The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-02-22
BIDDEFORD, MAINE, FRIDAY

The kiln said Mark, shall be my her.
mitage, and there in simple and studious
life, Twill forget both myselfand the world.
Assisted by a mason and carpenter, the
young man soon contriyed to make his her
mitags quite an agreeable habitation. The
floor was evened. the window glazed, q rustic
porch built over the narrow door "A fireplace
pantry, book shelves, writing desks, etc, put
up inside, and with few articles Of furni-
ture from the villa, the kiln assumed q really
cheerful air of comfort. Hero the self-ap-
pointed recluse took up his abode. The plain
and simple food he required he either pre-
pared for himself or had brought him from o
neighboring farmhouse. Ills days were
passed in reading, writing and meditation,
with an occasional walk for exercise. When
more, amusement was wanted he caught fish,
dropping his line from the window Of his
cell, which directly overlooked the water
or made sketches Of the scenery about. An
indolent, aimless life, and one which must of
necessity become terribly ennuyeur sooner or
later to an intelligent man. But 1t was good
for Mark in his then condition. Theie is
nothing like an outward calm to soothe q fire
within. Grief consumes itself-wears itself
out If IL has nothing to prey upon; and Mark
found in few months that his first agony
had subsidized into soitened regret. He no
longer felt horror in contemplating his loss
but found, indeed pensiye pleasure in re-
calling the happy hours he had passed with
his father on the point, in the woods or upon
the bay whose ever restless waters washed
the Thorley estate. The villa was advertised
to let, and soon found a tenant. Mrs. Bry-
don, widow lady, whose husband had met
his death in Florida while acting in the ca
pacity Of major in the regular army, finding
herself too much reduced in means to keep
up her fashionable residence in the city, be-
came the occupant of deserted house, and
lived there with her only daughter almost as
secluded as Mark in his kiln.
The young man had judged, from Mrs.
Brydon's naughty and reserved manner, that
she was not the person to disturb his solitude
by invitations to card parties, tea drinkings
and other provincial festivities before he con-
sented to let her have the villa. She, too,
had seen that he was not likely to intrude
himself upon her before she consented TO be-
come his tenant; and under these auspices
the relation was remarkably wei sustained,
- Nu'N HNNNA iuNk Ou uuhitei bhl
when the stately form and black piercing
eye Of the widow appeared in the hermitage
with wonderful punctuality. The rent paid
always in gold-and the receipt signed the
young man invariably asked his tenant to take
biscuit and glass of sherry, which she in
variably accepted. In rude cellar followed
out OF the rock beneath the floor Mark kept
small supply of excellent wine-a part OF
the stock lelt'by the late Squire, who had
been connoisseur. Thence he produced
bottle Of golden sherry, filled two glasses and
the stereOtyped conyelsatiOn-all he ever
held with his tenant-ensued.
do you find the house comfortable, Mad
amp
Very comfortable indeed, thank you
sir
Whatever repairs or alterations you may
desire, beg you will attend to. The ex-
pensc incurred may be deducted from the
rent
Thank you, Sir. You are very kind
Not at ALL
The weather has been quite favorable since
saw you
Quite. Has your health been good
Very good, thank you
And your daughter?'
'She is well, | thank you Sir. Good morn.
ing
.Good morning Madame
Once every three months on the first day
of the month, this dialogue was held during
the consumption of the wine. Not "a word
more or less was ever spoken, the variation
being in the widows remarks about the
Ill., ,f aIa 20 S,,tt
the facts. Then for three months more the
two saw nothing of each other.
IL was a charming morning in September
a little more than two years after Mark had
begun his hermit life, that he arose late,
after his custom-lor he was not without
some luxurious habits still-and glancing
out of hi, vine embowered window. saw that
the bay was us smooth as glass, the sunshine
warm, the sky blue, with here and there n
feecy cloud, and the woods along the shore
beginning to assume their autumnal garb OF
russet, gold and crimson.
Too fine day to be enjoyed within four
walls he said; u must have good long
stroll down the beach. I'll make sketch
OF the light on the Gull Rock, in water col.
ors, to-day
After catching fine fat sea bass from be-
meath his window, and broiling it artistically
the young man breakflsted and equipped
himself for walk. He set out ut leisurly
pace-for Gull rock was seven miles away
and as he strolled down the beach, fingered
here and thero TO examine some curious shell,
or seaweed OF bit Of drift.
The day grew warm and the walk was
long one, but Mark was repaid by the beau
ty Of the view when he arrived. The tall
white light house, with apex painted black;
stood boldly out against the sky now notified
with pearly clouds. The little buildings
occupied by the light keeper and his men
were picturesque enough, with green blinds
and red roofs. and a group OF stunted, Storm
swayed cedars gave cooling mass Of dark
green to relieve the brilliancy Of the bay. A
great iron buoy stained with rust and dis
colorcd by the oxydiration of its paint, lay
like dead monster on the beach, with its
chain covered with draggled mass Of sea-
weed making capital object to enliven the
foreground OF the picture; and Mark felt
that IL he had arranged the picturesque, he
could not have done better than accident and
nature had here.
The afternoon was on the decline when
the sketch was finished but the heat was ut
its highest, and Mark found II expcdient to
walk slowly, and rest often in the shadow OF
some lofty boulder or ruined sea.wall on his
home-ward way. In one Of the stopping
places 4 mile from his hermitage, he lay
down on the cool grass that grew almost to
the beach, watered by small stream that
there emptied itself into the bay, and lulled
BY the trickling music of the brook, fell
asleep.
Awakening, he found that the bay was
all aglow with the reflected glories Of IN au-
tumnal sunset, and the dark shadows that
began to creep over the eastern horizon
warned him that il was time for him to be
at home.
lie hurried on at an accelerated pace, rc-
frcshed and strong after his nap, and had al
ready come in sight of the point, when he