New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-08-13
fwritteu for the New Orleans cruscent.l
Xxx GARD RA.@1k@T-
by MARY ASHLEY.
NUMBER VI.
..,.... 4-.strsss 1900.
Mr. and Mrs, John Nnlety, :
siios Usuhah Donald. /:

can't fancy these absent youths whose eyes look
ss il their owner was out Of the body all The time,
and whose tongue, like tardy sChoolboy, is nj
ways behind time. What does thee see to like
| about him, HannahT
Gle talks well enough to me, father, and know
he has knowledge enough for conversation
whether he displays it or not. He is considered q
very talented young man. and oh such beautiful
letters as he does write!" and Hannah clasped her
hands with very becoming enthusiasm IS she
thought Of his la-t epstle.
| "Ham!" her father said, and is this All thee
hast to say for him?"
| " His name is Johnr faltered Hannah, greatly
disappointed to iiud her list of her lovers merits
40 coldly received.
| "We that is in the lads favor, I'll admit. John
| is a good nam!e--an honest name. 1t iS easy to
| speak and easy to spell. 1t has an upright look
when written, snd 8 substantial look when printed.
| Johns in general are men of success, but, Han
| nah, there are exceptions. | have known Johns
who were dolts--Johns who were stiff.neeked
sinners; the boy in my school who went oftenest
| to the dumb.blOck WAS named John. / think,
Hannah thee has fastened thy affections On III
| exception
| land you do not want me to be his wife,
| fatherYp
WELL my ideas Of him, Hannah, do not come
up to my ideas OF son.in-law, that's sure. Thee
must remember it is in thy power TO bring, by
marriage, an olive branch Of peace and content
into the family, or bone of contention. Now,
this young man is q mere school acquaintance !;
that's one thing against him, for school friendships
are made after mothers recipes for cakes she
does Mt intend TO keep long great deal Of
shortening in them. In the next place, he's not
outspoken enough. Thee say he's run to brains !;
but brains is q poor commodity in market aud I'd
rather man would run to words any time. Words
show heart. Out of the fillness of the heart the
mouth speaketh - thsee's scripture forit. Brains,
child will do for lawyers and that ilk, but honest
men don't need them.'
Hannah walked along by the old mans side, her
hands toying nervously with her apron strings aud
her face wearing panied aud puzzed expression.
She loved John Valery, and with woman love is
the open sesame of the mind it shows all the
treasures of lovers brain, and as love is a mag
nifying medium, makes them double their actual
extent. Her father did not love John, that was
plainly seen every time the Young man made his
appearance, and Hannah did not know how to
make him see her lover with her eyes. She knew
the speesacles for sweet sixteen would not fit on
the nose Of si1ty-two. Her arguments in the
young mans favor, brought forward in her hours
Of solitude, always retired into the background
when he rose as subjectfo for conversation between
her father and herself. As for her mother, it was
useless to try to win her over to her cause fer she
WAS fathers" echo at all times. The housemaid
even regarded the lover of Hannah Donald as very
"chickenish,f and i'll all her chats with John tho
teamster, never failed to compare her own iovyers
merits with that milk-and- aterish young fellow
that came to court Hannah. Therefore, in all the
household the young asprast found no favor, save
in the eyes Of the young girl he had wooed in mo-
meRts stolen from Virgil and Horace to teach her
the language of flowers and of love. Hannah had
not concealed anything from her parents, but in
her letters home described, with the progress she
made In her studies, the progress d certain young
gentleman made in gaining her affections. ~ dc
will visit rs in vacation. she said, and oh you
will like him SO much.n
Vacation had brought Hannah home, and also
brought the promised young man to visit her. He
was slight, graceful young fellow. with prepon.
derance of mental development, and large eyes
which had a preoccuped expression, as if they
were just lifted from some absorbing study. He
expected at some future day to enter the ministry
and studied with the energy and application of the
student who is thoroughly IN earnest and deter.
mined to perfectly understand the course lie has
marked ont for himself. Unfortunately for the vU-
cation he had chosen and tue impression he made
upon his fellow-creatnres, young Va!ery's devotion
to study aud his midnight lamp had made him one
OF those absentminded individuals whose tits Of
abstraction generally bring dawn the ridicule Of
more Iimpid natures which, though they may spread
veal their depth. Hlnnah's spirit Of girlish 70.
nance had not interfered with her common sense
aud abe recognized in John valery man worthy
of her affections, and whose intellect more than
counterbaanced the effect of his little eccentric.
ties. Moreover, Hannah expected one of these
days to cure all these small pecnliarities Tor,
though she liked him well enough with them, she
thought il just us well for him To be without them
Simeon Donald had spent his early youth among
the Qnakers whose yernacular he had never heen
| able 10 shake from his tongue. wealthy uncle
seeing the youth, had taken him under hs protec.
lion and sent him TO school, thence to college, and
had the satisfaction of seeing his proteg6 graduate
hnnorabiy, but not brilliantly and some tine after
become 4 minister of the Methodist persuasion.
He married pretty little country gil, aud settled
down i'll one country parish after another, gem
eral thug going about doing goodo aud gene
rally beloved by his neghhors, though he had the
reputation OF being very close man, and one who
had been known to squeeze Il penny ,ill the head
upon il grew red in the face He man, too,
very set in his way" aud for him to express an
opinion equivalent. in his estiHa i'm, settling
difficulty in thu only proper way. tiaunah was
tile sole Offspring of his marriage, and he had he,
come old man and she young woman under
the same roof, enjoying almost daily intercourse,
yet in reality but little acquainted with each other.
Hitherto Hannah had implicitly oheyed her father
ia ali things 1t her belief that she would do
80 with regard to her future marriage. She was
eager now 10 be relieved of all suspense, and To
hear his decision at once. Yet she trembled to
ask it.
"You are going ont to feed Fartrot amt you, ia
| ther?" Hannah asked. Us the old gentleman lei
down some bars leading into rich, green pas
| ture.
| Mr.. Donald did intend doing 30.
| swell, may 60 with you, may I2'
| Mr., Donald didn't care.
| Hannah passed over the bars, and short walk
| brought them in sight of fine b lack horse, every
| point berayng Il thorough.bood and every mo-
| ton the thoroughbred. He WAS Simeon d nald's
| sole represent .iion of the pomps and vanities o.
l