308 THE BLACK CAIUBS. 



sugar works ; but to do this he wanted capital, and was unacquainted 

 with the system of raising money by loan and mortgage. 



Meanwhile Rosetta grew in age and loveliness : though but seven- 

 teen, she was very tall and of womanly proportions. Her slender 

 form was elegantly modelled, and her complexion delicately white ; 

 her visage had not the rosy bloom that dyes the faces of England's 

 beautiful daughters : a lighter tinge overspread her velvet cheeks, 

 but not less lovely. A placid smile of sweetness beamed occasionally 

 in her countenance, which indicated that she possessed a soul at 

 peace with itself and with all around ; her large dark eyes were 

 neither sparkling nor languishing, but expressive of that benevolence 

 of disposition which is more vividly displayed by the fair of the 

 Caribbean islands than by any other class of beings with whom it has 

 been my lot to mingle. 



About this time, i. e. early in 1812, arrived on the estate on which 

 Rosetta resided a nephew of the proprietor, a young man of the 

 most engaging appearance and accomplishments. By the advice of 

 his uncle, Charles had crossed the Atlantic for the purpose of ar- 

 ranging some matters relative to a deeply mortgaged estate that his 

 father had bequeathed him. The elder Melburn had nearly ruined 

 his property by extravagance. His, however, was not selfish prodi- 

 gality ; he had incumbered his plantation with debt from having the 

 weakness of never being able to refuse any favour asked of him. His 

 son Charles inherited some of this disposition. 



On the young man's arrival in St. Vincent, his uncle proposed a 

 plan of giving up for a certain time his estate to the mortgagees, on 

 condition of receiving a sum sufficient to establish him in the army, 

 and an annuity. To this Charles agreed, yet, somehow or other, he 

 never could be brought to conclude the business. 



laving in the same mansion with Rosetta Belgrave, every reader 

 who is conversant either with the romance of life, or the romances of 

 the Minerva library, will conceive that the parties were in duty 

 bound to fall in love with each other ; and the fact so fell out in love 

 of course they fell. 



One evening Rosetta was seated in a gallery, while before her 

 knelt a little negro girl, whom she was teaching to pray, Charles ap- 

 proached her, but, not wishing to interrupt her devout task, he stood 

 aside and observed her; never did she look so amiable. Charles 

 gazed at her until he mentally lamented his own ideal unworthiness 

 in comparison with such an angel. He felt that sweet emotion 

 stealing over him which most feel once, and none experience a second 

 time it belongs alone to the youthful and sincere. The little 

 negress having finished her devotion, Rosetta saw Charles in the 

 gallery. 



" I have been here some minutes, Miss Belgrave, and stood aside, 

 not wishing to disturb your lesson of piety," said he. " I come to beg 

 a favour of you." 



" This must surely be something more serious than he usu.allytalks 

 about," thought Rosetta, " for I never saw him look so grave before." 

 She inquired, though rather tremulously, after the nature of the re- 

 quested favour. 



