Page:The Prairie Flower; Or, Adventures In the Far West.djvu/85

 nnot be

In earnest, surely! and it is a bad matter for a jest."

"1 am not jesting, at all events," he re plied. " But why not marry her, if we both love? Is there anything so remark able in marriage?"

I looked at him earnestly, to detect, if possible, some sly curl of the lip, some lit tle sign which I could construe into a quiz- ical meaning; but no! the expression of his countenance was uncommonly serious, if anything, rather melancholy. He was sincere beyond a doubt, and the very thought kept me dumb with surprise.

"You do not answer," he said at length. "Perhaps you do not believe in my sin cerity ?"

"Ay, too truly I do," I rejoined; " and the very knowledge made me speechless. Why, my dear friend, what are you think ing of? You, the young, wealthy, aristo cratic Charles Iluntly, prating seriously to me of marriage, and that to a nameless Indian girl of whose history you know no thing, ami whose acquaintance you have made within a week! What! can this be the same wild, reckless school-mate of mine, whose mind six months ago rarely harbored an idea beyond uttering a jest or playing a prank upon some unsuspecting individual? Surely you are not in your sober senses, Charley! or this is a land of miracles, indeed."

"I am not what I was," sighed my friend, "though, I believe, not the less in my senses for that. That I was a gay, wild youth once, is no evidence I should always remain one. To me there appears nothing remarkable, that one whose life has been a scene of folly, should become changed by the near approach of death. I have suffered too much within the past week, both in body and mind, not to have had very serious reflections. As regards Prairie Flower, I acknowledge, as before, I am totally ignorant of her history; that, as you say, I have known her barely a week; but I cannot forget that I am her debtor, both for my own life and yours. That she is a rare being, too good almost to grace a world so cold and uncharitable as this, none who have seen and conversed with her as much as I, can doubt for a mo ment Regarding marriage, I am very far from thinking it a trifling affair on the

contrary, one of the most serious of a man's life It is an event to make or mar his happiness; and for that reason should be considered with all due solemnity, and everything pertaining to it duly weighed, that none may afterward be found want ing. Had I proposed to you to unite my self with a lady of fine accomplishments and fortune, would you have asked the question if both loved if she was one to make me happy? Probably not; for her wealth would prove the 'silver vail,' to conceal all her defects. Should a man take the solemn vows of marriage to please himself or friends? Should he do so mere ly to make a display in public, and render his heart in private the seat of misery? Of what value is gold, if it add nothing to a man's happiness? Riches are unstable, and often, as the proverb has it, 'take to themselves wings and fly away.' And then, to him who has made these his god whc has wedded them and not the woman what is the result? A few days of misery and an unhappy end. Do not conclude from this, my dear Frank, that I have re solved to marry Prairie Flower; for until it was suggested by your own remarks, such a thought never entered my head; and even now such a result is highly im probable. I merely hinted at the possibil ity of the thing, to ascertain what effect it would have upon you."

"Well, I am happy in knowing the mat ter is not so serious as I was at tirst led to suppose. Take my word, Charley, it is only a mere whim of the moment, which will pass away with a return of health and strength. When the body becomes dis eased, it is not uncommon for the mind to be affected also; and though the idea you have suggested may seem plausible now mark me! you will yet live to think it pre posterous, and laugh at your present folly."

"Then, Frank, you think my mind unsound?"

"Not in a healthy state, certainly or, with your quick sense of perception, you would have become aware ere this, that, no matter how deep her love, Prairie Flower is one to reject even Charles Huntly."

"Reject me, Frank, say you? reject me?" cried Iluntly, auickly, with a look of surprise.