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CHAPTER VIII.
Burr in the camp.—An intrigue in Charlestown.—The betrayed wife.
The intimacy between Burr and Angelina Dudley appears to have continued till he joined the army, in 1775, at Cambridge.
It does not appear that they ever met afterwards. Indeed, not long after their separation, Angelina was married to a British officer of wealth, who took her to England, introduced her at court, and from that time we lose the trace of her.
Burr was not well satisfied with his fellow-soldiers of the American camp. He found that discipline was relaxed, and card-playing was far more attractive than military tactics, to the majority of the patriots.
Our hero remained at Cambridge some two months, during which time he made his mark among the ladies, after his peculiar fashion.
Crossing over to the adjacent town of Charlestown, with a couple of his brother-officers, on one Sunday afternoon, Burr saw at a window a young lady of considerable beauty, who regarded him with attention.
She lived in what is called Main street, not far from the square on which the market and town-hall are built. Although his two companions were taller than himself, and might have passed for men of commanding forms and imposing aspect, yet the lady appeared to be more struck with the appearance of Burr than with either of the others.
This was of course, gratifying to the young soldier, who appears to have been remarkably vain of the admiration of the other sex. While his two friends were enjoying themselves at a hotel, he went out and made some inquiries respecting the occupant of the house which contained the young lady. He soon found that it was the dwelling of a Dr. W—, a man of considerable eminence in the town.
"Pray, sir who is this Dr. W—?" inquired Burr. "Is he a single man?"
"No, sir; he married Miss P—, of Concord," was the reply; "the prettiest girl in that place and the reigning belle."
"Belles are sometimes wanting in devotion to one man," said he, carelessly. "Having been admired and praised by many, they miss the incense of flattery—"
"Very true," replied his informant quickly, "and in this case, it was only after the repeated and earnest entreaties of her lover that she
