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1Author:  Hall Baynard Rush 1798-1863Add
 Title:  The new purchase, or, Seven and a half years in the far West  
 Published:  1997 
 Subjects:  University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | University of Virginia Library, Early American Fiction, 1789-1875 | UVA-LIB-EarlyAmFict1789-1875 
 Description: “A knowledge of your character, derived from mutual friends, from the opinion of all your acquaintances, and also from a somewhat intimate personal acquaintance, induces me to believe that such a lady would fill the vacancy in my domestic establishment most perfectly and delightfully:— although I am not vain enough to suppose Miss Smythe will necessarily feel herself flattered by such a preference on the part of the writer. As, however, Miss S. on better acquaintance, might become interested in him—more so at least than he fears she is at present—he very respectfully, yet most carnestly, craves permission to pay his addresses in person. “In a playful conversation on a subject so common when unmarried persons meet, your daughter, Miss Brown, in a jesting manner, remarked, that she always referred gentlemen to her father—as his choice would always be hers. What was jest with her, with me would have become very solemn earnest, had I had then to offer any thing beyond my hand and my heart, to induce such a girl to leave such a home. Happily, circumstances are now favourably altered; and willingly now would I ask that father for his daughter could I flatter myself the daughter could be induced to gladden and adorn a hearth, which, however warm in one sense, must be yet cold and cheerless without the love of a bosom friend. And such a friend would Miss Brown prove:—and, dear sir, if you think such a match suitable for your lovely daughter, I sincerely entreat the communication of your favourable opinion to her in my behalf—hoping that the daughter's choice then may be as the father's. “The other morning I went out a hunting with father's duck-gun what he brung out from Kentucky; but as I had no luck, I allowed I might as well put off for home; and so I turn about and goes towards home. As I come to the edge of our clearin, what should I see away off on the top of a dead walnut, but a black crow! And so I makes up my mind to try and hit him. The critter was more nor three hundred yards from me; but I insinuates myself along as near as two hundred yards to the feller; when he begins a showing signs of flittin: and so I trees where I was in a minute. Well, I determines to try him there, although 'twas near as good as desperut to try a black crow that distance with a shot-gun; although father's duck-gun's the most powerful shot-gun in the Purchis. Howsomdever, I wanted the load out; and I thought I might as well fire that a way as any other—and so up I draws the piece very careful, and begins a takin aim, thinking all the while I shouldn't hit him: still I tuk the most exactest aim, as if I should; when just then he hops about two foot nearer my way, as if to get a look round my tree, where he smelt powder—and then, thinking all the time, as I said, I shouldn't hit him, as the distance was so most powerful fur, I blazed away!—and sure enough, as I'm alive—I didn't hit him!” * * * * * * and the inclosed from my daughter, to whom was handed your late communication, contains, I presume, the most satisfactory answer, * * * * and * * * “I honour you for honesty, as I am satisfied you assign true reasons for not taking one to share your home; although the reasons themselves can never seem satisfactory where one was willing to share another's heart. For, like most girls in their days of romance, that one cared to find only a heart when she married. As my own home is sufficiently comfortable, there can be no inducement to wish another, however comfortable, in the New Purchase; and where its owner seems to think `altered circumstances' are important in winning a woman's love. But to show that kindness is estimated that would spare my delicacy, by leading my dear father to think all our conversation had been sportive, I do hereby most cordially—(here John looked! oh! I tell you what!)—invite you to our Christmas festivities, when the writer changes her name from Mary Brown to Mary Burleigh.”
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