LUCY HT7TCHINSON, young, handsome, and rich, John Hutchinson was an interesting person to many. Not caring for fashionable company, however, and being rather seriously inclined, he confined his attentions, at the house of Mr. Coleman, his host, to pretty " young Mrs. Apsley,"-then twelve years old-whose vivacity and simplicity, with her musical tastes, delighted him. It thus happened that her theme of discourse being frequently her charming, studious, retiring sister, and Mr. Hutchinson chancing to see some Latin books belonging to Lucy, his curiosity became greatly excited about the absent girl, and he began to feel strangely interested in her. He made many inquiries respecting her disposition and person,. and regretted not having seen her, lamenting, at the same time, that she would return either a wife or an affianced bride. Every day he took oppor- tunities of speaking of her, and heard the most enthusiastic praises of her mind and beauty. Mr. Hutchinson had been, heretofore, thoroughly in- vulnerable to Cupid's shafts, and had laughed when told that Richmond was fatal to all flinty-hearted bachelors ; yet now he was palpably falling a victim to the imaginary charms of a shadow. " I cannot rest," he cried, one day, " till this lady's return, that I may be acquainted with her." After the lapse of a few weeks, she returned, completely disengaged ; and Mr. Hutchinson, on becoming acquainted with her, lost his heart to the reality of his ideal. He was not backward in 28
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