reveries. Between him and his son there appeared to
exist but little of cordial intercourse, although the highly-sensitive
and religious tone of mind of Frederick Everett caused him to treat his
parent with unvarying deference and respect.

The poetic temperament of Frederick Everett brought him at last, as
poetic temperaments are apt to do, into trouble. Youth, beauty,
innocence, and grace, united in the person of Lucy Carrington--the only
child of Mr. Stephen Carrington, a respectable retired merchant of
moderate means, residing within a few miles of Woodlands
Manor-House--crossed his path; and spite of his shield of many
quarterings, he was vanquished in an instant, and almost without
resistance. The at least tacit consent and approval of Mr. Carrington and
his fair daughter secured, Mr. Everett, junior--hasty, headstrong lover
that he was--immediately disclosed his matrimonial projects to his father
and aunt. Captain Everett received the announcement with a sarcastic
smile, coldly remarking, that if Mrs. Fitzhugh was satisfied, he had no
objection to offer. But, alas! no sooner did her nephew, with much
periphrastic eloquence, in part his passion for the daughter of a _mere_
merchant to his aunt, than a vehement torrent of indignant rebuke broke
from her lips. She would die rather than consent to so degrading a
_mesalliance_; and should he persist in yielding to such gross
infatuation, she would not only disinherit, but banish him her house, and
cast him forth a beggar on the world. Language like this, one can easily
understand, provoked language from the indignant young man which in less
heated moments he would have disdained to utter; and the aunt and nephew
parted in fierce anger, and after mutual denunciation of each other--he
as a disobedient ingrate, she as an imperious, ungenerous tyrant. The
quarrel was with some difficulty patched up by Captain Everett; and with
the exception of the change which took place in the disappointed lover's
demeanor--from light-hearted gaiety to gloom and sullenness--things,
after a few days, went on pretty nearly as before.

The sudden rupture of the hopes Mrs. Eleanor Fitzhugh had reposed in her
nephew as the restorer of the glories of her ancient "house," tarnished
by Mary Fitzhugh's marriage, affected dangerously, it soon appeared, that
lady's already failing health. A fortnight after the quarrel with her
nephew, she became alarmingly ill. Unusual and baffling symptoms showed