Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-11-05

who declared the child would never be
any help to her, for she always had book
in her hand, or was moping off by hcrsell
in the corner She was generally spoken
Of as being "a strange child and met with
bnt little sympathy from those around her
Thrown thus back upon herself-yet was
she not unhappy.--ior. though sympathy
is 10 the human heart as the dews of heaven
20 the flowers, there are some hearts whose
chords are SO attuned in harmony with Ma
ture. that they can ever find sympathy with
every joy or grief beyond the little circle
Of humanity. Minnie Haven was poet!
True sc knew it not /; the Tyre was yet
unstrung, the lips were mute, the treasure
was hidden deep within her heart-but the
poets love for the beautiful in all lis forms.
and sympathy with Nature enabled her to
find friends ever about her. In lhe birds.
sunshine and flowers, when happy--and
the signing of the breeze. the wailing of
| the storm, and the mournful voices of ihe
night, when sad--she found sympathy.
The stars looked lovingly. AMI the moon 5
pale radiance filled her heart with peace, -
the morning and the evening brought with
them strength and hope and faith. h.--and
despite the chilling atmosphere Of her So
cIll life. these outer influences. combined
with her constant companions, her books,
to expand her heart--tO render her happy.
She lived in an ideal world of her own,
yet 10 her more real than the world about
her. AS natural consequence, she be-
came sensitive and timid even to fault,
and her excessive bashfuIness formed an
other source of modification to her mother
At the aye Of sixteen. Minnie was sent to
the Seminary, in the little village of E..
some twenty miles from home. 1t was
principally through the arguments and per-
suasion of Mrs Haven's brother an ecven-
tlic old bachelor, that this was accomplish
ed, for both Mr. and MIS- Haven regarded
it as An unnecessary piece Of eytrava gance
Mr.. Dolan. Minne's uncle, WAS the only
person, who in any degree appreciated her
character He WAS very wealthy, and Mrs
Haven, although secretly wondering what
he could find to interest him in Minnie, was
by no means displeased at the prospect of
her becoming Al heiress to his wealth. and
persuaded her husband to comply with his
wishes So far as to consent to MInne's "a
tenIin.; school Il; E. one year
To one Of her sensitive nture this eXpe-
rience at school was eminently painful 1.-The
pleasure she derived from study, and from
the free access to the magnificent library
belonging to the seminary, was nearly all
lost in the painful consciousness of her un-
fitness for society. that she daily and hourly
experienced. More than this,--deprived
oi all intercourse with Nature. she began
TO experience deep yearnings Of the hoart
TOR hum pathy-f,r frienls--and she
f 1t wild unrest, vague unhappy sense
of lnnlines; and wretcheJness
Blt there was change She found
two friends who partially filled the aching,
craving void in her heart M,iil1a lIar-
wood was m affec;ionate sirl-uever hav-
ins felt the want Of love, she bestowed
her love on all about her. because it had
always been perfectly natural for her to do
So. She w.ss. pretty loveable girl. not
troubling her head much bout the wisdom
and knowleJ se which the worthy Profes
sors wished TO implant. The affection
which Minnie cherished for her was mach
ike that bestowed upon younger sister.
Helen Sherwood, her second friend, was
little else than friend in name From the
tact of her being Maiilda's room mate, she
became quite intimately acquainted with
our heroine; and after the reserve which
always manifested itself when Minnie was
in the company of strangers had worn
away. Helen hal found pleasure in her
society, greatly to the amazement Of her
friends.
I.en was witty and sparkling in con-
versation, and possessed we'll cultivated
mind, but she lacked heart Sh, had first
sought Minnie's society from curiosity, ex
pecling to find in her character amusement.
But upon succeeding in her attempts to
draw her out, how was she amazed to find
tina: the plain, bashful girl, possessed
knowledge as profound, and an intellect as
clear as her own; needing but the polish
of society. mingled with large portion of
self-esteen, to make her fully equal To the
inteliGe the gifted Helen Sherwood
And in the principles of wri sht and wrong
which govern our hearts and lives, Helen
could not but feel her own deficiency; in
charity for oilers, in patience. in humble,
modest discharge of duty. how far superior
was our gentle Minnie to the beautiful, the
naughty Helen Sherwood.
The last session Of Minnie's sojourn a
E had about half elapsed when. by a
sort of accident. she attracted the attention
of Il gentleman, who, although he had sat
in the same division at table. and exchang-
ed morning saluation with her. regrlarly
each day. for nearly two months. WAS yet
hardly conscious of her existence. From
that day, however, the day on which be
noticed that she was something more than
mere automaton, he seemed to aim at dis
covering the hidden qualities Of mind and
heart which the pale, quiet girl, who had
so long moved ameng them unnoticed, pos
sessed.
Gradually he led her to converse with
him on various topics, and each succeed
I ing day. became more and more surprised
upon discovering what rich and varied
fund of information size possessed, how
much and well she had thought, and above
all, what wealth of the purest, sweetest
Ill Il