a while the 
 splendors of the scene the drapery of nature. * To 
 this place, said Melissa, have I taken many a solita 
 ry walk, on such an evening as this, and seated on 
 this rock, have I experienced more pleasing sensa 
 tions than I ever received in the most splendid bail 
 room. The idea impressed the mind of Alonzo; it 
 was congenial with the feeling of his soul. 
 
 They returned at a late hour, and the next day 
 set out for home. Beauman handed Melissa into 
 the carriage, and he, with Edgar s cousin and his 
 lady attended them on their first day s journey. 
 They put up at night at the house of an acquaint 
 ance in Branford. The next morning they parted; 
 Melissa s cousin, his lady and Beauman, returned to 
 New-London; Alonzo and Melissa pursued their 
 jouwiey, and at evening arrived at her father s 
 house, which was in the westerly par of the state. 
 
 Melissa was received with joyful tenderness by 
 her friends. Edgar soon recovered from his fall, 
 and ( leerfulness again assumed its most oleasing 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 11 
 
 aspect in the family. Edgar s father was a plain 
 Connecticut farmer. He was rich, and his riches 
 had been acquired by his diligent attention to busi 
 ness. He had loaned money and taken mortgages 
 on lands and houses for securities; and as payment 
 frequently failed, he often had opportunities of pur 
 chasing the involved premises, at his own price. He 
 well knew the worth of a shilling, and how to apply 
 it to its best use; and in casting interest, he was 
 sure never to lose a farthing. He had no other 
 children except Edgar and Melissa, on whom he 
 doated. Destitute of literature himself, he had pro 
 vided the means of obtaining it for his son, and as 
 he was a rigid presbyterian, he considered that Ed 
 gar could no where figure so well, or gain more em 
 inence, than in the sacred desk. 
 
 The time now arrived when Edgar and Alonzo 
 were to part. The former repaired to New York, 
 where he was to enter upon his professional studies. 
 The latter entered in the office of an eminent attor 
 ney in his native town, which was about twenty 
 miles distant from the village in which lived the 
 family of Edgar and Melissa. Alonzo was the fre 
 quent guest of this family; for though Edgar was 
 absent, there was still a charm which attracted him 
 thither. If he had admired the manly virtues of 
 the brother, could he fail to adore the sublime gra 
 ces of the sister? If all the sympathies of the most 
 ardent friendship had been drawn forth towards the 
 former, must not the most tender passions of the 
 goul be attracted by the milder and more refined ex 
 cellencies of the latter? 
 
 Beauman had become the suitor of Melissa; but 
 the distance of residence rendered it inconvenient to 
 visit her ofton. He came regularly once in two of 
 
12 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 three months; of course Alonzo and he sometime! 
 met. Beauman had made no serious pretensions, 
 but his particularity indicated something more than 
 fashionable politeness. 
 
 His manners, his independent situation, his fami 
 ly, entitled him to respect. It is not probable there 
 fore, that he will be objectionable to Melissa s 
 f.-iends, or to Melissa herself, said Alonzo, with an 
 involuntary sigh. 
 
 But as Beauman s visits to Melissa became more 
 frequent, an increasing anxiety took place in Alon- 
 zo s bosom. He wished her to remain single; the 
 idea of losing her by marriage, gave him inex 
 pressible regret. What substitute could supply the 
 happy hours he had passed in her company? What 
 charm could wing the lingering moments when she 
 was gone? In the recess of his studies he could in a 
 few hours, be at the seat of her father: There his 
 cares were dissipated, and the troubles of life, real 
 or imaginary, on light pinions fleeted away. How 
 different would be the scene when debarred from 
 the unreserved friendship and conversation of Me 
 lissa. And unreserved, it could not be, were she not 
 exclusively mistress of herself. But was there not 
 something of a more refined texture than friendship 
 in his predilection for the company of Melissa? If 
 so, why not avow it? His prospects, his family, and 
 of course his pretensions might not be inferior to 
 those of Beauman. But perhaps Beauman was pre 
 ferred. His opportunities had been greater; he had 
 formed an acquaintance with her. Distance proved 
 no barrier to his addresses. His visits became more 
 and more frequent. Was it not highly probable 
 then that he had secured her affections? Thus rea 
 soned Alonzo, but the reasoning tended not to allay 
 the temoest which was gathering in his bosom. He 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 13 
 
 ordered his horse, and was in a short time at the 
 scat of Melissa s father. 
 
 It was summer, and towards evening when he ar 
 rived. Meiissa was setting by the window when 
 he entered the hall. She arose and received him 
 with a srnile. * I have just been thinking of an eve 
 ning s walk, said she, but had no one to attend me, 
 and you have come just in time to perform that of 
 fice. I will order tea immediately, while you rest 
 from the fatigues of your journey. 
 
 When tea was served up, a servant entered the 
 rom with a letter which he had found in the yard. 
 Melissa received it. "Tis a letter, said she c wh ch 
 I sent by Beaumante a lady in New London, and 
 the careless man has lost it. Turning to Alonzo, I 
 forgot to tell you that your friend Beauman has been 
 with us a few days; he left us this morning. 
 
 * My friend, replied Alonzo, hastily. 
 
 Is he not your friend? enquired Melissa. 
 I beg pardon, madam, answered he, * my mind 
 was absent. 
 
 * He requested us to present his respects to his 
 friend Alonzo, said she. Alonzo bowed and turned 
 the conversation. 
 
 They walked out and took a winding path which 
 led along pleasant fields by a gliding stream, through 
 a little grove and up a sloping eminence, which com 
 manded an extensive prospect of the surrounding 
 country, Long Island, and the sound between that 
 and the main land, ans. the opening thereof to the 
 distant ocean. 
 
 f A soft and silent shower naU descended; a thou 
 sand transitory gems trembled upon the foliage glit 
 tering in the western ray. A bright rainbow sat upon 
 tho southern cloud, the light gales whispered among 
 the branches, agitaled the \oung harvest to billowy 
 
14 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 motion, or waved the tops o<" i:e distant deeo green 
 forest with majestic grandeur. Flocks, herds, and 
 cottages were scattered over tne variegated land 
 scape. 
 
 Hills piled on hills, receding,faded from the pursu 
 ing eye, mingling with the blue mist which, hovered 
 around the extreme verge of the horizon. This is a 
 most delightful scene. said Melissa. 
 
 * It is indeed, replied Alonzo; can New-London 
 boast so charming a prospect? 
 
 Melissa. No yes; indeed I can hardly say. You 
 know, Alonzo, how I am charmed with the rock at 
 the point of the beach. 
 
 Alonzo. You told me the happy hours you had 
 passed at that place. Perhaps the company which 
 attended you there, gave the scenery its highest 
 embellishment. 
 
 Melissa. I know not how it happened; but you 
 are the only person who ever attended me there. 
 
 Al. That is a little surprising. 
 
 Mel. Why surprising ? 
 
 Al. Where was Beauman ? 
 
 Mel. Perhaps he was not fond of solitude. Be 
 sides he was not always my Beauman. 
 
 Al. Sometimes. 
 
 Mel. Yes, sometimes. 
 
 Al. And now always. 
 
 Mei. Not this evening. 
 
 Al. He formally addresses you. 
 
 Mel. Well. 
 
 Al. And will soon claim the exclusive privilege 00 
 to do. 
 
 Mel. That does not follow of course. 
 
 Al. Of course, if his intentions are sincere, and 
 the wishes of another should accord therewith. 
 
 Mel. Who am I to understand by another? 
 
ALONJO AND MELISSA. 15 
 
 Al. Melissa. [A pa^se,] 
 
 Mel. See that s .np, Alonzo, coming up tae sound; 
 how she ploughs through the white foam, while the 
 breezes flutter among the sails, varying with the 
 beams of the sun. 
 
 Al. Yes, it is almost down. 
 
 Mel. What is almost down? 
 
 Al. The sun. Was not you speaking of the 
 sun, madam? 
 
 Mel. Your mind is absent, Alonzo; I was speaking 
 of yonder ship. 
 
 Al. I beg your pardon, madam. O yes the ship 
 it it bounds witrx rapid motion over the waves. 
 
 A pause ensued. They walked leisurely around 
 the hill, and moved towards home. The sun sunk 
 behind the western hills. Twilight arose in the 
 east, and floated along the air. Darkness began 
 to hover around the woodlands and valleys. The 
 beauties of the landscape slowly receded. This re 
 minds me of our walk at New-London, said Melissa. 
 * Do you remember it? enquired Alonzo. Certainly 
 I do, she replied, I shall never forget the sweet pen 
 sive scenery of my favorite rock. Nor I neither, 
 said Alonzo, with a deep drawn sigh. 
 
 The next day Alonzo returned to his studies ; 
 but different from his former visits to Melissa, in 
 stead of exhilerating his spirts, this had tended to 
 depress them. He doubted whether Melissa was 
 not already engaged to Beauman. His hopes would 
 persuade him that this was not the case; but his 
 fears declared otherwise. 
 
 It was some time before Alonzo renewed his visit. 
 In the interim he received a letter from a friend in 
 the neighborhood of Melissa s father; an eitract 
 from which follows: 
 
16 
 
 MELISSA. 
 
 We are soon to have a wedcnr.rr here; you are 
 
 acquainted with the parties Melissa IT and 
 
 Beauman. Such at least is cur opinion from ap 
 pearances, as Beauman is now ht.e more than half 
 his time You will undoubtedly be a guest. We 
 had expected that you would have put in your C C ms, 
 from your particular attention to the lady. She id 
 a fine girl, Alonzo. 
 
 I shall never be a gue?t at Jm^ssa s wedding, 
 Baid Alonzo as he hastily pacw ihe r?onv but I 
 must once again see her before *hct event takes 
 place, when I lose her forever. The next day he 
 repaired to her father s. He enquired for Melissa 
 she was gone with a party to the shores of the sound, 
 attended by Beauman. At evening they returned. 
 Beauman and Alonzo addressed each other with 
 much seeming cordiality. You have deceived us, 
 Alonzo, said Melissa. We concluded you had 
 forgotten the road to this place. 
 
 Was not that a hasty conclusion? replied Alon 
 zo. I think not, she answered rf your long ab 
 sence should be construed into negject. But we will 
 hear your excuse, said she, sm.ina , Dy and by, and 
 perhaps pardon you. He thanitea her for her con 
 descension. 
 
 The next morning Beauman set out for New-Lon 
 don. Alonzo observed that he took a tender leave 
 of Melissa, telling her in a low voice, that he should 
 have the happiness of seeing her again within two 
 or three weeks. After he was gone, as Melissa and 
 Alonzo were setting in a room alone. Well, said 
 she am I to hear your excuses: 
 
 Alonzo. For what, madam? 
 
 Mel. For neglecting your friends. 
 
 Alonzo I hope it is r.ot so considered madam. 
 
ALONZO AXD MELISSA. 17 
 
 Mel. Seriously, tnen, why have you staid away 
 BO long? Has this place no charms in the absence of 
 my brother? 
 
 Al. Would my presence have added to your fe 
 licity, Melissa? 
 
 Mel. You never came an unwelcome visitor here. 
 
 Al. Perhaps I might be sometimes intrusive. 
 
 Mel. What times? 
 
 Al. When Beauman is your guest. 
 
 Mel. I have supposed you were on friendly terms. 
 
 Al. We are. 
 
 Mel. Why then intrusive 
 
 Al. There are seasons when friendship must yield 
 to a superior claim. 
 
 Mel. Perhaps I do not rightly comprehend the 
 force of that remark. 
 
 Al. Was Beauman here, my position might bo 
 demonstrated. 
 
 Mel. I think T understand you. 
 
 Al. And acknowledge my observation to be just, 
 
 Mel. (hesitating.) Yes, I believe I must. 
 
 Al. And appropriate? 
 
 Melissa was silent. 
 
 Al. You hesitate, Melissa. 
 
 She was silent. 
 
 Al. Will you Melissa answer me one question? 
 
 Mel. (confused.) If it be a proper one you are 
 entitled to candor. 
 
 Al. Are you engaged to Beauman? 
 
 Mel. (blushing.) He has asked me the same 
 question concerning you. 
 
 Al. Do you prefer him to any other? 
 
 Mel. (deeply blushing, her eyes cast upon the 
 floor.) Fe has made the same enquiry respecting 
 you. 
 
18 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 Al. Has he asked your father s permission to ad 
 dress you? 
 
 Mel. That I have not suffered him yet to do. 
 
 Al. Yet! 
 
 Mel. I assure you I have net 
 
 Al. (taking her hand with anxiety.) Melissa, I 
 beg you will deal candidly. I am entitled to no 
 claims, but you know what my heart would ask. I 
 will bow to your decision. Beauman or Alonzo 
 iTiust relinquish their pretensions. We cannot share 
 the blessing. 
 
 Mel. (her cheeks suffused with a varying glow, 
 her lips pale, her voice trembles, her eyes still cast 
 down.) My parents have informed me that it is im 
 proper to receive the particular addresses of more 
 than one. I am conscious or my inadvertency, and 
 that the reproof is just, ^-ne therefore musf be dis 
 missed. But (she blushec. 
 
 A considerable pause ensued. At length Alonzo 
 arose I will not press you farther, said he; I know 
 the delicacy of your feelings, 1 know your sincerity; 
 I will not therefore insist on your performing the 
 painful task of deciding against me. Your conduct 
 in every point of view has been discreet. I could 
 have no just claims, or if I had, your heart must 
 sanction them, or they would be unhallowed and 
 unjustifiable I shall ever pray for your felicity 
 Our affections are not under our direction; our hap 
 piness depends on our obedience to their mandates 
 Whatever, then, may be mv sufferings you are un* 
 blameable and irreproacnaoie. He TOOK his hat in 
 extreme agitation and prepared to take his leave. 
 
 Melissa had recovered in some degree from her 
 embarrassment, and collected her skittered spirits. 
 * Your conduct, Alonzo. said she, is generous arid no 
 ble. Will ya. give yourse.f t?he trouble and do me the 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 19 
 
 honor tj see me once more ? I will, said he, * at 
 any time you shall appoint. * Four weeks, then, 
 ehe said, from this day, honor me with a visit and 
 you shall have my decision, and receive my final an- 
 ewer. I will be punctual to the day, he replied 
 and bade her adieu. 
 
 Alonzo s hours now winged heavily away. His 
 wonted cheerfulness fled; he wooed the silent and 
 solitary haunts of musing moping melancholy. 
 He loved to wander through lonely fields, or along 
 the verge of some lingering stream, * when dewy twi 
 light rob d the evening mild, or to trace the for 
 est glen, through which the moon darted her silvery 
 intercepted ray. 
 
 He was fondly indulging a tender passion which 
 preyed upon his peace, and deeply disturbed his re 
 pose. He looked anxiously to the hour when Me 
 lissa was to make her decision. He wished, yet 
 dreaded the event. In that he foresaw, or thought 
 he foresaw, a withering blight to his budding hopes, 
 and a final consummation to his foreboding fears. 
 He had pressed Melissa, perhaps too urgently, to a 
 declaration. Had her predilection been in his favor, 
 would she have hesitated to avow it ? Her parents 
 had advised her to relinquish, and had permitted 
 her to retain one suitor, nor had they attempted to 
 influence or direct her choice. Was it not evident 
 then, from her confused hesitation and embarrass 
 ment, when solicited t discriminate upon the sub 
 ject, that her ultimate decision would be in favor of 
 ueauman ? 
 
 While Alonzo s mind was thus agitated, he receiv 
 ed a second letter from his friend in the neighborhood 
 ofMelissa. He read the following clause therein 
 with emotions more easily conceived than expressed 
 
20 ALONZO AND MKI.IBA. 
 
 * Melissa s wedding day is appointed. I need not 
 tell you that Beauman is to be the happy deity of 
 the hy menial sacrifice. I had this from his own 
 declaration. He did not name the positive day, but 
 it is certainly to be soon. You will undoubtedly, 
 however, have timely notice, as a guest. We must 
 pour out a liberal libation to the mystic altar, Alon 
 zo, and twine the nuptial garland with wreaths of 
 joy. Beauman ought to devote a rich offering to so 
 valuable a prize. He has been here for a week, and 
 departed for New-London yesterday, but is shortly 
 to return. 
 
 * And why have I doubted this event" said Alonzo. 
 * What infatuation hath thus led me on to the pur 
 suit of fantastic and unreal bliss ? I have had, it is 
 true, no positive assurance that Melissa would fa 
 vor my addresses. But why did she ever receive 
 them? Why did she enchantingly smile upon me? 
 Why fascinate the tender powers of my soul by that 
 winning mildness, and the favorable display of 
 those complicated and superior attractions which 
 she must have known were irresistible? Why did 
 she not sp-irn me from her confidence, and plainly 
 tell me thai my attentions were untimely and im 
 proper? And now she would have me dance attend 
 ance to her decision in favor of Beauman. Insult 
 ing. Let Beauman and she, make, as they have 
 formed, this farcical decision; I absolutely will nev 
 er attend it. But stop: I have engaged to see hei 
 at an appointed time; my honor is therefore pledg 
 ed for an interview; it must take place. I shall 
 support it with becoming dignity, and I will con 
 vince Melissa and Beauman that I am not the dupe 
 of their caprices. But let me consider What has 
 Melissa done to deserve censure or reproach? Her 
 orother was my early friend: she has treated me of 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 21 
 
 a friend to her brother. She was unconscious of 
 the flame which her charms had kindled in my bo 
 som. Her evident embarrassment and confusion on 
 receiving my declaration, witnessed her surprise and 
 prior attachment. What could she do? To save 
 herself the pain of a direct denial, she had appoint 
 ed a day when her refusal may come in a more del 
 icate and formal manner and I must meet it. 
 
 At the appointed day Alonzo proceeded to the 
 house of Melissa s father, where he arrived late in 
 the afternoon. Melissa had retired to a little sum 
 mer house at the end of the garden; a servant con 
 ducted Alonzo thither. She was dressed in a flow 
 ing robe of white muslin, embroidered with a deep 
 fringe lace, liar hair hung loosely upon her shoul 
 ders; she was contemplating a boquet of flowers 
 which she held in her hand. Alonzo fancied she 
 never appeared so lovely. She arose to receive him. 
 We have been expecting you some time, said Me 
 lissa; we are anxious to inform you that we have 
 just received a letter from my brother, in which he 
 desires us to present you his most friendly respects, 
 and complains of your not writing to him lately so 
 frequently as usual. Alonzo thanked her for the 
 information; said that business prevented him; he 
 esteemed him as his most valuable friend, and would 
 be more particular in future. 
 
 We have been thronged with company for sever 
 al days, said Melissa. Once a year my father cel 
 ebrates his birth day, when we are honored with so 
 numerous a company of uncles, aunts, cousins, ne 
 phews and neices, that were you present, you would 
 suppose we were connected with half the families in 
 Connecticut. The last of this company took their 
 departure yesterday, and I have only to regret that 
 I have f jr nearly a week been prevented from visit- 
 
22 ALOWZO AWD MELISSA. 
 
 ing my favorite hill, to which you attended m 
 when you last was here. It is much improved since 
 then: I have had a little arbor built under the large 
 tree on its summit: you will have no objection to 
 view it, Alon/.o. He assured her he accepted the 
 invitation with pleasure, and towards evening they 
 resorted to the place and seated themselves in the 
 arbor. 
 
 It was the beginning of Autumn, and a yellow hue 
 was spread over the fading charms of nature. The 
 withering forest began to shed its decaying foliage, 
 which the light gales pursued along the russet fields. 
 The low sun extended the lengthening shadows; 
 curling smoke ascended from the surrounding cot 
 tages. A thick fog crept along the vallies; a gray mist 
 hovered over the tops of the mountains. The glassy 
 surface of the sound glittered to the sun s departing 
 ray. The solemn herds lowed in solemn symphony. 
 The autumnal insects in sympathetic wafting, plain 
 tively predicted their approaching fate. The scene 
 is changed since we last visited this place, said Me 
 lissa; the gay charms of summer are beginning to 
 decay, and must soon yield their splendors to the 
 despoiling hand of winter. 
 
 * That will be the case, said Alonzo, * before I 
 shall have the pleasure of your company here again. 
 
 Mel. That probably may be, though it is nearly 
 two months yet to winter. 
 
 Al. Great changes may take place within that 
 time. 
 
 Mel. Yes, changes must take place; but nothing 
 [ hope, to embitter present prospects. 
 
 Al. (peevishly.) As it respects yourself, I trust not, 
 madam. 
 
 Mel. (tenderly.) And I sincerely hope not, as it 
 respects you, Alonzo. 
 
ALONZO AN.D MELISSA. 23 
 
 Al. That wish, I believe, is vain. 
 
 Mel. Why so ominous a prediction ? 
 
 Al. The premises from which it is drawn are cor 
 rect. 
 
 Mel. Your feelings accord with the season, Alon- 
 *o: you are melancholy. Shall we return. 
 
 Al. I ask your pardon, madam; I know I am 
 unsociable. You speak of returning: you know the 
 occasion of my being here. 
 
 Mel. For the purpose of visiting your friends, I 
 presume. 
 
 Al. And no other ? 
 
 She made no reply. 
 
 Al. You cannot have forgotten your own appoint 
 ment, and consequent engagement ? 
 
 She made no answer. 
 
 Al. I know, Melissa, that you are incapable of 
 duplicity or evasions. I have promised, and now 
 repeat the declaration, that 1 will silently submit to 
 your decision. This you have engaged to make, and 
 this is the time you have appointed. The pains of 
 present suspense can scarcely be surpassed by the 
 pangs of disappointment. On your part you have 
 nothing to fear. I trust you have candidly deter 
 mined and will decide explicitly. 
 
 Mel. (sighing.) I am placed in an exceedingly 
 delicate situation. 
 
 Al. I know you are; but your own honor, your 
 own peace, require that you should extricate your 
 self from the perplexing embarrassment. 
 
 Mel. I am sensible they do. It must it shall 
 be done. 
 
 Al. And the sooner it is done the better. 
 
 Mel. That I am convinced of. I now know that 
 I have been inadvertently indiscreet. I have ad 
 mitted the addresses of Beaum an and yourself, with- 
 
24 ALOTfZO * IVD MELISSA. 
 
 out calculating or expecting the consequences. You 
 have both treated me honorably, and with respect 
 Yeu are both on equal grounds as to your charac 
 ter and standing in life. With Beauman I became 
 first acquainted. As it relates to him, some new ar 
 rangements have taken place since you were here 
 which 
 
 Al. (interrupting her with emotion.) Of those 
 arrangements I am acquainted. 
 
 Mel. (surprised.) By what means were you in 
 formed thereof ? 
 
 Al. I received it from a friend in your neighbor 
 hood. 
 
 A considerable pause ensued. 
 
 Al. You see, Melissa, I am prepared for the 
 event. She was silent. 
 
 Al. I have mentioned before, that, whatever be 
 your decision, no impropriety can attach to you. 1 
 might not, indeed, from various circumstances, and 
 from the information I possess, I perhaps should not 
 have given you farther trouble on the occasion, had 
 it not been from your own direction and appoint 
 ment. And I am now willing to retire without fur 
 ther explanation, without giving you the pain of an 
 express decision, if you think the measure expedient. 
 Your declaration can only be a matter of form, the 
 tonsequence of which I know, and my proposition 
 may save your feelings. 
 
 Mel. No, Alonzo; my reputation depends on my 
 adherence to my first determination; justice to your 
 self and to Beauman also demand it. After what 
 has passed I should be considered as acting capri 
 eiously and inconsistently, should I depart from it 
 Ueauman will be here to-morrow, and 
 
 Al. To-morrow, madam i 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 25 
 
 Mel. He will be here to-morrow, and you must 
 consent to stay with us until that time; the matter 
 shall then be decided. 
 
 Al. I yes, it shall be as you say, madam. Make 
 your arrangements as you please. 
 
 Evening had now spread her dusky mantle over 
 the face of nature. The stars glistened in the sky. 
 The breezes rustling wing was in the tree. Tha 
 distant sound of the low murmuring brook, and 
 the far off water-fall, were faintly heard. The twmk 
 ling fire-fly arose from the surrounding verdure and 
 illuminated the air with a thousand transient gleams. 
 The mingling discordance of curs and watch- dogs 
 echoed in the distant village, from whence the fre 
 quent lights darted their pale lustre through the 
 gloom. The solitary whippoorvvills stationed them 
 selves along the woody glens, the groves and 
 rocky pastures, and sang a requiem to departed sum 
 mer. A dark cloud was rising in the west, across 
 whose gloomy front the vivid lightning bent its forky 
 spires. 
 
 Alonzo and Melissa moved slowly to the village; 
 she appeared enraptured with the melancholy splen 
 dors of the evening, but the other subject engaged 
 the mental attention of Alonzo. 
 
 Beauman arrived the next day. He gave his hand 
 to Alonzo with seeming warmth of friendship. If it 
 was reciprocated, it must have been affected. There 
 was no alteration in the manners and conversation 
 of Melissa: her conversation, as usual was spright 
 ly and interesting. After dinner she retired, and her 
 father requested Alonzo and Beauman to withdraw 
 with him to a private room. After they were seat 
 ed, the old gentleman thus addressed them: 
 
 * I have called you here gentlemen, to perform my 
 duty as a pai 3nt ta my daughter, and as a friend to 
 
26 AJLORZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 you. You are both suitors to Melissa; whi e your 
 addiesses were merely formal they were innocent; 
 but when they became serious they were dangerous. 
 Your pretensions I consider equal, and between 
 honorable pretenders, who are worthy of my daugh 
 ter, I shall not attempt to influence her choice. That 
 choice, however, can rest only on one: she has en 
 gaged to decide between you. I am come to make, 
 in her name, this decision. The following are my 
 terms: No quarrel or difficulty shall arise between 
 you, gentlemen, in consequence of her determina 
 tion. Nothing shall go abroad respecting the affair; 
 it shall be ended under my roof. As soon as I have 
 pronounced her declaration, you shall both depart and 
 absent my house for at least two weeks, as it would 
 be improper for my daughter to see either of you at 
 present: after that period I shall be happy to receive 
 your visits. Alonzo and Beauman pledged their 
 honor to abide implicitly to these injunctions. Her 
 "ather then observed This, gentlemen, is all I re 
 quire. I have observed that I considered your pre 
 tensions equal: so has my daughter treated them. 
 You have both made professions to her; she has ap 
 pointed a time to answer you. That time has ar 
 rived, and I now inform you that she has decided 
 in favor of Alonzo. 
 
 The declaration of Melissa s father burst upon 
 the mental powers of Beauman like a sudden and 
 tremendous clap of thunder on the deep and BU!- 
 len silence of night. Unaccustomed to disappoint 
 ment he had calculated on success. His addresses 
 to the ladies had ever been honorably received. 
 
 Melissa was the first whose charms were capable 
 of rendering them sincere. He was not ignorant of 
 A-O.izo s attention to her; it gave him however but 
 litLe uneasiness. He believed that his superior 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 27 
 
 qualifications would eclipse the pretensions of his ri 
 val. He considered himself a connoisseur in charac 
 ter, especially in the character of the ladies. He 
 conformed to their taste; he flattered their foibles 
 and obsequiously bowed to the minutiae of female 
 volatility. He considered himself skilled in the lan 
 guage of the heart; and he trusted from his pre-em 
 inent powers in the science of affection, he had only 
 to see, to sue and to conquer. He had frankly offer 
 ed his hand to Melissa, and pressed her foi a deci 
 sive answer. This from time to time she suspended, 
 and finally appointed a day to give him and Alonzo 
 a determinate answer, though neither knew the ar 
 rangements made with the other. 
 
 Finding however, the dilemma in which she was 
 placed, she had previously consulted her parents. 
 Her father had no objection to her choosing between 
 two persons of equal claims to affluence and repu 
 tation, this choice she had rmde and her father was 
 considered the most proper person to pronounce it. 
 
 When Beauman had urged his suit to Melissa, he 
 supposed that her hesitation, delays and suspensions, 
 were only the effects of maiden diffidence and timid 
 ity. He had no suspicions of her ultimately reject 
 ing it; and when she finally named the day of decis 
 ion, he was confident she would decide in his favor. 
 These sentiments he had communicated to the per 
 son who had written to Alonzo, intimating that Me 
 lissa had fixed a time which was to crown his hap 
 piest wishes. 
 
 He had 1 atened therefore attentively to the word 
 of Melissa s father, momentarily expecting to hear 
 himself declared the favorite choice of the fair. 
 
 What then must have been his disappointment 
 when the name of Alonzo was pronounced instead 
 of his own ! The highly finished scene of pleasure 
 
28 ALONZO AND MELISSA 
 
 and future prosperity which his ardent imagination 
 had depicted, had vanished in a moment. The rai- 
 bow glories which gilded his youthful horizon, had 
 faded in an instant the bright sun of his early 
 hopes had set in mournful darkness. The summons 
 of death would not have been more unexpected, or 
 more shocking to his imagination. 
 
 Very different were the sensations which inspired 
 the bosom of Alonzo. He had not even calculated 
 on a decision in his own favor, he believed that 
 Beauman would be the choice of Melissa. She had 
 told him that the form of decision was necessary to 
 save appearances: with this form he complied be 
 cause she desired it, not because he expected the re 
 sult would be in his favor. Ife had not therefore 
 attended to the words of Melissa s father with that 
 eagerness which favorable anticipations commonly 
 produce. But when his name was mentioned; when 
 he found he was the choice the happy favorite of 
 Melissa s affection, every tender passion of his soul 
 became interested, and was suddenly aroused to the 
 refinements of sensibility. Like an electric shock, it 
 reanimated his whole frame, and vibrated every 
 nerve of his heart. The glooms which hung about 
 his mind were dissipated, and the bright morning of 
 joy broke in upon his soul. 
 
 Thus were the expectations of Alonzo and Beau 
 man disappointed how differently, the sequel has 
 shown. 
 
 Melissa s father retired immediately after pro 
 nouncing the declaration; the two young gentlemen 
 also, soon after, withdrew. Alonzo saw the tem 
 pest which tore the bosom of his rival, and he piti 
 ed him from his heart. 
 
 A fortnight passed and Alonzo felt all that anxiety 
 and impatience which a separation from a beloved 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 29 
 
 Object can produce. He framed a thousand excus 
 es to visit Melissa, yet he feared a visit might be 
 premature. lie was however necessifated to make 
 a journey to a distant part of the country, after 
 which ne resolved to see Melissa. He performed 
 his business and was returning. It was toward eve 
 ning, and the day had been uncommonly sultry for 
 the autumnal season. A rising shower blackened 
 the western hemisphere; the dark vapor ascended 
 in folding rklges, and the thunder rolled at a distance. 
 Alonzo saw he should be overtaken. He discovered 
 an elegant seat about one hundred yards distant 
 from the road; thither he hastened to gain shelter 
 from the approaching storm. The owner of the 
 mansion met him at the door, politely invited him 
 to alight and walk in, while a servant stood ready 
 to take his horse. He was ushered into a large 
 room neatly furnished, where the family and sever 
 al young ladies were sitting. As Alonzo glanced his 
 eyes hastily round the room, he thought he recog 
 nized a familiar countenance. A hurried succession 
 of confused ideas for a moment crossed his recol 
 lection. In a moment, however, he discovered that it 
 was Melissa. By this unexpected meeting they 
 were both completely embarrassed. Melissa, how 
 ever, arose, and in rather a confused mariner, in 
 troduced Alonzo, as the classmate of her brother, t 
 the family of Mr. Simpson and the company. 
 
 The rain continued most part of the afternoon. 
 Alonzo was invited, and consented to stay all night. 
 A moonlight evening succeeded the shower, which in 
 vited the young people to walk in an adjoining gar- 
 c en. Melissa told Alonzo that Mr. Simpson was a 
 distant relative of her father; his family consisted 
 f his wife, two amiable daughters not far from Me- 
 liosa s age, and one son named William, about sev 
 enteen years old. She had been invited there to 
 
30 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 pass a week, and expected to return within two daya 
 And she added, smiling, * perhaps, Alonzo, we may 
 have an opportunity once more to visit the bower 
 on my prospect hill, before winter entirely destroys 
 the remaining beauties of the summer. Alonzo 
 felt the force of the remark. He recollected the 
 conversation when they were last at the place she 
 mentioned; and he well remembered his feelings 
 on thai occasion. 
 
 * Great changes, indeed, he replied, have taken 
 place since we were last there: that they are pro 
 ductive of unexpected and unexampled happiness to 
 me, is due, Melissa, to you alone. Alonzo depart 
 ed the next morning, appointing the next week to 
 visit Melissa at her father s house. 
 
 Thus were the obstacles removed which present 
 ed a barrier to the united wishes of Alonzo and Me 
 lissa. They had not, it is true, been separated by 
 wide seas, unfeeling parents or the rigorous laws of 
 war; but troubles, vexations, doubts and difficulties, 
 had thus far a! leaded them, which had now disap 
 peared, and they calculated on no unpropitious event 
 which might thwart their future union. A!! the time 
 that Alon/o could spare from his studies was devot 
 ed to Melissa, and fheir parents began to calculate 
 on joining their hands as soon as Alonzo s profession 
 al term of study was completed. 
 
 The troubles which gave rise to the disseveration 
 of Kngland from America had already commenced, 
 which broke out the ensuing spring into actual hos- 
 tilities, by the battle of Lexington, followed soon 
 after by the battle of Bunker Hill. The panic and 
 general bustle which took place in America on the se 
 events, is yet well remembered by many. They were 
 not calculated to impress the mind of Melissa with 
 the most pleasing sensations. She foresaw that th 
 
^ ALONZO AND MELISSA. 31 
 
 burden of the war must rest on the American youth 
 and she trembled in anticipation for the fate of Alon 
 zo. He. with others, should the war continue, must 
 take the field, in defence of bis country. The ef 
 fects of such a separation were dubious and gloomy. 
 Alonzo and she frequently discoursed, and they 
 agreed to form the mystic union previous to any 
 wide separation. 
 
 One event tended to hasten this resolution. The 
 attorney in whose office Alonzo was clerk, received 
 a commission in (he new raised American army, and 
 marched to the lines near Boston His business 
 was therefore suspended, and Alonzo returned to the 
 house of his father. He considered that he could 
 not long remain a mere spectator of the contest, and 
 that it might soon be his duty to take the field; he 
 therefore concluded it best to hasten his marriage 
 with Melissa. She consented to the proposition, 
 and their parents made the necessary arrangements 
 for the event. They had even fixed upon the place 
 which was to be the future residence of this happy 
 couple. It was a pleasantly situated village, sur 
 rounded by rugged elevations, which gave an air of 
 serenity and seclusion to the valley they encircled 
 On the south arose a spacious hill, which was as 
 cended by a gradual acclivity; its sides and summit 
 interspersed with orchards, arbors, and cultivated 
 fields. On the west, forests unevenly lifted their 
 rude heads, with here and there a solitary field, new 
 ly cleared and thinly scattered with cottages. To 
 the east the eye extended over a soil, at ore time 
 swelling into craggy elevations, and at another 
 spreading itself into vales of the most, enchanting 
 verdure. To the north it extended over a vast suc 
 cession of mountains, wooded to their summits, and 
 throwing their shadows over intervales ot equal 
 
82 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 wilderness till at length it was arrested in its excur 
 sions by the blue mists which hovered over moun 
 tains more grand, majest.c, and lofty.* A rivulet 
 which rushed from the hills formed a little lake on 
 the borders of the village, which beautifully reflect 
 ed the cottages from its transparent bosom. Amidst 
 a cluster of locusts and weeping willows, rose the 
 spire of the church, in the ungarnished decency of 
 Sunday neatness. Fields, gardens, meadows, and 
 pastures were spread around the valley, and the 
 sids of the declivities, yielding in their season the 
 rich flowers, fruits and foliage of spring, summer 
 and autumn. The inhabitants of this modern Au- 
 vernum were mostly farmers. They were mild so 
 ciable, moral and diligent. The produce of their own 
 flocks and fields gave them most of their food and 
 clothing. To dissipation they were strangers, and 
 the luxuries of their tables were few. 
 
 Such ivas the place for the residence of Alonzo 
 and Melissa. They had visited the spot, and were 
 enraptured with its pensive romantic beauties. A 
 site was marked out whereon to erect their family 
 mansion. It was on a little eminence which sloped 
 gradually to the lake, in the most pleasant part of 
 the village. Here, said Alonzo one day to Melis 
 sa, * will we pass our days in all that felicity of mind 
 which the chequered scenes of life admit. In the 
 spring \ve will rove among the flowers. In sum 
 mer, we will gather strawberries in yonder fields or 
 whortleberries from the adjacent shrubbery. The 
 breezes of fragrant morning, and the sighs of the 
 evening gale, will be mingled with the songs of the 
 thousand various birds which frequent the surround- 
 
 *Some who read this description will readily 
 cognize the village here described. 
 
 re- 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. S3 
 
 ing groves. We will gather the bending fruits of 
 autumn, and we will listen to the hoarse voice of 
 winter, its whistling winds, its driving snow, and 
 rattling hail, with delight. 
 
 The bright gems of joy glistened in the eyes of 
 Melissa. With Alon/o she anticipated approaching 
 happiness, and her bosom beat in rapturous unison. 
 
 Winter came on; it rapidly passed away. Spring 
 advanced and the marriage day was appointed. 
 
 The spring opened with the din of preparation 
 throughout America for defensive war. It now was 
 found that vigorous measures must be pursued to op 
 pose the torrent which was preparing to overwhelm 
 the colonies, which had now been dissevered from the 
 British empire, by the declaration of independence. 
 The continental army was now raising, and great num 
 bers of American youth volunteered in the service 
 of their country. A large army of reinforcements 
 was soon expected from England to land on our 
 shores, and the confused noise of the warriors, and 
 garments rolled in blood, were already anticipated. 
 
 Alonzo had received a commission in a regiment 
 of militia, and was pressed bv several young gentle 
 men of his acquaintance, who had entered the army, 
 to join it also. He had an excuse. His father was a 
 man in extensive business, was considerably past the 
 prime of life, had a number of agents and clerks un 
 der him, but began to grow unable to attend to the 
 various and burthensome duties and demands of a 
 mercantile life. 
 
 Alonzo was his only son; his assistance therefore 
 became necessary until, at least, his father could 
 bring his business to a close, which he was now 
 about to effect. Alonzo stated these facts to his 
 friends; told them that on every occasion he should 
 be ready to fly to the post of danger when his coun- 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 try was invaded, and (hat as soon as his father s 
 affairs should be settled, he would, if necessary, wiJ- 
 linglv join the army. 
 
 The day now rapidly approached when Alonzo 
 was to make Melissa his own. Preparations for the 
 Hvmeniel ceremony M-ere making, and invitations 
 had already gons abroad. Edgar, the brother of Me 
 lissa, had entered the army in the capacity of chap- 
 Iain. He was soon expected home, where he in 
 tended to tarry until the consummation of the nup 
 tials, before he set out for the camp. Letters re- 
 ently received from him, informed that he expected 
 to be at his father s in three or four days. 
 
 About three weeks previous to the appointed mar 
 riage day, Alonzo and Melissa one afternoon rode 
 out to the village which had been chosen for their 
 future residence. Their carriage slopped at the only 
 inn in the place, and from thence they walked around 
 this modern Vaucluse, charmed with the secluded 
 beauties of its situation. They passed a little time 
 at the spot selected for the habitation; they pro 
 jected the structure of the buildings, planned the 
 gardens, the artificial groves, the walks, the meaa, 
 the fountains, and the green retreat of the summer 
 house, and they already saw, in anticipation, the 
 various domestic blessings and felicities with which 
 they were to be surrounded. 
 
 They took tea at the inn, and prepared to return. 
 It was at the latter end of the month of May, and 
 nature was adorned in the bridal ornaments of spring; 
 the sun was sunk behind the groves, which cast the 
 sombre shades over the valley, while the retiring 
 beams of day adorned the distant eastern eminen 
 ces with yellow lustre. 
 
 The birds sung melodiously in the grove, the air 
 was freshened by light western breezes, bearing up- 
 
ALONJZO AND MELISSA. 35 
 
 on iheir wings all the entrancing odours of the sea 
 son. Around the horizon clouds raised their brazen 
 summits, based on the black vapor of approaching 
 night. 
 
 They slowly ascended the hill south of the town, 
 where they paused a few moments to enjoy the 
 splendors of the evening scene. This hill, which 
 commanded a prospect of all the surrounding coun 
 try, the distant sound, and the adjacent towns and 
 villages, perhaps one of the most picturesque dra 
 peries painted by nature. Alonzo attended Melissa 
 to her father s, and the next day returned home 
 
 His father had been absent for three or four days 
 to one of the commercial seaports, on business with 
 some merchants with whom he was connected in 
 trade. He returned next day after Alonzo got home: 
 his aspect and his conversation were marked with 
 an assumed and unmeaning cheerfulness. At sup 
 per he ate nothing, discoursed much, but in an un 
 connected and hurried manner, interrupted by long 
 pauses, in which he appeared to be buried in con 
 templation. 
 
 After supper he asked Alonzo if it were not pos 
 sible that his marriage with Melissa could be 
 consummated within a few days. Alonzo started 
 at so unexpected a question, replied that such a pro 
 posal would be considered extraordinary, perhaps 
 improper: besides when Melissa had fixed the day, 
 she mentioned that she had an uncle near Charleston, 
 South Carolina, whose daughter was to pass the 
 summer with Melissa, and was expected to arrive 
 before the appointed day. It would, he said, be a 
 delicate point for him to request her to anticipate 
 the nuptials, unless he could give some cogent rea 
 sons for so doing; and at present he was not appris 
 ed that anv such existed. His father after a fe\f 
 
ALONZO AND MEL78SA. 
 
 moments hesitation, answered, * I have reasona, 
 which, when told here he stopped, suddenly arose, 
 hastily walked the room, in much visible agony of 
 mind, and then retired to his chamber. 
 
 Alonzo and his mother were much amazed at so 
 strange a proceeding. They could form no conjec 
 ture of its cause or its consequence. Alonzo pass 
 ed a sleepless ni^ht. His father s slumbers were in 
 terrupted. Me would frequently aiart up in bed, 
 then sink in restless sleep, with incoherent mutter- 
 ings, and plaintive moans. In the morning when he 
 appeared at breakfast, his countenance wore the 
 murks of dejection and anguish. 
 
 He scarcely spoke a word and after the cloth was 
 removed, he ordered all to withdraw except his 
 wife and Alonzo; when, with emotions that spoke 
 the painful feelings of his bosom, he thus addressed 
 them: 
 
 * For more than forty years I have toiled early 
 and late to acquire independence and ease for my 
 self and family. To accomplish this, I became con 
 nected with some English importing merchants in a 
 seaport town, and went largely into the English 
 trade. Success crowned our endeavors; on balanc 
 ing our accounts two years ago, we found that our 
 expectations were answered, and that we were now 
 sufficiently wealthy to close business, which some 
 proposed to do: it was however agreed to make 
 one effort more, as some favorable circumstances 
 appeared to offer, in which \ve adventured very 
 largely, on a fair ca.culation of liberal and extensive 
 proceeds. 
 
 * Before returns could be made, the war came on, 
 embarrassments ensued, and by indubitable intelli 
 gence lately received, we find that our property in 
 England has been sequestered; five of our ships la- 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 17 
 
 den with English goods, lying in English harbors, 
 and just ready to sail for America, have been seized 
 as lawful prizes. Added to this, three vessels from 
 the Indies, lac^n with island produce, have been 
 taken on theii homeward bound voyage, and one 
 lost on her return from Holland. This wreck of 
 fortune I might have survived, had I to sustain only 
 my equal dividend of the loss. But of the merchants 
 with whom I have been connected not one remains 
 to share the fate of the event; all have absconded 
 or secreted themselves. To attempt to compound 
 with my creditors would be of little avail; my whole 
 fortune will not pay one fourth of the debts; so that 
 compound or not the consequence to me is inevita 
 ble ruin. 
 
 To abscond would not secure me, as most of my 
 remaining property is vested in real estate. And 
 even if it would, I could not consent to it: I could 
 not consent to banish myself from my country; to 
 flee like a felon; to skulk from society with the* 
 base view of defrauding my creditors. No, I have 
 lived honestly, and honestly will I die. By fair ap 
 plication and long industry my wealth has been ob 
 tained; and it shall never justly be said, that the 
 reputation of my latter days was stained with acts 
 of baseness. I have notified and procured a meet 
 ing of the creditors, and have laid the matters be 
 fore them. Some appeared favorable to me; others 
 insinuated that we were all connected in fraudulent 
 designs to swindle our creditors. This I repelled 
 with becoming spirit, and was in consequence threat 
 ened with immediate prosecution. Whatever may 
 be the event, I had some hopes that your happiness, 
 Alon/o, might be secured. Hence I proposed your 
 union with Melissa, before our misfortunes should be 
 promulgated Your parents are old; little will 
 
83 AL( tJZQ AND MEMBBA. 
 
 serve the residue of their days. With your acquire* 
 ments you may make your way in life. I shall have 
 no property to give you; but I would still wish you 
 to secure that which you prize far above, and with 
 out which both honors and emoluments are unim 
 portant and worthless." 
 
 At this moment a loud rap at the door interrupted 
 the discourse, and three men were ushered in, which 
 proved to be the sheriff and his attendants, sent by 
 the more inexorable creditors of Alonzo s father and 
 company, to level on the property of the former, 
 which orders they faithfully executed, by seizing the 
 lands, tenements and furniture, and finally arresting 
 the body of the old gentleman, which was soon re 
 leased by his friendly neighbors becoming bail for 
 his appearance; but the property was soon after sold 
 at public vendue, at less than half its value, and 
 Alonzo s father and mother were compelled to aban 
 don the premises, and take shelter in a little hut, 
 belonging to a neighboring farmer illy and tempo 
 rarily furnished by the gratuitous liberality of a few 
 friends. 
 
 We will not stoo the reader to moralize on this 
 Disastrous event. The feelings of the family can bet 
 ter be conceived than detailed. Hurled in a mo 
 ment from the lofty summit of affluence to the low 
 and barren vale of poverty! Philosophy came to the 
 aid of the parents, but who can realize the feelings 
 of the son! Thus suddenly cut short of his prospects, 
 not only of future independence, but even of sup 
 port, what would be the event of his suit to Melis 
 sa, and stipulated marriage ? Was it not probable 
 that her father would now cancel the contract ? 
 Could she consent to be his wife, in his present pe 
 nurious situation? And indeed, could he himself con 
 sent to make her his wife, to make her miserable? 
 
ALONZO A MELISSA. 39 
 
 In this r.gitated frame of mind he received a let 
 ter from his friend in Melissa s neighborhood, re 
 questing him to come immediately to his house, 
 whither he repaired the following day. This per 
 son had ever been the unchanging friend of Alonzo; 
 he had heard of the misfortunes of his family, and 
 he deeply sympathised in his distress. He had late 
 ly married and settled in life: his name was Vin 
 cent. 
 
 When Alonzo arrived at the house of his friend, 
 he was received with the same disinterested ardor 
 he had ever been in the day of his most unbounded 
 prosperity. After being seated, Vincent told him 
 that the occasion of his sending for him was to pro 
 pose the adoption of certain measures which he 
 doubted not might be considered highly beneficial 
 as it respected his future peace and happiness. 
 * Your family misfortunes, continued Vincent, have 
 reached the ears of Melissa s father. I know that 
 old gentleman too well to believe he will consent to 
 receive you as his son-in-law, under your present 
 embarrasments. Money is the god to which he im 
 plicitly bows. The case is difficult, but not insur 
 mountable. You must first see Melissa; she is now 
 in the next room. I will introduce you in; converse 
 with her, after which I will lay my plan before you. 
 
 Alonzo entered the room; Melissa was sitting by 
 a window which looked into a pleasant garden, and 
 over verdant meadows whose tall grass waved lo 
 the evening breeze. Farther on, low vallies spread 
 their umbrageous thickets, where the dusky shadows 
 of night had began to assemble. 
 
 On high hills beyond, the tops of lofty forests, 
 majestically moved by the billowy gales, caught tha 
 Bun s last ray. Fleecy sumiaer clouds hovered around 
 
40 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 the verge ?f the western horizon, spangled with sil 
 very tints tr fringed with the gold of evening. 
 
 A mournfully murmuring rivulet purled at a little 
 distance from the garden, on the borders of a small 
 grove, from whence the American wild dove wafted 
 her sympathetic moaning to the ear of Melissa. She 
 sat leaning on a small tahle by the window, which 
 was thrown up. Her attention was fixed. She did 
 not perceive Vincent and Alonzo as they entered. 
 They advanced towards her. She turned, started, 
 and arose. With a melancholy smile, and tremu 
 lous voice, I supposed, she said, that it was Mrs 
 Vincent, who was approaching, as she has just left 
 the room. Her countenance appeared to be de 
 jected, which on seeing Alonzo, lighted up into a 
 languid sprightliness. It was evident she had been 
 weeping. 
 
 Vincent retired, and Alonzo and Melissa seated 
 themselves by the window. I have broken in up 
 on your solitude, perhaps, too unseasonably, said 
 Alohzo. * It is however, the fault of Vincent : he 
 invited me to walk into the room, but did not inform 
 me that you were alone. Your presence was sud 
 den and unexpected, but not unseasonable, replied 
 Melissa. * I hope that you did not consider any form 
 ality necessary in your visits, Alonzo. 
 
 Alonzo. 1 once did not think so. Now I know 
 not what to think I know not how to act. You 
 have heard of the misfortunes of my father s family, 
 Melissa ? 
 
 Mel. Yes; I have heard the circumstances at 
 tending that event an event in which no one could 
 be more deeply interested except the immediate suf 
 ferers, than myself. 
 
 Al. Your father is also acquainted with my pres 
 ent situation ! 
 
ALOITZO AND MELISSA. 41 
 
 Mel. He is. 
 
 AI. How did he receive the intelligence * 
 
 Mel With deep regret. 
 
 Al. And forbade you to admit my addresses any 
 longer ? 
 
 Mel. No, not absolutely. 
 
 Al. If even in an unqualified or indirect manner, 
 it is proper I should know it. 
 
 Mel. It certainly is. Soon after we received 
 the intelligence of your family misfortunes, my fa 
 ther came into the room where I was sitting; Me 
 lissa, said he, your conduct has ever been that of a 
 dutiful child; mine of an indulgent parent. My 
 first, my ultimate wish is, to see my children, when 
 settled in life, happy and honorably respected. For 
 this purpose, I have bestowed on them a proper ed 
 ucation, and design suitably to apportion my prop 
 erty between them. On their part, it is expected 
 they will act prudently and discreetly, especially 
 in those things which concern their future peace and 
 welfare. The principal requisite to ensure this is a 
 proper connexion in marriage. Here my father 
 paused a considerable time, and then continued * J 
 know, my child that your situation is a very delicate 
 one. Your marriage day is appointed; it was ap 
 pointed under the fairest prospects; by the failure 
 of Alonzo s father, those prospects have becimie 
 deeply darkened, if not totally obliterated. 
 
 To commit your fortune through life to a per 
 son unable to support you, would be hazardous in 
 the extreme. The marriage day, can at least, be 
 suspended; perhaps something more favorable may 
 appear. At any rate, I have too *nuch confidence 
 in your discretion, to suppose that you will by any 
 rash act, bring either poverty or reproach upon 
 yourself or your connexions Thus spoke my father,, 
 and immediately withdrew 
 
42 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 In our present dilemma, said Alonit>, what is 
 proper to be done. 
 
 It is difficult to determine, replied Melissa. Should 
 my lather expressly forbid our union, he will go all 
 lengths to carry his commands into effect. Although 
 a tender parent, he is violent in his prejudices, and 
 resolute in his purposes, i would advise you to call at 
 my father s house to-morrow with your usual free 
 dom. Whatever may be the event I shall deal sin 
 cerely with you. Mr. andMrs. Vincent are now iny 
 only confidants. From them you will be enabled 
 to obtain information, should I be debarred from 
 seeing you. I am frequently here; they told me 
 thev expected you, but at what day was not known. 
 Mrs. Vincent has been my friend and associate from 
 my earliest years. Vincent you know. In them wo 
 can place the utmost confidence. My reliance on 
 providence, I trust, will never be shaken; but my 
 <uture prospects, at present, are dark and gloomy. 
 
 Let us not despair, answered Alonzo, perhaps 
 these gloomy clouds which now hover around us, 
 will yet be dissipated by the bright beams of joy. 
 Innocence and virtue are the cares of heaven. There 
 lies my hope. To-morrow, as you propose, I will 
 ca l at your father s. 
 
 Melissa now prepared to return home; a whip- 
 poorwill tuned its nightly song at a little distance; 
 but the sound, so cheerful and sprightly, now pas 
 sed heavily over their hearts. 
 
 When Alonzo returned, Vincent unfolded the plan 
 he had projected. c No sooner, said he, was I in 
 formed of your misfortunes, than 1 was convinced 
 that Melissa s father would endeavor to dissolve 
 your intended union with his daughter. I have 
 known him many years, and however he may doat 
 on his children, or value their happiness, he will not 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA 4t 
 
 hesitate to sacrifice his other feelings to the ac 
 quirement of riches. It appeared that you had but 
 on3 resource left, lou and Melissa are now united 
 by the most solemn ties by every rite except those 
 which are merely ceremonial. These I vould ad 
 vise you to enter into, and trust to the consequen 
 ce. Mis. Vincent has proposed the scheme to Me- 
 l>sa; but implicitly accustomed to filial obedience, 
 she shudders at the idea of a clandestine marriage. 
 But when her father shall proceed to rigorous meas 
 ures, she will, I think consent to the alternative. 
 And this measure, once adopted, her father must 
 consent also; or, if not, you secure your own happi 
 ness, and what you esteem more, that of Melissa. 
 
 Out you must be sensible of my inability to sup 
 port her as she deserves, replied Alonzo, even 
 should she consent to it. 
 
 The world is before you, answered Vincent; you 
 have friends, you have acquirements, which will "not 
 fail you. In a country like this, you can hardly fail 
 of obtaining a competency, which with the other 
 requisites, will ensure your independence and felici- 
 
 *y- 
 
 Alonzo informed Vincent what had been agreed 
 upon between Melissa and himself, respecting his 
 visiting her on the morrow; after which, ho 
 said, we will discourse further on the subject. 
 
 The next day Alonzo repaired to the house of 
 Melissa s father. As he approached, he saw Melis 
 sa sitting in a shady recess at one end of the gar 
 den near which the road passed. She was leaning 
 with her head upon her hand, in a pensive posture; 
 a deep dejection, was depicted in her features, which 
 enlivened into a transient glow as soon as she saw 
 Alonzo. She arose, met him and invited him into 
 the house. 
 
44 ALOJTZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 Alonzo was received with a cold reserve by all 
 except Melissa. Her father saluted him with a dis 
 tant and retiring bow, as he passed with Melissa to 
 her room. As soon as they were seated, a maiden 
 aunt who had doubled her teens, outlived many of 
 her suitors, and who had lately come to reside with 
 the family, entered and seated herself by the win 
 dow, alternately humming a tune, and impudently 
 staring at Alonzo, without speaking a word, except 
 snappishly to contradict Melissa in any thing fine 
 advanced, which the latter passed off with only a 
 faint smile. 
 
 This interruption was not of long continuance. 
 Melissa s father entered, and requested the two la 
 dies to withdraw, which was instantly done. He 
 then addressed Alonzo as follows: * When I gave 
 consent for you to marry my daughter, it was on 
 the conviction that your future resources would bo 
 adequate to support her honorably and independ 
 ently. Circumstances have since taken place, 
 which render this point extiemely doubtful. Pa 
 rental duty and affection demands that I should 
 know your means and prospects before I sanction a 
 proceeding which may reduce my child to penury 
 and want. 
 
 Ho paused for a reply, but Alonzo was silent. 
 He continued You yourself must acknowledge, 
 that to burthen yourselt with the expense of a fami 
 ly; to transfer a woman from aH uence to, poverty, 
 without even an object in view to provide for either, 
 would be the height of folly and extravagance. 
 Again he paused, but Alonzo was still silent. He 
 proceeded Could you, Alonzo, suffer life, when 
 you see the wife of your bosom, probably your in 
 fant children, pining in misery for want of bread. 
 And what else have you to expect if you marry in 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 45 
 
 rour present situation ? You have friends and well 
 wishers; but which of them will advance you four 
 or five thousand pounds, as a gratuity? My daughter 
 must be supported according to her rank and stand 
 ing in life. Are you enabled to do this? If not, you 
 cannot reasonably suppose that I shall consent to 
 your marrying her. You may say that your ac 
 quirements, your prudence and your industry, will 
 procure you a handsome support. This well may 
 do in single life; but to depend on these for the fu 
 ture exigencies of a family, is hazarding peace, hon 
 or and reputation at a single game of chance. If, 
 therefore, you have no resources or expectations but 
 euch as these, your own judgment will teach you 
 the necessity of immediately relinquishing all pre 
 tensions to the hand of Melissa and immediately 
 left the room. 
 
 Why was Alonzo speechles through the whole of 
 this discourse ? What reply could he have made? 
 What were the prospects before him but penury, 
 want, misery and woe! Where indeed, were the 
 means by which Melissa was to be shielded from 
 poverty, if connected with his fortunes. The idea 
 was not new, but it came upon him with redoubled 
 anguish. He arose and looked around for Melis 
 sa, but she was not to be seen. He left the house 
 and walked slowly towards Vincent s. At a little 
 distance he met Melissa, who had been strolling 
 in an adjoining avenue. He informed her of all 
 that had passed, it was no more than they both ex 
 pected, yet it was a shock their fortitude could 
 scarcely contain. Disappointment seldom finds her 
 votaries prepared to receive her. 
 
 Melissa told Alonzo that her father s determina 
 tions were unchangable; that his sister (the beforo 
 mentioned maiden lady) held a considerable in- 
 
46 AI.ONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 fluence over him and dictated the concerns of tho 
 family; and that from her there was nothing to 
 hope in their favor. Her mother she said was her 
 friend, but could not contradict the will of her fa 
 ther. Her brother would be at home in a few days; 
 how he would act on this occasion she was unable 
 to say: but were he even their friend he would have 
 but feeble influence with her father and aunt. What 
 is to be the end of these troubles, continued Melis 
 sa, c it is impossible to foresee. Let us trust in the 
 mercy of heaven and submit to its dispensations. 
 
 Alonzo and Melissa, in their happier days, had, 
 when absent, corresponded by letters. This method 
 it was now thought best to relinquish. It was agreed 
 that Alonzo should come frequently to Vincent s, 
 where Melissa would meet him as she could find 
 opportunities. Having concluded on this, Melissa 
 returned home, and Alonzo to the house of his 
 friend. 
 
 Vincent, after Alonzo had related his reception at 
 Melissa s father s, urged the plan he had projected, 
 of a private marriage. Alonzo replied, that, even 
 should Melissa consent to it, which he much doubt 
 ed, it must be a measure of the last resorl, and 
 adopted only when all others became fruitless. 
 
 The next morning Alonzo returned to the hut 
 where his aged parents now dwelt. His bosom 
 throbbed with keen anguish. His own fate, uncon 
 nected with that of Melissa, he considered of little 
 consequence. But what was to become of Melissa, 
 what of himself, what of his parents ! Alas, said 
 Alonzo, * I now perceive what it is to want the 
 good things of this life. 
 
 Alonzo father was absent when he arrived, but 
 returned soon after. A beam of joy gleamed upon 
 his withered countenance as he entered the house. 
 
 ===t ___^ a=c= 
 
ALONZO A-ND MELISSA. 47 
 
 were it not, Alonzo, for your unhappy situation, 
 said he, * we should once more be restored to peace 
 and comfort. A few persons who were indebted to 
 me, finding that I was to be sacrificed by my unfeel 
 ing creditors, reserved those debts in their hands, 
 mid have now paid me, amounting to something 
 more than five hundred pounds. With this I havs 
 purchased a small but well cultivated farm, with 
 convenient tenements. I have enough left to pur 
 chase what stock and other materials I need; and 
 to spare some for your present exigencies, Alonzo. 
 Alonzo thanked his father for his kindness ; 
 but told him from his former liberality he had yet 
 sufficient for his wants, and that he should soon 
 find business which would amply support him. But 
 your affair with Melissa, asked his father, * how is 
 it likely to terminate ? * Favorably, I hope sir, 
 answered Alonzo. He could not consent to disturb 
 the tranquility of his parents by reciting his own 
 wretchedness. 
 
 A week passed away. Alonzo saw his parents 
 removed to their little farm, which was to be man 
 aged by his father and a hired man. He saw them 
 comfortably seated; he saw them serenely blest in 
 the calm pleasures of returning peace, and a ray of 
 joy illuminated his troubled bosom. 
 
 Again the youth his wonted life regain d 
 
 A transient sparkle in his eye obtain d, 
 
 A bright impassion d cheering glow, express d 
 
 The pleas d sensation of his tender breast: 
 
 But soon dark glooms the feeble smiles o erspread; 
 
 Like morn s gray hues, the fading splendors fled 
 
 Returning anguish froze his feeling soul, 
 
 Deep sighs burst forth, and tears began to rolL* 
 
48 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 He thought of Melissa, from whom he had heard 
 nothing since he last saw her. He thought of the 
 difficulties which surrounded him. He thought of 
 the barriers which were opposed to his happiness 
 and the felicity of Melissa, and he set out for the 
 house of Vincent. 
 
 Alonzo arrived at the residence of Vincent near 
 the close of the day: Vincent and his lady were at 
 tea with several young ladies who had passed the 
 afternoon with Mrs. Vincent. Alonzo cast an ac 
 tive glance around the company in hopes to find Me 
 lissa, but she was not there. He was invited and 
 accepted a seat at table. After tea Vincent led 
 him into an adjoining room. You have come in 
 good time, said he. Something must speedily be 
 done, or you lose Melissa forever. The day after 
 you were here, her father received a letter from 
 Beauman, in which after mentioning the circum 
 stance of your father s insolvency, he hinted that the 
 consequence would probably be a failure of her 
 proposed marriage with you which might essential 
 ly injure the reputation of a lady of her standing in 
 life: to prevent which, and to place her beyond tho 
 reach of calumny, he offered to marry her at any 
 appointed day, provided he had her free consent. 
 
 * As Beaurnan, by the recent death of his father, 
 had been put in possession of a splendid fortune, tho 
 proposition allured her father, who wrote him a 
 complaisant answer, with an invitation to his house. 
 He then strove to extort a promise from Melissa, 
 that she would break off all connexion with you, 
 see you no more, and admit the addresses of Beau- 
 man. 
 
 To this she could not consent. She urged, that 
 by the consent of her parents she was engaged to 
 you by the most sacred ties. That t:> her fatker i 
 
 L 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 49 
 
 will she had hitherto yielded implicit obec ience, but 
 that hastily to break the most solemn obligation, 
 formed and sanctioned by his approbation and d : - 
 rection, was what her conscience would not permit 
 her to do. Were he to command her to live single, 
 life might be endured; but to give her hand to any 
 except you would be to purjure those principles 01 
 truth and justice which he himself had ever taught 
 her to hold most inviolable. Her father grew out 
 rageous; charged her with disobedience, with a blind 
 inconsiderate perverseness, by which she would 
 bring ruin upon herself, and indelible disgrace upon 
 her family. She answered only with her tears. Her 
 mother interposed, and endeavored to appease his 
 anger; but he spurned her from him, and rushed out 
 of the room, uttering a threat that force should suc 
 ceed persuasion, if his commands were not obeyed. 
 To add to Melissa s distress, Beauman arrived at 
 her father s yesterday; and I hope, in some meas 
 ure to alleviate it, Edgar, her brother, came this 
 morning. Mrs. Vincent has dispatched a message 
 to inform Melissa of your arrival, and to desire her 
 to come here immediately. She will undoubtely com 
 ply with the invitation, if not prevented by something 
 extraordinary. 1 should have written you had I no. 
 hourly expected you. 
 
 Mrs. Vincent now came to the door of the room 
 and beckoned to her husband, who went out, but 
 immediately returned, leading in Melissa, after which 
 he retired. Oh, Alonzo! was all she could say, 
 and burst into lears. Alonxo led her to a seat, gent 
 ly pressed her hand, and mingled his tears with hers, 
 but was unable to speak. Rt covering at length, he 
 begged her to moderate her grief. Where, said 
 he, is your fortitude and firmness, Melissa, \vhich I 
 have so often seen triumphing over ailhction: 11 a* 
 
>0 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 extreme anguish prevented a reply. Deeply afiect* 
 ed and alarmed at the storm of distress whfch rag 
 ed in her bosom, he endeavored to console her, 
 though consolation was a slranger to his own 
 breast. * Let us not, Melissa, said he, increase our 
 flood of aff.iction by a tide of useless sorrow. Per 
 haps more prosperous days are yet in reserve for us; 
 happiness may yet be ours. * Never, never, she 
 exclaimed. Oh, what will become of me ! * Heaven 
 cannot desert you, said Alonzo; as well might it 
 desert its angels. Tliis thorny and gloomy path 
 may lead to fair fields of light and verdure. Tem 
 pests are succeeded by calms; wars end in peace; 
 the splendors of the brightest morning arise on the 
 wings of the blackest midnight. Troubles will not 
 always last. Life at most is short. Death comes 
 to the relief of the virtuous wretched, and transports 
 them to another and a better world, where sighing 
 and sorrows cease, and the tempestuous passions of 
 life are known no more. 
 
 The rage of grief which had overwhelmed Melis 
 sa began now to subside, as the waves of the ocean 
 gradually cease their tumultuous commotion, after the 
 turbulent winds are laid asleep. Deep sobs and long 
 drawn sighs succeeded to a suffocation of tears. The 
 irritation of her feelings had caused a more than 
 usual glow upon her cheek, which faded away a* 
 she became composed, until a livid paleness spread 
 itself over her features. Alonzo feared that the 
 delicacy of her constitution would fall a sacrifice to 
 the sorrow which preyed upon her heart, if not 
 speedily alleviated; But alas! where were the means 
 of alleviation ? 
 
 She informed him that her father had that eve 
 ning ordered her to become the wife of Beanman. 
 He told her that her disobedience was no longer to 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 51 
 
 be borne. No longer, said he, will I tamper 
 with your perverseness- you are determined to be 
 poor, wretched and contemptible. I will compel 
 you to be rich happy and respected. You suffer 
 the Jack-wilh-a-lantern fancy to lead you into 
 swamps and quagmires, when, did you but follow 
 the fair light of reason, it would conduct you to 
 honor and real felicity. There are happiness and 
 misery at your choice. 
 
 * Marry Beauman and you will roll in your coach, 
 flaunt in your silks; your furniture and your equip 
 age are splendid, your associates are of the first 
 character, and your father rejoices in your prosper 
 ity. 
 
 * Marry Alonzo, yon sink into obscurity, are con 
 demned to drudgery, poorly fed, worse clothed, and 
 your relations and acquaintances shun and despise 
 you. The comparison I have here drawn between 
 Beauman and Alonzo is a correct one; for even the 
 wardrobe of the former is of more value than the 
 whole fortune of the latter. 
 
 I give you now two days to consider of the mat 
 ter; at the end of that time 1 shall expect your de 
 cision, and hope you will decide discreetly. But 
 remember that you become the wife of Beauman,or 
 you are no longer acknowledged as my daughter. 
 
 * Thus, said Melisssa, * did my father pronounce 
 his determination, which shook my frame, and chil 
 led with horror every nerve of my heart, and imme 
 diately left me. 
 
 My aunt added her taunts to his severities, and 
 Beauman interfered with his ill-timed consolation, 
 My mother and Edgar ardently strove to allay the 
 fever of my soul, and mitigate my distress. But the 
 stroke was almost too severe for my nature. Habit 
 uated only to the smiles of my father, how could * 
 
52 ALONZO AND MELISSA 
 
 support his frowns ? Accustomed tc receive his 
 blessings alone, how could I endure his sudden mai 
 ediction ? 
 
 Description would fail in painting the sensations 
 of Alonzo s bosom, at this recital of woe. But he 
 endeavored to mitigate her sorrows by the consola 
 tion of more cheering prospects and happier hours. 
 
 Vincent and his lady now came into the room. 
 They strenuously urged the propriety and the neces 
 sity of Alonzo and Melissa s enteiJng into the bands 
 of wedlock immediately. The measure would be 
 hazardous, remarked Melissa. My circumstan 
 ces said Alonzo. Not on that account, inter 
 rupted Melissa, * but my father s displeasure 
 
 * Will be the same whether you marry Alonzo or 
 refuse to marry Beauman, replied Vincent. Her 
 resolution appeared to be staggered. 
 
 * Come here, Melissa, to-morrow evening, said 
 Mrs. Vincent, mean time you will consider the 
 matter, and then determine. To this Melissa as 
 sented, and prepared to return home. 
 
 Alonzo walked with her to the gate which open 
 ed into the yard surrounding her father s house. It 
 was dangerous for him to go farther. Should he 
 be discovered with Melissa, even by a domestic of 
 the family, it must increase the persecutions against 
 her. They parted. Alonzo stood at the gate, gaz 
 ing anxiously after Melissa as she walked up the 
 long winding avenue, bordered with the odor flow 
 ing lilac, and lofty elm, her white robes now invisi 
 ble, now dimly seen as she turned the angles of the 
 walk, until they were totally obscured, mingling 
 with the gloom and darkness of the night. Thus, 
 said Alonzo, thus fades the angel of peace from 
 the visionary eves of the war-worn soldier, when it 
 ascends in the dusky clouds of early morning, whilo 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 53 
 
 he slumbers on the field of recent battle. With 
 mournful forebodings he returned to the house of 
 Vincent. He arose after a sleepless night, and 
 walked into an adjoining field. He stood leaning in 
 deep contemplation against a tree when he heard 
 quick footsteps behind him. He turned round and 
 saw Edgar approaching: in a moment they were in 
 each other s arms, and mingling tears. They re 
 turned to Vincent s and conversed largely on pres 
 ent affairs. * I have discoursed with my father on 
 the subject, said Edgar. * 1 have urged him with 
 every possible augument to relinquish his determin 
 ation : I fear, however, he is inflexible. 
 
 To assuage the tempest of grief which rent Me 
 lissa s bosom was my next object, and in this I 
 (rust I have not been unsucessful. You will see 
 her this evening, and will find her more calm and 
 resigned. You, Alonzo, must ever exert your forti 
 tude. The ways of heaven are inscrutable, but they 
 ire right. 
 
 We must acquiesce in its dealings. We cannot 
 alter its decrees. Resignation to its will, whether 
 tnerciful or aftictive, is one of those eminent virtues 
 which adorn the good man s character, and ever 
 find a brilliant reward in the regions of unsullied 
 splendor, far beyond trouble and the tomb. 
 
 Edgar told Alonzo that circumstances compelled 
 him that day to depart for the army. I would ad 
 vise you, said he, to remain here till your affair 
 comes to some final issue. It must, I think, ere 
 long, be terminated. Perhaps you and my sister 
 may yet be happy. 
 
 Alonzo feelingly expressed his gratitude to Edgar. 
 He found in him that disinterested friendship; which 
 h s early youth had experienced. Edgar, the same 
 day,, departed for the army. 
 
54 ALDNZO AMI ME1ISBA. 
 
 In the afternoon, Alonzo received a note from 
 Melissa s father, requesting his immediate attend 
 ance. Surprised at the incident, he repaired there 
 immediately. The servant introduced him into a 
 room where Melissa s father and aunt were sitting. 
 * Hearing you were in the neighborhood, said 
 her father, I have sent for you to make a proposi 
 tion, which, after what has taken place, I think you 
 cannot hesitate to comply with. The occurrence of 
 previous circumstances may lead you to suppose that 
 my daughter is under obligations to you, which 
 may render it improper for her to form marriage con 
 nexions with any other. Whatever embarrassments 
 your addresses to her may have produced, it is in 
 your power to remove them. You cannot wish to 
 involve Melissa in your present penurious condition, 
 unless you wish to make her wretched. It there 
 fore only remains for you to give me a writing, vol 
 untarily resigning all pretensions to the hand of my 
 daughter; and if you wish her to be happy, honor 
 able and respected in this life, this I say, you will 
 not hesitate to do. 
 
 A considerable pause ensued. Alonzo at length 
 replied, I cannot perceive any particular advantage 
 that can accrue from such a measure. It will nei 
 ther add nor diminish the power you possess to 
 command obedience to your will, if you are deter 
 mined to command it, either from your daughter or 
 
 your servant. 
 
 There, brother/ bawled the old maid, half 
 speaking through her nose, which was well charged 
 with rappee, * did nt I tell you so? I knew the fel 
 low would not come to terms, no more than wil" 
 you refractory daughter. This love fairly bewitch 
 es such foolish, crack-brained youngsters. But say, 
 Mr. , what s your name, "ui dressing herself to 
 
ALONZO AMD MELISSA. 58 
 
 Alonzo, will love heat the oven ? will love boil th 
 pot ? will love clothe the back? will love * 
 
 * You will not, interrupted Melissa s father, 
 speaking to Alonzo, it seems consent to my propo 
 sition ? I have then one demand to make, which of 
 right you cannot deny. Promise rne that you will 
 never see my daughter again, unless by my per 
 mission. 
 
 At the present moment, I shall promise you 
 nothing, replied Alonzo, with some warmth. 
 
 There, again, said the old rnaid, just so Me- 
 .issa told you this morning, when you requested her 
 to see him no more. The fellow has fairly betwat- 
 tled her. I wish I had him to deal with. Things 
 was nt so when I wus a girl; I kept the rogues at a 
 distance. I ll warrant you. I always told you brothei 
 what would come of your indulgence to your daugh 
 ter. I should not wonder if you should soon find 
 the girl had eloped, and your desk robbed in the 
 bargain * 
 
 Alonzo hastily arose: * I suppose, said he, my 
 presence can be dispensed with. 
 
 * Well, young man, said Melissa s father, since 
 you will not comply with any overtures I make; 
 since you will not accede to any terms I propose, 
 remember, sir, I now warn you to break off all com 
 munication and correspondence with my daughter, 
 and tr relinquish all expectations concerning her. I 
 shall iv ver consent to marry my daughter to a beg 
 gar. 
 
 Be.fv art* involuntarily exclaimed Alonzo and 
 his eyes flashed with resentment. But he recol 
 lected that it was the father of Melissa who had 
 thus insulted him, and he suppressed his anger. He 
 rushed out of the house, and returned to Vincent s. 
 
66 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 He had neither heard nor seen any thing cf Melia* 
 sa or Beauman. 
 
 Night, came on, and he ardently and impatiently 
 expected Melissa. He anticipated the con.o!atio 
 her presence would bestow. Edgar had told him 
 she was more composed. He doubted whether it 
 were proper to excite anew her distress by relating 
 his interview with her father, unless she was ap 
 praised of it. The evening passed on, but Melissa 
 came not. Alonzo grew restless and uneasy. He 
 looked out, then at his watch. Vincent and his la 
 dy assured him that she would soon be there. He 
 paced the room. Still he became more impatient, 
 he walked out on the way where she was expected 
 to come. Sometimes he advanced hastily; at others 
 he moved slowly; then stood motionless, listening 
 in breathless silence, momentarily expecting to dis 
 cover her white form approaching through the 
 gloom, or to hear the sound of her footsteps advanc 
 ing amidst the darkness. Shapeless objects, either 
 real or imaginary, frequently crossed his sight, but 
 like the unreal phantoms of night, they suddenly 
 passed away, and were seen no more. At length 
 he perceived a dusky white form advancing in the 
 distant dim obscurity. It drew near; his heart beat 
 in quick succession; his fond hopes told him it was 
 Melissa. The object came up and hastily passed 
 him, with a good night sir. 
 
 It was a stranger in a white surtout. Alonzo 
 hesitated whether to advance or to return. It was 
 possible, though not probable, that Melissa might 
 have come some other way. He hastened back to 
 Vincent s she had not arrived. * Something ex 
 traordinary, said Mrs. Vincent has prevented her 
 coming. Perhaps she is ill. Alonzo shuddered at 
 the suggestion. He looked at his vatch;it was half 
 
1LONZO AND MELISSA. 57 
 
 past eleven o clock. Again he hastily sallied out, 
 nnd took the road to her father s. 
 
 The night was exceedingly dark, and illuminated 
 only by the feeble glimmering of the twinkling stars. 
 When he came within sight of the house, and as he 
 drew near no lights were visible all was still and 
 silent. He entered the yard, walked up the ave 
 nue, and approached the door. The familiar watch 
 dog, which lay near the threshold, fawned upon him, 
 joyfully whining and wagging his tail. Thou still 
 knowest me, Carlow, said Alonzo, thou hast known 
 me in better days; I am now poor and wretched, 
 but thy friendship is the same. A solemn stillness 
 prevailed all around, interrupted only by the dis 
 cordance of the nightly insects, and the hooting of 
 the moping owl from the neighboring forest. The 
 dwelling was shrouded in darkness. In Melissa s 
 room no gleam of light appeared. * They are all 
 buried in sleep, said Alonzo deeply sighing, * and I 
 have only to return in disappointment. 
 
 He turned and walked towards the street: casting 
 his eyes back, the blaze of a candle caught his sight. 
 It passed rapidly along through the lower rooms, 
 now gleaming, now intercepted, as the walls or the 
 windows intervened, and suddenly disappeared. 
 Alonzo gazed earnestly a few moments and hastily 
 returned back. No noise was to be heard, no new 
 objects were discernable. He clambered over the 
 garden wall, and went around to the back side of 
 the house. Here all was solemn and silent as in 
 front. Immediately a faint light appeared through 
 one of the chamber windows; it grew brighter; a 
 can He entered the chamber; the sash was flung up, 
 anu Melissa seated herself at the window. 
 
 The weather was sultry, she held a fan in her 
 band; her countenance, though stamped with deep 
 
68 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 dejection, was marked with serenity, but pale as the 
 drooping lilly of the valley. A lonzo placed himself 
 directly under the window, and in a low voice cal 
 led her by name. She started wildly, looked out 
 and faintly cried, * Who s there ? He answered, 
 *AIon7,o. Good heavens, she exclaimed, * is it 
 you, A lonzo ? I was disappointed in meeting you at 
 Vincent s this evening ; my father will not suffer 
 me to go out without attendants. I am now con 
 stantly watched and guarded. 
 
 * Watched and guarded." replied Alonzo; * At the 
 risk of my life I will deliver you from the tyranny 
 with which you are oppressed. 
 
 * Be calm, Alonzo, said she, I think it will not 
 Vast long. Beauman will soon depart, after which 
 liiere will undoubtedly be some alteration. Desire 
 Mrs. Vincent to come here to-morrow; I believe 
 they will let me see her. I can, from time to time 
 inform you of passing events, so that you may know 
 what changes take place. I am placed under the 
 care of my aunt, who suffers me not to step out of her 
 sight. We pass the night in an adjoining chamber, 
 from whence, after she bed fallen asleep, I stole out, 
 and went down with a design of walking in the 
 garden, but found the doors all locked and the 
 keys taken out. I returned and raised this window 
 for fresh air. Hark! said she, my aunt calls me. 
 she has waked and misses me. I must fly to her 
 chamber. You shall hear more from me to-morrow 
 by Mrs. Vincent, Alonzo. So saying she let down 
 the window sash and retired. 
 
 Alonzo withdrew slowly from the place, and re- 
 passed the way he came. As he jumped back over 
 the garden wall, he found a man standing at its foot, 
 very near him: After a moment s scrutiny he per 
 ceived it to be Beauman. * What, my chevalier, 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA S9 
 
 said he to Alonzo, such an adept in the amorous 
 science already! hast thou then eluded the watchful 
 eyes of Argus, and the vigilance of the dragon? 
 
 * Unfeeling and impertinent intruder ? retorted 
 Alonzo, seizing hold of him; * is it not enough that 
 an innocent daughter must endure a merciless pa 
 rent s persecuting hand, but must thou add to her 
 misery by thy disgusting interference! 
 
 * Quit thy hold, Tarquin, said Beauman. * Art 
 thou determined, after storming the fortress, to mur 
 der the garrison ? 
 
 * Go, said Alonzo, quitting him; go, sir, you are 
 unworthy of my anger. Pursue thy groveling 
 schemes. Strive to force to your arms a lady who 
 abhors you, and were it not on one account, must 
 ever continue to hate and despise you. 
 
 * Alonzo, replied Beauman, * I perceive thou 
 knowest me not. You and I were rivals in our pur 
 suit the hand of Melissa. Whether from freak or 
 fortune, the preference was given to you and I re 
 tired in silence. From coincidence of circumstanc 
 es, her father has now been induced to give the 
 preference to me. My belief was that Melissa 
 would comply with her father s will, especially after 
 her prospects of connecting with you were cut off 
 by the events which ruined your fortune. You, Alon 
 zo, have yet I find, to learn the character of women. 
 It has been my particular study. Melissa, now ar- 
 de.itly impassioned by first impressions, irritated by 
 recent disappointment, her passions delicate and 
 vivid, her affections animated and unmixed, it would 
 be strange, if she could suddenly relinquish primi 
 tive attachments founded on such premises, withcut 
 a struggle. But remove her from your preset ce 
 one year, with only distant and uncertain prospe ti 
 of seeing you again admit me as the substitute a 
 
(10 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 your absence, and she accepts my hand. as freely as 
 she would now receive yours. I had no design it 
 was never my wish to marry her without her con 
 sent. That I believe I shall yet obtain. Under ex 
 isting circumstances, it is impossible but you must 
 be separated for some considerable time. Then 
 when cool deliberation succeeds to the wild vaga 
 ries, the electric fire of frolic fancy, she will discov 
 er the dangerous precipice, the deadly abyss to 
 which her present conduct and inclinations lead. 
 She will see that the blandishments, without the pos 
 session of life will fade and die. She will discrimi 
 nate between the shreds and trappings of taste. She 
 will prefer indifference and splendor to love and a 
 cottage. 
 
 At present I relinquish all further pursuit; to 
 morrow I return to New-London. When Melissa 
 from calm deliberation and the advice of friends, shall 
 freely consent to yield me her hand, I shall return 
 to receive it. I came from mv lodgings this evening 
 to declare these intentions to her father: but it be 
 ing later than I was aware of, the family had gono 
 to rest. I was about to return, when I saw a light 
 from a chamber window, which soon withdrew. I 
 stood a moment by the garden wall, when you ap- 
 approached and discovered me. So saying, he bade 
 Alonzo good night, and walked hastily away. * I 
 find he knows not the character of Melissa, saiJ 
 Alonzo, and returned to Vincent s. 
 
 The next day Alonzo told the Vincents of all that 
 had passed, and it was agreed that Mrs. Vincent 
 should visit at Melissa s father s that afternoon. She 
 went at an early hour. Alonzo s feelings were on, 
 the rack until she returned, which happened much 
 sooner than was expected; when she gave him and 
 Vincent the f tawing information: 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 31 
 
 When I arrived there, said she, I found Melissa s 
 father and mother alone, her mother was in tears, 
 which she endeavored to conceal. Her father soon 
 withdrew. After some conversation I enquired for 
 Melissa. The old lady burst into tears, and inform 
 ed me that this morning Melissa s aunt had invit 
 ed her to ride out with her. A carriage was pro 
 vided, which after a large trunk had been placed 
 therein drove off with Melissa and her aunt; that 
 Melissa s father had just been informing her that he 
 had sent their daughter to a distant part of the 
 country, where sne was to reside with a friend un 
 til Alonzo shou! i depart from the neighoorhooJ. 
 The reason of this sudden resolution was his being 
 informed by Beauman, that notwithstanding his 
 precaution, Melissa and Alonzo had an interview 
 the last evening. Where she was sent to the old 
 lady could not tell, but she was convinced that Me 
 lissa was not apprised of the design when she con 
 sented to go. Her aunt had heretofore been living 
 with the relatives of the family in various parts of 
 the state. 
 
 Alonzo listened to Mrs. Vincent s relation with in 
 expressible agitation. He sat silent a few moments; 
 then suddenly starting up, * I will find her if she bo 
 on the earth! said he, and in spite of Vincent s at 
 tempts to prevent him, rushed out of the house, flew 
 to the road and was soon out of sight. 
 
 Melissa had not the most distant suspicion of tho 
 designs of her father and aunt. The latter inform 
 ed her that she was going to take a monvng ride, 
 and invited Melissa to accompany her, to which sho 
 consented. She did not even oerceive the trunk 
 that was fastend on behind itie carriage. They 
 were attended by a single servant. They drove to 
 a neighboring town, where Melissa had frequently 
 
62 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 attended her father and mother to purchase articles 
 of dress, &c where they alighted at a friend s house, 
 and lingered away the time until dinner; after 
 which, ihey prepared as Melissa supposed, to return, 
 but found, to her surprise, after they had entered 
 the carriage, that her aunt had ordered the driver 
 to proceed a different way. She asked her aunt 
 if they were not going home. Not yet, said she. 
 Melissa grew uneasy; she knew that she was to see 
 Mrs. Vincent that afternoon; she knew the disap 
 pointment which Alonzo must experience, if she was 
 absent. Shd begged her aunt to return; as she ex 
 pected the company of some ladies that afternoon. 
 Then they must be disappointed, child, said her 
 aunt. Melissa knew it was in vain to remonstrate; 
 she supposed her aunt was bent on visiting some ot 
 her acquaintance and she remained silent. 
 
 They arrived at another village, and alighted at 
 an inn, where Melissa and her aunt tarried, while 
 the servant was ordered out by the latter on some 
 business unknown to Melissa. When they again 
 got into the carriage she perceived several large 
 packages and bundles, which had been deposited 
 there since they left it. She enquired of her aunt 
 what they contained. Articles for family use, 
 child, she replied, and ordered the driver to pro 
 ceed. 
 
 They passed along winding and solitary paths, 
 into a by-road which led through an unfrequented 
 wood, that opened into a rocky part of the country 
 bordering on the Sound. Here they stopped at the 
 only house in view. It was a miserable hut, built 
 of logs and boarded wilh slabs. They alighted 
 from the carriage, and Melissa s aunt handed the 
 driver a large bunch of keys, remember to do as I 
 have told you, said she, and he drove rapidly away 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 68 
 
 t was with some difficulty they got into the hut, as 
 a meagre cow, with a long yoke on her neck, a 
 board before her eyes, and a cross-piece on her 
 horns, stood with her head in the door. On one 
 side of her were four or five half starved, squeak.ng 
 pigs, on the other a flock of gaggling geese. 
 
 As they entered the door a woman who sat card 
 ing wool jumped up, La me, cried she, here is 
 Miss D , we- 1 come here again. How does ma- 
 darn do? dropping a low curtesy. She was dress 
 ed in a linsey-woolsey short gown, a petticoat of 
 the same, her hair hanging about her ears, and bare 
 foot. Three dirty ragged children were playing 
 about the floor, and the furniture was of a piece 
 with the building. Is my room in order, enquir 
 ed Melissa s aunt. * It hasn t been touched since 
 madam was here, answered the woman, and im 
 mediately stalked away to a little back apartment, 
 which Melissa and her aunt entered. It was small 
 but neatly furnished, and contained a single bed. 
 This appendage had been concealed from Melissa s 
 view as it was the opposite side of the house from 
 where she alighted. * Where is John ? asked Me 
 lissa s aunt. * My husband is in the garden, replied 
 the woman; I will call him, and out she scamper 
 ed. John soon appeared and exhibited an exact 
 counterpart of his wife. What does madam please 
 to want, said he, bowing three or four times. * I 
 want you, John, she answered, and immediately 
 stepped into the other room, and gave some direc 
 tions in a iow voice, to him and his wife. * La, me! 
 said the woman, madam aint a going to live in 
 that doleful place ? Melissa could not understand 
 her aunt s reply, but heard her give directions to 
 * first hang on the tea-kettle. This done, while 
 John and his wife went out, Melissa s aunt prepar- 
 
64 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 cd tea in hr own room. In aljout an hour John 
 and his wife returned, and gave the same bunch of 
 keys to Melissa s aunt, which she had given to the 
 servant who dove the carriage. 
 
 Melissa was involved in inscrutable mystery re 
 specting these extraordinary proceedJngs. She con 
 jectured that they boded her no good, but she could 
 not penetrate into her aunt s designs. She frequent 
 ly looked out, hoping to see the carriage return, 
 but was disappointed. When tea was made ready, 
 she could neither eat nor drink. After her aunt had 
 disposed of a dozen cups of tea, and an adequate 
 proportion of biscuit, butter and dried beef, she di 
 rected Melissa to prepare to take walk. The sun 
 was low; they proceeded through fields, in a foot 
 path, over rough and uneven ways, directly toward 
 the Sound. They walked about a mile, when they 
 came lo a large, oldfashioned, castle like building, 
 surrounded by a high, thick wall, and almost total 
 ly concealed on all sides, from the sight, by irregu 
 lar rows of large locusts and elm trees, dry prim* 
 hedges, and green shrubbery. The gate which op 
 ened into the yard, was made of strong hard wood, 
 thickly crossed on the outside with iron bars, and 
 filled with old iron spikes. Melissa s aunt unlocked 
 the gate, and they entered the yard which was 
 overgrown with rank crass and rushes ; the avenue 
 which led to the house 4 vas almost in the same con 
 dition. The house was of real Gothic architecture, 
 built of rude stone with battlements. 
 
 *The botanical name of this shrub is not recol 
 lected. There were formerly a great number of 
 prim hedges in New-England and other parts of 
 America. What is most remarkable is that they all 
 died the year previous to the commencement of the 
 American war. 
 
ALONZO AND ME iSSA. 5 
 
 The doors were constructed in the same manner 
 as the gate at which they entered the yard. They 
 unlocked the door, which creaked heavily on its 
 hinges, and went in. They ascended a flight of 
 eiairs, wound through several dark and empty rooms, 
 till they came to one which was handsomely fur 
 nished, with a fire burning on the hearth. Two beds 
 were in the room, with tables and chairs, and oth 
 er conveniences for house-keeping. Here we are 
 safe, said Melissa s aunt, as I have taken care (o 
 lock all the doors and gates after me; and here, 
 Melissa, you are in the mansion of your ancestors. 
 Your great grandfather, who came over from Eng- 
 lanJ, built this house in the earliest settlement of 
 the country, and here he resided until his death. 
 The reason why so high and thick a wall was built 
 round it- and the doors and gates so strongly fortified, 
 was to secure it against the Indians, who frequently 
 committed depredations on the early settlers. Your 
 grandfather carne in possession of this estate after 
 his father s death: it fell to me by will; with the 
 lands surrounding it. The house has sometimes been 
 tenanted, at others not. It has now been vacant 
 for a few years. The lands are rented yearly. John, 
 the person from whose house we last came, is my 
 overseer and tenant. I had a small room built ad 
 joining that hut, where I generally reside for a week 
 when I come to receive my rents. I have thought 
 frequently of fitting up this place for my future res 
 idence, but circumstances have hitherto hindered 
 me from carrying my scheme into effect, and now 
 perhaps, it will never take place. Your perverse- 
 ness, Melissa, in refusing to comply with the wishes 
 of your friends, has induced us to adopt this meth 
 od of bringing you here where you are to remain 
 until Abnza leaves your neighborhood at least. 
 
66 ALOJfZO ABTD MELISSA. 
 
 Notwithstanding you father s injunctions and my 
 vigilance, you had a clandestine interview with him 
 last night. So we were told by Beauman this morn 
 ing, before he set off for New-London, who discov 
 ered him at your window. It therefore became 
 necessary to remove you immediately. You will 
 want for nothing. John is to supply us with what 
 ever is needful. You will not he long here; Alon- 
 zo will soon be gone. You will think differently; 
 return home, marry Beauman, and become a lady. 
 
 My God! exclaimed Melissa, is it possible my 
 father can be so cruel! Is he so unfeeling as to ban 
 ish me from his house, and confine me within the 
 walls of a prison, like a common malefactor? She 
 flung herself on the bed in a state little inferior to 
 distraction. Her aunt told her is was all owing to 
 her own obstinacy, and because she refused to b 
 made happy and went to preparing supper. 
 
 Melissa heard none of her aunt s observations; she 
 lay in stupyfving agony, insensible to all that pass 
 ed. When supper was ready her aunt endeavored 
 to arouse her. She started up, stared around her 
 with a wild agonizing countenance, but spoke not 
 a word. Her aunt became alarmed; she applied 
 stimulants to her temples and forehead, and persuad 
 ed her to take some cordials. She remained seem 
 ingly insensible through the night: just at morning 
 she fell into a slumber, interrupted by incoherent 
 moanings, convulsive starlings, long drawn sighs, 
 intermitting sobs, and by frequent, sudden and rest 
 less turnings, from side to side. At length she ap 
 peared to be in a calm and quiet sleep for about an 
 hour. About sunrise she awoke her aunt set by 
 ber bedside. She ga/ed languidly about the room, 
 and burst into tears. She wept a long time; her 
 aunt strove to console her, for she truly began to 
 
ALON7O AND MELISSA. 67 
 
 tremble, lest Melissa s distress should produce her 
 immediate dissolution. Towards night however she 
 became more calm and resigned; but a slight fever 
 succeeded, which kept her confined for several days, 
 after which she slowly recovered. 
 
 John came frequently to the house to receive the 
 commands of Melissa s aunt, and brought such 
 things as they wanted. Her aunt also sometimes 
 went home with him, leaving the keys of the 
 house with Melissa, but locking the gate and tak 
 ing the key of that with her. When Melissa was 
 so far recovered as to walk out, she found that the 
 house was situated on an eminence, about one hun 
 dred yards from the Sound. The yard was large and 
 extensive. Within the enclosure was a spacious gar 
 den, now overrun with brambles and weeds. A few 
 medicinal and odoriferous herbs were scattered here 
 and there, and a few solitary flowers overtopped the 
 tangling briars below ; but there was plenty of 
 *Vuit on the shrubbery and trees. The outbuildings 
 were generally in a ruinous condition. The cemete 
 ry was the most perfect, as it was built of hewn 
 stone and marble, and had best withstood the rav 
 ages of time. The rooms in the house weie mostly 
 empty and decaying, the main building was firm and 
 strong, as was also the extended wall which en 
 closed the whole. She found that although her 
 aunt, when they first arrived, had led her through 
 several upper rooms to the chamber they inhabited, 
 yet there was from thence a direct passage to the 
 hall. 
 
 The prospect was not disagreeable. West, all 
 was wilderness, from which fi brook wound along a 
 little distance from the garden wall. North, were 
 the uneven grounds which she had crossed when 
 he came there, b>u;ded by distant groves and hifls 
 
ALONZC AND MELISSA. 
 
 I 
 
 East, beautiful meadows and fields, arraytd in flow- 
 erv green, sloped to salt marshes or sandy banks of 
 the Sound, or ended in the long white beaches which 
 extended far into the sea. South was the Sound of 
 Long Island. 
 
 Melissa passed much time in tracing the ruins of 
 this antiquated place, in viewing the white sails as 
 they passed up and down the Sound, and in listen 
 ing to the songs of the thousand various birds which 
 frequented the garden and the forest. She could 
 have been contented here to have buried her afflic 
 tions, and forever to retire from the world, could 
 Alon/.o but have resided within those walls. * What 
 will he think has become of me, she would say, 
 while the disconsolate tear glittered in her eye. Her 
 aunt had frequently urged her to yield to her fa 
 ther s injunctions, regain her liberty and marry 
 Beauman; and she every day became more solicit 
 ous and impertinent. A subject so hateful to Melis 
 sa sometimes provoked her to tears; at others her 
 keen resen -nent. She therefore, when the weather 
 was fair, passed much of her time in the garden and 
 adjoinino \\ alks, wishing to be as much out of her 
 aunt s company as possible. 
 
 One day John came there early in the morning, and 
 Melissa s aunt went home with him. The day pas 
 sed away, but she did not return. Melissa sat up 
 until a late hour of the n jfht, expecting her; she 
 went to the gate, and found it was fast locked, 
 returned, locked and bolted the doors of the house, 
 went to bed and slept as soundly as she had done 
 since her residence in the old mansion, I have at 
 least, she said, escaped the disgusting curtain lec 
 ture about marrying Beanman. 
 
 The next day her aunt returned. I was quite 
 concerned about you, child, said she; how did 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA 69 
 
 you sleep? * Ne^er better, she answered, since I 
 nave been here. I had forgotten, said her aunt, 
 that mv rents become due this week. I was de 
 tained until late, by some of rny tenants; John was 
 out and I dare not return in the night alone. I must 
 go back to-day. It will take me a week to settle 
 my business. If I am obliged to stay out again I 
 will send one of John s daughters to sleep with you. 
 You need not give yourself that trouble, replied 
 Melissa; I am under no apprehension of staying 
 here alone ; nothing can get into or out of these prem- 
 
 * Well, thou hast wonderful courage, child, said 
 her aunt, but I shall be as frequently here as pos 
 sible, and as soon as my business is settled, I shall 
 be absent no more/ So saying she bade Melissa 
 good morning, and set off for her residence at the 
 dwelling of John. 
 
 She did not return in two days. The second night 
 of her absence, Melissa was sitting in her chamber 
 reading, when she heard a noise of several people 
 trampling in the yard below. She arose, cautiously 
 raised the window, and looked out. It was extreme 
 ly dark: she thought she might have been discover 
 ed. 
 
 Her aunt came the next day, and told her she 
 was obliged to go into the country to collect some 
 debts of those to whom she had rented some lands: 
 she should be gone a few days, and as soon as she 
 returned should come there. * The keys of the house* 
 said sne, I shall leave with you. The gate 1 shall 
 lock, and leave the key with John, who will come 
 here as often as necessary, to assist you and see if 
 you want any thing. She then went off leaving 
 Melissa not dissatisfied with the pospect of her al- 
 
70 ALONZO ND ME1ISSA. 
 
 Melissa amused herself in evenings by reading in 
 the few books her aunt had brought there, and in 
 the day, in walking around the yard and garden, or 
 in traversing the rooms of the antique building. In 
 Borne were the remains of ancient furniture, others 
 were entirely empty. Cobwebs and mouldering 
 wails were the principal ornaments left. 
 
 One evening as she was about retiring to rest, she 
 thought she heard the same trampling noise in the 
 yard as on a former occasion. She stepped softly 
 to the window, suddenly raised it and held out the 
 Candle. She listened and gazed with anxious solici 
 tude, but discovered nothing more. All was silent; 
 she shut the window, and in a short time went to 
 bed. 
 
 Some time in the night she was suddenly awak 
 ened by a sharp sound, apparently near her. She 
 started in a trembling panic, but endeavored to com 
 pose herself with the idea, that something had fal 
 len from the shelves. As she lay musing upon the 
 incident, she heard noises in the rooms below, suc 
 ceeded by an irregular and confused number of voi 
 ces, and presently after, footsteps ascending the stairs 
 which led to her chamber. She trembled; a cold 
 chilly sweat run down her face. Directly the doors 
 below opened and shut with a quick and violent mo 
 tion. And soon after she was convinced that she 
 distinctly heard a whispering in her room. She rais 
 ed herself up in the bed and cast inquisitive eyes to 
 wards her chamber door. All was darkness no 
 new object was visible no sound was heard, and 
 he again lav down. 
 
 Her mind was too much agitated and alarmed to 
 Bleep. She had evidently heard sounds, footsteps 
 and voices in the house, and whisperings which ap 
 peared to be in her room. The yard gate was lock- 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 71 
 
 ed, of which John had the key. She was confident 
 that no person could ascend or get over the wall ot 
 the enclosure. But if that were practicable, how 
 was it possible that any human being could enter 
 the house ? She had the key of every door, and they 
 were all fast locked, and yet she had heard (hem 
 furiously open and shut. A thought darted into hei 
 mind, was it not a plan which her aunt had con 
 rnved in order to frighten her to a compliance 
 with her wishes? But then how could she enter the 
 house without keys? This might be done with the 
 use of a false key. But from whence did the whis 
 perings proceed, which appeared close to her bed 
 side? Possibly it might be conveyed through the 
 key hole of her chamber door. These thoughts 
 tended in some degree to allay her fears; they 
 were possibilities at least, however improbable. 
 
 As she lay thus musing, a hand cold as the icy 
 fingers of death, grasped her arm which lay outside 
 of the bed clothes. She screamed convulsively, and 
 sprang up in the bed. Nothing was to be seen 
 no noise was heard. She had not time to reflect. 
 She flew out of the bed, ran to the fire and lighted 
 a candle. Her heart beat rapidly. She cast timid 
 glances around the room, cautiously searching eve 
 ry corner, and examining the door. All things were 
 in the same state she had left them when she vent 
 to bed. Her door was locked in the same manner; 
 no visible being was in the room except herself; how 
 then could she account for these events? Was it not 
 probable that she was right in her first conjectures 
 respecting their being the works of her aunt and ef 
 fected by her agents and instrumentality? All were 
 possible except the cold hand which had grasped 
 iier arm. Might not this be the effect of a terrified 
 and heated imagination ? But could her room be 
 
72 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 tnlocked, persons enter, approach her bed, depart 
 and re-lock the door while she was awake, without 
 her hearing them ? 
 
 She knew she could not go to sleep, and she t te- 
 tertnined not to go to bed again that night. She 
 took up a book, but her spirits had been too much 
 disordered by the past scenes to permit her to read. 
 She looked out of the window. The rnoon had aris 
 en and cast a pale lustre over the landscape. She 
 recollected the opening and shutting of the door 
 perhaps they were still open. The thought was 
 alarming. She opened her chamber door, and with 
 Ihe candle in her hand, cautiously descended the 
 stairs, casting an inquisitive eye in every direction, 
 and stopping frequently to listen. She advanced to 
 he door it was locked. She examined the others; 
 they were all in the same situation. She turned to go 
 up stairs, when a loud whisper echoed through the 
 hall expressing away, away! She flew lik> 
 fightning to her chamber, re-locked the door and 
 flung herself almost breathless, into a chair. 
 
 As soon as her scattered senses were collected, 
 she concluded that whatever had been in the house 
 was there still. She resolved to go out no more un 
 til day, which soon began to discolor the east with 
 a fainter blue; then purple streaks, intermingled 
 wit i a dusky whiteness, ascended in pyramidical col 
 umns the zenith; these fading slowly away, the east 
 ern horison became fringed with the golden span 
 gles of early morn. A spot of ineffable brightness 
 succeeded, and immediately the sun burst over the 
 verge of creation, deluging the world in a flood ot* 
 unbounded light and glory. 
 
 As soon as the morning had a little advanced, Me 
 lissa ventured out. She proceeded with hesitating 
 steps, carefully scrutinizing every object which laci 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA 73 
 
 her sight. She examined every door ; they -vere all 
 fast. She critically searched every room, closet, &c. 
 above and below. She then took a light and de 
 scended into the cellar here her inquisition was 
 the same. Thus did she thoroughly and strictly 
 examine and search every part of the house from 
 the garret to the cellar, but could find nothing al 
 tered, changed, or removed; no outlet, no signs of 
 there having been any being in the house the eve 
 ning before, except herself. 
 
 She then unlocked the outer door and proceeded 
 to the gate, which she found locked as usual. She 
 next examined the yard, the garden, and all the out 
 houses. 
 
 Nothing could be discovered of any person having 
 been recently there. She next walked around by 
 the wall, the whole circle of the enclosure. She 
 was convinced that the unusual height of the wall 
 rendered it impossible for any one to get over it. It 
 was constructed of several tier of hewed timbers 
 and both sides of it were as smooth as glass. On 
 the fop long spikes were thickly driven in, sharpen 
 ed at both ends. It was surrounded on the outside 
 by a deep wide moat, which was nearly filled with 
 water. Over this moat was a draw-bridge, on the 
 road leading to the gate, which was drawn up, and 
 John had the key. 
 
 The events of the last night therefore remained 
 inscrutable. It must be that her aunt was the agent 
 who had managed this extraordinary machinery. 
 
 She found John at the house when she returned. 
 * Does madam want any thing to-day? asked ho. 
 4 Has my aunt returned, enquired Melissa. Not 
 jet, he replied: * How long has she been gone? 
 she a^ted. * Four days, replied John, after count 
 ing his ingers, aid she will not be back under four 
 
74 ALO.VZO AND MELISSA 
 
 or five more. * Has the key of the gate been con 
 stantly in your possession? asked she. * The key 
 of the gate and draw-bridge, he replied have not 
 been out of my possession for a moment since your 
 aunt has been gone. Has any person been to en 
 quire for me or my aunt, she enquired, since I have 
 been here? * No, madam, said he, * not a single 
 person. Melissa knew not what to think; she could 
 not give up the idea of false keys perhaps her aunt 
 had returned to her father s. Perhaps the draw 
 bridge had been let down, the gate opened and the 
 house entered by false keys. He father would as 
 soon do this as confine her in this solitary place; and 
 he would go all lengths to induce her, either by ter 
 ror, persuasion or threats, to relinquish Alonzo and 
 marry Beauman. 
 
 A thought impressed her mind which gave her some 
 consolation. It was possible to secure the premises 
 so that no person could enter even by the aid of false 
 keys. She asked John if he would assist her that 
 day. * In any thing you wish, madam, he replied. 
 She then directed him to go to work. Staples and 
 iron bars were found in different parts of the build 
 ing, with which he secured the doors and windows, 
 so that they could be opened only on the inside. 
 The gate, which swung in, was secured in the same 
 manner. She then asked John if he was willing to 
 leave the key of the gate and draw-bridge with her. 
 * Perhaps I may as well, said he; for if you bar 
 the gate and let down the bridge, I cannot get in, 
 myself until you let me in. John handed her the 
 keys. When I come, said he, * I will halloo, and 
 you must let me in. This she promised to do and 
 John departed.* 
 
 Of the place where Melisssa was confined, a* 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 75 
 
 That night Melissa let down the bridge, locked 
 and barred the gale, and the doors and windows of 
 the house; she also went again over all parts of the 
 building, strictly searching every place, though fche 
 was well convinced she should find nothing extraor 
 dinary. She then retired to her chamber, seat 
 ed herself at the western window, and watch 
 ed the slow declining sun, as it leisurely sunk be 
 hind the lofty groves. Pensive twilight spread her 
 misty mantle over the landscape ; the western hori- 
 son glowed with the spangle of evening. Deep 
 ening glooms advanced. The last beam of day fad 
 ed from the view, and the world was enveloped in 
 night. The owl hooted solemnly in the forest, and 
 the whippoorwill sung cheerfully in the garden. In 
 numerable stars glittered in the firmament, inter 
 mingling their quivering lustre with the pale splen 
 dors of the milky way. 
 
 Melissa did not retire from the window until late; 
 she then shut it and withdrew within the room. 
 She determined not to go to bed that night. If she 
 was to be visited by beings, material or immaterial, 
 she chose not again to encounter them in darkness, 
 or to be surprised when she was asleep. But why 
 should she fear? She knew of none she had displeas- 
 
 described in the foregoing pages, scarce a trace now 
 remains. By the events of the revolution, the prem 
 ises fell into other hands. The mansion, out-hous 
 es and walls were torn down, the cemetery levelled, 
 the moat filled up; the locusts and elm trees were 
 cut down, all obstructions were removed, and the 
 yard and garden converted into a beautiful meadow. 
 An elegant farm house is now erected on the place 
 where John s hut then stood, and the neighborhood 
 IB think settled. 
 
76 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 cd except her father, her aunt and Beauman. If by 
 any of these, the late terrifying scenes had been 
 wrought, she had now effectually precluded a recur 
 rence thereof, for she was well convinced that no 
 human being could now enter the enclosure without 
 her permission. But if supernatural agents had been 
 the actors, what had she to fear from them ? The 
 night passed away without any alarming circum 
 stances, and when daylight appeared she flung her 
 self upon the bed, and slept until morning was con 
 siderably advanced. She now felt convinced that 
 her former conjectures were right; that it was her 
 aunt, her father, or both, who had caused the a- 
 larming sounds she had heard, a repetition of which 
 had only been prevented by the precautions she had 
 taken. 
 
 When she awoke the horizon was overclouded, 
 and it began to rain. It continued to rain until to 
 wards evening, when it cleared away. She went 
 to the gate and found all things as she had left 
 them: She returned, fastened the doors as usual, ex 
 amined all parts of the house, and again went to her 
 chamber. 
 
 She sat up until a late hour, when growing very 
 drowsy, and convinced that she was safe and secure, 
 she went to bed; leaving, however, candles burning 
 in the room. As she for two nights had been de 
 prived of her rest, she soon fell into a slumber. 
 
 She had not long been asleep, before she was 
 suddenly aroused by the apparent report of a pistol, 
 seemingly discharged close to her head. Awaken 
 ed so instantaneously, her recollection, for a time, 
 was confused and imperfect. She was only sensible 
 of a strong, sulphurous scent: but she soon remem- 
 berc that she had left two candies burning, and ev 
 er) object was aov shrouded in darkness. Thil 
 
""1 
 
 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 77 
 
 alarmed her exceedingly. What could have become 
 of the can-dies? They must have been blown out or 
 taken away. What was Hie sound she had just 
 heard ? What the sulphurous stench which had per 
 vaded the room ? While she was thus musing in 
 perplexity, a broad flash like lightning transiently 
 illuminated the chamber, followed by a long, loud", 
 and deep roar, which seemed to shake the building 
 to its centre. It did not appear like thunder; the 
 sound seemed to be in the room directly over her 
 head. Perhaps, however, it was thunder. 
 
 Perhaps a preceding clap had struck near the 
 building, broken the windows, put out the lights, and 
 filled the house with electric effluvium. She listened 
 for a repetition of the thunder but a very different 
 sound grated on her ear. A hollow, horrible groan 
 echoed through her apartment, passing off in a faint 
 dying murmur. It was evident that the groan pro 
 ceeded from some person in the chamber. Melissa 
 raised herself up in bed; a tall white form moved 
 from the upper end of the room, glided slowly by 
 her bed, and seemed to pass off* near the foot. She 
 then heard the doors below alternately open and 
 shut, slapping furiously and in quick succession, fol 
 lowed by violent noises in the rooms below, like the 
 falling of heavy bodies and the crash of furniture. 
 Clamorous voices succeeded, among which she 
 could distinguish boisterous menaces and threaten- 
 ings, and the plaintive tones of expostulation. A 
 momentary silence ensued when the cry of Murder! LJ 
 
 murder! murder! echoed through the building, fol 
 lowed by the report of a pistol, and shortly after, the 
 groans of a person apparently in the agonies of 
 death, which grew fainter and fainter until it died 
 away in a seemingly expiring gasp. A dead si- 
 tence prevailed for a few minutes, to which a loud. 
 
78 AL.ONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 hoarse peal of ghastly laughter succeeded then 
 again all was still. But she soon heard heavy foot 
 steps ascending the stairs to her chamber door. It 
 was now she became terrified and alarmed beyond 
 any former example. Gracious heaven defend me, 
 he exclaimed; what am I coming to . Knowing 
 that every avenue to the enclosure was effectually 
 secured; knowing that all the doors and windows 
 of the house, as also that which opened into her 
 chamber, were fast locked, strictly bolted and bar 
 red ; and knowing that all the keys were in her pos 
 session, she could not entertain the least doubt 
 but. the noises she had heard were produced by su 
 pernatural beings, and she had reason to believe, of 
 the most mischievous nature. She was now convinc 
 ed that her father or her aunt could have no agen 
 cy in the business. She even wished her aunt had 
 returned. It must be exceedingly difficult to cross 
 the moat, as the draw-bridge was up; it must be 
 still more difficult to pass the wall of the enclos 
 ure; it was impossible for any human being to enter 
 the hou^e, and still more impossible to enter the 
 chamber. 
 
 While she lay thus ruminating in extreme agita 
 tion, momentarily expecting to have her ears assail 
 ed with some terrific sound, a pale light dimly il 
 luminated her chamber. It grew brighter. She 
 raised herself up to lock towards the door; the 
 first object which met her eye, was a most horrible 
 form, standing at a little distance from her bedside. 
 Its appearance was tall and robust, wrapped in a 
 tattered white robe, spotted with blood, ihe hair 
 of its head was matted with clotted gore. A deep 
 wound appeared to have pierced its breast, from 
 which fresh blood flowed down its garment. Its 
 Dale face was gashed and gory! its eyes fixed, gla* 
 
ALOWZO ATCD MELISSA. 79 
 
 ed and glaring; its lips open, its teeth set, and in 
 its hand was a bloody dagger. 
 
 Melissa uttering a shriek of terror, shrunk into 
 the bed, and in an instant the room was involved 
 in pitchy darkness. A freezing ague seized her limbs, 
 and drops of chilling sweat stood upon her face. Im 
 mediately a horrid hoarse voice burst from amidst 
 the gloom of her apartment, Begone! begone from 
 this house! The bed on which she lay then seemed 
 to be agitated, and directly she perceived some 
 person crawling on its foot. Every consideration, 
 except present safety was relinquished; instantly 
 ghe sprang from the bed to the floor with convuls 
 ed grasp, seized the candle, flew to the fire and light 
 ed it. She ga/ed vvildl} 7 around the room no new 
 object was visible. With timid step she approach 
 ed the bed; she strictly searched all around and un 
 der it, but nothing strange could be found. A 
 thought, darted into her mind to leave the house im 
 mediately and fly to John s: this was easy, as the 
 keys of the gate and draw-bridge were in her pos 
 session. She stopped not to reconsider her deter 
 mination, but seizing the keys with the candle in 
 her hand, she unlocked her chamber door, and pro 
 ceeded cautiously down stairs, fearfully casting her 
 eyes on each side, as she tremblingly advanced to 
 the outer door. She hes ; tated a moment. To what 
 perils, was she about to expose herself, by thus ven 
 turing out at the dead of night, and proceeding such 
 a distance alone? Her situation, she thought, could 
 become no more hazardous, and she was about to 
 unbar the door, when she heard a deep hcilow sigh. 
 She looked around, and saw stretched on one side 
 of the hall, the same ghastly form which had so re 
 cently appeared standing at her bedside. The same 
 haggard countenance, the same awful appearance o 
 
80 ALONZC UNE MELISSA. 
 
 murderous death. A faintness came upon her, 
 she turned to flee to her chamber the candle drop 
 ped from her trembling hand, and she was shroud 
 ed in impenetrable darkness. Siie groped to find 
 the stairs: as she came near the foot, a black ob 
 ject, apparently in human shape, stood before her, 
 with eyes which seemed to burn like coals of fire, 
 and red frames issuing from its mouth. As she stood 
 fixed a moment in inexpressible trepidation, a large 
 ball of fire rolled along the hall, towaids the door, 
 and burst with an explosion which seemed to rock 
 the building to its deepest foundation. Melissa clos 
 ed her eyes and sunk senseless to the floor. She 
 revived and got to her chamber, she hardly knew 
 how; locked her door, lighted another candle, and 
 after again searching the room, flung herself into a 
 chair, in a state of mind which almost deprived her 
 of reason. 
 
 Daylight soon appeared, and the cheerful sun dart 
 ing its enlivening rays through the crevices and 
 windows of the antique mansion, recovered her ex- 
 nausted spirits, and dissipated in some degree, the 
 .errors which hovered about her mind. She endeav 
 ored to reason coolly on the events of the past night, 
 out reason could not elucidate them. Not the least 
 noise had been heard since she returned to her 
 chamber: she therefore expected to discover no 
 traits which might tend to a disclosure of these 
 mysteries. She consoled herself only with a fixed 
 determination to leave the desolate mansion. Should 
 John come there that day, he might be prevaileJ on 
 to permit her to remain at her aunt s apartment in 
 his house till her aunt should return. If he should 
 not come before sunset, she resolved to leave tho 
 mansion and proceed there. 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 81 
 
 She took some refreshments and went dotvi; stairs, 
 she found the doors and windows all fast as she had 
 left them. She then again searched every room in 
 the house, both above and below and the cellar; but 
 she discovered no appearance of there having been 
 any person there. Not the smallest article was dis 
 placed; every thing appeared as it formerly had 
 been She then went to the gate; it was locked 
 as usual and the draw bridge up. She again trav 
 ersed the circuit of the wall, but found no alteration, 
 or any place where it was possible the enclosure 
 might be entered. Again she visited the outer 
 buildings, and even entered the cemetery, but dis 
 covered not the least circumstance which could con 
 duce to explain the surprising transactions of the 
 preceding night. She however, returned to her room 
 in a more composed frame of spirit, confident that 
 she should not remain alone another night in that 
 gloomy, desolate and dangerous solitude. 
 
 Towards evening Melissa took a walk around the 
 enclosure. It was that season of the year when 
 weary summer is lapsing into the anus of fallow au 
 tumn. The day had been warm and the light gales 
 bore invigorating coolness on their winfjs as they 
 tremulously agitated the foliage of the western for 
 est, or fluttered among the branches of the trees 
 surrounding the mansion. The green splendors of 
 spring had began to fade into a yellow lustre, the 
 flowery verdure of the field was changed to a rus 
 set hue. A robin chirped on a neighboring oak, a 
 wren chattered beneath, swallows twittered around 
 the deca^^d buildings, the ludicrous mocking bird 
 sung sportively from the top of the highest j.1&\ 
 and the surrounding groves rung with varying, v v 
 less melody, while uOn in the adjacent wildeOv v ." 
 the woodcock hammering on some dry 
 
82 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 trees, filled tlie woods with reverberating echoes 
 The Sound was only ruffed by the lingering breez 
 es, as they idly wandered over its surface. Long 
 Island, now in possession of the British troops, was 
 thinly enveloped in smoky vapor; scattered along its 
 shores lay the numerous small craft and larger ships 
 of the hostile fleet. A few skiffs were passing and 
 repassing the Sound, and several American gun 
 boats lay on a point which jutted out from the main 
 land, far to the eastward. Numberless summer in 
 sects mingled their discordant strains amidst the 
 weedy herbage. A heavy black cloud was rising in 
 the northwest, which seemed to portend a shower, 
 as the sonorous distant thunder was at long inter 
 vals distinctly heard. 
 
 Melissa walked around the yard, contemplating 
 the varying beauties of the scene; the images of de 
 parting joys the days when Alonzo had participat 
 ed with har in admiring the splendors of rural pros 
 pects, raised in her bosom the sigh of deep regret. 
 She entered the garden and traversed the alleys, 
 now overgrown with weeds and tufted knot grass; 
 the flower beds were choked with low running bram 
 ble and tangling five finger; tall, rank rushes, mul- 
 lens and daises, had usurped the empire of the kitch 
 en garden. The viny arbor was broken, and prin- 
 cipnlly gone to decay; yet the lonely wild rose* 
 blushed mournfully amidst the ruins. As she pass 
 ed from the garden she involuntarily stopped at the 
 cemetery: she paused in serious reflection: Here* 
 said she, in this house of gl^oin rests in undist-uoed 
 silence my honorable ancestors, once the s^ive ten 
 ants of yonder mansion. Then throughout these 
 solitary demesnes, the busy occureiKes of life glided 
 in cheerful circles. Then, these now moss clad al 
 leys, and this wild weedy garden, were the resort of 
 
ALOISTZO AND MELISSA. 83 
 
 the fashionable and the gay. Then evening music 
 floated over the fields; while yonder halls and apart 
 ments shone in brilliant illumination. Now all is sad, 
 solitary and dreary, the haunt of spirits and spec 
 tres of nameless terror. All that now remains of 
 the head that formed and the hand that executed, 
 and the bosorn that relished this once happy scene 
 ry, is now, alas, only a heap of dust. 
 
 She seated herself on a little hillock, under a 
 wseping willow, which stood near the cemetery, 
 and watched the rising shower, which ascended in 
 gloomy pomp, half hidden behind the western 
 groves, shrouding the low sun in black vapor, while 
 coining thunders more nearly and more awfully rol 
 led. The shrieking night-hawk* soared high into 
 the air, mingling with the lurid van of the approach 
 ing storm, which widening more rapidly advanced, 
 until the heavens were arrayed in blackness. 
 
 The lightning broader and brighter flashes, hurl 
 ing down its forky streaming bolts far in the wilder 
 ness, its flaming path followed by the vollying ar 
 tillery of the skies. Now bending its long crinkling 
 spires over the vallies, now glimmering along the 
 summit of the hills. Convolving clouds poured 
 smokv volumes through the expansion ; a dep 
 hollow, distant roar, announced the approach ol 
 * summoned winds. The whole forest bowed in 
 awful grandeur, as from its dark bosom rushed the 
 impetuous hurricane, twisting off or tearing up by 
 the roots, the stoutest trees, whirling the heavi 
 est branches through the air with irresistible fury. 
 It dashed upon the sea, tossed it into irregular moun- 
 
 * Supposed to be the male whippoorwill ; well 
 known in the New-England states, and answering t 
 tiie above peculiarity. 
 
84 AL.ONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 tains, or mingled its white foamy spray with th 
 gloom of the turbid skies. Slantwise, the large 
 heavy drops of rain began to descend. Melissa has 
 tened to the mansion; as she reached the door, a 
 very brilliant flash of lightning, accompanied by a 
 tremendous explosion, alarmed her. A thunderbolt 
 had entered a large elm tree within the enclosure, 
 and with a horrible crash had shivered it from top 
 to bottom. She unlocked the door and hurried to 
 her chamber. Deep night now filled the atmos 
 phere; the rain poured in torrents, the wind rocked 
 the building, and bellowed in the adjacent groves: 
 the sea raged and roared, fierce lightnings rent the 
 heavens, alternately involving the world in the 
 the sheeted flame of its many colored fires; thunders 
 rolled awfully around the firmament, or burst with 
 horrid din, bounding and reverberating among the 
 surrounding wood^, hills and valleys. It seemed 
 nothing less than the crash of worlds sounding 
 through the universe. 
 
 Melissa walked her room, listening to the wild 
 commotion of the elements. She feared that if 
 the storm continued, she should be compelled to 
 pass another night in the lone mansion: if so she re 
 solved not to go to bed. She now suddenly recol 
 lected that in her haste to regain her chamber; she 
 had forgotten to lock the outer door. The shock 
 she had received when the lightning demolished th 
 elm tree, was the cause of this neglect. She took 
 the candle, ran hastily down, and fastened the door. 
 As she was returning she heard foootsteps, and im 
 perfectly saw the glance of something coming out of 
 an adjoining room into the hall. Supposing some 
 ghastly object was appioaching she averted her 
 eyes and flew to the stairs. As she was ascending 
 them, a voice exclaimed, * Gracious heaven ! Meli* 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 85 
 
 0a !* The voice agitated her frame with a confused 
 sympathetic sensation. She turned, fixed her eyes 
 upon the person who had spoken; unconnected ideas 
 flo/ited a moment in her imagination : Eternal 
 powers! she cried, it is Alonzo. 
 
 Alonzo and Melissa were equally surprised at so 
 unexpected a meeting. They could scarcely credit 
 their own senses. How he had discovered her soli 
 tude what led him to that lonely place how he 
 had got over the wall were queries which first a- 
 rose in her mind. He likewise could not conceive 
 by what miracle he should find her in a remote 
 desolate building, which he had supposed to be un 
 inhabited. With rapture he took her trembling 
 hand; tears of joy choaked their utterance. * You 
 are wet Alonzo, said Melissa at length; * we will 
 go up to my chamber, I have a fire there, where 
 you can dry your clothes. * Your chamber; repli 
 ed Alonzo; who then inhabits this house? No one 
 except myself, she answered; I am here alone, 
 Alonzo. Alone! he exclaimed here alone, Me 
 lissa! Good God! tell me how why by what 
 means are you here alone? Let us go up to my 
 chamber, she replied, and I will tell you all. 
 
 He followed her to her apartment and_seated him 
 self by the fire. You want refreshment, said Me 
 lissa which was indeed the case, as he had been 
 long without any, and was wet, hungry, and weary. 
 
 She immediately set about preparing tea, and sopo 
 had it ready, and a comfortable repast, was spread 
 for his entertainment. And now reader, if thou art 
 a child of nature, if thy bosom is susceptible of re 
 fined sensibility, contemplate for a moment Melissa 
 and Alonzo seated at the same table, a table pre 
 pared by her own hand, in a lonely mansion, sepa 
 rated f- Mn soriety, aid no one to interrupt them. 
 
86 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 After innumerable difficulties, troubles, and perplex- 
 ities; after vexing embarrassments, and a cruel sep 
 aration, they were once more together, and for some 
 time every other consideration was lost. The vio 
 lence of the storm had not abated. The lightning 
 still blazed, the thunder bellowed, the wind roared, 
 the sea raged, the rain poured mingled with heavy 
 hail; Alonzo and Melissa heard but little of it. She 
 told him all that had happened to her since they 
 parted, except the strange noises and awful sights 
 which had terrified her during her confinement in 
 that solitary building: this she considered unneces 
 sary and untimely, in her present situation. 
 
 Alonzo informed her, that as soon as he had 
 learned the manner in which she had been sent 
 away, he left the house of Vincent and went to her 
 father s to see if he could not find out by some of 
 the domestics what course her aunt had taken. None 
 of them knew any thing about it. He did not put 
 himself in the way of her father, as he was appre 
 hensive of ill treatment thereby. He then went to 
 several places among the relatives of the family 
 where he had heretofore visited with Melissa, most 
 of whom received him with a cautious coldness. At 
 length he came to the house of Mr. Simpson, the 
 gentleman to whose seat Alonzo was once driven by 
 a shower, where he accidentally found Melissa on 
 a visit, as mentioned before. Here he was admit 
 ted with the ardor of friendship. They had heard 
 his story: Melissa had kept up a correspondence 
 with one of the young ladies; they were therefore, 
 informed of all except Melissa s removal from her 
 father s house: of this they knew nothing until told 
 thereof by Alonzo. 
 
 * I am surprised at the conduct of my kinsman,* 
 ga d Mr. Simpson; for though his determinations are, 
 
.ALONZO AND MELISSA. 87 
 
 like the laws of the Medes and Persians, unaltera 
 ble, yet I have ever believed that the welfare of hig 
 children lay nearest his heart. In the present in 
 stance he is certainly pursuing a mistaken policy. I 
 will go and see him. He then ordered his horse, de 
 siring Alonzo to remain until he returned. 
 
 Alonzo was treated with the most friendly polite 
 ness by the family, he found that they were deeply 
 interested in his affairs and in the welfare of Me 
 lissa. At evening Mr. Simpson returned. It is in 
 vain, said he, to reason with my kinsman, he is 
 determined that his daughter shall marry your rival. 
 He will not even inform me to what place he has 
 sent Melissa. Her aunt, however, is with her, and 
 they must be at the residence of some of the family 
 relatives I will despatch my son William among 
 our connexions, to see if he can find her out. 
 
 The next morning William departed, and waf 
 gone two days; but could not obtain the least intel 
 ligence either of Melissa or her aunt, althopgh he 
 had been the rounds among the relations of the 
 family. 
 
 * There is some mystery in this affair, said Mr. 
 Simpson. * I am very little acquainted with Melis 
 sa s aunt. I have understood that she draws a de 
 cent support from her patrimonial resources, which 
 it is said are pretty large, and that she resides al 
 ternately with her different relatives. I have under 
 stood also, that my kinsman expects her fortune to 
 come into his family, in case she never marries, 
 which in all probability, she now will not, and that 
 she, in consequence, holds considerable influence 
 over him. It is not possible but that Melissa is yet 
 concealed at some place of her aunt s residence, and 
 hat the family are in the secret. I think it cannot 
 KJ long before they will disclose themselves: You, 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 Alon/o, are weclome to make my house your home 
 and if Melissa can be found she shall be treated as 
 my daughter. 
 
 Alonzo thanked him for his friendship and father 
 ly kindness. I must continue, said he, my re 
 searches for Melissa; the result you shall know. 
 
 He then departed, and travelled through the neigh 
 boring villages and adjoining neighborhoods, making 
 at almost every house, such enquiries as he consid 
 ered necessary on the occasion. He at length ar 
 rived at the inn in the last little village where Me 
 lissa and her aunt had stopped the day they came to 
 the mansion. Here the innkeeper informed him that 
 two ladies, answering his description, had been at 
 his house; he named the time, which was the day 
 in which Melissa with her aunt left her father s 
 house. The innkeeper told him that they purchas 
 ed some articles in the village, and drove off to the 
 south. Alonzo then traversed the country adjoin 
 ing the Sound, far to the westward, and was return 
 ing eastward, when he was overtaken by the show 
 er. No house being within sight, he betook him 
 self to the forest, for shelter. From a little hilly 
 glade in the wilderness, he discovered the lonely 
 mansion, which from its appearance, he very natur 
 ally supposed to be uninhabited. The tempest soon 
 becoming severe, he thought he would endeavor to 
 reach the house. 
 
 When he arrived at the moat he found it impossi 
 ble to cross it, or ascend the wall; .and he stood in 
 momentary jeopardy of his life, from the falling tim 
 ber; some of which was broken and torn up by the 
 tornado, and some splintered by the fiery bolts of 
 heaven. At length a large tree, which stood near 
 him, on the verge of the moat, or rather in that 
 place, was lurled from its foundation, and fell, with 
 
ALOKZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 a hideout cratth, across the moat, its top lodging on 
 the wall. He scrambled up on the trunk, and made 
 his way on the wall. By the incessant glare of 
 lightning he was able to see distinctly. The top of 
 the tree was partly broken by the force of its fall, 
 and hung down the other side of the wall. By these 
 branches, he let himself down into the yard, pro 
 ceeded to the house, found the door open which 
 Melissa had left in her fright, and entered into one 
 of the rooms, where he proposed to stay until at 
 least the shower was over, still supposing the house 
 unoccupied, until the noise of locking the door, and 
 the light of the candle, drew him from the "room, 
 when to his infinite surprise, he discovered Melissa, 
 as before related. 
 
 Melissa listened to Alonzo with varied emotion. 
 The fixed obduracy of her father, the generous con 
 duct ot the Simpsons, the constancy of Alonzo, fil 
 led her heart with inexpressible sensations. She 
 foresaw that her sufferings were not shortly to end, 
 she knew not when her sorrows were to close. 
 
 Alonzo was shocked at the alteration which ap 
 peared in the features of Melissa. The rose had 
 faded from her cheek, txcept when it was transient 
 ly suffused with a hectic flush. A livid paleness sat 
 upon her countenance, and her fine form was rapidly 
 wasting. It was easy to be foreseen that the grief 
 which preyed upon her heart would soon destroy 
 her, unless speedily allayed. 
 
 The storm had now passed into the regions of the 
 east; the wind and rain had ceased, the lightning 
 more unfrequently flashed and the thunder rolled 
 at a distance. The hours passed hastily ; day 
 would soon appear. Hitherto they had been ab 
 sorbed in the present moment; it was time to think 
 of the future. After the troubles they had expert- 
 
SO AI.ONZO .4.ND MELISSA. 
 
 cnced; after so fortunate a meeting, they could not 
 endure the idea of another and immediate separa- 
 ration. And yet immediately separated they must 
 be. It would not be safe for Alonzo to stay even 
 until the rising sun, unless he was concealed: and 
 of what use could it be for him to remain there in 
 concealment. 
 
 In this dilemma there was but one expedient. Suf 
 fer me, said Alonzo to Melissa, to remove you 
 from this solitary confinement. Your health is im 
 paired. To you, your father is no more a father; 
 he has steeled his bosom to paternal affection; he 
 has banished you from his house, placed you under 
 the tyranny of others, and confined you in a lonely, 
 desolate dwelling, far from the sweets of societv, 
 and th:s only because you cannot heedlessly re 
 nounce a most solemn contract, formed under lua 
 eye, and r ...cuone^ l y his immediate consent ana 
 apn- Cation ifdon me; Melissa, I wouM not Cen 
 sure vo" utrier; but permit me to say that after 
 B .I-- treatment, you are absolved from implicit obe- 
 uience to his rigorous, cruel and stern commands it 
 will therefore be considered a duty you owe to your 
 preservation, if you suffer me to remove you from tne 
 tyrannical severity with which you are oppressed. 
 
 Melissa sighed, wiped a tear which fell from ner 
 eye. Unqualified obedience to my parents, said 
 sne, I have ever considered one of the first du 
 ties, and have religiously practised thereon but 
 where Alonzo, would you remove me? To any 
 pface you shall appoint, he answered? I have no 
 wiiere to go, she replied. 
 
 If you will allow me to name the place, said he, 
 * I will mention Mr. Simpson s. He will espouse 
 your cause and be a father to you, and if concilia- 
 lion is possible, will reconcile you to your father. 
 
ALONZO A.VD MELISSA.. 91 
 
 This can i>3 done without my being known to have 
 any agency in the business. It can seem as if Mr. 
 Simpson had found you out. He will go any just 
 lengths to serve us. It was his desire, if you could 
 be found, to have you brought to his house. There 
 you can remain either in secret or openly, as you 
 shall choose. Be governed by me in this, Melissa, 
 and in all things I will obey you thereafter. I will 
 then submit to the future events of fate; but I can 
 not Melissa I cannot leave you in this doleful 
 place. 
 
 Melissa arose and walked the room in extreme 
 agitation. What could she do ? She had, indeed, 
 determined to leave the house, for reasons which 
 Alonzo knew nothing of. To continue there under 
 ex c .ng circumstances would be impossible, long to 
 jxist. She therefore came to a determination I 
 will go, she said, to Mr. Simpson s. 
 
 It was then agreed that Alonzo should proceed to 
 Vincent s, interest them in the plan, procure a car 
 riage and return at eleven o clock the next night. 
 Melissa was to have the draw bridge down, and the 
 gate open. If John should come to the house the 
 succeeding day, she would persuade him to let her 
 still keep the keys. But it was possible her aunt 
 might return. This would render the execution of 
 the scheme more hazardous and difficult. A signal 
 was therefore agreed upon; if her aunt should be 
 there, a candle was to be placed at the window 
 fronting the gate, in the room above; if not, it waa 
 to be placed against a similar window in a room be 
 low. In the first case Alonzo was to rap loudly at 
 the door. Melissa was to run down on pretence of 
 seeing who was there, fly with Alonzo to the car 
 riage, and leave her a mt to scrape acquaintance 
 with the ghosts and goblins of the old mansion. For 
 
92 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 even if her aunt should return, which WJLS extremely 
 
 doubtful, she thought she could contrive to letdown 
 the bridge and unlock the gate in the evening with 
 out her knowledge. At any rate she was determin 
 ed not to let the keys go out of her hands, unless 
 they were forced from her, until she had escaped 
 from that horrid and dreary place. 
 
 Daylight began to break from the east, and Alon- 
 zo prepared to depart. Melissa accompanied him to 
 the gate and the bridge, which was let down: he 
 passed over and slowly withdrew, both frequently 
 turning to look back. When she came to the gate 
 she stopped, Alonzo stopped also. She waved a 
 white handkerchief she had in her hand, and Alon 
 zo bowed in answer to the sign. She then leisurely 
 entered and slowly shut the gate. Alonzo could 
 not forbear climbing up into a tree to catch anoth 
 er glimpse of her as she passed up the avenue. With 
 lingering step he saw her move along, soon reced 
 ing from his view in the gray twilight of misty morn 
 ing. He then descended and hastily proceeded on 
 his journey. 
 
 Traits of glory now painted the eastern skies. The 
 glittering day star having unbarred the portals of 
 light, began to transmit its retrocessive lustre. 
 Thin scuds flew swiftly over the moon s decres 
 cent form. Low hollow winds murmured among 
 the bushes, or brushed the limped drops from inter 
 mingling foliage. The fire-fly sunk feebly twink 
 ling amongst the herbage of the fields. The dusky 
 shadows of night fled to the deep glens, and rocky 
 caverns of the wilderness. The American lark 
 soared high in the air, consecrating its matin lay to 
 morn s approaching splendors. The woodlands be 
 gan to ring with native melody the forest tops, on 
 high mountains, caught the sun first ray, whch 
 
AI.ONZO AND MELISSA. 93 
 
 widening and extending, soon gem d the landscape 
 with brilliants of a thousand various dies. 
 
 As Alonzo came out of the fields nar the road, he 
 saw two persons pass in an open chair. They sud 
 denly stopped, earnestly gazing at him. They were 
 wrapped in long riding cloaks, and it could not be 
 distinguished from their dress whether they were 
 men or women. He stood not to notice them, but 
 made the best of his way to Vincent s where he ar 
 rived about, noon. Rejoiced to find that he had dis 
 covered Melissa, they applauded the plan of her re 
 moval, and assisted him to obtain a carriage. A 
 sedan was procured, and he set out to return prom- 
 ting to see Vincent again, as soon as he had remov 
 ed Melissa to Mr. Simpson s. He made such use of 
 his time as to arrive at the mansion at the hour ap 
 pointed. He found the drawbridge down, the gate 
 open, and saw as had been agreed upon, the lighl at 
 the lower window, glimmering through the branches 
 of trees. He was therefore assured that Melissa 
 was alone. His heart beat ; a joyful tremor seized 
 his frame; Melissa was soon to be under his care, 
 for a short time at least. He drove up to the house, 
 sprang out of the carriage, and fastened his horse 
 to a locust tree: The door was open; he went in, 
 flew lightly up stairs, entered her chamber Melis 
 sa was not there ! A small fire was blazing on the 
 heart!), and a candle was burning on the table. He 
 stood petrified with amazement, then gazed around 
 in anxious solicitude. What could have become of 
 her? It was impossible, he thought, but that she 
 must still be there. 
 
 Had she been removed by fraud or force, the sig 
 nal candle would not have been at the window. Per 
 haps, in a freakish moment, she had concealed her 
 self for no other purpose than to cause him a little 
 
94 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 perplexity. He therefore took the candle and 
 searched every corner of the chamber, and every 
 room of the house, not even missing the garret and 
 the cellar. He then placed the candle in a lantern, 
 and went out arid examined the out-houses: he next 
 vent round the garden and the yard, strictly explor 
 ing and investigating every place; but he found her 
 not. He repeatedly and loudly called her by name; 
 he was answered only by the solitary echoes of the 
 wilderness. 
 
 Again he returned to the house, traversed the 
 rooms, there also calling on the name of Melissa : 
 his voice reverberated from the walls, dying away 
 in solemn murmurs in the distant empty apartments. 
 Thus did he continue his anxious scrutiny, alternate 
 ly in the house, and the enclosure until day but no 
 traces could be discovered, nothing seen or heard 
 *>f Melissa. What had become of her he could not 
 form the most distant conjecture. Nothing was re- 
 noved from the house; the beds, the chairs, the ta- 
 ole,all the furniture remained in the same condition 
 as when he was there the night before; the candle, 
 BS had been agreed upon, was at the window, and 
 another was burning on the table: it was therefore 
 evident that she could not have been long gone 
 when he arrived. By what means had she thus sud 
 denly disappeared, was a most deep and inscrutible 
 mystery. When the sun had arisen, he once more 
 repeated his inquisitive search, but with the same 
 effect. He then, in extreme vexation and disap 
 pointment flung himself into the sedan, and drove 
 from the mansion Frequently did he look back at 
 the building, anxiously did he scrutinize every sur 
 rounding and receding object. A thrill of pensive 
 recollection vibrated through his frame as he passed 
 the gate, and the keen agonizing pangs of b asted 
 
.A1.0NZO AND MELISSA. 95 
 
 hope pierced his heart as the carriage rolled over 
 the bridge. 
 
 Once more he cast a longing lingering look* up 
 on the premises behind, sacred only for the trea 
 sure they lately possessed; then sunk backward in 
 his seat, and was dragged slowly away. 
 
 Alonzo had understood from Melissa, that John s hul 
 was situated about one mile north from the mansion 
 where she had been confined. When he came rieaj 
 the road, he left his horse and carriage, after secur 
 ing them, and went in search of it. He soon dis 
 covered it, and knew it from the description givei 
 thereof by Melissa. He went up and knocked at the 
 door, which was opened by John, whom Alonzo al 
 so knew, from the portrait Melissa had drawn of him. 
 
 John started in amazement. Understanding, said 
 Alonzo, that you have the charge of the old man 
 sion in yonder field, I have come to know rt you can 
 inform rne what has become of the young lady who 
 has been confined there. 
 
 Confined! answered John, I did not know she 
 was confined. 
 
 Recollecting himself, I mean the young lady who 
 has lately resided there with her aunt, replied Alon 
 zo. 
 
 * She was there last night, answered John; her 
 aunt has gone into the country and has not return 
 ed. 
 
 Alonzo then told him the situation of the mansion, 
 and that she was not there. John informed him 
 that he was there about sunset, and according 
 to her request he had loft the keys of the gate and 
 bridge with her: he desired Alonzo to tarry there 
 until lie ran to the mansion. 
 
 He returned in half an hour. * She is gone sure 
 enough, said John, but how or where, it is impossi 
 ble lor me to guess. Convinced that he knew notry 
 
96 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 ing of the matter, Alonzo left him and r<rturned te 
 Vincent s. 
 
 Vincent and his lady were much surprised, at 
 Alonzo s accou-nt ofMelissa s sudden disappearance, 
 and they wished to ascertain whether her father s 
 family knew anything of the circumstance. Social 
 intercourse had become suspended between the fami 
 lies of Vincent and Melissa s father, as the latter 
 had taxed the former with improperly endeavoring 
 to promote the views of Alonzo. TL-ey therefore 
 procured a neighboring woman to visit Melissa s 
 mother, to see if any information could be oblaingd 
 concerning Melissa; but the old lady had heard noth 
 ing of her since her departure with her aunt, who 
 had never yet returned. Alonzo left Vincent s and 
 went to Mr. Simpson s. He told him all that hap 
 pened since he was there, of which, before, they 
 had heard nothing. At the house of Mr. Simpson 
 and Vincent he resided some time, while they made 
 the most diligent search to discover Melissa, but 
 nothing could be learned of her fate. 
 
 Alonzo then travelled into the various parts of the 
 country, making such enquiries as caution dictated 
 of all whom he thought likely to give him informa 
 tion but he found none who could give him the 
 least intelligence of his lost Melissa. 
 
 In the course of his wanderings he passed near 
 the old mansion house where Melissa had been con 
 fined. Ho felt an inclination once more to visit it: 
 he proceeded over the bridge, which was down, but 
 he found the gate locked. He therefore hurried 
 back and went to John s who he found at home 
 On enquiring of John whether he had yet heard any 
 thing of the young lady and her aunt; All I know 
 of the matter, said John, is, that two days after you 
 were here, her aunt came back with a strange gen- 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA, 97 
 
 tleman, and ordered me to go and fetch the furni 
 ture away from the room they had occupied in the 
 old mansion. I asked her what had become ol 
 young madam. She told me that young mad- 
 urn had behaved very indiscreetly, and she found 
 fault with me for leaving the keys in her possession, 
 though I did not know that any harm could arise 
 from it. From the discourse which my wife and I 
 afterwards overheard between madam and the 
 strange gentleman, I understood that young madam 
 had been sent to reside with some friend or rela 
 tion at a great distance, because her father wanted 
 her to marry a man and she wishes to marry some 
 body else. From John s plain and simple narrative, 
 Alonzo concluded that. Melissa had been removed by 
 her father s order, or through the agency, or instiga 
 tion of her aunt. Whether his visit to the old man 
 sion had been somehow discovered or suspected., or 
 whether she was removed by some preconcerted or 
 antecedent plan, he could not conjecture. Still, the 
 situation in which he found the mansion the night 
 he went to convey her away, left an inexplicable 
 vnpression on his mind. He could in no manner 
 account how the candle could be placed at the win 
 dow according to agreement, unless it had been 
 done by herself; and if so how had she so suddenly 
 been conveyed away? 
 
 Alonzo asked John where Melissa s aunt now was. 
 
 * She left here yesterday morning, he answered, 
 with the strange gentleman I mentioned, on a vis 
 it to some of her friends. 
 
 * Was the strange gentleman you. speak of her 
 brother? asked Alonzo. 
 
 * I believe not, replied John, smiling and winking 
 to his wife; I know not who he was; somebody that 
 madam seems to like pretty well. 
 
$S ALONZO AND MKLIfSA. 
 
 * Have you the care of the old mansion, said 
 Alonzo. 
 
 Yes, answered John, I have the keys; I will ac 
 company you thither, perhaps you would like to 
 purchase it; madam said yesterday she thought she 
 should sell it. 
 
 Alonzo told him he had no thoughts of purchasing, 
 thanked him for his information and departed. 
 
 Convinced now that Melissa was removed by the 
 agency of her persecutors, he compared the circum 
 stances of John s relation. She had been sent to 
 reside with some friend or relation at a great dis 
 tance. This great distance he believed to be New 
 London, and her friend 01 relation, her cousin at, 
 whose house Alonzo first saw her, under whose care 
 she would be safe, and Beauman would have an 
 opportunity of renewing his addresses. Under these 
 impressions, Alonzo did not hesitate long what course 
 to pursue he determined to repair to New London 
 immediately. 
 
 In pursuance of his design he went to his father s. 
 He found the old gentleman with his man content 
 edly tilling his farm, and his mother cheerfully at 
 tending to household affairs, as their narrow circum 
 stances would not admit her to keep a maid without 
 embarrassment. Alonzo s soul sickened on compar 
 ing the present state of his family with its former athu- 
 ence; but it was an unspeakable consolation to see 
 his aged parents contented and happy in their hum 
 ble situation; and though the idea could not pluck 
 the thorn from his own bosom, yet it tended tempo 
 rarily to assuage the anguish of the wound. 
 
 * You have been long gone, my son, said his fa 
 ther; I scarcely knew what had become of you. 
 Since I have become a farmer I know but little of 
 what is going forward in the world ; and indee<\ we 
 were never haonier in our lives. After stocking and 
 
ALONZO AND ME.JSSA 99 
 
 paying for my farm, and purchasing the requisites 
 for my business, I have got considerable money at 
 my command: we live f.ugally and realize the bles 
 sings of health, comfort and contentment. Our on 
 ly disquietude is on your account, Alonzo. Your af 
 fair with Melissa, I suppose, is not so favorable as 
 you could wish. But despair not, my son; hope is 
 the harbinger of fairer prospects : rely on provi 
 dence, which never deserts those who submissively 
 to xv to the justice of its dispensations. 
 
 Unwilling to disturb the serenity of his parents, 
 Alonzo did not tell them his troubles. He answer 
 ed, that perhaps all might yet come to right; but 
 that as in the present state of his mind he thought 
 a change of situation might be of advantage, he ask 
 ed liberty of his father to travel for some little time 
 To this his father consented, and offered him a part 
 of the money he had on hand, which Alonzo refused, 
 saying he did not expect to be long gone, and his 
 resources had not failed him. 
 
 He then sold off his books, his horses, his car 
 riages, &c. the insignia of his better days, but now 
 useless appendages, from which ho raised no incon 
 siderable sum. He then took a tender and affec 
 tionate leave of his parents, and set out for New- 
 London. 
 
 Alonzo journeyed along with a heavy heart and 
 in an enfeebled frame of spirits. Through disap 
 pointment, vexation, and the fatigues he had under 
 gone in wandering about, for a long time, in search 
 ot Melissa, despondency had seized upon his mind, 
 and indisposition upon his body. He put up the 
 first night within a few miles of New-Haven, and as 
 he passed through the town, the next morning, the 
 scenes of early life in which he had there been ar 
 actor, moved in melancholy succession over his mind 
 
100 ALONZO AND MELISSA 
 
 That day he grew more indisposed; he experienced 
 an unusual langour, listlessness and debility; chills 
 followed by hoi flashes, heavy pains in the head and 
 back, with incessant and intolerable tinrst. It was 
 near night when ho reached Killingworth, where he 
 halted, as he felt unable to go farther: he called for 
 abed, and through the night was racked with severe 
 pain, and scorched with a burning fever. 
 
 The next morning he requested that the physician 
 of the town might be sent for ; became and order 
 ed a prescription which gave his patient some relief; 
 anu by strict attention, in sbout ten days Alonzo was 
 able to pursue his journey. He arrived at New- 
 London, and took lodgings with a private family of 
 the name of Wyllis, in a retired part of the to\\. 
 
 The first object was to ascertain whether Melissa 
 was at her cousin s. But how should he obtain this 
 information ? He knew no person in the town ex 
 cept it v as those whom he had re._ -\ to suppose 
 were leagued against him. Should he go to the 
 house of hor cousin, it might prove an injury to her 
 if she were, there, and could answer no valuable pur 
 pose if she were not. The evening after he arrived 
 there he wrapped himself u pi .n his cloak and took 
 the street which led to the house of Melissa s cou 
 sin: he stopped when he came against it, to see if 
 he could make any discoveries. As people were 
 passing and repassing the street, he got over into a 
 small enclosure which adjoined the house, and stood 
 under a tree, about thirty yards from the house: 
 he had not long occupied this station, before a lady 
 came to the chamber window, which was flung up, 
 opposite to the place where he stood; she leaned 
 out, looked earnestly around for a few minutes, then 
 shut it and retired. She had brought a candle in 
 to the room, but did not bring it to the window; of 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 101 
 
 course he did not distinguish her features so as to 
 identify them. 
 
 He knew it was not the wife of Melissa s cousin, 
 and from her appearance he believed it to he Melis 
 sa. AffSi m the window opened, again the same la- 
 ly appeared; she took a seat at a little distance 
 - ithin the room; she reclined with her head upon 
 er hand, and her arm appeared to be supported by 
 * stand or table. Alonzo s heart beat violently; 
 In: had a side view of he r face, was more than ever 
 convinced that it was Melissa. Her delicate fea 
 tures though more pale and dejected than whea 
 last he saw her; her brown hair which fell in art 
 less circles around her hly neck; her arched eye 
 brows and commanding aspect. Alonzo moved to 
 wards the house, with a design if possible, to draw 
 her attention, and should it really prove to be Melis 
 sa, to discover himself. He had proceeded but a few 
 steps before she arose, shut the window, retired, and 
 the light disappeared. Alonzo waited a considera 
 ble time, but slie appeared no more. Supposing she 
 had retired for the night he slowly withdrew, cha 
 grined at this disappointment, yet pleased at the 
 discovery he had made. 
 
 The family with w,hom Alonzo had taken lodg 
 ings were fashionable and respectable. The follow 
 ing afternoon they had appointed to visit a friend, 
 and they invited Alonzo to accompany them. When 
 they named the familv where their visit was intend 
 ed, he found it to be Melissa s cousin. Alonzo 
 therefore declined going under pretence of business. 
 He however waited with anxiety for their return, 
 hoping he should be able to learn by their conversa 
 tion whether Melissa was there or not. When they 
 returned he made some inquires concerning the fam- 
 lies in to* n, until th* conversation turned upon the 
 
102 . LC NZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 family they had visited. The young lady who re 
 sides there, said Mrs. Wyllis, "is undoubtedly i-a a 
 confirmed decline; she will never recover. 
 
 Alonzo started, deeply agitated. * Who is (he 
 young lady? he asked. She is sister to the gentle 
 man s wife where we visited, answered Mr. Wyllis; 
 her father lives in Newport, and she has come here 
 for her health. Do you not think, said Mrs. Wyl 
 lis, * that she resembles her cousin Melissa, who re 
 sided there some time ago? Very much indeed, 
 replied the husband, * only she is not quite so hand- 
 Bome. 
 
 Again was Alonzo disappointed, and again did he 
 experience a melancholy pleasure: he had the last 
 night hoped that he had discovered Melissa; but to 
 find her in a hopeless decline, was worse than that 
 she should remain undiscovered. 
 
 * It is reported, said Mrs. Wyllis, that Melissa 
 has been upon the verge of matrimony, but that 
 the treaty was somehow broken ofi"; perhaps B<jau 
 man will renew his addresses again, should this be 
 the case. Beaurnan has other business besides ad 
 dressing the ladies, answered Mr. Wyllis. * He has 
 marched to the lines near New-York, with his new 
 raised company of volunteers. * 
 
 From this discourse, Alonzo was convinced that 
 Melissa was not the person he had seen at her cou 
 sin s the preceding evening, and hat she was not 
 there. He also found that Beauman was not in 
 town. Where to search next, or what course to 
 pursue, he was at a loss to determine. 
 
 The next morning he rose early and wandered 
 about the town. As he passed by the hovse of Me- 
 
 *New-York was then in possession of the British 
 troops. 
 
ALOXZO AND MELISSA. 103 
 
 lissa s cousin, he saw the lady who had appeared 
 at the window, walking in the garden. rJer air, 
 her figure, had very much the appearance of Melissa; 
 but the lineaments of her countenance were, when 
 viewed by the light of day, widely dissimilar. Alon- 
 zo felt no curiosity farther to examine her features, 
 but passing on returned to his lodgings. 
 
 How he was now to proceed, Alonzo could not 
 readily decide. To return to his native place, ap 
 peared to be as useless as to tarry where he was. 
 For many weeks he had travelled and searched ev 
 ery place where he thought it probable Melissa 
 might be found, among her relatives and elsewhere. 
 He made every effort to obtain some clue to her re 
 moval from the old mansion, but he could learn 
 nothing but what he had been told by John. If his 
 friends should ever hear of her, they could not in 
 form him thereof, as no one knew where he was. 
 Would it not therefore be best for him to return 
 back and consult with his friends, and if nothing 
 had been heard of her, pursue some other mode of 
 inquiry ? he might at least leave directions where 
 his friends might write to him, in case they should 
 have any thing whereof to apprise him. 
 
 An incident tended to confirm this resolution. He 
 one night dreamed that he was sittir.g in a strange 
 house, contemplating on his present situation, when. 
 Melissa suddenly entered the room. Her appear 
 ance was more pale, sickly and dejected than when he 
 iast saw her. Her elegant form had wasted away, 
 her eyes were sunk, her cheeks fallen, her lips livid. 
 I!e fancied it to be night, she held a candle in her 
 hand, smiling languidly upon him; she turned and 
 went out of the room, beckoning him to follow, he 
 thought he immediately arose and followed her. She 
 glided through several winding rooms, ard art length 
 
104 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 he lost sight of her, and the light gradually fading 
 away, he was involved in deep darkness He grop 
 ed along, and at length saw a faint distant glimmer, 
 the course of which he pursued until he came into 
 a large room, hung with black tapestry, and illumin 
 ated by a number of bright tapers. On one side of 
 the room appeared a hearse on which some person 
 was laid, he went up to it the first object that ar- 
 I rested his attention, was the lovely form of Melissa, 
 i shrouded in the sable vestments of death. Cold 
 ! and lifeless she lay stretched upon the hearse, beau- 
 { tiful even in dissolution; the dying smile of compla 
 cency had not yet deserted her cheek. The mu 
 sic of her voice had ceased, her fine eyes had clos 
 ed forever. Insensible to objects in which she once 
 delighted; to atriictions which had blasted her 
 blooming prospects, and drained the streams of life, 
 she lay like blossomed trees of spring overthrown 
 by rude and boisterous winds. The deep groans 
 which convulsed the distracted bosom, and shocked 
 the trembling frame of Alonzo, broke the delusive 
 charm, he awoke rejoiced to find it but a dream, 
 ihough it impressed his mind with doleful and por- 
 lentous forebodings. 
 
 It was a long time before he could again close 
 his eyes to sleep ; he at length fell into a slumber, 
 %nd again he dreamed. He fancied himself with 
 Melissa, at the house of her father, who had con 
 sented to their union, and that the marriage cere 
 mony between them was there performed. He 
 Liought that Melissa appeared as she had done in 
 her most fortunate and sprightly days, before the 
 Jarts of adversity, and the thorns of at} iction had 
 wounded her heart. Her father seemed to be di- 
 rested of all his awful sternness, and gave her to 
 \lonzo with cheerful freedom. He awoke and the 
 
 L_ 
 
ALONZO AND MELISiA. 105 
 
 horrors of his former dream were dissipated by tha 
 happy influence of the last. 
 
 vVho knows, he said, but that this may finally 
 be the case; but that the sun of peace may yet dis 
 pel these distressful hours! He arose determined 
 to return home in a few days, he went out and en 
 joyed his morning walk in a more composed frame of 
 spirits than he had for ~ome time experienced. He 
 returned and as he was entering the door he saw 
 the weekly newspaper of the town which had been 
 published that morning, and which the carrier had 
 just flung into the hall. The family had not yet 
 arisen. He took up the paper and carried it to his 
 chamber, and opened it to read the news of the day. 
 He ran his eye hastily over it, and was about to 
 lay it aside, when the death list attracted his atten 
 tion, by a display of broad black lines. The first 
 article he read therein was as follows. 
 
 * Died of a consumption on the 26th ult. at the 
 
 seat of her uncle, Col. W. D , near Charleston, 
 
 South Carolina, whither she had repaired for her 
 
 health, Miss Melissa D , the amiable daughter 
 
 of J. D , Esq. of , Connecticut, in the 
 
 eighteenth year of her age. 
 
 The paper fell from the palsied hand a sudden 
 faintness came upon him the room grew dark he 
 staggered, and fell senseless upon the floor. 
 
 The incidents of our story will here produce a 
 
 pause. The fanciful part of our readers may cast 
 
 it aside in chagrin and disappointment. Such an 
 event, may they say, we were not prepared to ex 
 pect. After so many and such various trials of 
 heart; afier innumerable difficulties surmounted; al 
 most invincible objects overcome, and insuperable 
 barriers removed after attending the hero and he 
 roine of your tale through the diversified scenes a 
 
106 ALONZO AND MELISS 4.. 
 
 anxiety, suspense, hope, disappointment, expectation- 
 joy, sorrow, anticipated bliss, sudden and disasuoua 
 woe after elevating them to the threshold of hap 
 piness, by the premature death of one, to plunge (he 
 other, instantaneously in deep and irretrievable des 
 pair, must not, cannot be right. Your story will 
 hereafter become languid and spiritless; the subject 
 will be uninteresting, the theme unengaging, since 
 the genius which animated and enlivened it is gone 
 forever. 
 
 Reader of sensibility, stop. Are we not detailing 
 facts ? Shall we gloss them over with false coloring? 
 Shall we describe things as they are, or as they are 
 not? Shall we draw with the pencil of nature, or of 
 art ? Do we indeed paint life as it is, or as it is not? 
 Cast thine eyes, reader, over the ephemeral circle 
 of passing and fortuitous events? view the change 
 of contingencies; mark well the varied and shifting 
 scenery in the great drama of time; seriously con 
 template nature in her operations; minutely exam 
 ine the entrance the action and the exit of charac 
 ters on the stage of existence then say if disap 
 pointment, distress, misery and calamitous woe, are 
 not the inalienable portion of the susceptible bosom. 
 Say if the possession of refined feeling is enviable 
 the lot of Nature s children covetable whether to 
 such through life, the sprinklings of comfort are suf 
 ficient to give a zest to the bitter banquets of adversi 
 ty whether indeed, sorrow, siyhing, and tears, are 
 not the inseparable attendants of all those whose 
 hearts are the repositories of tender affections and 
 pathetic sympathies. 
 
 But what says the moralist ? Portray life as 
 it is. Delude not the senses by deceptive appear 
 ances. Arouso your hero? call to his aid Etera 
 philosophy and sober reason. They will dissipata 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 107 
 
 the rainbow-glories of unreal pleasure, and banish 
 the glittering meteors of unsubstantial happinesss, 
 Or if these fail, lead him to the holy fane of. reli 
 gion; she will regulate the fires of fancy, and as 
 suage the tempest of the passions: she will illumin 
 ate the dark wilderness, and smooth the thorny 
 paths of life: she will point him to joys beyond the 
 tomb to another arid a better world; and pour the 
 balm of consolation and serenity over his wounded 
 soul. 
 
 Shall we indeed arouse Alonzo? Alas to what 
 paths of grief and wretchedness shall we rouse him! 
 To a world to him void and cheerless a world deso 
 late, sad and dreary. 
 
 Alonzo revived. Why am I, he exclaimed, * re 
 called to this dungeon of torment ? Why was not 
 my spirit permitted to take its flight to regions 
 where my guardian angel is gone? Why am I cursed 
 with memory ? Oh that I might be blessed with for- 
 getfulness! But why do I talk of blessings ? Heav 
 en never had one in store for me. Where are fled 
 my anticipated joys ? To the bosom, the dark bo- 
 sotn of the oblivious tomb! There lie all the graces 
 worflr. of love in life all the virtues worthy of 
 lamentation in death. There lies perfection: per 
 fection has here been found. Was she not all 
 that even heaven could demand ? Fair, lovely, 
 holy and virtuous. Her tender solicitudes, her en 
 rapturing endearments, her soul inspiring blandish 
 ments, gone, gone forever? That heavenly form, 
 that discriminate mind all lovely as light, all puro 
 as a seraph s a prey to worms mingled with in- 
 coporeal shadows, regardless of former inquietudes 
 or delights, regardless of the keen anguish which 
 now wrings tears of blood from my despairing heart. 
 
108 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 * Eternal disposer of events! if virtue be thy spe 
 cial care, why is the fairest flower in the gar.den of 
 innocence and purity blasted like a noxious weed? 
 why is the bright gem of excellence trampled in the 
 dust like a worthless pebble ? Why is Melissa hur 
 ried to the tomb ? 
 
 Thus raved Aionzo. It was evident that delirium 
 had partially seized his brain. He arose and flung 
 himself on the bed in unspeakable agony. * And 
 what, alas! he again exclaimed, now remains for 
 me? Existence and unparalleled misery. The con 
 solation even of death is denied me. But Melissa ! 
 she ah, where is she ! Oh, reflection insupporta 
 ble 1 , insufferable consideration! Must that heavenly 
 frame putrify, moulder and crumble into dust ? Must 
 the loathsome spider nestle on her lily bosom? the 
 odious reptile riot on her delicate limbs? the worm 
 revel amid the roses of her cheek, fatten on her 
 temples, and bask in the lustre of her eyes? Alas ! 
 the lustre has become dimmed in death; the rose 
 and the lilly are withered; the harmony of her 
 voice has ceased; the graces, the elegancies of form, 
 the innumerable delicacies of air, all are gone, and I 
 am lef t in a state of misery which defies mitigation 
 or comparison. 
 
 v,.u.,,sted by excess of grief, he now lay in a stu- 
 pifying anguish, until the servant summoned him to 
 breakfast. He told the servant he was indisposed 
 and requested he might not be disturbed. Mr. Wyl- 
 lis and his lady came up, anxious to yield him any 
 assistance in their power, and advised him to call a 
 physician. He thanked them hut told them it was 
 unnecessary; he only wanted rest. His extreme dis 
 tress of mind brought on a rele.pse of fever, from 
 which he had but imperfectly recovered. For sev 
 eral days he lay in a very dangerous and doubtful 
 
AtONZO AND MELISSA. 109 
 
 state. A physician was called; contrary to his 
 choice or knowledge, as for most part of the time 
 his mind \\asdelerious and sensation imperfect. This 
 was probably the cause of baffiing the disorder. He 
 was in a measure insensible to his woes. He did not 
 oppose the prescriptions of his physician. The fe 
 ver abated: nature triumphed over disease of body 
 and he slowly recovered, but the malady of his mind 
 was not removed. 
 
 He contemplated on the past. I fear, said he, 
 
 I have murmured against the wisdom of Provi 
 dence. Forgive, 0, mercifi l Creator! forgive the 
 frenzies of destraction! He now recollected that 
 Melissa once told him that she had an uncle who 
 resided near Charleston, in South Carolina; thithei 
 he supposed she had been sent by her father, when 
 she was removed from the old mansion, in order to 
 prevent his having access to her, and with a view 
 to compel her to marry Beauman. Her appearance 
 had indicated a deep decline when he last saw her. 
 
 * There, said he, far removed from friends and 
 acquaintance, there did she languish, there did she 
 die a victim to excessive grief, and cruel parental 
 persecution. 
 
 As soon as he was able to leave his room, he 
 walked out one evening, and in deep contemplation 
 roved, he knew not where. The moon shone bril 
 liantly from her lofty throne; the chill heavy dews of 
 autumn glittered on the decaying verdure. The cad- 
 eat* croaked hoarsely among the trees; the dirclef 
 
 *Local names given to certain American insects, 
 from their sound. They are well known in various 
 parts of the United States; generally make their ap 
 pearance about the latter end of August, and con 
 tinue until destroyed by the frost. The notes of the 
 
110 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 jmng mournfully on the grass. Alonzo heard them 
 not ; he was insensible to all external objects, un 
 til he had imperceptibly wandered to the rock on 
 the point of the beach, verging the Sound, to which 
 he had attended Melissa the first time he saw her 
 at her cousin s. Had the whole artillery of heaven 
 burst in sheeted flame from the skies had raging 
 winds mingled the roaring waves with the moun 
 tains had an instantaneous earthquake burst be 
 neath his feet, his frame would not have been so 
 shocked, his soul so agitated! Sudden as the blaze 
 darts from the electric cloud was he aroused to a 
 lively sense of blessings entombed! The memory of 
 departed joys passed with rapidity over his imagina 
 tion; his first meeting with Melissa; the evening 
 he had attended her to that place; her frequent al 
 lusions to the scenery there displayed, when they 
 had traversed the fields or reclined in the bower on 
 her favorite hill; in fine, all the vicissitudes through 
 which they had passed, were called to his mind. 
 His fancy saw her he felt her gently leaning on 
 his arm, while lie tremblingly pressed her hand. 
 Again he saw smiling health crimsoning the lillies of 
 her cheek; again he saw the bright soul of sympa 
 thetic feelings sparkling in her eye: the air of ease; 
 the graces of altitude; her brown locks circling the 
 borders of her snowy robe. Again he was enrap 
 tured by the melody of her voice. Once more would 
 he have been happy had not fancy changed the 
 scene. But alas, she shifted the curtain. He saw 
 Melissa stretched on the sable hearse, wrapped in 
 the dreary vestments of the grave; the roses with 
 ered ; the lillies faded; motionless; the graces fled; 
 
 first are hoarse, sprightly and discordant ; of the 
 last solemn and mournfully pleasing. 
 
ALOJTZO AWD MELISSA. Ill 
 
 her eyes fixed, and sealed in the glaze of death! 
 Spontaneously he fell upon his knees, and thus pour 
 ed forth the overcharged burden of his anguished 
 bosom : 
 
 " Infinite Ruler of all events! Great Sovereign of 
 this ever changing world . Omnipotent Controler of 
 vicissitudes! Omniscient dispenser of destinies! The 
 beginning, the progression, the end is thine. Un 
 searchable are thy purposes! mysterious thy move 
 ments! inscrutable thy operations! An atom of thy 
 creation, wildered in the mazes of ignorance and 
 woe, would bow to thy decrees. Surrounded with 
 impenetrable gloom, unable to scrutinize the past, 
 
 incompetent to explore the future fain would he 
 
 say, THY WILL BE DONE? And, Oh, that it might 
 be consistent with that HIGH WILL to call thin atom 
 from a dungeon of wretchedness, to worlds of light 
 and glory, where his only CONSOLATION is gone." 
 
 Thus prayed the heart-broken Alonzo. It was in 
 deed a worldly prayer; but perhaps as pure and as 
 acceptable as many of our modern professors would 
 have made on a similar occasion. He arose and re 
 paired to his lodging. One determination only he 
 had now fallen upon to bury himself and his griefa 
 from all with whom he had formerly been acquaint 
 ed. Why should he return to the scenes of his former 
 bliss and anxiety, where every door would be inscrib 
 ed with a memento mori, and where every object 
 would be shrouded in crape ? He therefore turned 
 his attention to the army ; but the army was far 
 distant, and he was too feeble to prosecute a journey 
 of such an extent. 
 
 There were at that time preparations for fitting 
 out a convoy, at private expense, from various 
 parts of the United States, for the protection of our 
 European trade ; they were to rendezvous at a certain 
 
112 AL.OXZO AND MELISSA 
 
 station, and thence proceed with the merchantmen 
 under their care, to the ports of Fra:ice and Hoi 
 land, where our trade principally centered, and re 
 turn as coMvoy to some other mercantile fleet. 
 
 One of these ships of war was then nearly fitted 
 out at New London. Alonzo offered himself to the 
 captain, who, pleased with his appearance, gave him 
 the station of commander of marines. 
 
 Alonzo prepared himself with all speed for the 
 voyage. .He sought, he wished no acquaintance 
 His only place of resort, except to his lodgings and 
 the ship, was to Melissa s favorite rock ; there he 
 bowed as to the shrine of her spirit, and there he 
 consecrated his devotions. 
 
 As he was one day passing through the town, a 
 gentleman stepped out of an adjoining house and 
 accosted him. Alonzo immediately recognized him 
 to be the cousin of Melissa, at whose house he had 
 first seen her. He was dressed in full mourning, 
 which was a sufficient indication that he was appris 
 ed of her death. He invited Alonzo to his house, 
 and he could not complaisantly refuse the invitation. 
 He therefore accepted it, and passed an hour with 
 him, from whom he learnt that Melissa had been 
 sent to her uncle s at Charleston, for the recovery 
 of her health, where she died. " Her premature 
 death," said her cousin, " has borne so heavily upon 
 her aged father, that it is feared he will not long 
 
 survive." "Well may it wring his bosom," thought 
 
 Alonzo: "his conscience can never be at peace." 
 
 Whether Melissa s cousin had been informed of the 
 particulars of Alonzo s unfortunate attachment, was 
 not known, as he instituted no conversation on the 
 subject. Neither did he enquire into Alonzo s pros 
 pects ; he only invited him to call again. 
 
 AJonzo thanked him, but replied it would be 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 113 
 
 doubtful as he should shortly leave town. He made 
 no one a-cquainted with his intentions. 
 
 The day at length arrived when the ship was to 
 sail, and Alonzo to leave the shores of America. 
 They spread their canvass to propitious gales ; the 
 breezes rushed from their woody coverts, and majes 
 tically wafted them from the harbor. 
 
 Slowly the land receded ; fields, forests, hills, 
 mountains, towns and villages leisurely withdrew, 
 until they were mingled in one common mass. The 
 ocean opening, expanded and widened, presenting to 
 the astonished eyes of the untried mariner its wilder 
 ness of waters. Near sunset Alonzo ascended the 
 mast to take a last view of a country once so dear, 
 but whose charms were now lost forever. The land 
 still appeared like a semicircular border of dark 
 green velvet on the edge of a convex mirror. The 
 sun sunk in fleecy golden vapors behind it. It now 
 dwindled to discolored and irregular spots, which 
 appeared like objects floating, amidst the blue mists 
 of distance, on the verge of the main, and immedi 
 ately all was lost beneath the spherical, watery sur 
 face. 
 
 Alonzo had fixed his eyes, as near as his judgment 
 could direct, towards Melissa s favorite reck, till 
 nothing but sea was discoverable. With a he-art 
 parting sigh he then descended. They had now 
 launched into the illimitable world of billows, and 
 the sable wings of night brooded over the boundless 
 deep. 
 
 A new scene was now opened to Alonzo in the 
 wonders of the mighty deep. The sun rising from 
 and setting in the ocean ; the wide-spread region of 
 watery waste, now smooth as polished glass, now 
 orged into irregular rolling hillocks, then swelled to 
 " Blue trembling billows, topp d with foam," 
 
114 AI.ONZO .AND MET.ISSA. 
 
 or gradually arising into mountr.inous waves. 
 would he traverse the deck amid the still hours of 
 midnight, when the moon silvered over the liquid 
 surface: " Bright luminary of the lonely hour," he 
 would sav, " that now theddest thy mild and placid 
 ray on the woe-worn head of fortune s fugitive, dost 
 thou not also pensively shine on the sacred and silent 
 grave of mv Melissa ?" 
 
 Favorable breezes wafted them for many days 
 over the bo?m of the Atlantic. At length they 
 were overtaken by a violent storm. The wind began 
 to blow strongly from the southwest, which soon in 
 creased to a violent gale. The dirgy scud first flew 
 swiftly along the sky ; then dark and heavy clouds 
 filled the atmosphere, mingling with the top-gallant 
 streamers of the ship. Night hovered over the 
 ocean, rendered horrible by the intermitting blaze of 
 lightnings, the awful crash of thunder, and the deaf 
 ening roar of winds and waves. The sea was roll 
 ed into mountains, cupped with foaming fire. Now 
 the ship was soaring among the thunders of heaven, 
 now sunk in the abyss of waters. 
 
 The storm dispersed the fleet, so that when it a- 
 bated, the ship in which Alonzo sailed tvas found 
 alone; they, however, kept on their course of des 
 tination, after repairing their rigging, which had 
 been considerably disordered by the violence of the 
 gale. 
 
 The next morning they discovered a sail which 
 they fondly hoped might prove to be one of their 
 own fleet, and accordingly made for it. The ship 
 they were in pursuit of shortened sail, and towards 
 noon wore round and bore down upon them, when 
 they discovered that it was not a ship belonging to 
 their convoy. Jt appeared to be of equal force and 
 dimensions with that :f their own; they therefore, 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 115 
 
 in order to prepare for the worst, got ready with 
 ell speed for action. They slowly approached each 
 other, rnanoRUvering for the advantage, till the 
 strange ship ran up British colors, and fired a gun, 
 which was immediately answered by the other, un 
 der the flag of the United States. It was not long 
 before a ck>se and severe action took place, which 
 continued for three hours, when both ships were in 
 so shattered a condition that they were unable to 
 manage a gun.* The British had lost their captain, 
 and one half their crew, most of the remainder be 
 ing wounded. The Americans had lost their 
 
 second officer, and their loss in men, both killed and 
 wounded, was nearly equal to that of the enemy. 
 
 While they lay in thij, condition, unable either to 
 annoy each other more, or to get away, a large sail 
 appeared, bearing down upon them, which soon 
 came up and proved to be an English frigate, and 
 which immediately tooi the American ship in tow, 
 after removing the crew into the hold of the frigate. 
 The crew of the British ship were also taken on 
 board of the frigate, which was no sooner done than 
 the ship went down and was buried beneath moun 
 tains of ponderous waves. The frigate then, with 
 the American ship in tow, ms.de sail, and in a few 
 days reached England. The wounded prisoners 
 were sent to a hospital, out the others were confin 
 ed in a strong prison within the precincts of Lon 
 don. 
 
 The American prisoners were huddled into an 
 apartment witk Bnrish convicts of various descrip 
 tions. Among these Alonzo observed one whose de 
 meanor arrested his attention. A deep melancholy 
 
 * The particulars of this action, in the early stag?, 
 f the American war, are yet remembered by many. 
 
116 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 was impressed upon his features; his eye was wild 
 and despairing; his figure was interesting, tall, ele 
 gant and handsome. He appeared to be about 
 twenty-five years of age. Ke seldom conversed, but 
 when he dd, it was readily discovered that his edu 
 cation had been above the common cast, and he 
 possessed au enlightened and discrimuiating mind. 
 Alonzo sympathetically sought his acquaintnr.ee, and 
 discovered therein a unison of woe. 
 
 One evening, when the prisoners were retired to 
 rest, the stranger, upon Alonzo s request, rehearsed 
 the following incidents of Ins life. 
 
 " You express," said he, "some surprise at finding 
 a man of my appearance in so degraded a situation; 
 and you wish to learn the events which have plung 
 ed me in this abject state. These, when I briefly 
 relate, your wonder will cease. 
 
 " My name is Henry Malcomb; my father was a 
 clergyman in the west of England, and descended 
 from one of the most respectable families in those 
 parts. I received a classical education, and then 
 entered the military school, as I was designed for 
 the army, to which my earliest inclinations led. As 
 soon as my education was considered complete, an 
 ensign s commission was procured for me in one of 
 the regiments destined for the West Indies. Previ 
 ous to its departure for those islands, I became ac 
 quainted with a Miss Vernon, who was a few years 
 younger than myself, and the daughter of a gentle 
 man farmer, who had recently purchased and re 
 moved to an estate in my father s parish. Every 
 thing that was graceful and lovely appeared center 
 ed in her person; every thing that was virtuous and 
 excellent in her mind. I sought her, hand. Our soula 
 soon became united by the indissoluble bonds of sin- 
 cerest love, and as there were no parental or other 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 117 
 
 impediments to our iniion, it was agreed that as soon 
 as I returned from the Indies, where it was expect 
 ed that my stay would be short, the marriage solem 
 nities should be performed. Solemn oaths of con 
 stancy passed between us, and I sailed with my reg 
 iment, for the Indies. 
 
 " While there, I received from her, and returned 
 Otters filled with the tenderest expressions of anx 
 iety and regret of absence. At length the time 
 same when we were to embark for England, where 
 we arrived after an absence of about eighteen 
 months. The moment I got on land I hastened to 
 the house of Mr. Vernon, so see the charmer of my 
 soul. She received me with all the ardency of af 
 fection, and even shed tears of joy in my presence. 
 1 pressed her to name the day which was to perfect 
 our union and happiness, and the next Sunday, four 
 days only distant, was agreed upon for me to lead 
 her to the alter. How did my heart bound at the 
 prospect of making Miss Vernon my own! of pos 
 sessing in her all that could render life agreeable; I 
 hastened home to my family and informed them of 
 my approaching bliss, who all sympathized in the 
 anticipated joy which swelled my bosom. 
 
 * I had a sister some years older than myself, 
 who had been the friend and inmate of my angel in 
 my absence. They were now almost every day to 
 gether, so that I had frequent opportunities of her 
 company. One day she had been with rny sister at 
 my father s, and I attended her home. On my re 
 turn, my sister requested me to attend her in a pri 
 vate room. We therefore retired, and when we 
 were seated she thus addressed me. 
 
 * Henry, you know that to promote yeur peace, 
 your welfare, and your happiness, has ever been the 
 pride of my heart. Nothing except this could ex- 
 
118 ALorrz^ AND 
 
 tort the secret which I shall now oisclose, and 
 which has yet remained deposited in my own bosom: 
 my duty to a brother whom I esteem dear as life, 
 forbids me to remain silent. As an affectionate sis 
 ter, I cannot tacitly see you thus imposed upon; I 
 cannot see you the dupe and slave of an artful and 
 insidious woman, who does not sincerely return your 
 love, nor can I bear to see your marriage consum 
 mated with one whose soul and affections are placed 
 upon another object." 
 
 " Here she hesitated while I, with insufferable 
 anguish of mind, begged her to proceed. 
 
 "About six or eight months after your departure," 
 she continued, "it was reported to Miss Vernon that 
 she had a rival in the Indies; that you had there 
 found an American beauty, on whom you lavished 
 those endearments which belonged of right to her 
 alone. This news made, at first, a deep impression 
 on her rnind, but it soon wore away; and whether 
 from this cause, from fickleness of disposition, or 
 that she never sincerely loved you, I know not; but 
 this I do know, that a youth has been for some time 
 past her almost constant companion. To convince 
 you of this, you need only tomorrow evening, about 
 sunset, conceal yourself near the long avenue by the 
 side of the rivulet, back of Mr. Vernon s country- 
 house, where you will undoubtedly surprise Miss 
 Vernon and her companion in their usual evening s 
 walk. If I should be mistaken I will submit to your 
 censure; but should you find it as I have predicted, 
 you have only to rush from your concealment, 
 charge her with her perfidy, and renounce her for 
 ever." 
 
 " Of all the plagues, of all the torments, of all 
 the curses which tcrture the soul, jealousy of a rival 
 in love is the worst. Enraged, confounded and 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 119 
 
 tonished, it seemed as if my bosom would have in- 
 stantaneously burst. To conceal my emotions, I 
 left my sister s apartment, after having thanked her 
 for her information, and proceeded to obey her in 
 junction. I retired to my own room, and there 
 poured out my execrations. 
 
 -" Cursed woman!" I exclaimed, "is it thus you re 
 quite my tender love! Could a vague report of my 
 inconstancy drive you to infidelity! Did not my 
 continual letters breathe constant adoration ? And 
 did not yours pouitray the same sincerity of affec 
 tion ? No, it was not that which caused you to 
 perjure yovr plighted vows. It was that damnable 
 passion for novelty, which more or less holds a pre 
 dominancy over your whole sex. To a new coat, a 
 new face, a new lover, you will sacrifice honor, 
 principle and virtue. And to those, backed by splen 
 did power and splendid property, you will forfeit 
 vour most sacred engagements, though made in the 
 presence of heaven. Thus did 1 rave through a 
 sleepless night. 
 
 " The next day I walked into the fields, and be 
 fore the time my sister appointed had arrived, I 
 worked up my feelings almost to the frenzy of dis 
 traction. 1 repaired however, to the spot, and con 
 cealed myself in the place she had named, which 
 was a tuft of laurels by the side of the walk. I 
 soon perceived Miss Vernon strolling down the ave 
 nue, arm in arm with a young man elegantly dress 
 ed, and of singular, delicate appearance. They 
 were earnestly conversing in a low tone of voice; 
 the hand of my false fair "one was gently pressed in 
 the hands of the stranger. As soon as they had 
 passed the place of my concealment, they turned 
 aside and seated themselves in a little arbor, a few 
 yards distant from where I sat. The stranger clasp 
 
. 20 ALOXZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 ed Miss Vernon in his arms: " Dearest angel!" ha 
 exclaimed, " what an interruption to our bliss by 
 the return of my hated rival!" With fond caresses 
 and endearing blandishments, " fear nothing," she 
 replied; " I have promised and must yield him my 
 hand, but you shall never be excluded from my heart; 
 we shall find sufficient opportunities for pri-vate con 
 ference." I could contain myself no longer my 
 brain was on fire. Quick as lightning I sprang from 
 my covert, and presenting a pistol which I had con 
 cealed under my robe, " Die!" said I, "thou false 
 and perjured wretch, by the hand thou hast dishon 
 ored, a death too mild for so foul a crime!" and im 
 mediately shot Miss Vernon through the head, who 
 fell lifeless at my feet! Then suddenly drawing my 
 sword, " And thou, perfidious contarninator and de 
 stroyer of my bliss!" cried I "go! attend thy com 
 panion in iniquity to the black regions of everlasting 
 torment!" So saying, I plunged the sword into his 
 bosom. A screech of agony, attended by the ex 
 clamation, " Henry, your wife ! your sister!" 
 awoke me, too late, to terrors unutterable, to an 
 guish unspeakable, to woes irretrievable, and insup 
 portable despair! It was indeed my betrothed wife, 
 it was indeed my affectionate sister, arrayed in man s 
 habit. The one lay dead before me, the other wel 
 tering in her blood! With a feeble and expiring 
 voice, my sister informed me, that in a gay and in 
 considerate moment they had concerted this plan, to 
 try my jealousy, determining to discover themselves 
 as soon as they had made the experiment. " I for 
 give you Henry," she said, " I forgive your mis 
 take," and closed her eyes forever in death! What 
 a scene for sensibilities like mine! To paint or de 
 scribe it, exceeds the power of language or imagina 
 tion. I instantly turned the sword against my own 
 
ALO1TZO AITD MELISSA. 121 
 
 , an unknown hand arrested it, and prevented 
 its entering my heart. The report of the pistol, and 
 the dying 1 screech of my sister, had alarmed Mr. 
 Vernon s family, who arrived at that moment, one 
 of whom had seized my arm, and thus hindered me 
 from destroying my own life. I submitted to be 
 bound and conveyed to prison. My trial came on 
 at (he last assizes. I made no defence; and was 
 condemned to death. My execution will take place 
 in eight weeks from to-rnorrow. I shall cheerfully 
 meet my fate ; for who would endure lift; when ren 
 dered so peculiarly miserable!" 
 
 The wretched Malcomb here ended his tale of 
 woe. No tear moistened his eye his grief was too 
 despairing for tears; it preyed upon his heart, drank 
 the vital streams of life, and burst in convulsive 
 sighs from his burning bosorn. 
 
 Alonzo seriously contemplated on the incidents 
 md events of the tragical story. Conscience whis 
 pered him, are not Malcomb s miseries superior to 
 thine ? Candor and correct reason must have an 
 swered yes. " Melissa perished," said Alonzo, "but 
 not by the hand of her lover: she expired, but not 
 through the mistaken frenzy of him who adored her. 
 She died, conscious cf the unfeigned love I bore 
 her." 
 
 Alonzo and his fellow prisoners had been robbed, 
 when they were captured, of every thing except the 
 clothes they wore. Their allowance of provisions 
 was scanty and poor. They were confined in the 
 third story of a lofty prison. Time rolled away; 
 no prospects appeared of their liberation, either by 
 exchange or parole. Some of the prisoners were 
 removed, as new ones were introduced, to other 
 places of confinement until not one American was 
 left except Alonzo. 
 
122 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 Meantime the day appointed for the execution of 
 Malcomb drew near. His past and approaching 
 fate filled the breast of Alonzo with sympathetic 
 sorrow. He saw his venerable father, his mother 
 his friends and acquaintance, with several pious 
 clergymen, frequently enter the prison to console 
 and comfort him, and to prepare him for the un 
 changeable state on which he was soon to enter. 
 He saw his mind softened by their advice and 
 counsel; frequently would he burst into tears; 
 often in the solitary hours of night was he heard ad 
 dressing the throne of grace for mercy and forgive 
 ness. But the grief that preyed at his heart had 
 wasted him to a mere skeleton; a slow but deleteri 
 ous fever had consequently implanted itself in hia 
 constitution. Exhausted nature could make but a 
 weak struggle against disease and affliction like his, 
 and about a week previous to the day appointed for 
 his execution, he expired in peace and penitence, 
 trusting in the mercy of his Creator through the suf 
 ferings of a Redeemer. 
 
 Soon after this event, orders came for removing 
 some of the prisoners to a most loathsome place ot 
 confinement in the suburbs of the city. It fell to 
 Alonzo s lot to be one. He therefore formed a pro 
 ject for escaping. He had observed that the gra 
 tings in one of the windows of the apartment were 
 loose and could be easily removed. One night when, 
 the prisoners were asleep, he stripped off his clothes, 
 every article of which he cut into narrow strips, 
 tied them together, fastened one end to one of the 
 strongest gratings, removed the others until he had 
 made an opening large enough to get out, and then, 
 by the rope he had made of his clothes, let himself 
 down into the yard of the prison. There he found 
 a long piece of timber s which he dragged to the 
 
.ALONZO AND MELISSA. 123 
 
 wall, clambered up thereon, and sprang over into 
 the street. His shoes and hat he had left in the 
 prison, as a useless encumbrance without his clothes, 
 all which he had converted into the means of es 
 cape, so that he was now literally stark naked. He 
 stood a moment to reflect: " Here am I," said he, 
 " freed from my local prison indeed, but in the 
 midst of an enemy s country, without a friend, with 
 out the mean? of obtaining one day s subsistence, 
 surrounded by the darkness of night, destitute of a 
 single aiticle of clothing, and even unable to form a 
 resolution what step next to take. The ways of 
 heaven are marvellous may I silently bow to its 
 dispensations!" 
 
 Alonzo passed along the street in this forlorn con 
 dition, not knowing where to proceed, or what 
 course to take. It was about three o clock in tho 
 morning; the street was illuminated by lamps, and 
 he feared falling into the hands of the watch. For 
 some time he saw no person, at length a voice from 
 
 the other side of the street called out, "Hallo, 
 
 messmate! what, scudding under hare poles? You 
 have experienced a severe gale indeed thus to have 
 carried away every rag of sail!" 
 
 Alonzo turned, and saw the person who spoke. 
 He was a decent looking man, of middle age, dress 
 ed in a sailor s habit. Alonzo had often heard of 
 the generosity and honorable conduct of the British 
 tars: he therefore approached him and told him his 
 real case, not even concealing his being taken in 
 actual hostility to the British government, and his 
 escape from prison. The sailor mused for a few 
 minutes. " Thy case," said he, " is a little critical, 
 but do not despair. Had I met thee as an enemy, I 
 should have fought thee; but as it is, compassion is 
 the first consideration. Perhaps I may be in as bad 
 
124 AIONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 a situation before the war is ended." Then slipping 
 off his coat and giving it to Alonzo, " follow me," 
 he said, and turning, walked hastily along the street 
 followed by Alonzo; he passed into a bye-lane, 
 entered a small house, and taking Alonzo into a 
 back room, opened a trunk, and handed out a shirt: 
 " there," said he, pointing to a bed, "you can sleep 
 till morning, when we will see what can be done." 
 
 The next morning the sailor brought in a very de 
 cent suit of clothes and presented them to Alonzo. 
 " You will make this place your home," said he, 
 "until more favorable prospects appear. In this great 
 city you will be safe, for even your late gaoler would 
 not recognize you in this dress. And perhaps some 
 opportunity may offer by which you may return to 
 your own country." He told Alonzo that his name 
 was Jack Brown, that he was a midshipman on 
 board the Severn; that he had a wife and four chil 
 dren, and owned the house in which they then were. 
 " In order to prevent suspicion or discovery," said 
 he, " I shall consider you as a relation from the 
 country until you are better provided for." Alonzo 
 was then introduced to the sailor s wife, an amiable 
 woman, and here he remained for several weeks. 
 
 One day Alonzo was informed that a number of 
 American prisoners were brought in. He went to 
 the place where they were landed, and saw several 
 led away to prison, and some who were sick or dis 
 abled, carried to the hospital. As the hospital was 
 near at hand, Alonzo entered it to see how the sick 
 and disabled prisoners were treated. 
 
 He found that they received as much attention as 
 as could reasonably be expected.* As he passed a- 
 
 * The Americans who were imprisoned in Eng 
 land, in the time of war, were treated with much 
 
ALOXZO AND MELISSA 125 
 
 long the different apartments he was surprised at 
 hearing his name called by a faint voice. He turn 
 ed to the place from whence it proceeded, and saw 
 stretched on a mattress, a person who appeared on 
 the point of expiring. His visage was pale and 
 emaciated, his countenance haggard and ghastly, 
 his eyes inexpressive and glazy. He held out his 
 withered hand, and feebly beckoned to Alonzo, who 
 immediately approached him. Mis features appear 
 ed not unfamiliar to Alonzo, but for a moment he 
 could not recollect him. " You do not know me," 
 said the apparently dying stranger. "Beauman!" 
 exclaimed Alonzo, in surprise. " Yes," replied the 
 sick man, " it is Beauman you behold me on the 
 verge of eternity, I have but a short time to contin 
 ue in this world." Alonzo enquired how he came 
 in the power of the enemy. " By the fate of war," 
 he replied; " I was taken in an action on York 
 Island, carried on board a prison-ship in New-York, 
 and sent with a number of others for England. I 
 had received a wound in my thigh, from a musket 
 ball, during the action; the wound mortified, and my 
 thigh was amputated on the voyage; since which I 
 have been rapidly wasting away, and I now feel- 
 that the cold hand of death is laid upon me." Here 
 he became exhausted, and for some time remained 
 silent. Alonzo had not before discovered that he 
 had lost his leg: he now discovered that, it had been 
 taken off close to his body, and that he was worn 
 to a skeleton. When Beauman revived, he enquired 
 into Alonzo s affairs. Alonzo related all that had 
 happened to him after leaving New London. 
 "You are unhappy, Alonzo," said Beauman, "in the 
 
 more humanity than those who were imprisoned at 
 Halifax and other places in America. 
 
126 AXONZO AND MELI8SA- 
 
 dcatL of your Melissa, to which it is possible I have 
 been undesigned ly accessory. I could say much on 
 the subject, would my strength permit; but it is 
 needless. She is gone and I must soon go also. 
 She was sent to her uncle s at Charleston, by her 
 father, where I was soon to follow her. It was sup 
 posed that thus widely removed from all access to 
 your company, she would yield to the persuasion of 
 her vViends to renounce you : her unexpected death, 
 however, frustrated every design of this nature, and 
 overwhelmed her father and family in inexpressible 
 woe." 
 
 Here Beauman ceased. Alonzo found he wanted 
 rest: he enquired whether he was in want of any 
 thing to make him more comfortable. Beauman re 
 plied that he was not: " For the comforts of this 
 life," said he, " I have no relish; medical aid is ap 
 plied, but without effect." Alon/o then left him 
 promising to call again in the morning. 
 
 When ^Alonzo called the next morning, he perceiv 
 ed an alarming alteration in Beaurnan. His extrem 
 ities were cold, a chilling, clammy sweat stood upon 
 his face, his respiration was short and interrupted, 
 his pulse weak and intermitting. He took the hand 
 of Alonzo, and feebly pressing it, " I am dying," 
 said he in a faint voice. " If ever you return to 
 America, inform my friends of my fate." This 
 Alonzo readily engaged to do, and told him also that 
 he would not leave him. 
 
 Beauman soon fell into a stupor; sensation be 
 came suspended; his eyes rolled up and fixed. Some 
 times a partial revival would take place, when he 
 would fall into incoherent muttering, calling on the 
 names of his deceased father, his mother and Melis- 
 ea; his voice dying away in mperfect meanings, till 
 his lips continued to move without sound. Toward* 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 127 
 
 night he lay silent, and only continued to bi eat lie 
 with difficulty, til! a slight convulsion gave the freed 
 spirit to the unknown regions of immaterial existence. 
 Alonzo followed his remains to the grave: a natural 
 stone was placed at his head, on which Alonzo, un 
 observed, carved the initials of the deceased s name, 
 with the date of his death, and left him to mouider 
 with his native dust. 
 
 A few days after this event, Jack Brown informed 
 AlonzO; that he had procured the means of his es 
 cape. A person with whom I am acquainted, said 
 he, and whom I suppose to be a smuggler, has 
 agreed to carry you to France. There, by applica 
 tion to the American minister, you will be enabled 
 *o get. to your own country, if that is your object. 
 About midnight I will pilot you on board, and by to 
 morrow s sun you may be in France." 
 
 At the time appointed, Jack set out, bearing a 
 large trunk on his shoulder, and directed Alonzo to 
 follow him. They proceeded down to a quay, and 
 went or board a small skiff. " Here" said Jack to 
 the capiain, "is the gentleman I spoke to you about," 
 and delivered him the trunk. Then taking Alonzo 
 aside, " in that trunk," said he, " are a few chan 
 ges of linen, and here is something to help you till 
 you can help yourself." So saying, he slipped ten 
 guineas into his hand. Alonzo expressed his grati 
 tude with tears. " Say nothing," said Jack, " we 
 were born to help each other in distress, and may 
 jack never weather a storm or splice a rope, if he 
 permits a fellow creature to suffer with want while 
 ho has a luncheon on board." He then shook 
 Alon/o by the hand, wishi ig him a good voyage, 
 and went whistling away. The skiff soon sailed, 
 and the next morning Alonzo was landed in France. 
 Alonzo proceeded immediately to Paris, not with a 
 
128 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 riew of returning to America; he had no relish fof 
 revisiting the land of his sorrows, the scenes where 
 at every step his heart must bleed afresh, though to 
 bleed it had never coased. But he was friendless in 
 a strange land: perhaps, through the aid of the Amer 
 ican minister^ Dr. Franklin, to whose fame Alonzo 
 was no stranger, he might be placed in a situation 
 to procure bread, which was all he at present hopes? 
 or wished. 
 
 He therefore presented himself before the doctor, 
 whom he found in his study. To be informed that 
 he was an America and unfortunate, was sufficient 
 to arouse the feelings of Franklin. He desired 
 Alonzo to be seated, and to recite his history. This 
 he readily complied with, not concealing his attach 
 ment to Melissa, her father s barbarity, her death in 
 consequence, his own father s failure, with all the 
 particulars of his leaving America, his capture, 
 escape from prison, and arrival in France; as also 
 the town of his nativity, the name of his father, and 
 the particular circumstances of his family; conclud 
 ing by expressing his unconquerable reluctance to 
 return to his native country, which now would be to 
 him only a gloomy wilderness, and that his present 
 object was only some means of support. 
 
 The doctor enquired of Alonzo the particular cir 
 cumstances and time of his father s failure. Of this 
 Alonzo gave him a minute account. Franklin then 
 eat in deep contemplation for the space of fifteen 
 minutes, without speaking a word. He then took 
 his pen, wrote a short note, directed it, and gave it 
 to Alonzo: " Deliver this," said he, " to the per 
 son to whom it is directed; he will find you employ 
 ment, until something more favorable may offer." 
 
 Alonzo look the note, thanked the doctor, and 
 wvsnt in search of the person to whom it was ad- 
 
ALOtfZO AND MELISSA. 12* 
 
 pressed. He soon found the house, which w?s sit 
 uated in one of the most popular streets in Paris. 
 He knocked at the door, which was opened by an 
 elderly looking man: Alonzo enquired for the man 
 to whom the note was addressed. The gentleman 
 informed him that he was the man. Alonzo present 
 ed him the note, which having read, he desired him 
 to walk in and ordered supper. After supper he in 
 formed Alonzo that he was an English bookseller^ 
 that he should employ him as a clerk, and desired 
 to know what wages he demanded. Alonzo replied 
 that he should submit that to him, being unacquaint 
 ed with the customary salary of clerks in that line 
 of business. The gentleman told him that the mat 
 ter should be arranged the next day. His name was 
 Grafton. 
 
 The next morning Mr. Grafton took Alonzo into 
 his bookstore, and gave him his instructions. His 
 business was to sell the books to customers, and a 
 list of prices was given him for that pl rpo^3e. Mr. 
 Grafton counted out twenty crowns and gave them 
 to Alonzo: " You may want some necessaries," said 
 he; * and as you have set no price on your services, 
 we shall not differ about the wages, if you are atten 
 tive and faithful." 
 
 Alonzo gave his employer no reason to complain; 
 nor had he any reason to be discontented with his 
 situation. Mr. Grafton regularly advanced him 
 twenty crowns at the commencement of every month, 
 and boarded him in his family. Alonzo dressed in 
 deep mourning. He sought no company; he found 
 consolation only in solitude, if consolation it could 
 be called. 
 
 As he was walking out early one morning, he dis 
 covered something lying in the street, which he at 
 (JR*. supposed to be a small piece of wlk: he took it 
 * 
 
180 ALONZO AWD MELTSBA. 
 
 up and found it in be a curious wrought purse, con 
 taining a few guineas with some small pieces of sil 
 ver, and something at the bottom carefully wrapped 
 in a pwce of paper; he unfolded it, and was thun 
 derstruck at beholding an elegant miniature of Me 
 lissa . Her sweetly pensive features, her expressive 
 countenance, her soul-enlivening eye! The shock 
 was almost too powerful for his senses. Wildered 
 in a maz.e of wonders, he knew not what to conjec 
 ture. Melissa s minature found in the streets of 
 Paris, after she had sometime been dead! He view 
 ed it, he clasped it to his bosom. " Such," said he, 
 did she appear ere the corroding cankers of grief 
 had blighted her heavenly charms! By what provi 
 dential miracle am I possessed of the likeness, when 
 the original is no more ? What benevolent angel 
 has taken pity on my sufferings, and conveyed to me 
 this inestimable prixe ?" 
 
 But though he had thus become possessed of 
 what he esteemed most valuable, what right had he 
 to withhold it from the lawful owner, could the 
 owner indeed be found ? Perhaps the person who 
 had lost it would part with it: perhaps the money 
 contained in the purse was of more value to that 
 person than the miniature. At any rate, justice re 
 quired that he should endeavor to find to whom it 
 belonged: this he might do by advertising, which he 
 immediately concluded upon, resolving, should the 
 owner appear, to purchase the miniature, if possibly 
 within his power. 
 
 Passing into another street, he saw several hand- 
 billi* stuck up on the walls of houses: stepping up to 
 >n he read as follows: 
 
 Lost, between the hours of nine and ten last 
 evening in the Rue de Loir, a small silk purse, con- 
 a few pieces of money, and a lady s rninia- 
 
ALONZfl AND MELISSA. 181 
 
 ure. One hundred crowns will be given to the per- 
 eon who may have found it, and will restore it to 
 the owner at the American Hotel, near the Louvre, 
 Room No. 4." 
 
 It was printed both in the French and English 
 languages. By the reward here offered, Alonzo was 
 convinced that the miniature belonged to some per- 
 eon who set a value upon it. Determined to expli 
 cate the mystery t he proceeded immediately to the 
 place, found the room mentioned in the bill, and 
 knocked at the door. A servant appeared, of whom 
 Alonzo enquired for the lodger. The servant an 
 swered him in French, which Alonzo did not under 
 stand- he replied in his own language, but found it 
 was unintelligible to the servant. A grave middle 
 aged gentleman then came to the door from within 
 the room and ended their jabbering at each other; 
 he in the English language, desired Alonzo to walk 
 in. It was an apartment neatly furnished; no per 
 son was therein except the gentleman and servant 
 before mentioned, and a person who sat writing in 
 a corner of the room, with his back towards them. 
 
 Alonzo informed the gentleman that he had called 
 according to the direction in a bill of advertisement 
 to enquire for the person who the preceding night, 
 had lost a purse and miniature. The person who 
 was writing had hitherto taken no notice of what 
 passed; but at the sound of Alonzo s voice, after he 
 had entered the room, he started and turned about, 
 and at the mention of the miniature, he rose up. 
 Alonzo fixed his eyes upon him: they both stood for a 
 few moments silent; for a short time their recollec 
 tion was confused and imperfect, but the mists of 
 doubt were soon dissipated. " Edgar!" "Alonzo!" 
 they alternately exclaimed. It was indeed Edgar, 
 the early friend and fellow student of Aionzo th 
 
132 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 : 
 
 brother of Melissa! In an instant they \vere in each 
 other s arms. 
 
 Edgar and Alonzo retired to a separate room. 
 Edgar informed Alonzo that the news of Melissa s 
 death reached him, by a letter from his father, while 
 with the army; that he immediately procured a fur 
 lough, and visited his father, whom, with his mother, 
 he found inconsolable distress. The letter which 
 my uncle had written, said Edgar, announcing her 
 death, mentioned with what patience and placidity 
 she endured her malady, and with what calmness 
 and resignation she met the approach of death. Her 
 last moments, like her whole life, were unruffled and 
 serene. She is in heaven Alonzo she is an angel " 
 -Swelling grief here choaked the utterance of Ed 
 gar; for some time he could proceed no farther, and 
 Alonzo, with bursting bo?om, mingled his tears. 
 
 " My father, resumed Edgar, bent on uniting her 
 to Beaun an or at least of preventing her union with 
 you, had removed her to a desolate family mansion, 
 and placed her under the care of an aunt. At that 
 place, he cither suspected, or really discovered that 
 you had recourse to her w hile my aunt was absent 
 on business. She was therefore no longer entrusted 
 to the care of her aunt, but my father immediately 
 formed and executed the plan of sending her to his 
 brother in South Carolina, under pretence of restor 
 ing her to health by change of climate, as her health 
 in reality had began rapidly to decay. There it was 
 designed that Beauman should shortly follow her, 
 with recommendations from my father to her uncle, 
 urging him to use all possible means which might 
 tend to persuade her to become the wile of Beau 
 man. But change of climate only increased the 
 load of sorrows, and she soon sunk beneath them, 
 The letter mentioned nothing of her troubles : po 
 
ALOKZO AND MELISSA. 1S3 
 
 sibly my uncle s family knew nothing of them to 
 them, probably, 
 
 " She never told her love, 
 
 But sat like Patience on a monument 
 Smiling at grief; while sad concealment, 
 Like a worm in the bud, 
 Fed on her damask cheek. 
 
 " My father s distress was excessive: often did he 
 accuse himself of barbarity, and he once earnestly 
 expressed a wish that he had consented to her union 
 with you. My father, I know, is parsimonious, but 
 he sincerely loved his children. Inflexible as is his 
 nature, the untimely death of a truly affectionate 
 and only daughter will, I much fear precipitate him, 
 and perhaps my mother also, to a speedy grave. 
 
 "As soon as my feelings would permit, I repaired 
 to your father s, and made enquiry concerning you. 
 I found your parents content in their humble state, 
 except that your father had been ill. but was recov 
 ering. Of you they ha-d heard nothing since your 
 departure, and they deeply lamented your absence 
 And from Vincent I could obtain no farther informa 
 tion. 
 
 " Sick of the world I returned <o the army. An 
 American consul was soon to sail for Holland: I 
 solicited and obtained the appointment of secretary. 
 I hoped by visiting distant countries, in some measure 
 to relieve my mind from the deep melancholy with 
 which it was oppressed. We were to proceed first 
 to Paris, where we have been a few days; to-mor 
 row we are to depart for Holland. The consul is 
 the man who introduced you into the room where 
 you found me. 
 
 " Last evening I lost the miniature which I sup 
 pose you to have four 1: the chin to which it was 
 
184 ALONZO ANL MELISSA. 
 
 suspended around my neck, had broken while I wi 
 walking the street, I careful y wrapped it in paper 
 and deposited it in my purse, which I probably drop 
 ped on replacing it in my pocket, and did not dis 
 cover the IOFS until this morning. I immediately 
 made diligent search, but not finding it, I put up 
 bills of advertisement. The likeness was taken in 
 my sister s happiest days. After I had entered upon 
 nuy professional studies in New York, I became ac 
 quainted with a miniature painter, who look my 
 likeness. He afterwards went into the country, and 
 as I found he was to pass near my father s, I engag 
 ed him to call there and take my sister s likeness 
 also. We exchanged them soon after. It was dear 
 to me, even while the original remained; but since 
 she is gone it has become a most precious and val 
 uable relique." 
 
 All the tender powers of Alonzo s soul were call 
 ed into action by Edgar s recital. The " days of 
 other years." The ghosts of sepulchred blessings, 
 passed in painful review. Added to these the pen 
 urious condition of his parent?, his father s recent 
 illness, and his probable inability to procure the 
 bread of his family, all tended more deeply to sink 
 his spirits in the gulf of melancholy and m sery. He 
 however informed Edgar of all that had happened 
 since they parted at Vincent s respecting the old 
 mansion Melissa s extraordinary disappearance 
 therefiom,the manner in v\hich he was informed of her 
 death, his departure from America, capture, escape, 
 Beauman s death, arrival in France, and his finding 
 the miniature. To Edgar as well as Alonzo, Me 
 lissa s sudflen and unaccountable removal from the 
 mansion was mysterious and inexplicable. 
 
 As Edgar was to depart early the next morning, 
 -hey neither slept nor separated that night. 
 
AL03VZO AND MELISSA. 135 
 
 * If it were not for your reluctance to revisit 
 your nathe country," said Edgar, " I should urge 
 you to accompany me to Holland, and thence re 
 turn with me to America. Necessity, and duty re 
 quire that I should not be long absent, as my 
 parents want my assistance, and they are now child 
 less." 
 
 "Suffer me," answered Alonzo, " to bury myself in 
 this city for the present: should I ever again awake 
 to real life, I will seek you out if you are on the 
 earth; but now, I can only be a companion to my 
 miseries." 
 
 The next morning as they were about to depa-rt, 
 Alonzo took Melissa s miniature from his bosom, 
 contemplated the picture a few moments with ardent 
 emotion, and presented it to Edgar. " Keep it," 
 said Edgar, " it is thine. I bestow it upon thee as 
 I would the original, had not death become the rival 
 of thy love, and my affection. Suffer not the sacred 
 symbol too tenderly to renew your sorrows. Hovv 
 swiftly, Alonzo, does this restless life fleet away! 
 Hovv soon shall we pass the barriers of terrestrial 
 existence! let us live worthy of ourselves, of our 
 holy religion, of Melissa Melissa, whom, when a 
 "ew more suns have arisen and set, we shall meet in 
 regions where all tears shall be eternally wiped frum 
 every eve." 
 
 With what jnspeakable sensibilities was it return 
 ed to Alonzo s bosom! Edgar offered Alonzo pecun 
 iary assistance, which the latter refused: * 1 am 
 in business," said he, " which brings me a decent 
 support, and that is suificient." They agreed to 
 write each other as frequently as possible, and then 
 affectionately parted: Edgar sailed for Holland, and 
 Alonzo returned to his business at Mr. Grafton s. 
 
 Some time after this Alonzo received a message 
 
136 ALONZO AND MELISSA- 
 
 from Dr. Franklin, requiring his attendance at hi* 
 house, which summons he immediately obeyed. The 
 doctor introduced him into his study, and after being 
 seated, he earnestly viewed Alonzo for some time, 
 and thus addressed him: 
 
 * Young man, your views, your resolutions, and 
 your present conduct, are totally wrong. Disap 
 pointment, you say, has driven you from your native 
 country. Disappointment in what ? In obtaining the 
 object on which you most doated. And suppose this 
 object had been obtained, would your happiness 
 have been complete ? Your own reason, if vou 
 cooly consult it, will convince you of the contrary. 
 Do you not remember when an infant, how you 
 cried, and teamed your nurse, or your parents, for a 
 rattle, or some gay trinket ? Your whole soul was 
 fixed upon the enchanting bauble; but when obtain 
 ed, you soon cast it away, and sighed as earnestly 
 for some other trifle, some new toy. Thus it is 
 through life; the fancied value of an object ceases 
 with the attainment; it becomes familiar, and its 
 charm is lost. 
 
 " Was it the splendors of beauty which enraptur 
 ed you ? Sickness may, and age must destroy the 
 symmetry of the most finished form the brilliancy 
 of the finest features. Was it the graces of the 
 . mind ? I tell you, that by familiarity, these allure 
 ments are lost, and the mind, left vacant, turns to 
 some other source to supp y vacuum, 
 \ " Stripped of all their intrinsic value, how poor, 
 how vain, and how worthless, are those things we 
 name pleasures, and enjoyments! 
 
 * Besides, the attainment of your wishes might 
 have been the death of your hopes. If my reason 
 ing is correct, the ardency of your passion might 
 have closed with the pursuit. An every day suit, 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 137 
 
 however rich and costly the texture, is soon worn 
 thre? dbare. On your part, indifference would con 
 sequently succeeJ; on the part of your partner, dis- 
 i^pointment, jealousy, and disgust. What might 
 ;.io-.v is needless for me to name; your soul must 
 Vjdder at the idea of conjugal infidelity! 
 
 " But admitting the most favorable consequences; 
 irn the brightest side of the picture; admitting as 
 nuch happiness as the connubial state will allow: 
 now might your bosom have been wounded by the 
 sickness and death of your children, or their disorder- 
 dorly and disobedient conduct! You must know 
 also, that the warmth of youthful passion must soon 
 (.ease, and it is merely a hazardous chance whether 
 friendship will supply the absence of affection. 
 
 * After all, my young friend, it will be well for 
 you to consider, whether the all-wise dispensing 
 hand of Providence, has not directed this matter 
 which you esteem so great an afKictio-n, for your 
 greatest good, and most essential advantage. And 
 suiler me to tell you, that in all my observations on 
 life, I have always found that those connections 
 which were formed from inordinate passion, or what 
 some would call pure affection, have been ever the 
 most unhappy. Exami^o the varied circles of so 
 ciety, you will there see this axiom demonstrated 
 you will there see how few among the sentimentally 
 refined are even apparently at ease; while thost, in 
 susceptible of what you name tender attachments, 
 or who receive them only as things of course, plod 
 on through life, without even experiencing the least 
 inconvenience from a want of the pleasures they are 
 supposed to bestow, or the pains they sure to create. 
 Beware, then, my son, beware of yielding the heart 
 to the effeminacies of passion. Exquisite sensibili- 
 tie are evtr subject to exquisite inquietudes. Coun- 
 
138 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 sel with correct reason, place entire dependence on 
 the SUPREME, and the triumph of fortitude and re 
 signation will be yours." 
 
 Franklin paused. His reasonings, however they 
 convinced the understanding, could not heal the 
 wounds of Alonzo s bosom. In Melissa he looked 
 (or as as much happiness as earth could afford, noi 
 could he see any prospect in life which could repaii 
 the loss he had sustained. 
 
 " You have," resumed the philosopher, "deserted 
 an indulgent father, a fond and tender mother, who 
 must want your aid; now, perhaps, unable to toil 
 for bread; now, possibly laid upon the bed of sick 
 ness, calling, in anguish or delirium, for the filial 
 
 hand of their only son to administer relief." All 
 
 the parental feelings of Alonzo were now called 
 
 into poignant action. " You have left a country, 
 
 bleeding at every pore, desolated by the ravages of 
 war, wrecked by the thunders of battle, her heroes 
 slain, her children captured. This country asks 
 she demands you owe her your services: God and 
 nature call upon you to defend her, while here you 
 bury yourself in inglorious inactivity, pining for a 
 hapless object, which, by all your lamentations, you 
 can never bring back to the regions of mortality." 
 
 This aroused the patriotic flame in the bosom of 
 Alonzo, and he voluntarily exclaimed, " I will go to 
 the relief of my parents I will fly to the defence ot 
 my country!" 
 
 " In former days," continued Franklin, " I was 
 well acquainted wilh your father. As soon as you 
 informed me of his failure, I wrote to my correspon 
 dent in England, and found, as I expected, that he 
 had been overreached by swindlers and sharpers. 
 
 . The pretended failure of the merchants with 
 
 whom he was in company, was all a sham, as, also 
 
ALONZO AJVD MELISSA. 139 
 
 the reported loss of the ships in their employ. The 
 merchants fled to England: I have had them arrest 
 ed, and they have given up their effects to much 
 more than the amount of their debts. I have there 
 fore procured a reversion of your father s losses, 
 which, with costs, damages, and interests, when 
 legally stated, he will receive of my agent in Phila 
 delphia, to whom I shall transmit sufficient docu 
 ments by you, and I shall advance you a sum equal 
 to the expenses of your voyage, which will he liqui 
 dated by the said agent. A ship sails in a few days 
 from Havre, for Savannah in Georgia: it would, in 
 deed, be more convenient were she bound to some 
 more northern port, but I know of no other which 
 wil! sail for any part of America for some time. In 
 her therefore I would advise you to take passage: it 
 is not very material on what part of the continent 
 you are landed; you will soon reach Philadelphia, 
 transact your business, restore your father to his 
 property, and be ready to serve your country." 
 
 If any thing could have given Alonzo consolation, 
 it must have been this noble, generous and disinter 
 ested conduct of the great Franklin in favor of hig 
 father, by which his family were restored to ease 
 and to independence. Ah! had this but happened 
 in time to save a life far dearer than his own! Tho 
 reflection was too painful. The idea, however, of 
 giving joy to his aged parents, hastened his depart 
 ure. Furnished with proper documents and creden 
 tials from Franklin, his benefactor, he took leave of 
 him, with the warmest expressions of gratitude, as 
 also of Mr. Grafton, and sailed for Savannah, where 
 he arrived in about eight weeks. 
 
 Intent on his purpose, he immediately purchased 
 a carriage and proceeded on for Philadelphia. As 
 he approached Charleston, his bosom swelled with 
 
140 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 mournful recollections. He arrived in that city in 
 the aftornoon, and at evening he walked out, and 
 entered a little ale house, which stood near the large 
 burial ground. An elderly woman and two small 
 children were the only persons in the house, except 
 himself. After calling for a pint of ale, he enquired 
 
 :>f the old lady, if Col. D , (Melissa s uncle) did 
 
 not live near the city. She informed him that he 
 resided about a mile from the town, where he had 
 an elegant scat, and that he was very rich. 
 
 "Was there not a young lady," asked Alonzo, 
 ** who died there about eighteen months ago ?" 
 
 " La me!" said she, " did you l:no\v her ? Yes ; 
 and a sweeter or more handsome lady the sun never 
 shined on. And then she was so good, so patient 
 in her sickness. Poor, dear distressed girl, she pined 
 away to skin and bones before she died. She was 
 
 not Col. D s daughter, only somehow related: 
 
 she came here in hopes that a change of air might 
 do her good. She came from la me! I cannot 
 think of the name of the place; it is a crabbed name 
 though. " 
 
 "Connecticut, was it not ?" said Alonzo. 
 
 " yes, that was it," replied she. " Dear me! 
 then you knew her, did you, sir? Well, we have 
 not her like left in Charleston, that we han t; and 
 then there was such ado at her funeral; five hun 
 dred people, I dare say, with eight young iadies for 
 pall-bearers, all dressed in white, with black ribbons, 
 and all the bells tolling." 
 
 " Where we.s she buried ?" enquired Alonzo. 
 
 ** In the church-yard right before our door," she 
 answered. " My husband is the sexton; he put up 
 
 ner large white marble tomb-stones; they are 
 
 .he largest and whitest in the whole bury ing-ground, 
 
A.LDNZO AND MELISSA. 141 
 
 End so, indeed, they ought to be, for never was there 
 a person who deserved them more." 
 
 Tired with the old woman s garrulity, and with a 
 bosom bursting with anguish, Alonzo paid for his ale 
 without drinking it, bade her good night and slowly 
 proceeded to the church-yard. The moon, in full 
 lustre, shone with solemn, silvery ray, on the sacred 
 piles, and funeral monuments of the sacred dead 
 the wind murmured mournfully among the weeping 
 willows; a solitary nightingale* sang plaintively in 
 the distant forest; and a whippoorwill, Melissa s fa 
 vorite bird, whistled near the portico of the church. 
 The large white tomb-stones soon caught the eye of 
 Alonzo. He approached them with tremulous step, 
 and with feelings too agitated for description. On 
 the head-stone he read as follows: 
 
 SACRED 
 
 To the Memory of inestimable departed Worth; 
 To unrivalled Excellence and Virtue. 
 
 MISS MELISSA D , 
 
 Whose remains are deposited here, and 
 whose ethereal part became a seraph, 
 
 October 26, 1776. 
 
 In the 18th year of her age. 
 
 Alonzo bent, kneeled, he prostrated himself, he 
 
 clasped the green turf which enclosed her grave, ha 
 
 watered it with his tears, he warmed it with his 
 
 sighs. Where art thou, bright beam of heavenly 
 
 light!" he said. "Come to my troubled soul, blessed 
 
 spirit! Come, holy shade! come in all thy native 
 
 loveliness, and cheer the bosom of wretchedness by 
 
 thy grief dispersing smile! On the ray of yon eve- 
 
 * This bird, though not an inhabitant of the 
 northern states, is frequently to be met with in 
 Georgia and the Carolinas. 
 
142 AL.ONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 ning star descend. One moment leave the celestial 
 regions of glory leave, one moment, thy sister be 
 atitudes, aid glide, in entrancing beauty, before me! 
 \vave, benignly wave, thy white hand, and assuage 
 the anguish of despairing sorrow! Alas! in vain 
 my invocation! A curtain, impenetrable, is drawn 
 betwixt me arid thee, only to be disclosed by the 
 dissolution of nature." 
 
 He arose and walked away: suddenly he stopped. 
 "Yet," said he, " if spirits departed lose not the 
 power of recollection; if they have knowledge of 
 present events on earth, Melissa cannot have for 
 gotten me she must pity me." He returned to the 
 grave; he took her miniature from his bosom; he 
 held it up, and earnestly viewed it by the moon s 
 pale ray. 
 
 "Ah, Franklin!" he exclaimed, "how tenderly does 
 she beam her lovely eye upon rne! How often have 
 I drank delicious ecsiacy from the delicacy of those 
 unrivalled charms! How often have they taught 
 me to anticipate superlative and uninterrupted bliss! 
 Mistaken and delusive hope! [returning the minia 
 ture to his bosom. ] Vain and presumptuous assur 
 ance. Then [pointing to the grave] there behold 
 how my dearest wishes, my fondest expectations are 
 realized! Hallowed turf! lie lightly on her bo 
 som! Sacred willows! sprinkle the dews gently 
 over her grave, while the mourning breezes sigh 
 sadly amid your branches! Here may the <; widow 
 ed wild rose love to bloom!" Here may the first 
 placid beams of morning delight to linger; from 
 hence, the evening ray reluctantly withdraw! And 
 when the final trump shall renovate and arouse the 
 sleeping saint; when on " buoyant step" she soars 
 to glory, nay our meeting spirits join in beatille 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 148 
 
 transport! May my enraptured ear catch the first 
 holy whispers of her consecrated lips." 
 
 Alonzo having thus poured out the effusions of an 
 overcharged heart, pensively returned to the inn, 
 which he entered and seated himself in the common 
 room, in deep contemplation. As usual at public 
 inns, a number of people were in the room, among 
 whom were several officers of the American army 
 Alonzo was too deeply absorbed in melancholy re 
 flection, to notice passing incidents, until a young 
 officer came, seated himself by him, and entered 
 mto conversation respecting the events of the war. 
 He appeared to be about Alonzo s age; his person 
 was interesting, his manners sprightly, his observa 
 tions correct. Alonzo was, in some degree, aroused 
 from his abstractedness; the manners of the stran 
 ger pleased him. His frankness, his ease, his under 
 standing, his urbanity, void of vanity, or sophistica 
 tion, sympathetically caught the feelings of Alonzo, 
 and he even felt a sort of solemn regret when the 
 stranger departed. He soon retired to bed, deter 
 mining to proceed early the next morning. 
 
 He arose about daylight; the horizon was over 
 cast, and it had begun to rain, which before sun 
 rise had increased to a violent storm. He found 
 therefore that he must content himself to stay until 
 it was over, which did not happen till near nigrt 
 and too late to pursue his journey. He was inform 
 ed by the inn-keeper, that the theatre, which had 
 been closed since the commencement of the war, 
 was to be opened that night only, with the tragedy 
 of Gustavus, and close with a representation of 
 Burgoyne s capture, and some other recent events of 
 the American war. To " wing the hours with 
 wifter speed," Alonzo determined to go to the 
 theatre,and at the hour appointed he repaired thither 
 
144 AJ^ONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 As ho was proceeding to take his seat, he passed 
 tUe box where sat the young officer, whose manners 
 had so prepossessed him the preceding evening at 
 the inn. He immediately arose: they exchanged 
 salutations, and Alonzo walked on and took his seat. 
 The evening was warm, and the house exceedingly 
 crowded. After the tragedy was through, and be 
 fore the afterpiece commenced, the young officer 
 cam*" lo Alonzo s box, and made some remarks on 
 tne merit of the actors. While they were discours 
 ing, a bustle took place in one part of the house, 
 and several people gathered around a box, at a little 
 distance from them. The officer turned, left Alonzo, 
 and hastened to the place. To the general inquiry, 
 * what s the matter ?" it was answered, that "& 
 lady had fainted." She was led out, and the tumult 
 subsided. 
 
 As soon as the after-piece was closed, Alonzo re 
 turned to the inn. As he passed along he cast his 
 eyes toward the church-yard, where laid the " with- 
 er d blessings of his richest joys." Affection, pas 
 sion, inclination, urged him to go and breathe a 
 farewell sigh, to drop a final tear over the grave of 
 Melissa. Discretion, reason, wisdom forbade it 
 forbade that he re-pierce the ten thousand wounds 
 of his bosom, by the acute revival of unavailing 
 sorrows, he hurried to his chamber. 
 
 As he prepared to retire to rest, he saw a book 
 lying on the table near his bed. On taking it up he 
 found it to be Young s Night Thoughts, a book 
 which, in happier days, had been the solace of many 
 a gloomy, many a lucid hour. He took it up and 
 the first lines he cast his eyes upon were the follow* 
 ing: 
 
 " Song, beauty, love, virtue, joy: this group 
 
 Of bright ideas flowers of Paradise, 
 
ALOXZO AND MEMSS i. 145 
 
 As yet a forfeit! in one blaze we bind. 
 
 Kneel, and present it to the skies; as all 
 
 We guess of heaven! And these were all her own. 
 And she was mine, and I was was most blest 
 Like blossom d trees, o erturned bv vernal storm, 
 
 Lovely in death the beauteous ruin lav 
 
 Ye that e er lost an angel, pity me." 
 
 His tears fell fast upon the book . He replaced it 
 and flung himself into bed. Sleep was far from him; 
 he closed not his eyes till the portals of light were 
 unbarred in the east, when he fell into interrupted 
 clumbers. 
 
 When he awoke, the morning was considerably 
 advanced. He arose. One consolation was yet left 
 to see his parents happy. He went down to order 
 his carriage; his favorite stranger, the young officer, 
 was in waiting, and requested a private interview. 
 They immediately retired to a separate room, when 
 tho stranger thus addressed Alonzo: 
 
 " From our short acquaintance, you may sir, con 
 sider it singular that I should attempt to scrutinize 
 your private concerns, and more extraordinary you 
 may esteem it, when I inform you of my reasons for 
 so doing. Judging, however, from appearances, I 
 have no doubt of your candor. If my questions 
 should be deemed improper, you will tell me so." 
 
 Alonzo assured him he would treat him candidly. 
 * This I believe," said the young officer; " I take 
 the liberty therefore to ask if you are an American?" 
 
 " I am," answered Alonzo. " I presume," 
 
 said the stranger " the question is a delicate one 
 I presume your family is respectable ?" " Sacredly 
 BO," replied Alonzo. " Are you married, sir ?" ** I 
 am not, and have ever been single." * Have you 
 any prospects of connecting in marriage?" * I 
 
146 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 have not, sir." " I may then safely proceed," paid 
 the stranger; " I trust you will hear me attentively; 
 you will judge maturely; you will decide correctly, 
 and I am confident that you will answer me sin 
 cerely. 
 
 " A young lady of this city, with whom I am [I 
 well acquainted, and to whom, indeed, I am distant 
 ly related, whose father is affuent, whose connec 
 tions are eminently respectable, whose manners are 
 engaging 1 , whose mind is virtue, whose elegance ot 
 form and personal beauty defy competition, is the 
 cause, sir, of this mission. Early introduced into 
 the higher walks of life, she has passed the rounds 
 of fashionable company; numberless suitors sighed 
 for her hand, whom she complaisantlv dismissed 
 without disobliging, as her heart had not yet been 
 touched by the tender passion of love. Surprising 
 as it may, however, seem, it is now about six months 
 since she saw in her dream the youth who possessed 
 the power to inspire her with this passion. In her 
 dream she saw a young gentleman whose interesting 
 manners and appearance, impressed her so deeply 
 that she found she must be unhappy without him. 
 She thought it was in a mixed company she saw 
 him, but that she could not get an opportunity to 
 speak to him. It seemed that if she could but speak 
 to him, all difficulties would at once be removed. 
 At length he approached her, and just as he was a- 
 bout to address her, she awoke. 
 
 " This extraordinary dream she had communica 
 ted to several of her acquaintance. Confident that 
 she should some time or other behold the real per 
 son whose semblance she had seen in her dream, 
 she has never since been perfectly at, ease in her 
 mind. Her father who has but two children, ono 
 bceidu herauJf, being dotiagly fond of her, has proui* 
 
* ALONZO AND MELISSA. 147 
 
 ised that if ever she meets this unknown stranger, 
 he will not oppose their union, provided he is re 
 spectable, and that, if worthy of her hand he will 
 make him independent. 
 
 On my return from the inn the evening I first saw 
 you, I told my sister I beg pardon, sir I was 
 wandering from my subject after I first met you at 
 the inn, I fell in company with the lady, and in a 
 rallying way told her that I had seen her nivisible 
 beau, as wo used to call the gentleman of the dream. 
 I superficially described your person and descanted 
 a little on the embellishments of your mind. She 
 listened with some curiosity and attention; but I 
 had so often jested with her in this manner, that she 
 thought little of it. At the play last night, I had 
 just been speaking to her when I came to your box; 
 her eyes f >llowcd me, but no sooner had they rested 
 on you, than she fainted! This was the cause ot 
 my leaving you so abruptly, and not returning. We 
 conveyed her home, when she informed me that you 
 was the person she had seen in her dream! 
 
 " To me only, she preferred disclosing the cir 
 cumstance at present, for reasons which must be 
 obvious to your understanding. Even her father 
 and mother are not informed of it, and should my 
 mission prove unsuccessful, none except you, sir, she 
 and myself, I hope and trust, will ever know any 
 thing of the matter. 
 
 * Now, sir, it is necessary farther to explain. As 
 sinrular as the circumstances which I have related 
 may appear to you, to me they uiust appear as 
 strange. One valuable purpose is, however, answer 
 ed thereby; it will exclude the imputation of capri- 
 ciousness the freakish whim of love at first sight, 
 which exists only in novels and romances. You, sir, 
 are young, unmarried, unaffianced, your affections 
 
148 ALOIV/O AND MELISSA. 
 
 free: such is the condition of the lad* 3he inquires 
 not into the state of your property . .sfte asks not 
 riches : if she obtains the object of her choice, on 
 him, as 1 have told you, will her father bestow af 
 fluence. Whatever, sir, may be your preten 
 sions to eminence, and they may be many, the lady 
 is not your inferior. Her education also is such aa 
 would do honor to a gentleman of taste. 
 
 * I will not extend my remarks; you perfectly 
 understand me what answer shall I return?" 
 
 Alonzo sighed: for a few moments he was silent. 
 
 ** Perhaps, said the stranger, you may consider 
 the mode of this message as bearing the appear 
 ance of indecorum. If so, I presume, on reviewing 
 the incidents which to which enforced it, as the 
 most safe, the only means of sure communication, 
 you will change your opinion. Probably you would 
 not wish finally to decide until you have visited the 
 lady. This was my expectation, and I am, therefore, 
 ready to introduce you to her presence." 
 
 " No, sir," said Alonzo, " so far from considering 
 the message indecorous, I esteem it a peculiar honor, 
 both as respects the lady and yourself. Nor is it 
 necessary that I should visit the lady, to confirm the 
 truth of what you have related. You will not, sir, 
 receive it as an adulatory compliment, when I say, 
 that although our acquaintance is short, yet my con 
 fidence in your integrity is such as to require no cor 
 roborating facts to establish your declaration. But, 
 sir, there are obstacles insuperable obstacles, to 
 the execution of the measures you would propose. 
 
 * Your frankness to me, demands, on my part, 
 equal candor. I assured you that I was unmarried, 
 and had no prospect of entering into matrimonial 
 engagements; this is indeed the fact: but it is also 
 true that my affections my first, my earliest aifeo 
 
ALOXZO AND MELISSA. 149 
 
 lions were engaged, unaiienably engaged, to an ob 
 ject which is now no more. Perhaps you may es 
 teem it sirjgular; perhaps you will consider it enthu 
 siasm; but, sir, it is impossible that my heart should 
 admit a second and similar impression.* 
 
 The stranger paused. " Recent disappointments 
 of this nature," he replied, * commonly leave the 
 mind under such gloomy influences. Time, how 
 ever, the soother of severest woes, will, though 
 slowly, yet surely, disperse the clouds of anguish, 
 and the rays of comfort and consolation will beam 
 upon the soul. I wish not to be considered impor 
 tunate, but the day may arrive when you may change 
 your present determination, and then will you not 
 regret that you refused so advantageous an over 
 ture >" 
 
 " That day will never arrive, sir," answered 
 Alonzo: " I have had time for deliberate reflection 
 since the melancholy event took place. I have ex 
 perienced a sufficient change of objects and country; 
 the effect is the same. The wound is still recent, 
 and so it will ever remain: indeed I cannot wish it 
 otherwise. There is a rich and sacred solemnity in 
 my sorrows, sir, which I would not exchange for the 
 most splendid acquirements of wealth, or the most 
 dignified titles of fame." 
 
 The young officer sat for some time silent. " Well 
 sir," he said, " since it is thus, seeing that these 
 things are so, I will urge you no farther. You will 
 pardon me respecting the part I have taken in this 
 business, since it was with the purest designs. May 
 consolation, comfort, and happiness, yet be yours." 
 
 "To you and your fair friend," said Alonzo, " I 
 consider myself under the highest obligations. The 
 gratitude I . eel, I car, but feebly express. Believe me 
 
150 ALOJTZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 sir, when 1 tell you, (and it is all I can say,) that 
 your ingenuous conduct has left impressions in my 
 bosom which can never be obliterated." 
 
 The stranger held out his hand, which Alonzo 
 ardently grasped. They were silent, but their eyes 
 spoke sympathy, and they parted. 
 
 Alonzo immediately prepared, and was soon ready 
 to depart. As he was stepping into l.is carriage, he 
 saw the young officer returning. As he came up, 
 11 I must detain you a few moments longer," he said, 
 * and I will give you no farther trouble. You vvilf 
 recollect that the lady about whom I have so much 
 teazed you, when she became acquainted with you 
 in her dream, believed that if she could speak with 
 you, all difficulties would be removed. Conscious 
 that this may be the case, (for with all her accom 
 plishments she is a little superstitious,) she desires 
 to see you. You have nothing to fear, sir; she 
 would not for the world yield you her hand, unless 
 in return you could give her your heart. Nor was 
 she willing you should know that she made tin s re 
 quest, but wished me to introduce you, as it were by 
 stratagem. Confident, however, that you would 
 thus far yield to the caprice of a lady, I chose to 
 tell you the truth. She resides near by, and it will 
 not hinder you long." 
 
 ** It is capriciousness in the extreme," thought 
 Alonzo; but he told the stranger he would accom 
 pany him who immediately stepped into the car 
 riage, and they drove, by his direction, to an elegant 
 house in a street at a little distance, and alighted. 
 As they entered the house, a servant, handed tho 
 stranger a note, which he hastily looked over: "Tell 
 the gentleman I will wait on him in a moment," 
 paid he to the servant, who instantly withdrew. 
 Turning to Alonzo, " a person is in waiting," said 
 
A.LONZO AND MELISSA.. 151 
 
 he, " on urgent business; excuse me, therefore, if it 
 is with reluctance; I retire a few moments, after I 
 have announced you; I will soon again be with 
 you." 
 
 They then ascended a flight of stairs: the stran 
 ger opened the door of a chamber " The gentle 
 man I mentioned to vou, madam," he said. Alonzo 
 entered; the stranger closed the door and retired. 
 The lady was sitting by a window at the lower end 
 jf the room, but arose as Alonzo was announced. 
 She was dressed in sky-blue silk, embroidered with 
 spangled lace; a gemmed tiara gathered her hair, 
 from which was suspended a green veil, according to 
 the mode of those times; a silken girdle, with dia 
 mond clasps, surrounded her waist, and a brilliant 
 sparkled upon her bosom. The stranger s de 
 scription was not exaggerated, thought Alonzo; for, 
 except one,I have never seen a more elegant figure: 
 and he almost wished the veil removed, that he 
 might behold her features. 
 
 " You will please to be seated, sir," she said, "I 
 know not how I feel an inconceivable diffidence in 
 making an excuse for the inconveniences rny silly 
 caprices have given you." 
 
 Enchanting melody was in her voice! Alonzo 
 knew not why, but it thrilled his bosom, electrified 
 his soul, and vibrated every nerve of his heart. Con 
 fused and hurried sensations, melancholy, yet pleas- 
 .ng; transporting as the recurrence of youthful joys, 
 enrapturing as dreams of early childhood, passed in 
 rapid succession over his imagination! 
 
 She advanced towards him and turned aside her 1 
 veil. Her eyes were suffused, and tears streamed 
 down her cheeks, Alonzo started his whole frame 
 shook be gasped for breath! ** Melissa!" he con- 
 
152 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 vulsively exclaimed, God of infinite wonders, it is 
 Melissa!" 
 
 Again will the incidents of our history produce a 
 pause. Our sentimental readers will experience a 
 recurrence of sympathetic sensibilities, and will at 
 tend more eagerly to the final scene of our drama. 
 
 " Melissa alive!" may they say " impossible ! 
 
 Did not Alonzo see her death in the public prints ? 
 Did not her cousin at New London inform him of 
 the circumstances, and was he not in mourning ? 
 Did not the dying Beauman confirm the melancholy 
 fact ? And was not the unquestionable testimony 
 of her brother Edgar sufficient to seal the truth of 
 all this ? Did not the sexton s wife who knew not 
 Alonzo corroborate it ? And did not Alonzo finally 
 read her name, her age, and the time of her death, 
 on her tomb-stone, which exactly accorded with the 
 publication of her death in the papers, and his own 
 knowledge of her age ? And is not this sufficient 
 to prove, clearly and incontestibly prove, that she ia 
 dead ? And yet here she is again, in e.ll her primi 
 tive beauty and splendor! No, this surely can never 
 be. However the author may succeed in his de 
 scription, in painting reanimated nature, he is no 
 magician, or if he is, he cannot raise the dead. 
 f- " Melissa has long since mouldered into dust, and 
 he has raised up some female Martin Guerre, or 
 Thomas Hoag some person, from whose near re 
 semblance to the deceased, he thinks to impose up 
 on us and upon Alonzo also, for Melissa. But it 
 will not do; it must be the identical Melissa herself, 
 or it might as well be her likeness in a marble statue. 
 What! can Alonzo realize the delicacies, the tender 
 ness, the blandishments of Melissa in another ? Can 
 her substitute point him to the rock on New London 
 k tjaeh, the bower of her favorite hill, or so feelingly 
 
ALONZO AND MELI4SA. 15S 
 
 describe the charms of nature ? Can he, indeed, 
 find in her representative those alluring graces, that 
 pensive sweetness, those unrivalled virtues and 
 matchless worth which he found in Melissa, and 
 which attracted, fixed and secured the youngest af 
 fections of his soul ? Impossible! Or could the 
 
 author even make it out that Alonzo was deceived 
 by a person so nearly resembling Melissa that he 
 could not distinguish the difference, yet to his read 
 ers he must unveil the deception, and, of course, the 
 story will end in disappointment; it will leave an un 
 pleasant and disagreeable impression on the mind of 
 the reader, which in novel writing is certainly wrong. 
 It is proved, as clearly as facts can prove, that 
 he has suffered Melissa to die; and since she is 
 dead, it is totally beyond his power to bring her to 
 
 life and so his history is intrinsically good for 
 
 nothing." 
 
 Be not quite so hasty, my zealous censor. Did 
 we not tell you that we were detailing facts ? Shall 
 we disguise or discolor truth to please your taste ? 
 Have we not told you that disappointments are the 
 lot of life ? Have we not, according to the advice 
 of the moralist, led Alonzo to the temple of philoso 
 phy, the shrine of reason, and the sanctuary of re 
 ligion ? If all these fail if in these Alonzo cannot 
 find a balsam sufficient to heal his wounded bosom; 
 then if. in despite of graves and tomb-stones, Me 
 lissa will come to his relief will pour the balm of 
 
 consolation over his anguished soul, cynical critic, 
 can the author help it ? 
 
 It was indeed Melissa, the identical Melissa, whom 
 Alonzo ascended a tree to catch a last glimpse of, as 
 she walked up the avenue to the old mansion, after 
 they had parted at the draw-bridge, on the morning 
 of the day when she was so mysteriously removed. 
 
154 ALCNZO AN1> MEi,ISSA. 
 
 Melissa!" " Alonzo!" were all they 
 
 could articulate: and frown not, my fair readers, if 
 we tell you that she was instantly in his arms, while 
 he pressed his ardent lips to her glowing cheek. 
 
 Sneer not, ye callous hearted insensibles, ye fas 
 tidious prudes, if we inform you that their tears fell 
 in one intermingling shower, that their sighs wafted 
 in one blended breeze. 
 
 The sudden opening of the door, aroused them to 
 a sense of their improper situation; for who but 
 must consider it improper to find a young lady lock 
 ed in the arms of a gentleman to whom she had 
 just been introduced ? The opening of the door, 
 therefore, caused them quickly to change their po 
 sition: not so hastily, however, but that the young 
 officer who then entered the room had a glimpse of 
 
 their situation. " Aha!" said he, " have I caught 
 
 you ? Is my philosophic Plato so soon metamor 
 phosed to a bon ton enamarato ? But a few hours 
 ago, sir, and you were proof against the whole 
 arena of beauty, and all the artillery of the graces; 
 but no sooner are you for one moment tetc a tete 
 with a fashionable belle, than your heroism and your 
 resolutions are vanquished, your former ties dissolved 
 and your deceased charmer totally forgotten or neg 
 lected, by the virtue of a single glance. Well, so 
 it. is: Jlmor vincit omnia is my motlo; to thee all 
 conquering beauty, our firmest determinations must 
 bow. I cannot censure you for discovering, though 
 late, that one living object is really of roore intrinsic 
 value than two dead ones. Indeed, sir, I cannot but 
 applaud your determination." 
 
 " The laws of honor," said Alonzo, " smiling, 
 compel me to submit to become the subject of your 
 raillery and deception; I am in your power." 
 
 " I acknowledge," said the officer, * that I hav 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 155 
 
 a little deceived you, my story was fiction founded 
 on truth the novel style: hut for the deceptive part, 
 you may thank your little gipsey of a nymph there, 
 pointing to Melissa; she planned and I executed." 
 
 " How ready you gentlemen are," replied Melissa, 
 " when accused of impropriety to cast the blame on 
 the defenceless! So it was with our first parents, 
 and so it is still. But you must remember that A 
 lonzo is yet to hear my story; there, sir, I have the 
 advantage of you." 
 
 " Then I confess," said he, looking at Alonzo, 
 " you will be too hard (or me, and so I will say no 
 more about it." 
 
 Melissa then introduced the young officer to A 
 lonzo, by the appellation of Capt. Wilmot. " He is 
 the son of my deceased uncle," said she, " a cousin 
 to whom I am much indebted, as you shall hereafter 
 know." 
 
 A coach drove up to the door, which Melissa in 
 formed Alonzo was her uncle s and was sent to con 
 vey Alfred and her home. " You will have no ob 
 jection to breakfast with me at my uncle s," said 
 Alfred, " if it be only to keep our cousin Melissa in 
 countenance." 
 
 Alonzo did not hesitate to accept the invitation 
 They immediately therefore entered the coach, a 
 servant took care of Alonzo s carriage, and they 
 drove to the seat of Col. D , who, with his fam 
 ily, received Alonzo with much friendship and po 
 liteness. Alfred had apprized them of Alonzo s 
 arrival in town, and of course he was expected. 
 
 Col. D was about fifty years old, his manners 
 
 were majestically grave and commanding, yet pol 
 ished and polite. His family consisted of an amiable 
 wife considerably younger than himself, and three 
 children j the eldest son, about ten years rf age, and 
 
156 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 two daughters, one seven, the other four years old. 
 Harmony and cheerfulness reigned in his family, 
 which diffused tranquility and ease to its members 
 and its guests. 
 
 It was agreed that Alonzo should pass a few days 
 at the house of Melissa s uncle when Melissa Vvas 
 to accompany him to Connecticut. Alfred, with 
 some other officers, was recruiting for the army, 
 where his regiment then lay, and which he was 
 shortly to join. He could not, therefore, be con 
 stantly at his uncle s, though he was principally 
 there while Alonzo staid: but being absent the day 
 after his arrival, Melissa and Alonzo having retired to 
 a room separate from the family, she gave him the 
 following account of what happened after they had 
 parted at the old mansion. 
 
 "The morning after you left me," she said, "John 
 came to the bridge and called to be let in: 1 im 
 mediately went to the gate, opened it, and letdown 
 the bridge. John informed me that my aunt had 
 suddenly and unexpectedly arrived that morning in 
 company with a strange gentleman, and that he had 
 come for the keys, as my aunt was to visit the man 
 sion that day. I strove to persuade John to leave 
 the keys in my possession, and that I would make 
 all easy with my aunt when she arrived. This, though 
 with much reluctance, he at length consented to, 
 and departed. Soon after this my aunt came, and 
 without much ceremony demanded the keys, insinu 
 ating that I had obtained them from John by impo 
 sition, and for the basest purposes. This aroused 
 me to indignation, and I answered by informing her 
 that whatever purposes the persecution and cruelty 
 of my family had compelled me to adopt, "my con* 
 science,under present circumstances approved them, 
 and I refused to give her the keys. She then order 
 
ALONZO AND MEL.ISSA. 157 
 
 cd me to prepare to leave the mansion, and accom 
 pany her to her residence at the house of John. 1 
 told her that I had been placed there by my father, 
 and should not consent to a removal unless by his 
 express orders. She then left me, intimating that 
 she would soon let me know that her authority \vaa 
 not to be thus trampled upon with impunity. 
 
 " I immediately raised the bridge, and made fast 
 the gate, determining, on no consideration?, to suf 
 fer it to be opened until evening. The day passed 
 away without any occurrence worthy of note, and 
 as soon as it was da"rk, I went, opened the gate, and 
 cautiously let down the bridge. I then returned to 
 the mansion, and placed the candle, as we had con 
 certed, at the window. Shortly after I heard a car 
 riage roll over the bridge and proceed up the ave 
 nue. My heart fluttered; I wished I hardly knew 
 what I did wish; but I feared I was about to act im 
 properly, as I had no other idea but that it was you, 
 Alonzo, who was approaching. The carriage stop 
 ped near the door of the mansion; a footstep ascen 
 ded the stairs. Judge of my surprise and agitation, 
 when my father entered the chamber! A maid and 
 two men servants followed him. He directed me to 
 make immediate preparations for leaving the man 
 sion which command, with the assistance of the 
 servants, I obeyed with a heart too full for utterance. 
 
 " As soon as I was ready, we entered the carriage 
 which drove rapidly away. As we passed out of the 
 gate, I looked back to the mansion, and saw the 
 light of the candle which I had forgotten to re 
 move, streaming from the window and it was by an 
 extraordinary effort that I prevented myself from 
 fainting. 
 
 ** The carriage drove, as near as I could judge, 
 about ten miles, when we stopped at aa inn for th 
 
158 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 night, except my lather, who returned home on 
 horseback, leaving me at the inn in company with 
 the servants, where the carriage also remained. The 
 maid was a person who had been attached to me 
 from my infancy. I asked her whether she could 
 explain these mysterious proceedings. 
 
 ** All I know, Miss I will tell you," said she. 
 Your father received a letter to-day from your aunt, 
 which put him in a terrible fluiter: he immediately 
 ordered 1 is carriage and directed us to attend him. 
 He met your aunt at a tavern somewhere away back 
 and she told him that the gentleman who used to 
 come to our house so much once, had contrived to 
 carry you off from the place where you lived with 
 her; so your father concluded to send you to your 
 uncle s in Carolina, and said I must go with you. 
 And to tell you the truth, Miss, I was not displeas 
 ed with it: for your father has grown so sour of late 
 that we have but. little peace in the house." 
 
 " By this I found that my fate was fixed, and 1 
 gave myself up for some time to unavailing sorrow. 
 The maid informed me that my mother was well, 
 which was one sweet consolation among my many 
 troubles; but she knew nothing of my father s late 
 conduct. 
 
 "The next morning we proceeded, and I was hur 
 ried on by rapid stages to the Chesapeak, where, 
 with the maid and one man servant, I was put on 
 board a packet for Charleston, at which place we 
 arrived in due time. 
 
 "My uncle and his family received me with much 
 tenderness: the servant delivered a package of let 
 teru to my uncle from my father. The carriage with 
 one servant (the driver) had returned from the 
 Chesapeak to Connecticut. 
 
 " My father had but one brother and two sisters, 
 
1 
 
 ALONZO ATD MELISSA. 15i> 
 
 of which my uncle here is the youngest. One 01 
 my aunts, the old maid, \vho was my protectress at 
 the old mansion, you have seen at my father s. 
 The other was the mother of Alfred: she married 
 very young, to a gentleman in Hartford, of the 
 name of Wilmot, who fell before the walls of Louis- 
 burg in the old French war. My aunt did not long 
 survive him; her health, which had been for some 
 time declining, received so serious a shock by this 
 catastrophe, that she died a few months after the 
 melancholy tidings arrived, leaving Alfred their only 
 child then an infant, to the protection of his rela 
 tions, who at soon as he arrived at a suitable age, 
 placed him at school. 
 
 " My grandfather, who had the principal manage 
 ment of Mr. Wilmot s estate, sent my uncle, who 
 was then young and unmarried to Hartford, for the 
 purpose of transacting the necessary business. Here 
 he became acquainted with a young lady, eminent 
 for beauty and loveliness, but without fortune, the 
 daughter of a poor mechanic. As soon as my grand 
 father was informed of this attachment, he, in a 
 very peremtory manner, ordered my uncle to break 
 off the connection on pain of his highest displeasure. 
 But such is the force of early impressions, (Melissa 
 sighed) that my uncle found it impossible to submit 
 to these firm injunctions; a clandestine marriage 
 ensued, and my grandfather s malediction in conse 
 quence. The union was however, soon dissolved; 
 my uncle s wife died in about twelve months after 
 their marriage, and soon after the birth of the first 
 child, which was a daughter. Inconsolable and 
 comfortless, rny uncle put the child to nurse, and 
 travelled to the south. After wandering about for 
 some time, he took up his residence in Charleston, 
 where he amassed a splendid fortune. He finally 
 
 I 
 
160 ALONZO AND MELISSA 
 
 married to an amiable woman, whose tenderness t 
 though it did not entirely remove, yet greatly alle 
 viated the pangs of early sorrow; and this, added to 
 the little blandishments of a young family, fixed him 
 in a state of more contentedness than he once ever 
 expected to see. 
 
 ** His daughter by his first wife, when she became 
 of proper age, was sent to a respectable boarding- 
 school in Boston, where she remained until within 
 about two years before I came here. 
 
 ** Alfred was educated at Harvard College: as 
 soon as he had graduated, he came here on my 
 uncle s request, and has since remained in his 
 family. 
 
 * Soon after I arrived here; my uncle came into 
 my chamber one day, " Melissa," said he, " I find 
 by your father s letters that he considers you have 
 formed an improper connection. I wish you to give 
 me a true statement of the matter, and if any thing 
 can be done to reconcile you to your father, you 
 may depend upon my assistance. I have seen some 
 troubles in that way myself, in my early days; per 
 haps my council may be of some service." 
 
 " I immediately gave a correct account of every 
 particular circumstance, from the time of my first 
 acquaintance with you until my arrival at this house. 
 He sat some time silent, and then told me that my 
 father, he believed had drawn the worst side of the 
 picture; and that he had urged him to exert every 
 means in his power to reclaim me to obedience: 
 That Beauman was to follow me in a few months, 
 and that, if I still refuse to yield him my hand, my 
 father positively and solemnly declared that he would 
 discard me forever, and strenuously enjoined it upon 
 him to do the same. " I well know my brother s 
 temper," continued my uncle: " the case is difficult, 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 161 
 
 but something must be dene. I will immediately 
 write to jour father, desiring him not to proceed too 
 rashly; in the mean time \ve must consider what 
 measures to pursue. You must not, my niece, you 
 must not be sacrificed." So saying, he left me high 
 ly consoled that, instead of a tyrant, I had found a 
 friend in my new protector. 
 
 " Alfred was made acquainted with my affair, and 
 many were the plans projected for my benefit, and 
 abandoned as indefeasible, till an event happened 
 which called forth all the fortitude of my uncle to 
 support it, and operated in the end to free me from 
 persecution. 
 
 " My uncle s daughter, by his first wife, was of a 
 very delicate and sickly constitution, and her health 
 evidently decreasing. After she came to this place, 
 she was sent to a village on one of the high hills 
 of Pedee, where she remained a considerable tin;e; 
 she then went to one of the inland towns in North 
 Carolina from whence she had but just returned 
 with Alfred when I arrived. Afterwards I accompan 
 ied her to Georgetown, and other places, attended 
 by her father, so that she was little more known in 
 Charleston than myself." But all answered no pur 
 pose to the restoration of her health; a confirmed 
 hectic carried her off in the bloom of youth. 
 
 " I was but a few months older than she; her 
 name was Melissa, a name which a pious grand 
 mother had borne, and \vas therefore retained in the 
 family. Our similarity of age, and in some measure 
 of appearance, our being so little known in Charles 
 ton, and our names being the same, suggested to Al 
 fred the idea of imposing on my father, by passing 
 off my cousin s death as my own. This would, a* 
 least, deter Beauman from prosecuting his intended 
 journey to Charleston; it would also give time for 
 
162 ALC.KZO AXV MELISSA 
 
 fartlier deliberation, and might so operate on in) 
 father s feelings, as to soften that obduracy of tem 
 per, which deeply disquieted himself and others, and 
 thus finally be productive of happily effecting the 
 designed purpose. 
 
 " My uncle was too deeply overwhelmed in grief 
 to be particularly consulted on this plan. He how 
 ever entrusted Alfred to act with full powers, and to 
 use his name for my interest if necessary. Alfred 
 therefore procured a publication as of my death, in 
 the Connecticut papers, particularly at New-London 
 the native place of Beauman. In Charleston it w as 
 generally supposed that it was the niece, ami not 
 the daughter of Col. D --- , who had died. This 
 imposition was likewise practiced upon the i-exton, 
 who keeps the register of deaihs.* Alfied then 
 wrote a letter to my father, in my uncle s name, 
 stating the particulars of my cousin s death and ap 
 plying them to me. The epitaph on her tom-b-stone 
 was likewise so devised that it would with equal 
 propriety apply either to her or to me. 
 
 " To undeceive yo^, Alonzo," continued Melissa, 
 " was the next object. I consulted with Alfred how 
 this should be done. * My sister, he said, (in our 
 private circles he always called me by the tender 
 name of sister,) I am determined to see you happy 
 before I relinquish the business I have undertaken: 
 letters are a precarious mode of communication; I 
 will make a journey to Connecticut, rind out Alonzo, 
 visit your friends and see how the plan operates. I 
 am known to your father, who has ever treated me 
 RS a relative. I will return as speedily as possible, 
 and we shall then know what measures are best next 
 to pursue." 
 
 * This was formerly the case. 
 
1 
 
 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 163 
 
 * I requested him to unfold the deception to my 
 mother, and, if he found it expedient, to Vincent 
 and Mr. Simpson, in whose friendship and fidelity I 
 was sure he might safely confide. 
 
 * lie soon departed, and returned in about tw 
 months He found my father and mother in extreme 
 distress on account of my supposed death: my 
 mother s grief had brought her on the bed of sick 
 ness; but when Alfred had undeceived her she rap 
 idly revived. My father told Alfred that he serious 
 ly regretted opposing my inclinations, and that, were 
 it possible he could retrace the steps he had taken, 
 he should conduct in a very different manner, as he 
 was not only deprived of me, but Edgar also, who 
 had gone to Holland in an official capacity, soon 
 after receiving the tidings of my death. I am now 
 childless, said my father in tears. Alfred s feelings 
 were moved, and could he then have found you, he 
 would have told my father the truth; but lest he 
 ghould relapse from present determinations, he con 
 sidered it his duty still, with him, to continue the 
 deception. 
 
 " On enquiring at your father s, at Vincent s, and 
 at Mr. Simpson s, he could learn nothing of you, ex 
 cept that you had gone to New London, judging 
 possibly that you would find me there. Alfred there 
 fore determined to proceed to that place immediate 
 ly. He then confidently unfolded to your father, 
 Vincent, and Mr. Simpson, the scheme, desiring that 
 if you returned you would proceed immediately to 
 Charleston. My father was still to be kept in igno 
 rance. 
 
 " Alfred proceeded immediately to NP-, -London: 
 from my cousin there he was informed of your in 
 terview with him; but from whence you then came, 
 or where you went, be knew not; and after making 
 
164 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 II 
 
 the strictest enquiry, he could hear nothing more oi 
 you. By a vessel in that port, bound directly for 
 Holland, he wrote an account of the whole affair to 
 Edgar, mentioning his unsuccessful search to find 
 you; and returned to Charleston. 
 
 " Alfred learnt from rnv friends the circumstances 
 which occasioned my sudden removal from the old 
 mansion. The morning you left me you was discov 
 ered by my aunt, who was passing the road in a chair 
 with a gentleman, whom she had then but recently 
 become acquainted with. My aunt knew you. 
 They immediately drove to John s hut. On finding 
 that John had left the keys with me, she sent him 
 for them; and on my refusing to give them up, she 
 came herself, as I have before related; and as she 
 succeeded no better than John, she returned, dis 
 patched a message to my father, informing him of 
 the circumstances, and her suspicions of your hav 
 ing been to the mansion, and that, from my having 
 possession of the keys and refusing to yield them up, 
 there was little doubt but that we had formed a plan 
 for rny escape. 
 
 " Alarmed at this information, my father immedi 
 ately ordeied his carriage, drove to the mansion, 
 and removed me, as I have before informed you. 
 
 " I ought to have told you, that the maid and 
 man servant who attended me to Charleston, not 
 liking the country, and growing sickly, were sent 
 back by my uncle, after they had been there about 
 two months." 
 
 Alonzo found by this narrative that John had de 
 ceived -<ira, when he made his inquiries of him con 
 cerning h./ knowledge of Melissa s removal. But 
 this was not surprising: John was tenant to Melissa s 
 aunt, and subseivient to all her views; she hadun* 
 Joubtedly given him instructions bow to act. 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 165 
 
 ** But who was the strange gentleman with your 
 aunt ?" inquired Alonzo. " This I will also tell you 
 answered Melissa, tho it unfolds a tale which re 
 flects no great honor to my family. 
 
 " Hamblin was tho name which this man assumed: 
 he said he had been an eminent merchant in New 
 York, a-nd had left it about the time it was taken by 
 the British. He lodged at an inn where my aunt 
 frequently stopped when she was out collecting her 
 rents, where he first introduced himself to her ac 
 quaintance, and ingratiated himself into her favor 
 by art and insidiousness. He accompanied her on 
 her visits to her tenants, and assisted her in collect 
 ing her rents. He told her, that when the war 
 came on, he had turned his effects into money, 
 which he had with him, and was now in pursuit of 
 some country place where he might purchase a res 
 idence to remain during the war. To cut the story 
 as short as possible, he initialed himself so far in my 
 aunt s favor that she accepted his hand, and con 
 trary to my father s opinion, she married him, and 
 he soon after persuaded her to sell her property, 
 under pretence of removing to some populous town, 
 and living in style. Her property, however, was no 
 sooner sold (which my father bought for ready cash, 
 at a low price) than he found means to realize the 
 money, and absconded. 
 
 " It was afterwards found that his real name was 
 Brenton; that he had a wife and family in Virginia 
 in indigent circumstances, where he had spent an 
 ample fortune, left him by his father, in debauchery, 
 and involved himself deeply in debt. He had scarce 
 ly time to get off with the booty he swindled from 
 my aunt, when his creditors from Virginia were at 
 his heels. He fled to the British at New York, 
 where he rioted for a few months, was finallv stv*. 
 
166 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 bed by a soldser in a fracas, and died the next day. 
 He was about thirty-five years old. 
 
 " All these tro ibles bore so heavily upon my auntj 
 that she went into a decline, and died about six 
 months ago. 
 
 " After Alfred returned from Connecticut, he 
 wrote frequently to Vincent and Mr. Simpson, but 
 could obtain no intelligence concerning you. It 
 would be needless Alonzo, to describe my conjec 
 tures, my anxieties, rny feelings! The death of my 
 cousin and aunt had kept me in crape until, at the 
 instance of Alfred, I put it off yesterday morning at 
 my uncle s house, which Alfred had proposed for the 
 scene of action, after he had discovered the cause 
 my fainting at the theatre. I did not readily come 
 into Alfred s plan to deceive you: * Suffer me, he 
 
 said, to try the constancy of your Leander; 1 
 
 doubt whether he would swim the Hellespont for 
 you. This aroused my pride and confidence, and I 
 permitted him to proceed." 
 
 Alonzo then gave Melissa a minute account of all 
 that happened to him from the time of their parting 
 at the old mansion until he met with her the day be 
 fore. At the mention of Beauman s fate Melissa 
 sighed. ** With how many vain fears," said she, 
 "was I perplexed, lest, by some means he should 
 discover my existence and place of residence, after 
 he, alas, was silent in the tomb!" 
 
 Alonzo told Melissa that he had received a letter 
 from Edgar, after he arrived in Holland, and that he 
 had written him an answer, just as he left Paris, 
 informing him of his reasons for returning to Amer 
 ica. 
 
 When the time arrived that Alonzo and Melissa 
 were to set out for Connecticut, Melissa s uncle and 
 Alfred accompanied them as far as Georgetown, 
 
4.LONZO AND MELISS i.. 167 
 
 where an affectionate parting took place: The lattef 
 returned to Charleston, and the former proceeded on 
 their journey. 
 
 Philadelphia was now in possession of the British 
 troops. Alonzo found Dr. Franklin s agent at Ches 
 ter, transacted his business, went on, arrived at 
 Vincent s where he left Melissa, and proceeded im 
 mediately to his father s. 
 
 The friends of Alonzo and Melissa were joyfully 
 surprised at their arrival. Melissa s mother was 
 sent for to Vincent s. Let imagination paint the 
 meeting! As yet however they were not prepared 
 to undeceive her father. 
 
 Alonzo found his parents in penurious circumstan 
 ces; indeed, his father having the preceding summer, 
 been too indisposed to manage his little farm with 
 attention, and being unable to hire laborers, his 
 crops had yielded but a scanty supply, and he had 
 been compelled to sell most of his stock to answer 
 pressing demands. With great joy they welcomed 
 Alonzo, whom they had given up as lost. " You 
 still find your father poor, Alonzo," said the old 
 gentleman, " but you find him still honest. From 
 my inability to labor, we have latterly been a liitlo 
 more pressed than usual; but having now recovered 
 my health, I trust that that difficulty will soon be re 
 moved." 
 
 Alonzo asked his father if he ever knew Dr. 
 Franklin. 
 
 " We were school-mates," he replied, " and were 
 intimately acquainted after we became young men 
 in business for ourselves. We have done each other 
 favors; I once divided my money with Franklin on 
 an urgent occasion to him; he afterwards repaid 
 me with ample interest he will never forget it." 
 
 A onzo then related to his father all the incident* 
 
168 ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 of his travels, minutely particularizing the disinterest 
 ed conduct of Franklin, and then presented his 
 father with the reversion of his estate. The old man 
 fell on his knees, and with tears streaming down his 
 withered cheeks, offered devout thanks to the great 
 Dispenser of all mercies. 
 
 Alonzo then visited Melissa s father, who received 
 him with much complacency. " I have injured," 
 paid he, ** my young friend, deeply injured you; but 
 in doing this, I have inflicted a wound still deeper in 
 my own bosom." 
 
 Alonzo desired him not to renew his sorrows. 
 " What is past," said he, " is beyond recal; but a 
 subject of some importance to me, is the object of 
 my present visit. True it is, that your daughter wag 
 the object of my earliest affection an affection 
 which my bosom must ever retain: but. being separ 
 ated by the will of Providence for I view Provi 
 dence as overruling all events for wise purposes I 
 betook myself to travel. Time, you know it is said, 
 sir, will blunt the sharpest thorns of sorrow. [The 
 old man sighed] -In my travels I have found a 
 lady so nearly resembling your daughter, that I was 
 induced to sue for her hand, and have been so hap 
 py as to gain the promise of it. The favor I have 
 to ask of you, sir, is >nly that you will permit the 
 marriage ceremony to be celebrated in your house, 
 as you know my father is poor, his house small and 
 inconvenient, and that you will also honor me by 
 giving the lady away In receiving her from your 
 hands, I shall in some measure realize former an 
 ticipations; I shall receive her in the character of 
 Melissa." 
 
 "Ah!" said Melissa s father, " were it in my pow 
 er could I give you the original; But how vain that 
 wish! Yos my young friend, your request shall be 
 
ALOXZO AWD MELISSA. 169 
 
 punctually complied with: I will take upon myself 
 the preparations. Name your day, and if the lady 
 is portionless, in that she shall be to me a Melissa." 
 
 Alonzo bowed his head in gratitude; and after ap 
 pointing that day week, he departed. 
 
 Invitations were once more sent abroad for the 
 wedding of AJonzo and Melissa. Few indeed knew 
 it to be the real Melissa, but they were generally in 
 formed of Alonzo s reason, for preferring the cele 
 bration at her father s. 
 
 The evening before the day on which the marriage 
 was to take place, Alonzo and Melissa were sitting 
 with the Vincents in an upper room, when a person 
 rapped at the door below. Vincent went down, and 
 immediately returned, introducing, to the joy and 
 surprise of the company, Edgar! 
 
 Here, again, we shall leave it for the immagina- 
 tion to depict the scene of an affectionate brother, 
 meeting a tender and only sister, whom he had long 
 since supposed to be dead! He had been at his 
 father s, and his mother had let him .nto the secret, 
 when he immediately hastened to Vincent s. He 
 told them that he did not stay long in Holland; that 
 after receiving Alonzo s letter from Paris, he felt an 
 unconquerable propensity to return, and soon sailed 
 for America, arrived a Boston, came to New Haven, 
 took orders in the ministry, and had reached home 
 that day: He informed them that Mr. Simpson and 
 family had arrived at his father s and some relatives 
 whom his mother had invited. 
 
 The next morning ushered in the day in which the 
 hero and heroine of our story were to consummate 
 their felicity. No cross purposes stood ready to in 
 tervene their happiness, no obdurate father, no watch 
 ful scowling aunt, to interrupt their transports. It 
 was the latter er*i of May; nature was arrayed in 
 
170 ALONZO ANT* MELISSA. 
 
 her richest ornaments, and adorned with her sweetest 
 perfumes. The sun blended its mild lustre with the 
 landscape s lovely green; silk-winged breezes frol 
 icked amidst the flowers; the spring birds earroled in 
 varying strains: 
 
 * The air was fragrance, and the world was love. 
 
 Evening was appointed for the ceremony, and Ed 
 gar was to be the officiating clergyman, 
 
 To tie those bands which nought but death can 
 sever." 
 
 When the hour arrived, they repaired to the house 
 of Melissa s father, where numerous guests had as 
 sembled. Melissa was introduced into the bridal 
 apartment, and took her seat among a brilliant circle 
 of ladies. She was attired in robes " white as the 
 southern clouds," spangled with silver, and trimmed 
 with deep gold lace; her hair hung loosely upon her 
 shoulders, encircled by a wreath of artificial flowers. 
 She had regained all her former loveliness; the ro?e 
 and the lily again blended their tinges in her cheek; 
 again pensive sprightliness sparkled in her eye. 
 
 Alonzo was now introduced, and took his seat at 
 the side of Melissa. His father and mother came 
 next, who were placed at the right hand of the young 
 couple: Melissa s parents followed, and were sta 
 tioned at the left. Edgar then came and took his 
 0eat in front; after which the guests were summoned 
 who filled the room. Edgar then rising, mentioned 
 to the intended bride and bridegroom to rise also 
 He next turned to Alonzo s father for his sanction, 
 who bowed assent. Then addressing his own father, 
 with emotio is that scarcely suffered him to articulate. 
 * Do you, sir," said he, ** give this lady to that 
 gentleman " A soleom silence prevailed in the 
 
AT.ONZO AND MELISSA. 171 
 
 room. Melissa was extremely agitated, as her father 
 slowly rising, and with down-cast eyes, 
 
 " Where tides of heavy sorrow swell d," 
 
 took her trembling hand, and conveying it into A- 
 lonzo s, " May the smiles of heaven rest upon you, 
 he said; may future blessings crown your present 
 happy prospects; and may your latter days never be 
 
 embittered by the premature loss of near and dear 
 ______ 
 
 Pungent grief here choaked his utterance, and at 
 this moment Melissa, falling upon her knees, "Dear 
 father! she exclaimed, bursting into tears, pardon de 
 ception, acknowledge your daughter your own 
 Melissa!" 
 
 Her father started he ga/ed at her with scrutini 
 zing attention, and sunk back in his chair. My 
 daughter!" he cried, ** God of mysterious mercy ! 
 it is my daughter!" 
 
 The guests caught the contagious sympathy; con 
 vulsive sobs arose from all parts of the room. Me 
 lissa s father clasped her in his arms " And I re 
 ceive thee as from the dead ." he said. " I am anx 
 ious to hear the mighty mystery unfolded. But first 
 let the solemn rites for which we are assembled be 
 concluded; let not an old man s anxiety interrupt 
 the ceremony." 
 
 * Uut you arc apprised, sir,* said Alonzo, " of my 
 inability to support your daughter according to her 
 deserts." 
 
 " Leave that to me my young friend," replied her 
 father. " I have enough.: my children are restored 
 and I am happy." 
 
 Melissa soon resumed her former station. The 
 indissoluble knot was tied: they sat down to tha 
 
1T2 ALOITZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 wedding feast, and mirth and hiliarity danced in 
 cheerful circles. 
 
 Before the company retired, Edgar related the 
 most prominent incidents of Alonzo and Melissa s 
 history, since they had been absent. The guests 
 listened with attention, they applauded the conduct 
 of onr new bride and bridegroom, in which Melissa s 
 father cordially joined. They rejoiced to find that 
 Alonzo s father had regained his fortune, and copi 
 ous libations were poured forth in honor of the im 
 mortal Franklin. 
 
 And now, reader of sensibility, indulge the pleas 
 ing sensations of thy bosom, for Alonzo and Melissa 
 are MARRIED. 
 
 Alonzo s father was soon in complete repossession 
 of his former property. The premises from which 
 ho had been driven by his unfeeling creditors, were 
 yielded up without difficulty, and to which he im 
 mediately removed. He not only recovered the prin 
 cipal of the fortune he had lost, but the damages 
 and the interest; so that, although like Job, he had 
 seen afflictions, like him his latter days were better 
 than his beginning. But wearied with the business 
 of life, he did not again enter into the mercantile 
 business, but placing his money at interest in safe 
 hands, lived retired on his little farm. 
 
 A few days after the wedding as Melissa was sit 
 ting with Alonzo, Edgar and her parents, she ask 
 ed her father whether the old mansion was inhab 
 ited. 
 
 Not by human beings," he replied! " Since 
 
 it has fallen into my hands I h ive leased it to three 
 of four different families, who all left it under fool 
 ish pretence or impiession of hearing noises and see 
 ing frightful objects, and such is the superstition of 
 the people that no one now, will venture to try it 
 
AI.ONZO AND MELISSA. 173 
 
 again, though I suppose its inhabitants to consist 
 only of rats and mice." 
 
 Melissa then informed them of all that had hap 
 pened when she was there, the alarming noises and 
 horrible appearances she had been witness to, and 
 in which she was confident her senses had not de 
 ceived her. Exceedingly astonished at her relation, 
 it was agreed that Edgar and Alon7.o, properly at- j 
 
 tended, should proceed to the mansion, in order to 
 find whether any discoveries could be made which 
 might tend to the elucidation of so mysterious an 
 affair. 
 
 For this purpose they chose twenty men armed 
 them with muskets and swords, and proceeded to 
 the place, where they arrived in the dusk of the 
 evening, having chosen that season as the most fa 
 vorable to their designs. 
 
 They found the draw-bridge up, and the gate lock 
 ed, as Edgar s father said he had left them. They 
 entered and secured them in the same manner. 
 When they came to the house, they cautiously un 
 locked the door, and proceeded to the chamber 
 where they struck a fire and lighted candles, which 
 they brought with them. It was then agreed to 
 plant fifteen of the men at suitable distances around 
 the mansion, and retain five in the chamber with A- 
 lon/.o and Edgar. 
 
 The men who were placed around the house, were 
 stationed behind trees, stumps or rocks, and where 
 no object presented, lay fiat on the ground, with or 
 ders not to stir, or discover themselves, let what 
 would ensue, unless some alarm should be given from 
 the house. 
 
 Alonzo and Edgar were armed with pistols aid 
 side arms, and posted themselves with the five men 
 in the chamber, taking care that the lights should 
 
174 ALONZO AND MELISSA, 
 
 not shine against, the window shutters, 8) that 
 nothing could be discovered from without. Things 
 thus arranged, they observed almost implicit silence, 
 no one being allowed to speak, except in a low 
 whisper. 
 
 For a long time no sound was heard except the 
 hollow roar of the winds in the neighboring forest, 
 their whistling around the angles of the mansion, or 
 the hoarse murmurs of the distant surge. The night 
 was dark, and only illuminated by the feeble twink 
 ling of half clouded stars. 
 
 They had watched until about midnight, when 
 they were alarmed by noises in the rooms below, 
 among which they could distinguish footsteps and 
 human voices. Alonzo and Edgar, then taking each 
 a pistol in one hand, and a drawn sworn in the other, 
 ordered their men to follow them, prepared for ac- 
 tron. Coming to the head of the stairs, they saw a 
 brilliant Nght streaming into the hall; they therefore 
 concluded to take no candles, and to prevent discov 
 ery they took off their shoes. When they came into 
 the hall opposite the door of the room from whence 
 the liijht and noises proceeded, they discovered ten 
 men genteellv dressed, sitting around a table, on 
 which was placed a considerable quantity of gold 
 and silver coin, a number of glasses and several de 
 canters of wine. Alonzo and his party stood a few 
 minutes, listening to the following discourse, which 
 took place among this ghostly gentry. 
 
 "Well, boys, we have made a fine haul this trip." 
 
 "Yes, but poor 15ob, tho igh, was plumped 
 
 over by the d d skulkers!" "Aye, and had 
 
 we not tugged bravely at the oars, they would have 
 
 hooked us." " Rascally cow-boys detained us 
 
 too long." "Well, never mind it; let us 
 
 knock around the wine, and then divide the spoil." 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 175 
 
 At this moment, Alonzo and Edgar, followed by 
 the five men, rushed into the room, crying, " Sur 
 render, or you are all dead men!" In an instant 
 the room was involved in pitchy darkness; a loud 
 crash was heard, tnen a scampering about the floor, 
 and a noise as if several doors shut too with violence. 
 They however gave the alarm to the men without 
 by loud.y shouting "Look out;" and immediately the 
 discharge of several guns was heard around the 
 mansion. One of the men flew up stairs and brought 
 a light; but, to their utter amazement no person was 
 to be discovered in the room except their own party. 
 The table with its apparatus, and the chairs on 
 which these now invisible beings had sat, had disap 
 peared, not a bingle trace of them being left. 
 
 While they stood petrified with astonishment, the 
 men from without called for admittance. The door 
 being unlocked, they led in a stranger wounded, 
 whom they immediately discovered to be one of 
 those they had seen at the table. 
 
 The men who had been stationed around the man 
 sion informed, that some time before the alarm was 
 made, they saw a number of persons crossing the 
 yard from the western part of the enclosure, towards 
 the house; that immediately after the shout was 
 given, they discovered several people running back 
 in the same direction: they hailed them, which be 
 ing disregarded, they fired upon them, one of whom 
 they brought down which vas the wounded man 
 they had brought in. The others, though they pur 
 sued them, got off. 
 
 The prisoner s wound was not dangerous; the ball 
 had shattered his arm, and glanced upon his breast. 
 They dressed his wound as well as they could, and 
 then requested him to unfold the circumstances oi 
 the suspicious appearance in which he was involved. 
 
176 ALONZO AND MELISSA 
 
 " First promise me, on your honor,* 5 said tht 
 stranger, " that you will use your influence to pre 
 vent my being punished or imprisoned. 
 
 This they readily agreed to, on condition that he 
 would conceal nothing from them and he gave 
 them the following relation: 
 
 That they were a part of a gang of illicit traders; 
 men who had combined for the purpose of carrying 
 on a secret and illegal commerce with the British 
 army on Long Island, whom, contrary to the exist 
 ing laws, they supplied with provisions, and brought 
 off English goods, which they sold at very extortion 
 ate prices. But this was not all; they also brought 
 over large quantities of counterfeit continental mon 
 ey, which they put off among the Americans for 
 live stock, poultry, produce, &c. which they carried 
 to the Island. The counterfeit money they pur 
 chased by merely paying for the printing; the Brit 
 ish having obtained copies of the American emission. 
 Struck immense quanties of it in New-York, and in 
 sidiously sent it out into the country, in order to sink 
 our currency. 
 
 This gang was likewise connected with the cow 
 boys, who made it their business to steal, not only 
 milch cows, and other cattle, but also hogs and 
 sheep, which they drove by night to some conven 
 ient place on the shores of the Sound, where these 
 thief -partners received them and conveyed them to 
 the British. 
 
 " In our excursions across the Sound, continued 
 the wounded man, we had frequently observed th:g 
 mansion, which, from every appearance, we were 
 convinced was uninhabited we therefore select t 
 as a suitable place for our future rendezvous, wluch 
 had heretofore been only in the open woods To 
 cioss the moat we dragged up an old canoe from 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 177 
 
 the sea shore, which we concealed in the bushes as 
 soon as we recrossed from the old mansion. To get 
 over the wall we used ladders of ropes, placing a 
 flat of thick board on the top of the spikes driven 
 into the wall. We found more difficulty in getting 
 into the house: we however at length succeeded, 
 by tearing away a part of the back wall, where we 
 fitted in a door so exactly, and so nicely painted it, 
 that it dould no-t be distinguished from the wall itself. 
 This door was so constructed, that on touching a 
 spring, it would fly open, and when unrestrained, 
 would shut too with violence. Finding the apart 
 ment so eligible for our purpose, and fearing that at 
 some future time we might be disturbed either by the 
 owner of the building or some tenant, we cut similar 
 doors into every room of the house, so that on aa 
 emergency we could traverse every apartment with 
 out access to the known doors. Trap-doors on a 
 similar construction, communicated with the cellar: 
 the table, which you saw us sitting around, stood 
 on one of those, which, on your abrupt appearance, 
 as soon as the candles were extinguished, was with 
 its contents, precipitated below, and we made our 
 escape by those secret doors, judging, that although 
 you had seen us, if we could get off, you would be 
 unable to find out any thing which might lead to our 
 discovery. 
 
 " A circumstance soon occurred, which tended to 
 embarrass our plans, and at first seemed to menace 
 their overthrow. Our assembling at the mansion 
 was irregular, as occasion and circumstances requir 
 ed; often not more than once a week, but sometimes 
 more frequent, and always in the night. Late one 
 night, as we were proceeding to the mansion, and 
 had arrived near it suddenly one of the chamber 
 windows was opened, and a light issued from within. 
 
178 ALONZO AND MELISSA 
 
 We entered the house with caution, and soon dis 
 covered that some person was in the chamber from 
 whence we had seen the light. We remained until 
 all was silent, and then entered the chamber by one 
 of ou. secret doors, and to our inexpressable sur 
 prise, oeheld a beautiful young lady asleep on the 
 only bed in the room. We cautiously retired, and 
 reconnoitering all parts of the mansion, found that 
 she was the only inhabitant except ourselves. The 
 singularity of her being there alone, is a circumstance 
 we have never been aile to discover, but it gave us 
 fair hopes of easily procuring her ejectment. We 
 then immediately withdrew, and made preparations 
 to dispossess the fair tenant of the premises to which 
 we considered ourselves more properly entitled, as 
 possessing a prior incumbency. 
 
 " We did not effect the completion of our appara 
 tus under three or four days. As soon as they were 
 prepared, we returned to the mansion. As we ap 
 proached the house, it appears the lady heard us, 
 for again she suddenly flung up a window and held 
 out a candle: we skulked from the light, but feared 
 she had a glimpse of us. After we had got into the 
 house we were still until we supposed her to be 
 asleep, which we found to be the case on going to 
 her chamber. 
 
 " We then stationed one near her bed, who, by a 
 loud rap on the floor with a cane, appeared to arousfc 
 her in a fright. Loud noises were then made below, 
 and some of them ran heavily up the stairs which 
 led to her chamber; the person stationed in the room 
 whispering near her bed she raised herself up, and 
 he fled behind the curtains. Soon after she again 
 lay down; he approached nearer the bed with a de 
 sign to lay his hand, on which he had drawn a thin 
 beet-lead glove, across her face; but discovering 
 
AL.ONZO AND MELISSA. 179 
 
 her arm on Lie out side of the bed-clothes, he &rasp 
 ed it she screamed and sprang up in the bed; the 
 man then left the room. 
 
 * As it was not our intention to injure the lady 
 but only to drive her from the L_use, we concluded 
 we had sufficiently alarmed her, and having extin- 
 guished the lights, were about to depart, when we / 
 heard her descending the stairs. She come down 
 and examined the doors, when one of our party, inf 
 a loud whisper, crying " away away," she darted 
 up stairs, and we left the house. 
 
 " We did not return the next night, in order -to 
 give her time to get off; but the night after we a- 
 gain repaired to the mansion, expecting that she had 
 gone, but we were disappointed. As it was late 
 when we arrived, she was wrapped in sleep, and we 
 found that more forcible measures must be resorted 
 to before we could remove her, and for such meas 
 ures we were amply prepared. 
 
 The stranger then unfolded the mysteries of that 
 awful night, when Melissa was so terrified by horri 
 ble appearances. One of the tallest and most ro 
 bust of the gang, was attired, as has been described, 
 when he appeared by her bed side. The white robe 
 was an old sheet, stained in some parts with a liquid 
 red mixture; the wound in his breast was artificial, 
 and the blood issuing therefrom was only some of 
 this mixture, pressed from a small bladder, conceal 
 ed under his robe. On his head and face he wore a 
 
 mask, with glass eyes the mask was painted to 
 
 suit their purposes. The bloody dagger was of wood, 
 and painted. 
 
 Thus accoi *.red, he took his stand near Melissa s 
 bed, having first blown out the candles she had left 
 burning, and discharged a small pistol. Perceiving 
 this had awaksned her, a train of powder was fired 
 
180 A.LONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 in the adjoining room opposite the secret door, vshlck 
 was left open, in order that the flash might illuminate 
 her apartment; then several large cannon balls were 
 rolled through the rooms over her head, imitative of 
 thunder. The person in her room then uttered a 
 horrible groan, and gliding along by her bed, took 
 his stand behind the curtains, near the foot. The 
 noises below, the cry of murder, the firing of the 
 second pistol, and the running up stairs, were all 
 corresponding scenes to impress terror on her im 
 agination. The pretended ghost then advanced in 
 front of her bed, while lights were slowly introduc 
 ed, which first shone faintly until they were ushered 
 into the room by the private door, exhibited the per 
 son before her in all his horrific appearances. On 
 her shrieking, and shrinking into the bed, the lights 
 were suddenly extinguished, and the person, after 
 commanding her to be gone in a hoarse voice, pass 
 ed again to the foot of the bed, shook it violently, 
 and made a seeming attempt to get upon it, when, 
 perceiving her to be springing up, he fled out of the 
 room by the secret door, cautiously shut it, and join 
 ed his companions. 
 
 The operators had not yet completed their farce, 
 or rather, to Melissa, tragedy. They had framed 
 an image of paste-board, in human shape, arrayed 
 it in black, its eyes being formed of large pieces of 
 what is vulgarly called fox-fire,* made into the like 
 ness of human eyes, some material being pkiced in 
 its mouth, around which was a piece of the thinest 
 scarlet tiffany, in order to make it appear of a flame 
 color. They had also constructed a large combusti- 
 
 * A sort of decayed or rotten wcod, which in the 
 night looks like coals of fire, of a bright whitish 
 color. It emits a faint light. 
 
ALONZO AND MELISSA. 181 
 
 bio ball, of several thicknesses of paste-board, to 
 which a match was placed. The image was to be 
 conveyed into her room, and placed, in the dark, be 
 fore her hed; while in that position, the ball was to 
 be rubbed over with phosphorus, the match set on 
 6re, and rolled across her chamber, and when it 
 burst, the image was to vanish by being suddenly 
 conveyed out of the private door, which was to close 
 the scene for that night. But as Melissa had now 
 arisen and lighted candles the plan was defeated. 
 
 While they were consulting how to proceed, they 
 heard her unlock her chamber door, and slowly de 
 scend the stairs. Fearing a discovery, they retired 
 with their lights, and the person who had been in 
 her chamber, not having stripped off his ghostly ha 
 biliments; laid himself down on one side of the 
 hall. The man who had the image, crowded him 
 self with it under the stairs she was descending. On 
 her dropping the candle, when she turned to flee to 
 her chamber from the sight of the same object which 
 had appeared at her bed-side, the person under the 
 stairs presented the image at their foot, and at the 
 same instant the combustible ball was prepared, and 
 rolled through the hall; and when on its bursting 
 she fainted, they began to grow alarmed; but on 
 finding that she recovered and regained her cham 
 ber, they departed, for that time, from the house. 
 
 "Our scheme," continued the wounded man, "had 
 the desired effect. On returning a few evenings after, 
 we found the lady gone and the furniture removed. 
 Several attempts were afterwards made to occupy 
 the house, but we always succeeded in soon fright 
 ening the inhabitants away. 
 
 Edgar and Alonzo then requested their prisoner to 
 show them the springs of the secret doors, and how 
 they were opened. The springs were sunk in the 
 
182 A1ONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 wood, which being touched by entering a gimlei 
 hole with a piece of pointed steel, which each of 
 the gang always had about him, the door would fly * 
 open, and fasten again in shutting too. On opening 
 the trap-door over which the gang had sat when 
 they first discovered them, they found the table and 
 chairs, with the decanters broken, and the money, 
 which they secured. In one part of the cellar they 
 were shown a kind of <ave, ivs mouth covered with 
 boards and earth here the company kept their fur 
 niture, and to this place would they have removed 
 it, had they not been so suddenly frightened away. 
 The canoe they found secreted in the bushes beyond 
 the canal. 
 
 It was then agreed that the man should go before 
 the proper authorities in a neighboring town, and 
 there, as state s evidence, make affiadavit of what 
 he had recited, and as complete a developement of 
 the characters concerned in the business as possible, 
 when he was to be released. The man inquired to 
 what town they were to go, which, when they had 
 informed hir , " Then," said he, " it will be in my 
 power to perform one deed of justice before I leave 
 the country, as leave it I must, immediately after I 
 have given in my testimony, or I shall be assassina 
 ted by some of those who will be implicated in the 
 transaction I have related." 
 
 He then informed them, that while he, with the 
 gang was prosecuting the illicit trade, a British ship 
 came and anchored in the Sound, which they sup 
 plied with provisions, but that having at one time a 
 considerable quantity on hnnd, the ship sent its boat 
 on shore, with an officer and five men, to fetch it* 
 the officer came with them on shore, leaving the 
 men in the boat. " As we were about to carry the 
 provisions 5n board the boat," continued the man, 
 
ALONZ3 AND MELISSA. 183 
 
 ** a party of Americans fired upon us, and wounded 
 the officer in the thigh, who fell: " I shall be made 
 prisoner," said he, taking out his purse; keep this, 
 and if I live and regain my liberty, perhaps you may 
 have an opportunity of restoring it: alarm the boat s 
 crew, and shift for yourselves." The boat was al 
 armed, returned to the ship, and we saved ourselves 
 by flight. 
 
 " This happened about four months ago: the ship 
 soon after sailed for New York, and the officer was 
 imprisoned in the gaol of the town to which we are 
 to go; I can therefore restore him his purse." 
 
 The man farther informed them, that they had 
 several times come near being taken, and the last 
 trip they were fired upon, and one of their party 
 killed 
 
 "They immediately set out for the aforesaid town, 
 after having dismissed their fifteen men; and when 
 they arrived there, Alonzo and Edgar accompanied 
 their prisoner to the gaol. On making the proper 
 inquiries, they were conducted into a dark and dirty 
 apartment of the gaol, where were several prisoners 
 in irons. The British officer was soon distinguished 
 among them by his regimentals. Though enveloped 
 in filth and dust, his countenance appeared familiar 
 to Alonzo; and on a few moments recollection, he 
 recognized in the manacled officer, the generous 
 midshipman, Jack Brown, who had so disinterestedly 
 relieved him, when he escaped from the prison in 
 London 
 
 In the fervency of his feelings, Alonzc flew to him 
 and clasped him in his arms. "What do I behold!" 
 he cried. * My friend, my brave deliverer, in chains, 
 in my own country!" 
 
 The fortune of war, boy!" said Jack it might 
 nave been worse. But my lad, I am heartily glad 
 
194 ALONJO AND MELISSA. 
 
 to see you; how has it fared with you since you left 
 
 Old England ?" " We will talk of that by and 
 
 by," said Alonzo. 
 
 There were then some American officers of dis 
 tinction in town, with whom Edgar was acquainted, 
 to whom he applied for the relief of the noble sailor: 
 and as there were several other British pris 
 oners in gaol, it was agreed that a cartel should be 
 immediately sent to New York to exchange them. 
 Alonzo had therefore, the satisfaction to see the irons 
 knocked off of his liberal hearted benefactor, and 
 his prison doors opened. 
 
 The man they had taken at the mansion, returned 
 him his purse containing only twenty-five guineas of 
 which Jack gave him ten. " There", boy, said he, 
 * you have been honest, so I will divide with you." 
 
 They then repaired to an inn, Jack whose wound 
 was healed, was put under the hands of a barber, 
 cleansed, furnished with a change of clothes, and 
 soon appeared in a new attitude. 
 
 He informed Alonzo, that soon after he left Eng 
 land, his ship was ordered to America: that the price 
 of provisions growing high, it had taken almost all 
 his wages to support his family; that he had sent 
 home his last remittance just before he was taken, 
 reserving only thetwentyfive guineas which ha-d been 
 restored him that day. " But I have never despair 
 ed," said he: " the great Commodore of life orders 
 all for the best. My tour of duty is to serve my 
 king and country, and provide for my dear Poll and 
 her chicks, which, if I faithfully perform, I shall gain 
 the applause of the Commander." 
 
 When the cartel was ready to depart, Alonzo 
 taking Jack apart from the company presented him 
 with draft for five-hundred pounds sterling, on a 
 merchant in New-York, who private. y transacted 
 
ALOWZO AND MELISSA. 185 
 
 business with the Americans. " Take this, my 
 friend," said he; " you can ensure it by converting 
 it into bills of exchange on London. Though you 
 once saw me naked, I can now conveniently spare 
 this sum, and it may assist you in buffeting the bil- 
 bws of life." The generous tar shed tears of grat 
 itude, and Alonzo enjoyed the pleasure of seeing 
 him depart, calling down blessings on the head of 
 his reciprocal benefactor. 
 
 The man who came with Alonzo and Edgar from 
 the mansion, then went before the magistrate of the 
 town, and gave his testimony and affidavit,by which 
 it appeared that several eminent characters of Con 
 necticut were concerned in this illicit trade. They 
 then released him, gave him the money they had 
 found in the cellar at the mansion,and he immedate- 
 ly left the town. Precepts were soon after issued 
 for a number of those traders: several were taken, 
 among whom were some of the gang, and others 
 who were only concerned but most of them abscon 
 ded, so that the company and their plans were broken 
 up. 
 
 When Alonzo and Edgar returned home and relat 
 ed their adventure, they were all surprised at the 
 fortitude of Melissa in being enabled to support her 
 spirits in a solitary mansion, amidst such great and 
 BO many terrors. 
 
 It was now that Alonzo turned his attention to 
 future prospects. It was time to select a place for 
 domestic residence. He consulted Melissa and she 
 expressively mentioned the little secluded village, 
 where 
 
 " Ere fate and fortune fiown d severe," 
 
 they projected scenes of connubial bliss, and plan 
 ned the structure rf their family edifice. This intv 
 
186 ALONZO AND MELI8SA. 
 
 mation accorded with the ardent wishes of Alonzo. 
 The site formerly marked out, with an adjoining 
 farm, was immediately purchased, and suitable buil 
 dings erected to which Alonzo and Melissa removed 
 the ensuing summer. 
 
 The clergyman of the village having recently dt*< 
 in a good old age, Edgar was called to the pasU nJ 
 charge of this unsophisticated people. Here did 
 Melissa and Alonzo repose after the storms of t4 
 versity were past. Here did they realize all the na^>- 
 piness which the sublunary hand of time apportions 
 to mortals. Their varying seasons diversified their 
 joys, except when Alonzo was called with the militia 
 of his country, whrein he bore an eminent commis 
 sion, to oppose the enemy; and this was not unfre- 
 quent, as in his country s defence he took a very 
 conspicuous part. Then would anxiety, incertitude, 
 and disconsolation possess the bosom of Melissa, 
 until dissipated by his safe return. But the happy 
 termination of the war soon removed all cause of 
 these disquietudes. 
 
 Soon after the close of the war, Alonzo received 
 a letter from his friend, Jack Brown, dated at an in 
 terior parish in England, in which, after pouring 
 forth abundance of gratitude, he infosmed, that on 
 returning to England he procured his discharge from 
 the navy, sold his house, and removed into the coun 
 try, where he had set up an inn with the sign of 
 The Grateful American. "You have made us 
 all happy," said he; " my dear Poll blubbered like 
 a fresh water sailor in a hurricane, when I told her 
 of your goodness. My wife, my children, all hands 
 upon deck are yours. We have a good run of busi 
 ness, and are now under full sail for the Jand oi 
 prosperity." 
 
 Edgar married t-o one of the Miss Simpsons,whosa 
 
ALOIfZO AND MELISSA. 18? 
 
 father s seat was in the vicinity of the village. The 
 parents of Alonzo and Melissa were their frequent 
 visitors, as were also Vincent and his lady, with 
 many others of their acquaintance, who all rejoiced 
 in their happy situation, after such a diversity of 
 troubles. Alfred was generally once a year their 
 guest, untiJ at length he married and settlea in 
 the mercantile business in Charleston, South Caro 
 lina. 
 
 To our hero and heroine, the rural charms of their 
 secuided vil age were a source of ever pleasing va 
 riety. Spring, with its verdured fields, flowery meads, 
 and vocal groves, its vernal gales, purling rills, and 
 its evening whippoorwill; summer, with its embower 
 ing shades, reflected in the glassy lake, and the long, 
 pensive, yet sprightly notes of the solitary strawber 
 ry-bird;* its lightning and its thunder: autumn, with 
 its mellow fruit, its yellow foliage and decaying ver 
 dure; winter, with its hoarse, rough blasts, its icy 
 neard and snowy mantle, all tended to thrill, with 
 sensations of pleasing transition, the feeling bosoms 
 of ALONZO AND MELISSA. 
 
 *A bird which.in the New-England States, makes 
 its first appearance about the time stawberries begin 
 to ripen. Its song is lengthy and consists of a vari- 
 nty of notes, commencing sprightly, but ending 
 plaintively and melancholy. 
 
14 DAY USE 
 
 RETURN TO )M WHICH BORROWED 
 
 CO 
 
 
 <N 
 
 iO 
 
 O ^5 
 
 11 
 
 
 oi 
 
 1 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
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