shades over the valley, while the retiring beams of day adorned the
distant eastern eminences with yellow lustre.

The birds sung melodiously in the groves, the air was freshened by light
western breezes, bearing upon their wings all the entrancing odours of
the season. Around the horizon, electric clouds raised their brazen
summits, based in the black vapour of approaching night.

They slowly ascended the hill south of the town, where they paused a few
moments to enjoy the splendours of the evening scene. This hill, which
commanded a prospect of all the surrounding country, the distant sound,
and the adjacent towns and villages, presented to the eye, on a single
view, perhaps one of the most picturesque draperies 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 the next day after Alonzo got home:--his
aspect and his conversation were marked with an assumed and unmeaning
cheerfulness. At supper he ate nothing, discoursed much, but in an
unconnected and hurried manner, interrupted by long pauses, in which he
appeared to be buried in contemplation.

After supper, he asked Alonzo if it were not possible that his marriage
with Melissa could be consummated within a few days. Alonzo, startled at
so unexpected a question, replied, that such a proposal would be
considered extraordinary, perhaps improper: besides, when Melissa had
fixed the day, she mentioned that she had an uncle who lived near
Charleston, in 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 reasons for so doing; and
at present he was not apprised that any such existed. His father, after
a few moments hesitation, answered, "I have reasons, 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 conjecture of its cause or its consequence. Alonzo passed
a sleepless night. His father's slumbers were interrupted. He would
frequently start up in the bed, then sink in restless sleep, with
incoheren