the faces of the procession, sticks, rotten eggs, and other missiles were thrown at them, and a couple of fowling pieces were discharged over their heads. They fled precipitately, leaving on the field their instruments of music, which the servants afterwards picked up and brought in, as trophies of the victory they had obtained. Whether it was by the same party or not, I cannot say; but the wedding of Mons. Du Lac was celebrated with similar honours, and under more lucky auspices for those by whom they were rendered. The old gentleman submitted to the custom with so bad a grace, that they were encouraged to take the greater liberties; the serenaders entered his house, deafened his ears with their horrid music, drank gallons of his best wine, and one of them, a strapping young fellow, had even the impudence to snatch a kiss from the bride. It was one o'clock in the morning before these rude wassailers left the house, and then the vexation of old Du Lac, which had been so long restrained by their presence, broke forth into fury. He stormed at his negroes, cursed the neighbourhood, railed at every body whose name was mentioned, or who came into his presence, nor did he even spare his wife. He told her he wished he had married Madame Labedoyère, and then none of all this trouble could have happened. Teresa was never destined to see him in good humour again. He had broken on that evening through that reserve of first acquaintance which produces civility, even in the peevish and morose, and ever afterwards he treated her as he did the other inmates of the family, with an intolerable and perpetual ill-humour. In three years he fretted himself into his grave, notwithstanding all the pains which the gentle Teresa took to keep him alive, leaving her the owner of half his possessions, and the mother of two children, who inherited the other half. As for the matron, with whom Richard was paired so much against his inclination, she could never reduce the young man to that state of obedience which she esteemed the proper relation of a husband to the wife of his bosom. Richard insisted firmly on maintaining his parents in comfort, and educating his sisters, and she insisted as strongly that he should not. He carried his intentions into effect, at the expense of a daily quarrel with his wife. This vain contest for supremacy preyed upon her spirits and impaired her health, her portly figure wasted visibly, she went into a deep decline, and died at the end of five years from the time of her marriage, having also borne two children to her husband. And now, Mr. Herbert, you anticipate the con VOL. II. G clusion of my story. You are right-Richard and Teresa were united at last, and the marriage ceremony was performed in the little old church at Adayes, by the benevolent curate, my right worthy friend, Baltazar Polo; and never did those cracked bells ring a merrier peal than at that wedding. It was performed with more than usual precaution, for the good minister declared that no second mistake should be committed, if it was possible to guard against it by human means. It took place at broad noon, in a clear bright day, and the curate wore a new pair of concave spectacles, which he had procured from New Orleans expressly for the occasion. The worthy couple are now, like myself, grown old. They live on the fertile plantation which formerly belonged to Madame Labedoyère, where I showed you the two fine young button-wood trees before the mansion. The children of the first marriages are provided for on the ample estates of the deceased parents, and Lemoine and his wife live surrounded by their mutual offspring, in the serene old age of a quiet and well acted life. Some years since a French botanist, travelling in this country, claimed the hospitality of their roof. He showed them, among other matters connected with his science, how the leaf of the button tree hides in its footstalk the bud of the next year's leaf. Richard told his wife, that this was an emblem of their first unfortunate marriage, which, however, contrary to their expectations, contained within itself the germ of their present happy union, and their present opulence. They adopted the tree as their favourite among all the growth of the forest, and caused two of them of equal size and similar shape to be planted before their door. A ROMANCE OF THE BORDER. "She had just arrived At life's best season; when the world seems all MORE than thirty years ago, there lived in the beautiful vale of one of the tributaries to the Susquehanna, whose waters wind their way among the hills of Otsego, a person of singular character and appearance. Without, as far as the writer knew, ever having lifted his finger against a human he was nevertheless a terror to the children th of the border settlement: and those even arrived at the age of manhood shook |