Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-05-21

flowing newly there, until came to the little
circular grove of pines and hemlocks that led
out upon the Fairy's Looking-glass. Some
thing stirred as pierced my way through the
branches. and heard low growl.
| A girl was half-sitting. half-lying in the
sunshine beside the little lake. throwing peb-
bles into the water, and watching the ripples
| that spread and widened to the other shore
| A great black Newfoundland dog was standing
between me and her, showing formidable
row of strong white teeth. and looking me
tbreateningly in the face.
| She started, and looked sharply round, and
| saw me standing in the little grove with the
| dog between us. She burst out laughing.
| felt that / was cutting rather ridiculous
| figure, but put bold face upon the matter,
and asked coolly,
| Are you Alice Kentw
'People call me So"
"Then suppose may call you cousin, for
| am Frank Atherton?"
"Cousin Frank We have been expecting
| you this week. When did you Gomez"
"Just now"
She made room for me beside her. We
talked long, about our family, our mutual
friends. and the old homestead of the Ather-
tons, which she had seen, though / had not.
She told me about the house, and our cousins
who were then living there, and sat listening,
looking now aud then at her, as she sat with
the sunshine falling round her, and the great
dog lying at her feet. / wondered, almost as
my aunt had done, if this was indeed the Alice
Kent of whom ! had heard so much. She
was dres 'ed plainly, very plainly, in kind
of grew material, that fell around her in light
soft folds. A knot of plain blue ribbon fast
ened her linen collar, and a gypsy hat, lying
beside her, was trimmed with the same color.
Her watch chain. like a thread of gold and
a diamond ring, were the only ornaments she
wore. Yet l had never seen dress i liked
SO we'll. She was tall (too tall, l should have
said, had she been any one else; for, when we
were standing, her head was almost on a level
with mine) and slender, and quick and agile
in all her movements. Her brown hair was
soft and pretty, but she wore it carelessly
pushed away from her forehead: not arranged
with that nicely 1 should have expected in a
city belle. Her features were irregular, full
of life and spirit. but decidedly plain: her
complexion fair. her mouth rather large. frank
and smiling; her eyebrows arched, as if they
were asking questions; and her eyes large,
and of a soft dark grey, very pleasant to look
into, very puZZling too, as | found afterwards
to my cost. Those eyes were the only beauty
she possessed. and she uncOnsciously made |
the most of them. Had she been Carmelite |
nun, she would have talked with them: she |
could not have helped it, When they laugh |
ed, it seemed their normal state-the bright |
beaming glance they gave; but, when they |
darkened suddenly and grew softer and deep |
er, and looked up into the face of any unfor- |
tunate wight with an expression peculiar to |
themselves, heaven help him!
Though had known her only five minutes, |
felt this, when | CHANGED to look up and |
meet a curious glance she had fixed on me.
She had ceased to talk, and was sitting, with |
her lips half apart and a lovely color mant- |
ling on her cheek, studying my face intently, |
when our eyes met. There was an electric
kind of shock in the gaze. l saw the color
II.
ran over me from head to foot. 1t was dan
gerous for me to watch that blush, but l did;
and longed to know its cause, and wandered
what thought had brought it.
Erred, bring me my hat" she said to her
dog affecting to yawn. 90 1t is time for us to
go home to supper | suppose. Are you hun
CRY, cousin FRANKIE
Yes-no," l answered, with my thoughts
still running on that blush.
She laughed good-naturedly, and took the
hat from the Newfoundland, who had brought
it in his mouth.
'How fond you are of that great dog" 1
said as we rose from our seat beneath the
tree.
"Fond of him." She stopped down over
him with sudden impetuous movement took
his head between her two hands, and kissed
the beauty-spot on his forehead. Fond of
him, cousin Frank? Why, the dog is my idol
He is the only thing on earth who is or has
been true to me, and the only thing"
She stopped short, and coloured.
I" That you have been true to-" said, fin
ishing the sentence for her.
Z" SO people say,n she answered. with a
laugh. y" But look at him-look at those
beautiful eyes, and tell me if any one could
help loving him. My poor old Fred! So hon
est in this weary world"
She sighed, and patted his head again, and
ne stood wagging his tail and looking up into,
her face. with eyes that were as she had said
beautiful, and what was better far, brimful of
owe and honesty.
Il doubt if you will keep pace with u.s.
,he said, after we had walked a few steps;
and Fred is longing for a race; | always
give him one through the woods. Would you
nind?"
"Oh dear, nol'
The next moment she was off like the wind
md the dog tearing after her, barking till the
woods rang again. / saw her that night no
more.
CHAPTER THE SECOND.
was. as | have already said, grave,
teady-going lawyer, verging towards res
,ectable middle age with one or two grey |
lairs showing among my black locks. l had
lad my dreams and fancies, and my hot,
lager, generous youth, like most other men;
md they have passed away. But one thing
lad not known, one thing had missed (save
= |
If / evH gave my visions body and a
lame, they were totally unlike all the reali-
les had ever seen. The wife of my fireside
everies was slight. delicate, gentle crea-
ure. with pure pale face, sweet lips, the
,luest and clearest of eyes, the softest and |
inest of golden hair, and a voice low and {
weet, like the murmurings of an 4EolIan
larp. And she sat by my chair in silence; {
owing me always. but loving me silently, and {
Ter name was Mary. | dare say, If |
lad met the original of this placid picture in |
life, should have wooed and won her, and | {
ave been utterly miserable.
So, as a matter of course fell into danger I
low. When Alice Kent went singing and
lancing through the house, leaving every
loor and window open as she went, used
,ften TO lay down my pen and look after her, ,
md feel as il the sun shone brighter for her =
icing there. When she raced through the ,
rove or orchard with the great dog at her
leels ! smiled, and patted Fred on the head:
when she rode past the house at a hand gallop
m her grey pony, Fra Diavolo, and leaped
i'm over the garden gate, and shook her
ghip saucily in my face, laid aside my book
o admire her riding and never thought her
nwomanly or ungraceful. .
We grew to be great friends-like brother
nd sister l used to say to myself. How that
king glided gradually into loving, i could
ot have told. / met her one day in the viii
age street / turned corner, and came
pon her suddenly. She was walking slowly =
long with her deg beside her, and her EYES
xed upon the ground, looking graver and
nore thoughtful than had ever seen her be- :
pre- At sight of me her wh"le face bright
ned suddenly; yet she passed me with !
light nod aud smile, and took her way to- a
Yards home. Seeing that fash Of light play
ver her grave face. and feeling the sudden
'ound with which my heart sprang up to
Il m q. u sNh
II was late when reached home. after a
nnsing walk. The farmer and his wife bad