Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-06-28
EVENING STAR.
CROSS THE FORD

cause and capital than an old sword, which
he was adroit enough TO palm off for the divine
weapon Of Mars, and Robespierre owed his
political career to wetting his stockings, and
there heard :" the words which burn, I" which
fred his soul, and determined his course in
life. My running away from home arose from
a minor modification, caused by carrying a
pretty girl over a brook
Donald Lean and myself were good friends
at fourteen years of age, and we both regasd-
| ed, with a little moro than friendship, pretty
Helen Graham, "Our eldest girl" at school.
We rOmped and danced together, and this
lasted for such length of time that il is with
feeling Of bewilderment that l look back
on the mystery Of two lovers continuing
| friends. But time came, as come il must
| when Jealousy lit her spark in my boyish bo-
som, and blow it into a consuming flame.
Well do [ remember how and when the
"green eyed" perpetrated this incendiary
| deed. 1t was on a cold October evening, when
Helen, Donald and myself were returning
with our parents from a visit to n neighbor-
| Ing hamlet As We approached ford where
| the water ran somewhat higher than ancle
deep, we prepared to carry Helen across as
We were accustomed to do, with hands inter
woven chair fashion," thus took our
| pretty passenger through the brook Just as
| we were in the middle of the water-which
was cold enough at that time to have frozen
| anything like feeling out of boys less hardy
| than Ourselyes-a faint pang Of jealousy min
| ped my heart Why it was L know not, for
| we had carried Helen fifty times across the
brook ere now wi :hout emotion, but this even
| ing thought or fancied that Helen gave Don.
aid an undue preference by casting her pretty
arm around his neck while she steadied her
| self on my side by holding the cuff Of my
jacket
No flame can burn so quickly or with so lit
tie fuel as jealousy. Before we had reached
| the opposite bank, L was wishing Donald at
| the bottom of the sea- Being naturally
| impetuOus, L burst out with
"You need ma hand sac gingerly, Helen, as
If ye feared "a IA. can aye carry ye lighter
! than Donald wad half Of ye
Surprised az the vehemence of my tone, our
| queen interpOsed with an admission tha. we
were both strong, and that she had no idea
OF sparing my powers. But Donald ire was
kindied, and he utterly denied that l was at
| all qualified to compete with him in feats Of
carriage. On such topics boys are generally
| emulOus, and by the time We had reached the
opposite bank, 1t was settled that the point
should be determined by our single bearing
| Helen across the ford in our arms.
Helen was to determine who had carried
her most easily, and L settled with myself
| privately In advance, that the one who OBJ
tanned the preference would really be the
person who stood highest in her affections
The reflection stimulated me to resolve to ex-
ert every effort, and / verify believe to this
day, that l could have carried Donald and
| Helen on either arm, like feathers But /
anticipate
We suffered all the rest of the party to pass
| quietly along, and then returned to the ford
L lifted Helen with the utmost ease, and car
! ried her like an infant to the middle of the
water. Jealousy had also inspired a warmer
| love, and 1t was with feelings unknown before
| that L embraced her beautiful form, and
| felt the pressure Of her cheeks against mine
| All went swimmingly, or rather wadingly, for
| minute But alas in the very deepest part
| of the ford-l trod on n treacherous bit Of
wood, which rested, L suppose, on smooth
| stone. Over | rolled, bearing Helen with me,
nor did we rise until fairly soaked from head
| to foot.
| L need not describe the taunts Of Donald
| or the more accusing silence Of Helen Both
! believed had fallen from mere weakness,
| and my rival illustrated his superior ability
bearing her in his arms for Z long distance on
our homeward path. As we approached the
| house, Helen feeling dryer and better hu-
mored, attempted to cOnciliate me But
preserved moody silence was mortified
| beyond redress.
That night packed up a few things, and
ran away My boyish mind, sensitive and
irritated, exaggerated the negatiOn it had re-
| celved, and prompted me to a course which
| leu 10 DelleT results tlar usually
| attend such Irregularities. 1 went to Edin-
burgh, where L found a material uncle, a
| kind hearted, childish man, who gladly gave
| me place in his home, and employed me in
| his business Wealth flowed upon him. /
| became his partneI-went abrOad-resided
| four years on tie continent, and finally re-
| turned to Scotland, rich, educated-in short
every thing but married.
One evening while at a ball in Glasgow, L
| was struck by young lady of quite unpre-
| tending appearance, but whose remarkable
beauty and high-tOned expression indicated
! mind of more than ordinary power was
| introduced, but the Scottish names had long
| been unfamiliar to my ear, and / could not
| catch hers 1t was Helen something, and
| there was something in the face, too, that
| seemed familiar something suggestive of
| mixed pleasure and pain.
But we became well acquainted that even
! ing. L learned without difficulty her history
| She was from the country, had been well edu-
Gated, her parents had lost their property
and she was now gOverness in a family Of the
| city.
i was fascinated with her conversation, and
| was continually reminded by her grace and
| refinement Of manner, that she was capable of
| moving with distinguished success in a far
| higher sphere than that which fortune seem
| ed to have allotted her. l am naturally
| neither talkatiye or prone to confidence but
there was that In this young lady that inspired
| both, and conversed with her AS had never
conversed with any. Her questions of the
various countries with which 1 was familiar,
| indicated remarkable knowledge of litera-
| ture, and an incredible store of information.
We progressed in intimacy, and as our con-
1 yersation turned on the causes which induced
| 50 many to leave their native land, L laugh
| ingly remarked that l owed my own travels
to falling with pretty girl into the ford.
| had scarcely spoken these words ere the
blood mounted TO her face, and was succeeded
| by quite a remarkable paleness L attributed
| this to the heat of the room-laughed-and at
her request, proceeded to give the details of
| my ford adventure with Helen Graham-which
| did, painting in glowing color' the beauty
and amiability of my love.
Her mirth during the recital became almost
| irrepressible At its conclusion she remarkS d
MIR. Roberts, is it possible that You have
forgotten me ?"
gazed an ninstant-remembered- vas
dumb-founded. The lady with whom | > ad
| become acquainted was Helen Graham neg