152 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



Mr. P., a college friend of my brother's, came 

 to visit him about this time, and spent a week 

 at our house. He was as enthusiastic as my- 

 self, ardent in science, and perfect in classical 

 literature; he was, in a word, the most amiable 

 and accomplished person I had ever known. 

 Pleased with my conversation, he paid us re- 

 peated visits, and without sufficiently studying 

 my character, he sought to win my hand. It 

 was the most foolish thing that Mr. P. ever 

 did! 



The attentions of such a man were irresistible ; 

 he really gained my heart, and I soon consented ; 

 anticipating with delight, as I told my mother, a 

 life devoted to him and to science. My father, 

 however, entirely disapproved of the match, as 

 Mr. P. had a very small fortune, and as it was 

 too obvious that I was unfit to be a poor man's 

 wife. I exerted all my former influence to coax 

 him into acquiescence ; but the most I could 

 obtain was that, instead of an absolute refusal, 

 he insisted on our waiting for a year, that we 

 might each have time to understand the duties 

 and difficulties of a married life. 



I had been accustomed, not merely to indul- 

 gence, but almost to deference. Gertrude's opi- 

 nion had always been consulted ; her advice 

 had always prevailed ; and was she now, and in a 

 matter of such importance, to be controlled like 



