Lucy Eldridge.

Full of this determination, he fought his father, declared his
resolution, and was commanded never more to appear in his presence.
Temple bowed; his heart was too full to permit him to speak; he left the
house precipitately, and hastened to relate the cause of his sorrows to
his good old friend and his amiable daughter.

In the mean time, the Earl, vexed to the soul that such a fortune should
be lost, determined to offer himself a candidate for Miss Weatherby's
favour.

What wonderful changes are wrought by that reigning power, ambition! the
love-sick girl, when first she heard of Temple's refusal, wept, raved,
tore her hair, and vowed to found a protestant nunnery with her fortune;
and by commencing abbess, shut herself up from the sight of cruel
ungrateful man for ever.

Her father was a man of the world: he suffered this first transport to
subside, and then very deliberately unfolded to her the offers of the
old Earl, expatiated on the many benefits arising from an elevated
title, painted in glowing colours the surprise and vexation of Temple
when he should see her figuring as a Countess and his mother-in-law, and
begged her to consider well before she made any rash vows.

The DISTRESSED fair one dried her tears, listened patiently, and at
length declared she believed the surest method to revenge the slight put
on her by the son, would be to accept the father: so said so done, and
in a few days she became the Countess D----.