her to
hold most inviolable.--Her father grew outrageous; 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 endeavoured
to appease his anger; but he spurned her from him, and rushed out of the
room, uttering a threat that force should succeed 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 measure 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 undoubtedly comply with the invitation, if
not prevented by something extraordinary. I should have written you had
I not 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 tears. Alonzo led her to a seat, gently pressed her hand, and
mingled his tears with hers, but was unable to speak.--Recovering at
length, he begged her to moderate her grief. "Where, said he, is your
fortitude and your firmness, Melissa, which I have so often seen
triumphing over affliction?" Her extreme anguish prevented a reply.
Deeply affected and alarmed at the storm of distress which raged in her
bosom, he endeavoured to console her, though consolation was a stranger
to his own breast. "Let us not, Melissa, said he, increase our flood of
affliction by a tide of useless sorrow. Perhaps 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. This thorny and gloomy path
may lead to fair fields of light and verdure. Tempests are succeeded by
calms; wars end in peace; the splendours of the brightest morning arise
on the wings of 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 better world, where sighing
and sorrows cease, and the tempestuous passions of life are known no
more."

The rage of grief which had overwhelmed Melissa began now to subside, as
the waves of the ocean gradua