Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-07-19
6Nmtester Daily Spy,
WRITTEN FOR THE WORCESTER DAILY spr.1
BOARDING SCHOOLS.

NNUicS Vi ulothei, Haue her forget that she
was an orphan.
her, who used to stay with Mrs Ruth Z"
Yes, mamma, and how devoted all the
family were to her and how badly they all
felt when she died"
They had good reasons for doing so, my
Ssear, as you will presently see
Well, Aunt Ruth had never had any chill
dren Of her own, but she married a man Who
had one son, Ned, by former marriage. Her
husband did not long survive this last mar
riage, so Aunt Ruth was left with two orphans,
to whom she faithfully fulfilled all the mater
nal duties.
"Ned was few years older than Kate, but
they soon felt all the affection for each other,
that members of the same family do and
though they had their childish differences,
still Aunt Ruth or mother as the children call
ed her, always managed to settle them and
make all right. Indeed harmony generally
prevailed throughout the household.
''Ned's father left handsome fortune for him
and Aunt Ruth had enough in her own right
for Kate, SO that they were exempt from the in
conveniences, if not the evils, of poverty
"When Ned was about twelve years old, his
paternal grandfather insisted upon taking him
under his own management; thinking with
most people OF those times that a woman was
only fit to manage girls and young boys. And
though Aunt Ruth was model woman as
he confessed, yet the boy had best be under
the control of a man, while getting his educa-
ton and settling i'll life, and who had so good
right to this guardianship, he significantly
asked, as his own fathers father
$50 Ned was removed to the early home of
that father, after which he only made OCCASION
al visits to his old home; so that for many
years, the children, as Aunt Ruth called them,
saw very little of each other Still their carly
affections for each other, seemed rather
strengthened than weakened by absence and
neither found any one else among their other
acquaintance, to supply the vacancy made by
the absence of the other.
On due time both were sent to academies in
different places, which separated them more
widely. Ned finally went to college and sub
sequently to law school. Kate went to
boarding schools and academies the usual
numberof years for girls took lessons on the
accomplishments and finally graduated as her
teachers declared finished scholar.
"But as | have limited, this almost constant
separation did not estrange Ned and Kate from
each other. AT each successive visit which
Ned made to the old homestead, each saw in
the other something new to admire and eS-
teen. Their early affection was thus not only
kept alive but finally strengthened and deep
ened as it naturally would and should be, into
the more intense love Of young man and
maiden.
Among all Ned's numerous acquaintance,
no girl was found who appeared SO lovely and
so amiable in his sight, as did Kate. His at,
lection for her never for one moment wavered
towards any other object and with all his an
ticipations OF future home and domestic en-
joyments, she was inSeparably blended.
'Nor were Hates feelings toward him any
less tender and true. No young man of her
acquaintance could for one moment compare
Nith him, in her estimaton,i in all genuine man
nness. His attentions were very grateful to
her, while she shrunk from those of any other
Of the young, among whom she had many
admirers.
"Their mutual acquaintance said they were
made for each other. Aunt Ruth hoped they
were, but said nothing while the parties most
interested maintained towards each other an
unbroken silence, upon the subject nearest the
hearts of both,
''Not that Ned had any doubts of the worth
mess of Kate He believed her worthy to be
the wife of the best man living and he was
proud of her as the object of his choice.
"Yea he did not hesitate to assert as much,
if occasion required any assertion in the mat
ter ; though he was far from making any
public boasts. True affection holds its object
too sacred to be spoken of lightly or publicly
1t would enshrine it in its inmost heart, that
no breath should sully its fair fame.
but there was an unaCcuuntable something
about Kate, at times, which surprised and con
founded Ned and almost made him believe
that she regarded him with indifference and
that some secret barrier to their future union
existed. He feared this and remained silent.
1t is sometimes said that suspense is more
dreadful than certainty, even it the latter be
painful. But Ned did not think so-he prefer.
fttl tn
Occasionally her soul would seem to flow
forth in genial response to his own while at
others, as il impelled by some fatal destiny,
she would studiOusly avoid him. yet at the
same time lavish attentions on others-a
course entirely unlike her on all other occas
ions. This was only the more ineXplicable,
that fickeness formed no part of her nature
So that ip her conduct towards him there was
an unaccountabe mystery, wholly foreign to
her otherwise candid ingenious, nature.
eff inadvertently she sometimes manifested
pleasure in his presence or qualification in his
attentions, directly after, as if to rebuke or an
null these manifestations, she would assume an
indifference bordering upon aversion, wholly
at variance with her appearance few mo-
ments previously.
"Such contradictory actions were intOlera-
BILE to Ned, who hated triiling or deception un
der any form whatever and he finally resolv.
ed unfavorable though they might be, to as
certain, if possible, her real feelings towards
him. But, as if divining this determination,
she became more reserved and cold than usual
avoiding every possible chance for an explana-
ton. AT length chance, as it often does, cir
cumvented her intentions.
"The young people of the village where
Aunt Ruth lived, planned picnic, as good
luck" would have it, when Ned and Kate were
both at home Of course their company
could not be dispensed with as they were uni
versal tavorites in the place. The tete was to
be holden in a delightful grove, fitted up for
similar occasions, near a beautiful sheet Of
water, where boating could be enjoyed. A
smooth lawn favored dancing or other active
Ilports and games, if any wished to participate
in such healthful recreations Indeed, all
tastes and inclinations could there be salts
fed.
'At first the time was all occupied in social
greetings and preparation for, and arrangement
of, the refreshments, to the exclusion of more
serious matters. Then came the time for
serving the refreshments, which occupied an
hour to the apparent qualification Of all
concerned. Kate was the busiest and appar.
emily the merrest OF the company, dispensing
favors with so lavish hand that many II
swain might have taken encouragement from
her attentions TO him.
as is usual on similar occasions, after the
appeule mas been satisfied, the party separated
mo groups or couples, following their own in
chnations rather than any rules OF etiquette,
ana NED purposely singled out Kate as a com.
panion for a walk, in a manner which she
could not refuse without absolute rudeness,
AS If suspicious that he wished to make
some declaration or demand some explanation,
she seemed determined to prevent it by run.
ming from one one subject of conversation 70
another, and laughing and joking in what Ned
knew to be the most disconnected and unnntu.
raj manner for her. As Ned could not. from,
lack of sympathy, take any part in this farce
and as Kate conld mot lonp Cnrrv il nm nln,,n