CHAP. XV. My dear Mama. I AM Sure will be happy to hear that Miss Freeport is pronounced to be out of danger. Mr. W. gave us this pleasing intelligence yesterday afternoon, and since that time Mrs. Freeport has done nothing but shed tears of joy over her,and listen to the plans of amendment she is continually forming, and I am sure she is sincere in her resolves. This morning she begged her father might be called. When he arrived she entreated him to listen to her for a few minutes and painted to him in such forcible colours the errors his excessive indulgence had led her into, that he appeared greatly softened. And when with much energy of manners he described the unremitting attention and kindness she had received from her mother, he grasped Mrs Freeport's hand,and declared she was an excellent woman, in a tone of greater tenderness than I had any idea he was capable of. Thus I hope, my dear mama, that the reformation of the daughter will be the happy means of cementing the union of the parents. If I have your permission I shall remain here a day or two longer, as Miss Freeport seems pleased with my society. Her other friends she tells me were frightened away at the very sound of a sick bed, and left her the first day she was taken ill. Pray remember me in the kindest manner to my aunt and cousins, and believe me to remain, my dear mama, Your very affectionate and dutiful daughter, Emma and Caroline were equally pleased with Mrs. Stanly at the happy turn Miss Freeport's disorder had taken, though they lamented the protracted stay of Augusta, whose lively company was a great loss to them. Mrs. Stanly saw their disappointment, and in order to amuse them proposed a ride to enquire after Miss Stanhope; to this they gladly consented, and soon after dinner set off accompanied by their kind aunt, their mother begging to be excused. When they reached R, they found Miss Stanhope well enough to sit up, and Mrs. Stanly was happy to hear from Miss Grove that Mr. Stanhope had sent Frank to an excellent school in the neighbourbood. I have no doubt of his being in future a good boy, continued she, as his grief for his sister's accident was lively and sincere; and he has since promised his father to leave off those unpleasant tricks which rendered him so disagreeable. As for the girls I shall lose them likewise, as Mr. Stanhope has placed them under the care of a lady who takes a limited number of pupils. They will leave R as soon as poor Sophia is able to travel. As the lady is considered extremely clever, they will I hope derive great advantage from her instruction. Mrs. Stanly agreed with Miss Grove in thinking it the best plan of advancing their improvement, and made no doubt but that the Miss Stanhopes would profit by it. After a little more desultory conversation Mrs. Stanly took her leave, and on her return expressed the satisfaction she felt, that Mr. Stanhope had prudence to discern the injudicious treatment his children had experienced under the superintendence of their aunt. In the course of a few days Augusta returned to Bellfield, having left Miss Freeport quite recovered, and more solicitous than ever of regaining the good opinion and esteem of her mother. Augusta was the bearer of a note from Mrs. Freeport, full of the most grateful expressions of regard and thanks to Mrs.Stanly, declaring that she considered that lady as the author of her present happiness. Things remained in this state for some time; Mrs. Stanly and the young people frequently visited the Masons; but never could prevail on Mrs. Roseville to accompany them, as her melancholy seemed to increase, and she never appeared so happy as when alone in her apartment, where she could indulge her grief, or strengthen her hopes in the future, by attentively reading that holy book which she had for so many years neglected. Mrs. Stanlys though happy to observe the bent of her studies, would frequently reason with her on the impropriety of giving herself up to despair. She would tell her to consider what a source of happiness she still possessed in her daughters, and that it was her duty on their account to exert herself; but Mrs. Roseville would only answer by a shake of the head, or a deep sigh indicative of the internal anguish she felt. Emma and Caroline too exerted all their little powers of pleasing, but, alas! their endeavours were frequently ineffectual, as the loss of Mr. Roseville seemed to be a blow upon her spirits never to be recovered. The summer was now giving place to autumn; the trees were loaded with the most delicious fruits, and the waving corn bent under the weight of its fruitful ears. The merry song of the labourers who were getting in a plentiful harvest, added a new and delightful charm to the rich country around Bellfield, which was remarkable for its fertility, though the county in general partook more of the pas ture than of the arable. Emma and Caroline were delighted; they had never seen any thing |