The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-08-24

ject had better be dropped than warmly rur-
sued. But Barry's words filled him with NOR
tifcation He had often seen and silently and
respectfully admired the sweet Mary Curtis, a
lovely Miss of fifteen. He thought of her dali
4 ly, and loved to walk where she had walked
and priced most dearly chance flower she had
thrown away. He had never spoken to her,
nor, such were the arbitrary forms of society
we are exposing, id he dare to. He now could
not but admit the severe truth of Edwin's uu
feeling words and in his heart he envied the
the silly Barry and hated the trade of his own
father which had entailed an inferior posi-
tion upon himself; and under the bitter feel
ing of the moment, he inwardly resolved that
he would not be bound to the trade of foln-
der, to which his father had destined him.
He was under the influence of those painful
reflections, walking along with his eyes cast
down, when he heard from the other side of
the street. where another street entered it lead
ing from boarding school, deep below and
a low scream He looked up, and saw that
short horned cow, irritated by scarlet shawl
worn by young school girl, was pursuing her
with wild and determined fury. 1t did not
require second glance to tell Seth that the
terrified girl was Mary Curtis.
| 90, run Seth" cried the paralyzed and help
! less Edwin Barry, ''run and save her |" and the
arristocratic youth, overcome by fear of his own
| personal safety, ran down the lane and climbed
| a high fence.
~ Seth no sooner saw the peril in which pref
| ty Mary was, than without thought of him
self, he bounded across the road and exerted
| himself to get between the enraged animal and
the flying girl. Mary sped towards the board
ing school with the speed of fear, while her
crimson shawl, flying behind her, quickened
the pursuit of the animal.
"Cast off your shawl, if possible, Miss Cur
tis," cried Seth, as loud as he could Cor fly to
the fence p
Mary tried to disentangle it as she few, but
| her fingers were too tremulous for her to with
draw the pin; and as to ser king the protection
of the fence, as boy would have done, she
| felt that she could never climb it, and mi ght
| be arrested in the attempt. Seth, by using
great exertons, at length got abreast of the
maddened COW, and at the imminent risk of
drawing upon himself all her fury, caught her
| by one of sthe horns, and was borne along with
| her--she tossing back her head and believing
| with rage. He had thrown down all his books
but retained his slate, with the corner of
xhich, holding it in the other hand, he struck
her in the eye with so well aimed blow that
she slightly checked her speed, and turned
aside against HIM. just as Mary, overcome by
| her fright ard exertion stumbled end fell in
her path In two bounds more the ireful ami
NAL would have been upon herl The first
blow broke thc frame OF h S slate, and with the
sharp corner he struck her the second blow
which cut deeply IN her temples. and causing
her first 10 s;agecr. arlG then fly, moaning ard
paving The earth, past the fallen girl, in the
direction she had been flying.
Seth watched the COW prtl he saw her mad
| iy descend into 4 rayine some distance beyond,
and then came 70 Mary. who had already risen,
| but looked pale ds death.
II ain thankful for your escape, Miss Curtis.
never knew person in greater danger Are
you hurt ~ g..
Mary could not reply for agitation and want
OF breath, but she took one of Seth's hands be-
tween her own, and pressed it with warm and
grateful energy, while her eyes were eloquent
with her thanks. s..
II AM glad you are not hurt 1t was DIR.
CoRways cow, vicious creature at all times,
and should NOT be permitted to go to the COM
mons. Your scarlet shawl attracted its atten-
ton, and that is a color which singularly enough
inspires them to rage and desire to attack it.
So you have the consolation, Miss Curtis" he
added, smiling. ''of knowing it was not your
elf she disliked. but your colors."
At this moment came Edwin Barry running
up breathless, and extending his hand to con-
gra tuate the maiden on her escape
"Yes, Edwin, said Mary ironically, but with
out offering him her hand, "I have escaped,
thanks to my brave preserver, whose name l
am sorry to be ignorant Of"
at is Seth Manning, mechanics son" an
swered Edwin, contemptuously, displeased at
her coldness, and envious of Seth for his supe-
rior bravery, as well as mortified at his own
cowardice. 5.5.
'Then I am more indebted to him than if
he had been gentleman's son." said Mary,
who with all her virtues was tainted with this
pseudo gentility which we combat; "for he has
shown gallantry that we look for only in
those who educated to be gentlemen" she
said, casting look of slight contempt at Ed
win. "Mr Seth Manning, I give you my thanks
now for preserving my life and hope I shall
never forget YOU Ny father will call and see
you. and thank you also. Good morning"
"Good morning, Miss Curtis, said Seth. fol
lowing her with his eyes as she left them, with
out taking any further notice of Barry
GA pert little mink" said Barry, scornfully,
trying to conceal his modification under con-
tempt of her. ~ e5.....s ss-
"Speak a word disrespectful of her again,
Edwin Barry said Seth, with flashing eye,
'and / will toss you into the ravine after the
cow you have so valiantly run away FROM
Edwin turned pale AMI made no reply; but /
walked away muttering to himself, Glow, vul- |
gar brute what better manners can be expect
ed of mechanic /
the city. and bound apprentice to engine build
ing with Merrick and Agnew. He mastered
his trade, and established himself in New York
in the same business, constructing steam and
fire engines, and became useful man. At the |
age of twenty-seven he went back to Chester, |
and brought away one of the loveliest women in
the country for his wife. That she was none |
other than Mary Curtis need not be told. We
should be glad if we had room to record their
whole courtship and marriage. and how the
young village lawyer, Edwin Barry. thrice Of
fered himself to her and was rejected, and how
Col. Curtis preferred brave to a coward,
an honest and useful man to an idler in pro- /
fession which he chose that he might become |
a gentleman and how Mary found. to her fu- |
ture happiness in life, that true nd noble /
heart may throb beneath the leather apron of a
mechanic, as well as under the silken vestment
of lawyer .ED.g<sEsst - ~