Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-04-06


never interest me enough to induce me TO
play the Benedict for if | did. | should
get sick to death, of my bargain, in few
months or years l may. like thousand
others, get deceived but I know what
qualities | should prize in wife. urcle
Well, LII bet you any sum YOU like,
that you get deceived at last, Bernard. if
you marry at all said Mr. Mason, laugh
ing.
Mary Aston continued her round of
duties as far as practicable with the same
precision as before Bernard's arrival, al
though the extra visiting sometimes inter
tered with her daily routine It was
very evident to her, from his manner to-
ward her at first, that lie hardly consid
cred a poor teacher the equal of proud.
wealthy, arlstocratic gentleman like him
seh His reserve gradually wore away,
however. although she took no pains to
subdue 1t; or attract his notice: which
was, perhaps, the very reason he allowed
his cold manners to tLaw out. IF She
had been presuming, or shown any anxiety
on the subject. he would have condemned
her at once; but Mary neither felt, or
showed any such anxiety, and kept strict
ly about her own business and very soon
he began to admire her peculiar tact and
energy IN Its prosecution, and her activity
and usefulness in all the household ar
rangements, with which she was intrusted
by Mrs Mason.
Miss Mary's worth hundred sich gals
as dem Iowsons, and Jacksons. and Mis-
sons, young Massa,' said old Phillis. the
housekeeper, to him one day. when Mary
lett the room, after materially aiding her
IN some household duty. She amt so
'Irald o sling her white fingers. as most
white gals; and many's the lift she's gin
me, when she seed me sick and tired
God bless her And then she's so kind
to US all, IN our troubles and sickness and
contrlyes so many new ways to make our
work lighter, that / wish she'd stay here
forever, and SO does all de niggers If [
was young white feller like you. Masser,
| wouldn't let her go back home, no how.
But she might not wish to stay with
US, Phlilis,' said Bernard, interested in
spite of himself; and what would you do
then p
o, I'd tie her up with Hynum's chains
or some such thing, and would Mt let her
go back a single mint
Bernard walked out, laughing heartily,
and debating, it may be, the propriety of
such proceeding, in hts own mind for lie
began to ind, as he became more aequain-
ted, qualities in Mary's character that
pleased him, and that he had vainly sought
for elsewhere and he had already begun
to wish very sincerely that she occupied
some higher station in life than that of
governess he could not resist the pleas
IRE OF conversing with her, of drawing out
her young fresh thoughts and pleasant
fancles, and storing her memory in return
with some of the knowledge he had gained
IN his intercourse with the world, whenev-
er convenient opportunity presented it.
self; and somehow these opportunities.
without Mary's seeking for them, grew
more and more frequent. Fe could not
be always away, and the bright cheerful
faces aud pleasant voices at home, would
exert their attractions upon him, and fre-
quently win him away from some scene
of gaiety, almost in spite of himself; and
when Mary and the children were out mp
on their walks and drives, it seemed very
natural, too, that he should frequently join
them -
1t was inconvenient, too, always to leave
the library when the school hour arrived
and he could, after asking to be excused,
sit there sometimes for hours. occupied
with his book while Mary.
without minding his presence much, was
engaged in her daily task, of impart-
ing ideas upon the blank pages of the
children minds, at the other end of the
room, IN her own happy and peculiar way,
nor was it strange if his thoughts would
wander away from Bis own oc-
to hers or that the chi!drens
would from their own, to cousin Bernard,
whose fayorites they were but they liked
his approval too well toneglect trying their
best to deserve it, when he was present :
SO it seemed no disadvantage to them, af
ter all
Y ou seem 20 like your occupation, Miss
Aston; have you had much experience
in it 2 said Bernard one day, laying down
bis book, and addressing Mary, while the
children were busy getting their lessons.
have been here more than three years,
said Mary, looking up; and before that
time, | taught some months in Conpecti-
cut, my native State The teaching there
is something very different from what it
is here, however
Why so2; said Bernard, enquiringly.
% / had twenty or thirty big boys
and girls, the last term [ taught there in
stead of four little things like these, said
she, smiling
Indeed but how, / should like to
know. could you manage big boysr 2 said
Bernard, laughing at the idea. ou
could not have been very old yourselfl'
I never found much difficulty, hoRev-
err Though only eighteen, | could nan
age them we'll enough.
But you couldn't whip great big boy,
and how else could You manage them 2
% as to that said Mary, laughing.
Jack Elmer, one of the largest, once said
he had rather take a whipping than meet
a reproving glance from my eye any time
Well, should like to see one OF those
glances, to judge Of their effect
Mary instantly drew down her smiling
face into one of the most solemn and re
Z I l