Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-06-19


maidens and mothers of the little viii
lage.
In proper course of time and events,
he had succeeded in pleasing quite every
body. There was no social or family
board, to which he was notheartily well
come. IF picnic was to be held in the
grove, his name was the first thought of
in the schedule of invitations. All con-
vivial gatherings would have been tedious
indeed, without him. So il vas silently
voted by all. His flow of hunor was in
exhaustible. To every one he 'tudiously
made himself agreeable. He seemed
informed on all topics of immediate in
terest, and commanded no less the-espect,
than the admiration of the towl He
certainly could not help quietly thinking
that the village never before conained
so important character as he.
He had seen Mary, and from tie first
was pleased with her. Her vivacfy, ap-
pearing so natural, charmed him. She
betrayed him into unexpected confessions,
and strangely entangled his heart with
feelings of whose nature he had before
known nothing. Yet Mary was reither
artful nor designing; unless the most
artless simplicity be such; and If this
she was possessed of quite her shire
In truth, the very absence of all ar was,
with her, the highest degree of art Sc
it is in other matters, as well as inman,
ners.
While Mary was thus engagedin Sc.
curing the attentions of the stranger
chiefly to herself, Ruth was reserved, ant
kept out of the way altogether. Perhaps
her native modesty, now exaggerated t,
sensitiveness, drew her back from view
perhaps it was her sad thoughts br he
long absent lover; or it may have evel
been from both these causes combined
At all events, she studiously avoided th
strangers society, as, indeed, she ha
long seemed to shun that of every on
else.
But even all this would not do. Thi
very reserve, in which she had wrappe
, all her actions, and even her characte
itself, served to whet his curiosity til
more and out of this excited curiosit
, sprang a living interest in her. Co
4. what the effort might, he determined
become acquainted with Ruth.
How this was all finally accomplishe'
? I will not undertake in this place to sa
: The petty delays and perplexing disa!
j pointments that environed his way, wei
a numerous, and as variously overcome
e 1t would be but repetition of what h
: occurred a thousand times before, and
d no especial profit or interest to the rea
d er, either.
: He was taking lonely walk in t
woods that skirted the village, one fl
Y afternoon, toward the sunset hour, e
d gagged intently upon the shifting though
It that chased each other across his bra
" Reaching at length a shadowed sp
IT scooped out between two hills, he tn
g for the first time espied female, seat
Ell beneath one of the largest trees.
le He hesitated a moment; then, as
lie saw at another glance who the fair WOO
le nymph was, he pushed boldly forws
De and accosted her.
n "Good afternoon, Miss Ruth" Y,
tured he.
IL She returned his ciyility graceful
- though she could not disguise the feel
it Of alarm that came over her, as she for
us she was discovered in her retreat.
as The gentleman began lively and
an imated conversation with her; and at
m, succeeded so far in engaging her, al
nd venture to sit at her feet upon the nj
Ter patch beneath the tree. She appea
cts to oppose no wish of hers to it, and
or strangers heart took courage.
lch They sat there and talked. till the
'he low sun shot its long arrows Of gold t
cd; all the tree tops. The sky in the '
I'm grew red,-then purple,-then fai
ing orange and thus, one by one, the
ly evening tints were all folded in
lip dusky wings of the crowding shadow
18th, When they rose to their feet agai
am return to the village, the heart Of
the stranger had been fully and freely g
nge to Ruth. He had only asked for her
a OF in return.
had Did she give it? Had she SO
en- then, forgotten her old loyer,-the
he boy, William Britton
With The countenance Of the stranger
reat both walked slowly homeward side
side, best answered for Ruth. It
tall, overcast with an expression of deep
r 49,.