Can such a one be a fit mate for Catharine Glover?
And yet report says they are soon to be united." The Fair Maid of Perth's complexion changed from red to pale, and from pale to red, as she hastily replied: "I think not of him; though it is true some courtesies have passed betwixt us of late, both as he is my father's friend and as being according to the custom of the time, my Valentine." "Your Valentine, my child!" said Father Clement.

"And can your modesty and prudence have trifled so much with the delicacy of your sex as to place yourself in such a relation to such a man as this artificer?
Think you that this Valentine, a godly saint and Christian bishop, as he is said to have been, ever countenanced a silly and unseemly custom, more likely to have originated in the heathen worship of Flora or Venus, when mortals gave the names of deities to their passions; and studied to excite instead of restraining them ?" "Father," said Catharine, in a tone of more displeasure than she had ever before assumed to the Carthusian, "I know not upon what ground you tax me thus severely for complying with a general practice, authorised by universal custom and sanctioned by my father's authority.

I cannot feel it kind that you put such misconstruction upon me." "Forgive me, daughter," answered the priest, mildly, "if I have given you offence.

But this Henry Gow, or Smith, is a forward, licentious man, to whom you cannot allow any uncommon degree of intimacy and encouragement, without exposing yourself to worse misconstruction--unless, indeed, it be your purpose to wed him, and that very shortly." "Say no more of it, my father," said Catharine.

"You give me more pain than you would desire to do; and I may be provoked to answer otherwise than as becomes me.