Birds of the air to the father, at length, the common rumor brought:
“Your son,” they sang, “in the cunning toils of a rustic lass is caught!”
“A fit betrothal,” the lawyer said, “must make these follies cease;
Which shall it be?—the banker’s ward?—Edith, the judge’s niece?”
“Father, I pray”—said Hugh. “O yes!” out-leapt the other’s mood,
“I hear of your wanton loiterings; they ill become your blood!
If you hold our name at such light worth, forbear to darken the life
Of this Alice Dale”—“No, Alice Van Ghelt! father, she is my wife.”
2.
Worldlings, who say the eagle should mate with eagle, after his kind,