Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-02-02
one of the scene. described by Pollett :

one of the scenes described by Pollett :
at was of Autum's holiest mood
The cornfelds hathed in Cynthias silver light
Stood ready for the reapers gathering hand;
And all the winds slept soundly."
You remember that beautiful description OF
| an Autumn evening, do you not? Oh, how
many times Mary and have repeated that as
We walked together, up and down the avenue
at the Elms when VIC were happy school girls.
Oh, what visits we used to have what secrets
We confided to each other, and how We vowed
eternal constancy! We might have been very
foolish and sentimental, but we were certainly
| very happy. 1t does not seem possible that we
| have been estranged so long. How little we
dreamed, when we were married and settled
down in the same village, that months would
| pass over our heads without an interchange of
kind words and loving smiles Oh, it seems
| TO me tonight, that can never entertain an
unkind feeling towards an old friend again.
| us; why must there be such strife and tur-
mol within +? But isn't that Mr.. and Mrs.
Smith We are going to meet?''
ayes, it is Let speak to them as if
| nothing had ever happened. Good evening 20
! said Mr.. Jones, extending his hand toward
Mr.. Smith.
"Good evening!" echoed his wife, grasping
the hand of her old schoolmate, and putting
up her lips for kiss.
= Mr.. and Mrs. Smith gave little start of
surprise, and betrayed little embarrassment
of manner; but there was nothing of GOODNESS
in their answering salutations, and that there
might not be an awkward pause after the greet
ing, Mr.. Jones added imme diately, ga fine
evening for walk We have been speaking
Of you, and thought some of calling at your
house before we went home 20
sslndeed Well, We will turn back, then.
We were only out for walk. Mary, dear, Mr..
and Mrs. Jones were thinking of calling on
Let US walk back with him 10
''Certainly: Susy has just been telling me-
And SO they walked through the streets to-
gether. As they proceeded, they met few
villagers, who stared after them, as if to as
sure themselves that their eyes saw clearly.
Long before our little party reached their des-
tination, the report was going through the viii
lage that .'the Smiths and Joneses had made
up, and were good friends again. 1 do not
know how they would have managed to have
filed up the awful pause necessarily occurring
between their meeting in the streets and their
arrival at Mr.. Smiths house, had it not been
for ssthe weather. that dear old friend who
has helped so many bashful people, awkward
pairs, and dull companies to topic of CONVEX
sation; but somehow, they contrived to make
the time pass very easily, if not pleasantly,
and were at last seated in the parlOr before a
cheerful coal-fre. Hats, gloves, and shawis
were laid aside, and then there was a moment
of hesitancy on the part of each, and each
Jones had ssscrewed his courage up,'' as he was
wont to express himself, and he was not the
man to back out, now; so, without waiting for
any one else to open tho way, he began:
ssMr. and Mrs. Smith my wife and have
been talking over matters tonight, and think
ing of the estrangement that exists between
our families, and we have come to the conclu-
sion that it is as wrong as it is unpleasant for
to live we have been, and that there is
no need of this state Of things continuing.
We feel that there has been wrong on both
sides; we know that we have been very much
to blame, and what was at first but trifliDg af-
fair, has been magnified, and added to till we
have become widely estranged. This quarrel
does not end with ourselves /; almost the whole
village is involved in it we have each our
own parties and champions, and have created
great deal of unhappiness for ourselves and
others. am willing to acknowledge my fault;
and now, can we not Just let this affair drop,
and bury the past, at least all unpleasant por-
tions of it, and be friends once more 7''
There was quick, warm response to this,
on the part of Smith.
ssI do not SEQ why we cannot" he said. 81
am willing to do SO. know that have said
aggravating things,a cherished unkind feel
ings. We too, were talking of this difficulty
to night. 1t seems to me a good omen that
our minds met upon the same topic. Here is
my hand, Jones. You're good fellow a
little hasty, like myself, sometimes, but such
people like each other all the better, if they
do fall out occasionally 10
There was warm shaking of hands in token
of friendship; the two women were already
sobbiDg in each others arms. There was mu-
tual forgiveness, and reunion of hearts and
the good old times were lived over again; and
it was long after the village was hushed in re-
pose before the friends separated. Peaceful
were their slumbers that night; their dreams
were undisturbed by the taunts of seif-reproach
or the demands of neglected duties.
Years have since giided away; but the two
families have never allowed anything to occa-
sion quarrel between them. They have been
tempted, and tried with each others failings.
Meddlers have offered their assistance in mis-
constituting and exaggerating; but they re-
member bitter lesson, and their motto is,
"Pass it by 20
SUFFERING IN MIcHIGAN.-The people of
Gratiot county, Michigan, are represented as
beirg in a very destitute condition and an