Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-01-27
ONLY A COUNTRY GIRL.

"You're mistaken, would sooner die
than marry mere country girl"
but, Fred, suppose her intelligent, NOR
al, full of natural poetry, tender hearted,
graceful, unspoiled by admiration, guile
less, simple loving creature" r.
"Oh," said Fred, laughing, "a choice col
lection Ofvirtue and grace. Country beau
ties are always sweet, and so are country
cows. No, tell you, if she was as lovely
as an angel, with the best sense in the
world, still, If unskilled in music and liter
ature, with no soul above churns and knit
ting-needles, would not marry her for a
fortune"
"Ha! Hal" laughed Helen, Irving, but it
was very pianissmo laugh, way down in
the very corner of her heart. Hidden by
the trunk of a large tree, she sat reading
within few feet of the egOtist.
In another moment the young man came
in sight. Fred's face crimsoned, and he
whispered in visible trepidation,
"Do you think she heard me ?"
''No," rejoined the other audibly-she
shows no resentment, she has not even
looked up from her book; you are safe; she
could not have heard you, but what an an
gel she is."
Yes, Helen was an angel as far as out
ward beauty might merit the encomium.
She sat halfreclining on arustic seat, striv-
ing to smooth out the dimples in her
cheeks as she laid her book aside and be-
gan to twine finished wreath of wild
roses. ~, W
Leaning on one white arm, the gnarled
white oak tree a back ground; flowers
strewed around her, peeping from her
white dress, she sat quite at her case, ap-
parently unconscious that two handsome
young gentlemen were so near her.
Approaching with low bow, upon
which his mirror had set the seal of fault
less elegance, Frederick Lane took the
liberty of asking if the young lady would
inform him where Mr.. Irving lived.
With an innocent smile the beauty look
ed up.
mir. Irving, the only one living in the
village, is my father" said she rising in a
charming and graceful manner. "The
large house on high ground, half hidden
by trees and thick shrubbery, that's where
we live. l believe it was an accademy
once, that's sort of select school, isn't
it?" with the most natural simplicity, turn
ing to Fred.
He replied with another very graceful
bow.
"Tell your father" said he, "that shall
do myself the honor to call upon him to-
morrow. He will remember me, Frederick
Lane, at your service"
"Yes, sir, will tell him for you," said
Helen, tucking her sleeve around her pret-
ty arm, and making a rather formal court
esy. Then catching up her books, and
gathering the scattered flowers, she hur-
ried home. ....-
'Now, father, mother, aunt and SIS" ex-
claimed the merry girl, bounding into the
room where the family were at supper, so
sure as you and L live, that Mr.. Lane you
talk so much about, is in the village. He
will call here -morrow-the first specimen
of city beau, (as of course he will,) all SEN
timent, refinement, faultless in kids and
spotless in dckey, important and self-assur-
ed as one of that kind can possibly be-
Promise me, all of you, that you'll not lisp
one word about music, reading and writing
in his presence, because | have a. .-plan.-
Father will not, l know, but If you, sis,
will keep quiet and ask no questions, | will
give you that woIk-boX you have coveted
so long"
"Helen, you are not quite respectfully"
said her father.
''Forgive me. dear father" and her arms
were around his neck. | always mean
well, but / am thoughtless. There, all is
right now," she added, kissing him loving
ly on the temple.
"Come, sis, what say youW S.I.....
"Why, on that condition, I'll be as still
as mouse; but what's your reason?"
"Ah that's my own," said Helen, dane
ing out of the room. 1865
Helen sat at an open window, through
which rose-bushes thrust their blushing
buds, making both sweet shade and fra
rhn nx,arhnaA hp~cf forth
every moment in wild snatches of glorious
music Helen was at work on long blue
stockings, nearly finished, and her fingers
flew like snow-birds.
"Youe knit most admirably. Are you
fond of it?" I'M ..
Eyes, quite, 1 like it better than anything
else--that is, l mean, can churn WE'LL"
''And do you read much?" Fred's glance
had Travelled from the corners of his eyes
over every table, shelf and corner, in search
Of some books or paper, but not page, nor a
Leaf, yellow or rare, repaid his search.
"Oh, yes" said Helen, with satisfied
air. 1ta .sE
"What books? permit me to ask"
u read the Bible a good DEAL" she said
gravely. .ssll
"Is that all" .isa7sg. -s5i ..g.l, ~.
"All, of course not, and what do we not
Hnu IN sLne BiDle sAlSLOrY, poetry, el0-
quence, romance--the most thrilling pathos
and recollecting herself, she
added, with manner as childish as it be-
fore had been dignified, as for the other
books, let me see, Pve got in my library
there's the primer Counting on her fin-
gers second class Reader, Robinson Cru
soc, Nursery Tales, Fairy Stories, two or
three elements of something, Biography
of some person or other, Mothers Maga-
zine, and King William Ill. There, isn't
that good assortmentP" Hn' taH a
Fred smiled. "A 20 fsih, tie-97gl
"Perhaps don't know as much as those
who have went to school more, she added
as if disappointed at the mute rejoinder,
but in making bread, and churning butter
and keeping house, am not to be out
done." ~ 'f'Jc 90 E91a91-1 ,sIsrh
The young man felt more in pity than
In love, but his visits did not always SO re-
suit. He began to feel a magnetic attrac-
tion and be mainly attributed it to Helen,s
beauty; but the truth is her sweetness and
of character. engaging manner
and disposition quite won tho city-bred
arlstocratic Fred Lane. There was ffesh-
ness about everything she said or did, She, |
as wellas delighted him. tl,f
! Often, as he was wondering how some |
lomely expression would be received ia |