THE IOR_DER IN CHRIST'S VINEYARD. he deferred the marriage, and finally, on the third occasion, Hannah's friends were all in attendance, and, after breakfasting together, proceeded to church, where they were to meet the bridegroom. They waited an hour in the porch, when, as they were beginning to despair of his appearance, " a single horseman " was seen approaching. " He advanced to the steps, dismounted, and presented to Miss More a letter, in which the gentleman pleaded simply, as a reason for receding from his engage- ments, that he could not bring his mind, at the hour of crisis, to so solemn and irrevocable a contract." Mary More, angered at the repeated and heartless insults offered to her sister, interfered on this final termination of the courtship, to prevent any renewal of the engagement, although this was against the wish of the capricious gentleman. Many friends, also, insisted that the -affections of the young lady should not be thus trifled with ; and Sir James Stonehouse being applied to, he promptly afforded his assistance. Mr. Turner, whose admiration for Hannah suffered no abatement, although he treated her in such an extraordinary mayner, urgently desired to settle an annuity of six hundred pounds on her; but his offer was with dignity rejected. As he persisted, Dr. Stonehouse consulted with the friends on both sides, and it was agreed, that, all things considered, a part of the sum might be ac- cepted without the sacrifice of delicacy or propriety. is
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=