The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1863-09-08
Through Mists.


III JENNIE CALA4AshA1 .
..las5
This, however, was but the beginning Of his
kindness toward Clara and myself, and, in fact,
Marion. How Il came about do not exaetly
remember not through any influence Of mine
be assured, for although We never had dispute,
there was a mutual dislike ] never bnbed her
with presents not to tell I rather liked to be
bold before her, and give vent to a Wordless
eontempt had for her.. She was lenient toward
me, cringiRg and humble to Clara, She fre-
quently made up our party to the opera, ana oc-
easi0nally 70 the little theater.- When Spring
advanced and Summer opened We had pic-nics
and fishing parties and boat excursions. Some
times the Misses Nelson chanced to Join US, but
not often, as they we're busy preparing for com
mencement. They worked bard, poor girls
Thev had prOcrastinated to the last minute, and
the ssyelloW backs had snticsd them So But
they were no longer in demand Asa, marx Of
favor. they beoueathed q whole stack Of them
20 CLARA and /, and We, in a benevolent turn,
bestowed them upon two Of the under teachers
for curl papers Clara said IL vas wholesome
for them to be obliged to scare up brains In ltle
end They had stumbled through the English
course in a manner shocking 70 behold. and now
they had a knotty skein TO wind. MaHon's ca
reer had a more ereditable close. She was Of
their class But she was an antithesis. She
managed her studies with that surprising and
mysterious cleverness Withwhith she did every
thing else, and still with sh0W Of perhaps more
labor than it really cost her. She however,
never seemed 20 be Rt q loss for leisure time;
neither did she ever merit a deficient mark,
Then she WAS always posted in the affairs Of the
school, and had a store Of hfe-histOries 30 give,
verbatim, Of the inmates" at any time It vas
your pleasure 70 can upon her 70 relate. Be
sides which, she never failed 70 know the leader
Of any disturbsnce that occurred. She knew
which of the servants had "tOlloWerss' and
which were likely 70 be hght-hngered. She
rendered valuable assistance in getting up des-
erts on state occasions, and was Miss PardOes
right hand in al household matters. The girls
prOphesied she would vet I'LL Miss PardOe's place.
The next year She was to take charge Of the
primary department.
Commencement came, bringing the ususl
amount Of preparation, hustle and nervous ex
element The week Of examinations and eI
hibidons passed, Came the pause. Game the
last Saturday, finding everything in chaotic con-
fusion Scarcely sn article Of furniture in its
proper place. Every passage darkened BY huge
trunks piled one above another; and all manner
Of luggage streaed shout ih all directions. And
EVERYBODY was tred and anxious for some other
employment, and glad and sorry at once.
Laughing and weeping and singing, and bidding
ssgood bye. and noise and jostling within the
house, and without the cid quiet sunshine falling
unchanged, and carriages and stage-coaches and
Omnibuses driving up at al hours Of the Gay
i made me impatient to be going some where
] had remained to see my friend Clara or As
my mother wished me to accompany her to New
York, Ewas obliged to postpone my Wat 20 her
house. She had kindly invited Marion in my
stead. rTl- rrr@w-l
"Poor thing, She came OF 90 honorabiy, and
worked so hard, and don't believe she has
relative In the world Clara said55 81 am sure
only hone she viii enjoy the trip" --
If aid not respond to this at once, It vas be-
cause Thought what q sslfsacrifcing spirit the I
dear girl had and just put my arms about her
and kissed her. -s z
eDouit." she said. ssvou make mr. lconscienee
pinch ike detestable bug. / am soEry for the
feelings have toward her. Ian often afraid
Do hefan irreparable wrong. ] mean TO cdl5l
Guer this. hope TO be hsrsincsrs friend"
I replied family, 81 hope SO, and was con
scious OF q Jealous pane, and don't know that
the kindred thought, a forbOdihg Of evil, was a
prophecy. but I wished to be- competent 70
reason Der out of this But could give no
direct cause, and tried TO bs.glad for Marion.
I-Went down into the crowded psrlOr 70 be iIi-
troduced to Clara s father and her stnew Hother, .
as she called the tiny, blithesoms creature of
her own age, who accompanied him. had
read her two or three letters oaClara and they
rather. amused me, with she sentences running
into one another, and losing all sense for want
Of punctuation; with the capitals stuck in here
and there, without the least attention to pro-
pFiety and indited in such an angular style that
they looked like child's attempt at the draw
ing Of churches and churCh-steeplas, and the
s'd's" and s'tss and iOoplettsIs were like de-
vVpt villagers going in las many directions to
worship. Clara and I laughed over them To-
gefhef untilWe cried. She VAS the child-bride
] expected to see, with pretty face and an in
tense love for WaltZing maRifestng itself in her
movements, even before YOU surprised her
keeping time with her wee loot, if she Glanced
70 sit still ten consecutive minutes That vas
her best, her only accomplishment She IN
formed me that the Baltimore middies" were
the handsomest men in the world and the most
delightful walters l overheard her impOFiRg
Clara MOTTO call her mamma, for gracious
sake +" as it would frighten her todeath, but to
call her Emma, as her own mamma did at home.
And then / knew there was a slight tremor in
the voice, and a falling Of the bright eyes, so ]
Withdrew my gaze, and tried to make my way
through the surrounding group to Miss lPardOe,
When ] sought them again, her face was cloud
less, and she was chatting at a swift rate about
the neighborhood sat home F" and Clara was
giving delighted attention. Her love for the
tos" was manifested in the keeping OF time with
he7 head, while she eonversed, to the faulty
playing Of an easy little German waltz b one
Of the small girls IN an adjoining room. I was
afraid she would forget herself so much as to
leave her seat and pirouette about the room. ]
felt like reaching out my hand 70 hold her. down.
] also felt that Clara shared ny anxiety and Rt
the same time nerFously watched her father.
an sure such proceeding would not have been
greater shock to any other occupant Of the
parlor, for be was stern, pompous man. He
had a handsome, dark face, whose shadow was
net Of the years; they touched it but lightly,
but the sure impress Of tbe spirit within. Bis
hair vas silvered, but he was tall, straight and
robust judged him to be scmsthing beyond
fifty, perhaps, but oaly from bis Travelled knOWl-
edge I was altogether disappointed in his ap-
pearance, beeause there vas not the least re-
semblance between himself and Clara. ] mar
veled that the. child at his side summoned
courage 70 marry him--thrOugh what manner Of
WOOing this august pers9uage had won her
youthful affections. ! hoped against hope that
Clara's home Would bs as happy henceforth.
saH though what pleased me most, Signif-
eance 10 his smile for Clara, and that his love
ta&hSFe1pulasbsd sR idalstRoRs W9Elhipi which
--y l-1a; -ss. b. zz---