Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-05-05
MISCELLANY.
a DIAMOND ROMANCE

nc boys musn look at the girls and the
g'rls must look on their books" was said at
least dozen times by the village schoolmas-
ter, on that stormy morning when Cora Blan-
chard and l-shc in her brothers boots, and
IN my fathers socks-wadcd through drift
after dritt OF snow to the old brown school
House at the foot of the long, steep hill
We were the only girls who had dared to
brave that wintry storm, and we felt amply re-
paid for our trouble, when we saw how much
attention we received from the ten tall bows
who had come--somc for fun-somc because
they saw Cora Blanchard 80 by-and one, Wal.
ter Beaumont, because he did not wish to lose
the lesson of tho day. Our teacher, Mr..
Grannis, was fitting him for college, and eve
ry moment was precious to the white-browcd.
intellectual student, who was quite lion
among us girls, partly because he was older,
and partly because he never noticed us as
much as did the other boys. On this occa-
sion, however, he was quite attentive to Cora,
at least, pulling off her boots, removing her
hood, and brushing the large snow-hakcs from
her soft wayy hair, while her dark brown eyes
smiled gratefully upon him, as he gave her
his warm seat by the stove
That morning Cora wrote to me silly on her
slate ;-"I don't care if mother does say
Walter Beaumont is poor as povcrty-I like
him best of anybody in the world--don't t
you 2"
/ thought Of the big red apple in my mock
ct, and of the boy who had SO carefully sha-
ken the snow from off my fathers socks, and
answered, "No thinking, the while, that
should say yes, if Walter had ever treated
mo as he did my playmate and friend Cora
blanchard. She was a beautiful young girl,
tavorite with all, and possessing, as it seem
cd, but one glaring fult-a proneness to esti-
TuIJe people for their wealth. rather tirlu their
worth. This in measure was the result of
her home training, for her family, though far
from being rich, were very aristocratic, and
strove to keep their children as much as pos
slble from associating with the (" vulgar herd, -
ms they styled the laborng class of the COM
nlunity. In her secret heart Cora had long
cherished q preference for Walter, though
never, until the morning of which / write,
had 1T been so openly avowed. And Walter,
too, while Knowing how far above him she
was in point of position, had dared to dream
of a time when bright-haired woman, with
face much like that of the girish Cora,
would gladden. his home, wherever it might
be.
That noon, as we sat around the glowing
stove, we played as children will, and it came
my turn ~ "answer truly whom intended
to marry" Without a thought of the big
apple the snowy socks, or of any one in par
tlcular, l replied, unhesitatingly, "The one
! love best," and the question passed on to
Cora, who was sitting by the side of Walter
beaumont. He bad not joined in our sport,
but now his eye left his book and rested upon
Cora with an expression half fearful, half ex-
pectant She, too, glanced at him, and as if
the spirit of prophecy were upon her, she said
=" | shall not marry the one love the best,
but the one who has the most money, and can
give me the handsomest diamonds Sister
Fanny has magnificent set, and she looks SC
beautifully when she wears them"
Instantly there fell shadow on Walter
Beaumonts face, and his eye returned again
to the Latin lettered page. But his thoughts
werenot of what WI written there he was
thinking of the humble cottage on the borders
of the wood, of the carpet on the oakcr
floor, of the plain old fashioned furniture, anC
of the gentle, loving woman who called him
her boy" and that spot her home. There
were no diamonds there---no money-ant
Cora, if for these she married, would never bt
his wife. Early and late he toled and stud
led, wearing his thrcadbare coat and coarse
brown pants-for education, such as ht
must have, admitted of no useless expendi
ture, and the costly gems which Cora craveC
were not his to give In the pure, unselfsl
love springing up for her within his heart
there were diamonds of imperishable value
and these, together with the name he woulc
make for himself, he would offer her, but no
thing more and for many weeks there wal
shadow on his brow, though he was kline
and considerate to her as of old
AS the spring and summer glidad by, how
eyer, there came a change, and whom, in thu
autumn, he left our village for New Haven
there was happy joyous look upon his face
while tress of Coras silken hair was lyins
. next his heart. Every week he wrote to her
and Cora answered, always showing to me
what she had written, but never word o.
his. g There was too much love-" she said
g too much good adyicerin his letters for me
to zee" and thus the time passed on, unit
Walter whohad entered the junior class, wa
= graduated with honor, and was about to com
mencc theological course at Andover, for h,
. lad made the ministry his choice. He wal
twenty-one now, and Cora was sixteen. Won
drously beautiful was she to look upon,, will
her fair young face, her soft brown eyes, ant
wayy hair. And Walter Beaumont loved he
deyotedly, believing, too, that she in turn 10
ved bim, for one summer afternoon, in thu
green old weods which skirted tbs little VII
1 Iage. .slle had 8at by his. side, and with TIL,
/ suaBea eatus ghneing down upon her througf