The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-08-31
ONE WOMAN,s MISSION.
By WARY cARLrON.

you will find nothing there but snow, and
mud, and brown fields, for six weeks tC
come"
II do not care; am tired Of the city
never longed so for freedom from It.
hateful bondage. | arm tired Of calls and
parties and elegant conversations; dread
the season Of spring hats and dresses.
want once to know true spring of ma
ture, with real violets and anemOnes full
Of fragrant prophecy Of the coming beau
ty. 1t is one of my imperative and per
haps foolish impulses, but ain going tC
the country"
"And where and how ?"
~ have an uncle away up among the
hills Of Vermont, and a host of manly
and womanly cousins. ] shall write to
them this very day to expect me in O
week"
But your lovers?"
"May take care Of themselves. Truth
is, there is not grand, true man among
them; ain tired Of pOpinjays."
\ miSanthrope at nineteen! You will
be tired to death Of the country and re.
turn in two weeks"
You shall see"
Sarah COwles was my "most intimate
friend" Wehad read and studied togeth.
eF, entered society and flirtcd together,
and sometimes in our wisdom satirized to.
gether the follies of the world in which
We moved. Sarah was beautiful, petite,
quick in her movements as bird--impul-
Sivc and lrcful, as you have perhaps guess.
ed from our conversation. She was, too,
earnest and truthful, endowed with one Of
the most generous hearts that ever throb.
bed in woInan's breast.
The past winter had been one of unu.
sual gayety. She had made many con-
quests, but the unfeigned sorrow with
which she rejected the honor men Of wealth
and honorable position sought to confer
upon her, was softencd by her belief that
not one of those who thus came to her
would long retain the wound. speak OF
SORROW because | do not believe any true
woman can listen to an avowal of love
without grief that man should in vain
lay open to her his most sacred feelings.
She went to the country and sent faith
ful letters back to me. At one time she
was wise in the mysteries Of sugar ma
king. She had been out in the woods all
day with her uncle and cousins, riding on
the sled to gather sap, watching the boil
ing and testing its progress, and running
the thick syrup into moulds. At another,
she was wild with delight over spring
beauties, and arbutus, and MOSES of inti-
mite variety. She discovered beauty in
everything. The brown hills, and gray,
lcafless trees and rough rocks, the whole
landscape which men often call so dreary,
was to her soft and rich. Her letters flow.
cd before me all that she saw, and made
me enjoy the homely, honest conversation
of the people she met.
Very soon she began to speak Of mem
Der Of her unele's family" The finest
looking man ever saw-tall-dark-an
enthusiast in music-educated but blind. "
From the first mention of him | felt sure
her destiny was linked with his. Ikncw
her susceptibility to music, and also the
need she felt of living for some one she
loved, and losing sight OF herself. BY
and by she wrote of her perfect happi-
ness:
81 am entirely free. read and sew
and write letters, and find all luxury.
Half my time is spent out Of doors. You
would laugh to see me racing over the
hills; Di Vernon herself could not have
had madder excursions, but my good pony
always brings me back snfe Mr.. Porter
is usually in the library in the evening.
steal in and curl in corner of the sofa
where can watch his face, as he plays,
and live life of emotion in an hour.--
Sometimes il seems to me shall cry out
with intensity of feeling. 1t seems that
the full soul cannot contain a thought
more. 1t is surcharged with emotion; I
feel the same thing often in looking out
upon the hills in their misty robe or their
sunset glory. grow sad from excess Of
joy"
did not answer word to the mention
Of this blind musician. Ikncw she would
soon solve for herself the enigma before
her. | had nothing to do but stand aside
and wait for the end. The next letter
said:
"Jane, you must come to the country.
My compassion for you is the only draw
back to my joy. May is opening glori.
ously. Come and see If the poets have
overrated it. We shall meet you at the
depot Wednesday. Come prepared for n
country visit in its length and breadth. "
Invent willingly, and received from her
self characteristic welcome, and from
her friends the greeting which would have
been given another niece and cousin. |
did not see Mr.. Porter till evening. lie
came into the Sitting-room and entered
into conversation with zest and manlincss.
Critic as was in regard to him, was
struck by his refinement and intelligence.
He manifested no painful reserve or sad
ness, no ostentatious demand for services.
His whole bearing was that Of perfect
Christian gentleman. lie evidently had
read society, its false, selfish passages, and
its generous and hearty pages. While his
eyes had been closed to the outer world,
his quickencd perception had conprehen.
ded more Of the motives and impulses ol
men than those whose thoughts are dis.
tractcd by that which is seen.
"YOu will find no mock politcncss
here" said Sarah. blunt and homely
you may think the people, but they are
sincere"
THAT want of truth is to me the bane
of city life," replied. Zone often feels
an insult offered by the very words which
seek to please. The politeness which
would place one at ease awakens distrust
my friend tells me that she is delighted
to sec me, and believe it till another
whom she does not esteem comes in and
receives the same cordial greeting"
al doubt" said Mr.. Porter, "if men
are more truthful in the country than in
the city. It seems to me mono of us can
claim perfect truthfulness in thought and
act as we'll as in words. The secret Of the
evil is that we do not look upon the re.
quircments Of etiquette in a Christian
light. According to our standard, Christ
ian men and women are to treat others
with honest kindness, and give them such
love as they give themselves. According
to our actual practices, each defrauds the
other Of trust and gains what is his right.
tell one that some production of his is
hettcr than IL rcnllv is and ohcat him nj