Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-06-17
Nigtrllunruus.
SOCIAL CHARITIES.
III I were Mrs. Ashley

well ifyou were. what then 2
Mr.. Benedict had waited some NOM
ents to hear what his daughter proposed
to accomplish by exchange with their
wealthy neighbor. whose place they were
passing, but she seemed to have subsded
iuto revelic.
oh why, was going to say,if I was
Mrs. Ashley, and had as many ways to
oblige people as she has. | should take a
little more pains to do it.
4 dare ssv you think you would; not
that Mrs. Ashley is in fanlt, to my
knowledge. | thought she had been
very kind to yoa and tina. you rather
pfidcd Yourself on her acquaintance =
Miss Benedict would rot take notice
of the last remark. Sne and her f,thcr
differed somewhat in their social estima-
ties.
Kind She calls on me you know,
and treats me very politely when we
meet, but we never get any further
Now, if had carriage and horses,
should certainly think Of those that hal
TO 20 on foot; and there are her green
houses, and graperica, ,and all that choice
fruit
Mrs. Ashley certainly seemed to
possess all that heart could wish. She
was a widow, in the prime OF life, and a
very elegant woman, with a son amt two
daughters going into society, and an
acknowledged leader in the more excp
sivc circle in the country town in which
she lived. Her residence was now in
the town itself; bat You come upon 1t en-
turning the last curve OF the road that
led to Walnut Hill. so called from a
group OF three enormous walnut trees
that crowned it, a iavorite point Of Mr.
Bene iic,'s in his daily walks after bu.i-
ness was oyer. He was editor Of tic
Russelville Herald, the county paper. a
gentleman OF culture and refine meut. " no
might have made his way into prominent
political circles had he been 50 inclined
His friends thought that he lacked cner-
gy; but in this matter, a. least he acted
from we'll considered motives. He had
Seen enough of the world to know there
WIS no more happiness than that which
he now enjoyed, to repay him for tine
tolls, and cares, and distractions of party
lie,
Miss Benedict whose mother had been
an ambitious women, inherited something
of her n,ture, and unfortunately was
placed in precisely the position to call i,
out, in its least desirable form. Every
one who had any experience of it knows
that society in a small country town
we do not speak Of villages whose close
proximity promotes neighborly good
feeling. but the so.called aristocracy
of a country town is twice as unapproach-
able as the corresponding circle in city
life, where the boundaries are always
shifting and changing like the tiLe mark
on beach sands and a wave with sufficient
swell may ohliterate it altogether or the
time.
In the narrow life of such town. as
Russelville, narrow experience naturally
produces narrow minds. The old coun.
try families mostly consort with each
other, or import their visitors from the
metropolis. When they do come in
contact with others. they are invariably
found more afabe and kindly than the
ladies belonging to the family circles OF
the two lawyers, the rival doctors, the
large merchants. the cashiers wife, and
the few newcomers that have made
enough in some trade or manufacture in
the city to buy place, set up carriage,
and live on the interest Of their money, ,
. favorite expression in localities such as
We describe. This t.with their satellites
are the envy Of all those they do not in
vite to their parties, and to be or seem
intimate with them. 1.-The aim of those who
have the footholds Of bowing or calling
acquaintance.
Frances Benedict, for instance. was
considered stuck up'-we are sorry to
use the inelegance-and proud, by some
OF her late associates Of the Russelville
Academy, because owing to her father. /.