Delusion; or, The Witch of New England

the sole

oom, where man

when the noon

ys sick w

rough all

rays; the forest

lored foliage,

like beam

ya

ed, Edith and her father prepared for their

k: they were mounted, therefore, Mr. Grafton on a sedate old beast, that had served him many years, and E

excursions were never undertaken without fire-arms. Paul, as w

nly by marks on the trees. The trees were almost stripped of their foliage, and the bright autumn sun, shining through the bare trunks, sparkled on the dew of the fallen leaves. It was the

a young fawn, she fluttered around her father, sometimes galloping her rough little pony in front, and then returning, she would give

with a quiet, tender smile: her gayety, to him, was like the play of h

of her, when she came galloping back, pale as deat

said her father,

that curled above the trees. Mr. Grafton knew that it indicated the

ild," said Mr. Grafton; and he sent Pau

showing his white te

aninnies,

Indian woman, with a pappoose at her feet, was half reclining; another child, attached in its birch cradle to the pendent bra

o contemplate it. They soon learned that the husband of the Indian was in the

nd talked with the mother in that untaught, mute lang

past noon when they reached the secluded farmhouse we

eymore was not far off, at work in his laborer's frock. A vivid blush of surprise, and

ff his laborer's frock. This gave an appearance of embarrassment to her first greeting, and the viv

, by more marked attention to Seymore; but simple and sincere, ignorant as sh

for the travellers; and, before they were ready to depart, the long shado

dark ride through the forest; and the pressing invitation of th

ike douce Davie Deans, he was stiff in his doctrines, and would not allow a suspicion of wavering from the orthodox standard of faith. But Edith soon gave undeniable evidence that sleep was a much better solacer of fatigue than

thinking how lovely Edith looked in her riding Joseph,[1] which fitted closely to her beautiful shape, and a beaver hat tied under the ch

ooks, heaps of manuscripts, and every familiar object that was so closely associated with Seymore. Nothi

Eve, she read a few lines. She colored to the very temples as she committed this fault; but she found herself irresistibly led on by sympathy with a mind kindred to her own; and when she laid her head on the p

prosperous and happy. But wisdom and experience, the true genii, appear in the form of

said, "I fear you thought, from the frequent ink-spots on my little garret, th

its contents; for I had some charming fancies last n

did not look displeased,

, and, soon after breakfast, they mo

ith felt no longer the wild gayety of the previous morning. With a thoughtful countenance, she rode

or thought in the student's ga

slightly, but

sed turning off from the direct path to visit an old lady,-a friend of

she had never heard her father ment

out midway was built a low, irregular, but very large farmhouse. It consisted of smaller buildings, connected by very strong palisades; and the whole was enclosed, at some distance, by a fence built of stron

d choice English flowers; but all was now in a state of neglect and decay. The walks were overrun with weeds, the arbors in ruins, and the tendrils of

nto a queue, and powdered. He smiled a welcome, and, with much show of respect, led them through many dark passages to a low but very comfortable room. The walls were hung with faded tapestry; and the low ceiling, crossed with heavy beams, would have made the apartment glo

lored brocade, with a snowy lawn apron and neckerchief folded across her breast. The sleeve reached just below the elbow, and was finished with a r

she greeted Mr. Grafton with all the ceremony of the

e of her mother,

ooking at Edith with pride and affection, as she st

er Mary, I hope,-h

on; "I have but one Mary

ather. "Call me Edith, madam,

was soon in earnest conv

bloom of youth, dressed in the costume of the second Charles. It was evidently an exquisite work of art. To Edith, the somewhat startling exposure of the bust, which the fashion of the period demanded,

red not ask of the stately lady on the couch; but, as she stood riveted before it, "O that I had such a friend!" passed through her mind; and, like i

erved her fi

this house, and brought over from England the fruits and flowe

negro appeared, to say t

s higher than the lower, and the whole was fixed to the floor. At this time, the upper end only was covered with a ric

said Lady C--, as she took her seat in a high-backed, richly-carved chair of oak; "and I have retained

olitary state, with no one to speak to except the old

massive plate, and the walls were adorned wit

nd defaced, but it was meant to represent A

ingers," said Lady C--, "as every thing

ng?" asked Edith

ory is too long for the dining hour;" and as dinner

d, the horses were at the door, and she took a reluctant

orses' heads outside the iron gate

id she live? How did she die? What was her fate?" Her father smiled,