Angelina: Or, The Mystery of St. Mark's Abbey — page 57: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

44 ANGELINAS$ OR, a very uncommon thing among young girls of our age, and I do not know but it ig very natural after all, and that’s exactly what Edwin Rushfield has told me at least a dozen times, Now let me know, Angelina, whether I have guessed right, and if I have, [think it is very unkind of you not to make me acquainted with the fortunate swain; I would not be so secret with you, But now I remember, when I left the cottage this morning, I did see a fine, tall, handsome young man, with biack eyes, and black silken hair, enveloped in a cloak, waiting in the meadows yonder, and, as I thought, looking very ear- nestly towards the cottage ; but as he could not have been—” ‘* Ab!” interrupted Angelina, thrown quite off her guard by what the Io- quacious Laura had said, “have you then seen him ?” ‘¢ Qh, oh, so the cat is out of the bag then, and [ think I have managed this very cleverly,” said the provoking girl, laughing heartily, ‘‘ if that is him, I have seen him, certainly, and I must say that I admire your choice, at Tenst, = far as looks go, but there is no judging a person by their appear- ance,’ ‘‘ Laura,” said Angedina, seriously, haying regained her composure, “ you mistake me, and I canset suffer you to entertain any such erroneous suspi- cions; I certainly do not feel very highly flattered by the opinion you seem to entertain of me, to think that I should ever eo far forget the modesty and propriety of our sex, as to make secret assignations with a man, and encourage his addresses, without the knowledge of your father.”’ Laura was abashed, and as she knew not what answer to make to this re- proof, she endeavoured to conceal her confusion by singing a verse of a song, as she tripped into the cottage. Angelina did not immediately follow her cousin, bat paused to reflect upon what had occurred, and more particalarly to examine the miniature. With a strange indefinite feeling, she took it from her bosom, and gazed intently upon it; it was an excellent likeness of the stranger himgelf and every ljineament, every feature, every expression, was traced with such admirable skill by the artist, that it almost seemed animated with life. In vain, did the damsel try to remove her eyes from this miniature, and as she continued to look, her admiration increased. So completely absorbed was she in the contemplation of the likeness, that she noticed not the elapse of time, and it is uncertaia how much longer she might have remained so occupied, had she not been suddenly aroused by a jocund laugh, and turning round hastily as she once more con- signed the miniatare to her bosom ; she was vexed and bewildered to behold Laura, smiliag at her elbow. **Ah, my fair cousin,” said the merry girl, “I thought I should find you out at last. Ob, you sly girl, to be desperately in love, and carry the like- messes of young men in ycaur bosom, and never to say a word to me about it, well, I declare, if I have agt a good mind to make you jealous, and set my cap at him myself, for I am certain it is the youeg man I saw this morning; 1 knew the likeness directly.” ‘* Laura,” said Angelina angrily, her. heart having throbbed with emotion all the time that she was thus speaking ; *“ I must beg of you to choose some other subject to jest upon, I am not disposed to listen to such absurdities.” _8o saying, Angelina walked into the cottage, and Laura, who did not feel cCoMmmicaooks Go