THE TWO FAMILIES: AN EPISODE IN THE HISTORY OF CHAPELTON. BY THE AUTHOR OF "ROSE DOUGLAS." "Surely every man walketh in a vain shew; surely they are disquieted "Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will VOL. II. LONDON: SMITH, ELDER, & CO., 65, CORNHILL. 1852. 249.x. 321. THE TWO FAMILIES; AN EPISODE IN THE HISTORY OF CHAPELTON. CHAPTER I. Oh, if the selfish knew how much they lost, To imitate, as far as in them lay, Him who his wisdom and his power employs ROGERS. Ar seventeen, Eliza was introduced into society, and, as Mrs Wilson had anticipated, the début of the young heiress did create a sensation in the circles of Glasgow, where her mother had a numerous acquaintance. The Merrileeses had always been dashing people, and amongst a gay VOL. II. A set, but many families now courted Mrs Wilson's society, who did not condescend to visit her relations. Eliza had a tolerable share of beauty for an heiress. In her childhood, she resembled her mother, having the same bright complexion, and promising to be tall and full in person. At her present age, she had only attained a middle height, and her figure was perhaps too thin for a time of life, when roundness and plumpness are to be expected, and are signs of health; but it was light and graceful. Her hair was beautiful and abundant, of a dark auburn, and she wore it becomingly. Her features were tolerably regular, and her complexion, by candle-light at least, was good; in the daytime it often looked sickly. Her expression varied, and was very deceptive. In society, and when it was worth her while to appear agreeable, it might have defied all, but the most experienced physiognomist, to pronounce it other than pleasing; but in private, or when no one was by whose good opinion she cared for, it showed peevishness, irritability, and discontent. When alone, she was a little inclined to be a slattern, in which she resembled her mother, who was only a fine lady in public; but, in company, her dress was always rich and priate. She perhaps wore more ornaments than suited her age, but her fortune so far warranted them. appro If in good humour-and she was generally so in company, for there she was the object of universal attention-she was lively and pleasing. But at home, and amongst her own relations, for whose opinion she was indifferent, and who all united in spoiling her, she was another being-cross if spoken to, anxious about her own comfort and careless of theirs-contradictory and insolent to her mother, who now, however, bore with it tolerably well, as she had settled that it was "just Eliza's way." Her mother's "particular friends" in Glasgow and Chapelton were by this time accustomed to her starts of temper. Indeed, they |