, 1864-03-12
[FROM WILSON'S TALES OF THE BORDERS. |
Clara Douglas.

all the good qualities Of her sex:
that is to say, she was handsome, pretty,
plump, and young, with form neither too
tall nor too short, but just the indescribable
happy size between, set off by manner Pc
culiarly graceful.
1t was on delightful evening in the early
spring that l found myself seated, for the
first time, in comfortable little parlor per-
tanning to the Black Swan, and Mary attend
ing on me; she being the chief, nay, almost
the only person in the establishment who
could serve table. Twas struck with her
transcendent loveliness, was captivated
with her engaging manner, and l, who had
for thirty years de6ed the artifccs of blind
Cupid, now felt myself all at once over head
and ears in love with this village beauty.
Although placed in so low a sphere as that
in which | then behcld her, there was solnc-
thing about her that proclaimed her to be
Of gentle birth. Whoever looked upon her
countenance, felt conscious that there was a
respect due to her which it is far from Gus
tomary to extend to girls in waiting at an
inn. Her feet were small and fairy-like,
from which, if her voice, redolent Of musi-
cal softness-that thing so desirable in wo-
man-had not already informed me, l should
have set her down as being Of English ex-
traction.
Several months elapsed ere it was again
in my power to visit Altonby. During all
that time, my vagrant thoughts had been
Of Mary; sleeping or waking, her form was
ever present to my fancy. On entering the
Black Swan, it was Mary who bounded for
ward to welcome me with delighted smile.
She seemed grati6ed at my return, and !
was no less so at the cordiality Of my recep-
ton. The month was July, and the evening
particularly fine; SO, not having business Of
much consequence to transact in the place,
and Mary having to attend to the comforts
of others, besides myself, then scjourning
at the Black Swan, sailed forth alone,
"to take my evenings walk Of medita-
ton"
When one happens to be left per Sc in n
provincial town, where he is alike unknow-
ing and unknOwn-where there is no theatre
or other place Of amusement in which to
spend the eyening-it almost invariably
happens that he pays visit to the church.
yard, ana deignts ilmseii ior ah hour OF
SO with decipherlng the tombstones' u recre,
ation extremely ncaithIul 70 the Douy ana
soothing to the mind. Itwas to the church,
yard on that evening bent my steps, think
ing, as went along, seriously Of Mary.
"What is she to me ?' / involuntarily
exclaimed; al have no time to waste upon
women ! am q wanderer, win no grea.
portion Oh Torid!y gear IN my preSen.
circumstances u Is mPosslDie l can marry
ner ana 20 think TI ner ~ any o.heI ngn'
were yllla'nous. NO; ~! ! VII. nI ~ lonsgr I
cne',sn u'eA"' "n''n eau "''o' w ''"'-
xea. i,
. ana , uetermineu 1na', On 1nc HVTrU", MY !
sIoul1 ny ,ne iA.ai sPot iSle,e. 49, III
wnat mary : relations n.u IeeI, sne s.e'neu ..'S
70 ieel great reluctance ln ulsclOsi"g - ny. NJ
All coula g'ean .rOI her r. was. .na' she she
was IN otPnau--'ra. sne usa ss.o. "nJ VII
nau Io'l,cu An .I.o, sIua n ~S I.."v - ~ H..
p.o1en 'ne'r nlO'ner n.altI'''a' ~ u.L =, n.'
KINDRED that now remained was u Dr0'"c''
anu nc was 'n io.e's" '""u,
The SUI was resting above the summlts Of
the far-oi mountains, ana tne yew trees were
ninging their dusky snauTws over shc glaves'
as L entered the Duriai,placc Of Ai.onDy.
The OLD church was rooness ana 10 runs
and within It's walls were many tomDs'ones
over the ashes Of those VINO, having leIt
more than the wherewlthal to bury them,
had been laid there py tneir helrs' IN token
OF respect. In distant corner observed =,
one little mouna oyer wnicn no STONE I.a ny
been placed 70 ,ndica1e VINO lay penca'h ;
1t was evidently the grave Of : s'Iange.' anu
seemed to have been P,asea ~ taat sPo' %
more Tor the purpose q DelIg ous :. sne
way than for any other' Atasnor' ulS'ance ;.s
fron u was anotnei moun1, oyeIuPP;su wisn
grass OF q fresher Eind. AS s'oou lelnlns
over marble tombstone, giAlng a,ounu Iie,
q hgure Slowly en.ereu ~ 'nc Ia''ne, Ineo "
the aisle, ana, WIN IolSeu arms anu uo"T T.
cast eyes, passed on 70 tnose Two gIases' ~
was that Of 2 young man ~ pe.IIa Irohn,', n
ana-Lwenty, .nOu" h;s ,eso ""'n.onance ms3e
wn.'n T'9.a.aa s'' Ia. croncRod bo.
. nun ,Voh nve yeaIII yI:"STh.j :S 49, Jesn;no
elna .ne s.Ene h ~ wS S;,., ,.;,h G nv nrossnce
IearIal M ~ u'I'a'Ds ~; sn,;on ~. hS a,tsant;Dg ~
Tr rouslng ms a''e"'Vn "
iease lne PACc. ,.o.,, ovo G., . fsw
Aiser gaA"s VIZ" ,ao""S -