The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1852-10-26
The Last Night ofJames watson's Honey Noon.
The helmsman steered; the ship moved on. -
l L W ~ ------- - l..ix AIari

1t was the evening OF Thursday, the 1lth OF
September, 1851. My dear Lucy and had
been spending the last week ofour honeymoon
at Broadstairs where we had lodgings in Chan
dos Place; and on this, our last evening, the
two Miss Frazers, old school friends of Lucy's
who happened to be stopping at Broadstairs
too, dropped in TO tea. 50,
was not curious then. nor am curious now,
about my wife's little confidence and secrets
Females will gossip among themselves and
have secrets-men baye-I myself have.-l
There are many things that do not tell Lucy;
and / can cheerfully allow it to be the same
with her. despise the husbands WHO try to
graft the Paul Pry upon the Romeo. II shows
pitiful ambition, think, for any human be-
ing to endeavor 10 become the depository OF
another's secrets whether he calls himself priest
or lover; and far worst to endeavor to become
ruler or guardian, or keeper of anothors mind.
Every one has a separate and independent ex-
istence, and should keep II 80. individuality
never ceases; and whoever strives to persuade
another to confess to him is, consider, an i'm
postor, and should be treated accordingly. Our
wives do not become one and indivisibly with
us in spirit because we are tied together in
the body. We shall be units, after death, how
ever we may be united here.
thought, therefore, that Lucy might like to
have a little private chat with her old school
fellows, and said so. She laughed and did not
deny it. Accordingly, l resolved to take a
stroll after tea; and at about half past eight
o'clock left the house and walked down to-
wards the pier.
had, however, another motive. This, as
above, was the last night ofour wedding trip;
] was about to return to town tomorrow, and
wished to think over few matters relative to
the world of business to which belonged.
1t had been fine but boisterous day: and
bS =, ,b ba had poxu eoyua,vhaf fallan the
sea still ran high. The sun had set among
stormy clouds, and the weather-wise and the
weather unwise amateurs-both taking their
cue from the boatman of tho place-shooked
their heads knowingly, and predicted rough
| tomorrow.
| Wise and foolish, however were nearly all
housed by half past eight o'clock. A few strag-
gers were abroad, on the parade, but even
those were now mostly making for home; for
there are no tom fool night haunts in Broad
stairs.
! The evening had begun to draw in very fast,
and before had taken many turns up and
down the quaint old pier, the last CLEANS Of
day had faded from the sky. The moon ho&ev-
er, rose early and was nearly full, so that there
was no lack of light.
| thought over my partners letters. Many
of our chief transactions had been very profita-
bic; the trains which, had laid before l left
town had as far as they had time to explode
done well; and though | was very happy in
my marriage holiday, yet was somewhat ca
ger to be back again at the exciting game of
business.
After had walked for a short time, saw
another person coming up the pier and as /
did not wish to be disturbed, turned and sat
down on little jetty which has been thrown
out from the pier head.
At first feared that he would join me, even
here, and prepared to acknowledge as surlily as
l could, that il was fine night if he spoke to
me. But he did not do SO. heard his foot
fall stop about the middle OF tho pier. Ithen
heard him descend the rude stairs there, and
soon after sound as Of stepping mast in a
sail boat reached my ears. Satisfied that he
was not going to disturb my solitude, leaned
my head on my hand and followed out the va
rious thoughts which arose in my busy brain.
Among the many people with whom l had
come into contact in the world was Alfred
Waters. We had once been fellow-clerks, and
there had been something about him which
from the first drew me to him. and made me
like him better than any Of my companions.
1t was not his person; that was rude enough.
Ii was no credit to be seen walking with him
as far as appearances went. He wanted Stoves
majesty" as much as Richard did; was in fact,
hdeously ugly. The dress in which nature
had clothed his mind was altogether unlike
that mind 1t was shocking and repulsive; his
mind was I often thought very admirable.
had, l say, drawn much to Alfred Waters;
and acquantanceship had ripened into esteem
and friendship. cared little that his person
was uncouth his head too big for his big body
his features coarse, his hair red, his eyes small
and ferret like; his character as far as / could
, read it, was straightforward; his tastes were
like my own, and his mind was deeply stored
with those precious things which literature
, loves to give its votaries.
But blank had suddenly and quite lately
fallen over our friendship. had crossed his
path. 1t appeared that he had loved Lucy
Hutchinson long before knew her loved hel
, deeply too. She had never in any way en-
courageed his attachment, and he certainly
never spoke of it to her. But heard that he
} had been set on winning her-that he had fully
expected TO succeed in time, until my interfer.
} cnce, as he considered il, scattered his hope.
J and chances to the winds.
. And whether / had shown anything like tri
umph in my bearing to him Q mover made any
boast of my success in words-of that am con
J fident,) or whether some mutual friend had
kindly stimulated his exaspiration, he had sud
denly become very cool towards me. His sci
esteem was doubtless sorely wounded, and per
J haps should not have alluded to the subject
but did. sought an explanation of his cold
ness He refused to give any; end from thai
D tine he avoided me as much as possible.
D This would not, perhaps, have muttered
0 much, if he had stopped there. In the world
of London life we do not feel the want of friend
e ship 1t is indeed sometimes in the way. We
: have not time to attend to it. Bacon's state
ment, "That If man have not friend, ht
may as well quit the stage" does not apply IN
0 modern Babylon. An acquaintance is quite al
0 useful; often more so: quite as amusing ant
moro easily pared with; far more sef-sacrif
. cling, if there is any chance Of return.
y My intercourse with Alfred Waters had beer
= = pleasant, and for time regretted that II wa
broken off. But, after all, could do very vel
without him. and when found that his cold