even so far in her political heresy that she held it as her opinion that the traditional privileges of birth were, as far as love was concerned, the most insufferable yoke which human liberty had as yet submitted to.
The handsome Fred adored the young lady, and as he could see from every circumstance that he was not less fortunate in love than he was in war, he seized upon the first favourable occasion to reveal to her the state of his heart. She received the confession of his love with blushing modesty, but nevertheless with considerable pleasure, and the dear beings united themselves by reciprocal vows of everlasting fidelity. They were now happy in the present, but trembled for the future. The return of spring called the heroes again to the tent. The armies concentrated, and the sorrowful moment when they were to separate was fast approaching. Now the consultations became serious, to find out how to consolidate the compact of love by legal means, so that nothing but death could separate them. Miss Emily had confided to her affianced the opinions of her mother in respect to marriage, and it was not to be supposed that the proud lady should deviate by a hair’s breadth from her cherished system in favour of a love-match.
H
