The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-03-16

;" The bridge brokens How provokingl
! and Barbara Lyn leaned from the win
= dow speaking to the brown faced boy wht
mad volunteered the above piece Of dis
= tasteful information.
'Yes, ma'am--the freshet carried the
! tlmbers clean away, day before yesterday.
but how are we to get across? We are
going to visit Miss Stapleton at tStapietor
Park. a.-ar .bt,F 40 -
'rhey keep ferryman there, ma am
with little boat-he'll take you across
and IT you'll drive round by Uncle Ezral'i
ne II send your trunks by the mountain
road
Very WELL Driver, follow the BOYS
directions 80 f.
Close under the great sweep of clump
of water willows lay little boat fastened
by rope to the upright post, which alone
remained of the destroyed bridge, and
) tenan.ed by one man in picturesque
straw hat whose broad brim shadowed his
face altogether.
Hes reading, declare, instead of
minding his business and looking out for
passengers. A literary ferryman!' sneer-
|, ed Eda Carson.
Miss Barbara made no verbal comment,
but walked resolutely down to the land
ing, and reused the absorbed boatm an from
his studies with the point of her par
asul.
Bring your boat around she said,
sharply, we want to cross the river. BE
quick
The boatman pushed back his broad
brimmcd straw HIT, with u look half puz-
zled, half amused that made Barbara Lyn
turn toward her companion with the petu-
liant words:
Il believe he an IDIOT
! where do you wish to go, ladies? asked
the man when they had safely bestowed
| their multifarious founces upon the seats.
without any compliments to the smallness
| of the accommodations.
'To Stapleton Park landing
As the oars flashed through the bright
tidcless water, Eda Carso drew deep
sigh of relief.
We'll, we shall be there soon, I hope
1t you had only written, Barbara, Miss
Stapleton would have sent some one to
meet us--perhaps that astonishing brother
of hers
"Yes,' said Barbara. curling her lip,
"and nice hrst appearance We should
have made, tired aud dusty, with our dres-
ses all crumpled and our hair uncurled.-l
No, l choose to meet Harry Stapleten on
grand toilette, when do meet hiln. Ev-
ery.hing depends on first impressions you
know.
DO you mean to eaptiyate him.
i mean to try.
j l. n. L '
good husband?'
'What difference does that make. He |
is rich
The boatman stepped ashore, and doffing
his hat, pointed to superb gray stone
mansion whese gable and mullioss gleam-
ed through groups Of trees just beyond, !
saying:
There is, ',Staplctnr ladies, you will have
no difficulty in finding it,
Barbara tossed piece of silver to him. |
and said: |
See that our thanks are sent up as soon
as they arrive.
'And now girls, get ready for dinner rs
soon as you can,' said Miss Stapleton, as
she u hered her visitors into iainty little |
dressing room all panne'ed in oak and
r3rs that reached from the ceiling to the
floor. Il have a delightful party staying
here and want vcu both to look as love
ly as possible Remember our old school
nract, Barbara you are to eapsivats
Harry.
Barbara not 10 lovely as she en-
tered the drawing room, where lights and
flowers aud delicious erfumes made sort
of fairy land. dressed in rose-coloscd tulle
caught up with boqnets OF moss rose buds
and branch of trailing rose buds fastened
in her glossy curls, as if it had fallen from
the vine. Eda was pretty too, il white
muslin and lilies; Eda's beauty was. to
Barbara 5 as twilight to sunshine, pearl
to the imperial diamond. Anna Staple
toms eyes frightened with a sort of admir-
ing pride as she came forward, leaning on
gentleman arm, to greet her guests.
Miss Lyn, my brother, Mr.. Staple
ton.
And Barbaras cheeks blazed into scar
let fire, as in the calm ,gfahce of che gen
t.eman bowing before her she had recog
nized the dark eyes that had beamed so
quizzically beneath the shadow of the
ferryman's S straw hat. She was litterally
struck dumb, she eSelG not have spoken
to lave saved her life, but Harry Staple
ton was less embarrisse6.
'We have met before, he said With
half smile. TT wa' my first appearance
in the roll of ferry man. Everything de-
pends on first impressions, you know
Pardon me for not disclosing my name,
Miss Lyn, but your orders were to i'm
peratively given for me to disobey.'
fIe stopped abruptly, for Barbsra, over
come with shame and modification, had
tainted in his sisters arms.
And then and there ended all her hopes
fof ever becoming mistress of Stapleton
Park. .-Alas what radiant visions "a lit
tie mistake will sometimes overthrow.
g~ "Xnnctte, my dear, what country
lis opposite to us on the globe?' 'Don't
Elr,o,,, s;rv G<W a1k " On III fhe narplox xaJ