The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-11-25

The Aagelin the House
After Herman's return to Boston, he was
much OF the time nspirts so mysteriously high,
that Edward declared it must be cure for
dependency to be shot through the body, and
that If he were intrusted with the care of an
asylum for the insane, he should certainly make
targets of all his melancholy patients. This re-
mark of his deserves recording, for this reason,
though for this reason only: it was the nearest
to sportive, not to say good-humored one,
that he made at this time and on this occasion.
Quite contrary to his wont, he was in a state of
gloomy and taciturn Indignation; and, from his
unusual reserve, it was difficult to discover
whether he was most angry with the Border
Ruflans for having shot Herman, or with Her
man for having been shot.
Even this Herman bore with remarkable
cheerfnlness. Perhaps Constance's tears had
watered his hopes, and they grew so fast as to
over-top all minor annoyances. He was, how
ever, restless, and incapable of settling himself
to anything long. AS soon as he was well
enough, he resumed the care of his patients
and some charity pupils whom he had; but his
own studies seemed almost at a stand-still,
while he obligingly read aloud to Clara more
novels and poetry than, on her own as1oant,
she had ever perused in her life. To the great
improvement of her bloom, he rode with her so
fast that she often wanted breath to protest
against his speed and he had scarcely apollo
gized for his offence before it was repeated. He
romped with Tom and Bessy, until they pro-
nounced that he had grown " the funniest man in
the world-a great deal iunnier even than Uncle
Edward At the same time, if for coun-
terpoise to all this, he brought home to Clara
one sombre book after another upon monach-
ism, medieval art Romish saints, &c. till one
day she asked him whether he meant to decOy
her into convent, and rewarded him by sing.
ing in her very archest and prettiest way a
snatch of the old song "Oh, is it not pity y"
with its burden, "No, won't be a nun :"
Upon this he told her, with unaccountable and
rather depressing solemnity, that he seriously
believed there was great deal more of I'M
earthly excellence and saintliness among the
charitable orders of the Church of Rome than
the Protestant world had ever given it credit
for after which, he went off without loss of
time into the very brownest of brown studies.
"Will you go out to walk with me ?" said
she, at length, finding him dull.
"Yes," said he, looking up bankly into her
face ~ shall go to Baltimore, myself"
''Shall YOU? returned she, laughing "but
| shall not. It's rather far for a stroll and
BESIDES ] shant trust myself there with you at
present. There are too many converts. L
might find myself in one before knew it.
beg your pardon, though | forgot that that
seemed to be a tender point with you when /
touched it Just now. | dare say many of the
nuns are most excellent and interesting"
" Converts ! nuns = cried he, rousDg
himself, 81 did not say anything about them,
did |? Why should you imagine that they had
anything to do with my going to Baltimore 2"
"Why, did not! Have they? Are you real
ly interested in them ?"
80 no nd 70
recOllect himself, there are great many OBJ
jects of interest in Baltimore. There is an
Atheuaum, a monument to Washington--and--
L believe-a bank, and -
TOY shops and confectioners' shops, dare
saw" suggested she, demurely. "Never mind.
Don't task your memory. ] can look for my old
Worcester's Geography, the next time | go to
the garnet, and find out all about it, no doubt.
When do you visit this interesting city?"
"Oh next week. Have you any COM
mands 2"
"Only to come back safe and soon. Herman,
don't want to ask you any questions that are
not necessary, but this one | must, because
have been so frightened about YOU so lately: 1t
is no dangerous errand that takes you to Balti-
more ?"
No, indeed, my dearest, no You will know
all about it some time, perhaps perhaps very
soOn.'
" That is all ] wish to know until you wish to
tell me-" Clara said this in perfect good faith,
with respect at least to any mere selfish inquisi-
tiveness on her part. The vulgar general charge
of idle feminine curiosity is sometimes brought
by their interiors against women, who rather de-
serve praise and admiration for their eager and
anxious sympathy, and solicitude for the welfare
of those very persons who ridicule them for it.
| Any serious attempt at concealment between
herself and Herman was, however, a thing so
unprecedented that she presently caught herself
instinctively trying to unriddle it:
Transparent young cheat" thought she !;
How be stammered and blushed! 1t must have
been about something more than my thought
less banter about his monastic hobbies-unless
he is really getting Romanized. Herman
could not. i might have been afraid of
it a few years ago; but now, with all his
fancy and fervor, he has too much knowl-
edge-clear, sound, Strong good sense-unless
the Roman Catholics are right, after all but
DIR. Lowell declares, and knows how to prove,
that they are not; and so does Herman, too, l
dare say. Imagine him starving and whipping
himself, and going down on his knees to con-
fess all the crimes that he never committed, to a
great, coarse, ignorant, laundering priestk
don't think there can be much danger of that.
he had hardly time enough to fall in love with
anybody while he was gone and, besides, he