The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-03-12
ADRIAN A.
BY JEAN DoNcGuR.

| :: ! 49,: - r.: 4
.t' CHAPTER xx1..s:
It was not town, and it was not coun.
try, and it was not sea. 1t seemed as
though it had been trying to be all
three, and having met with a terrible
failure, had settled down into monde
script state of existence, endeavoring to
shrink again into obscurity, quite
ashamed Of its rash and hopeless aspi:a-
tions.
::~ TheTe: was a line Of rude cottages ly-
ing along the bcach-if that long stretch
Of mud could be digni6ed with such a
title-and at right angles with this line
Of Of cottages ran a roughly marked out
road. The only house ia The road was
shop, which had evidently been in
tended for tho commencement of a row
the sides being unfinished, and show
ing the beams and apertures for the
freplaces next door, whenever the ney t
door should be built.
But the nezt door had not been
built, and probably never would be,
though brick ends and other indica-
tions Of workmen; still not cleared
away, gave token that the work was
not Intentionally left incomplete.
At a little distance from this FORE
ground, on aslight elevation command,
ing what view Of the sea there might
be when there was no mist, we're exca-
yations in preparation for a house '@'ti Of
gooaly dimtasions, though Why afny
one should ever have contemplated
building in SO uninviting ncighbor-
hood, would be difficult matter to de-
termine. So the protector seemed, on
more mature consideration, to have de-
cided, tor the idea was evidently aban-
doued. A few small houses and novels
scattered here and there completed the
place, whose pretensions to a town
might be summoned up in the mega
tion that it was not country.
In like manner It's claims to country
might be described by saying it was
not town. A few stunted stubble-
fields, some clusters of thick, furze-
bushes, a miserable common, whereon
some donkeys believed themselves to be
grazing, bqt found it , very hard creed
to swallow, and:halfa dozen dwarf elm
trees, whose leaning trunks and boughs
bent by the sea-breeze, gave one the
uncomfortable feeling that they were
fast losing their equilibrium, and that
the next gust Of wind would topple
them over altogether. Add to these q
stagnant pool, in which some inaefati-
gable ducks were dabbling for food, and
all rural associations were at an end.
Long, sandy reaches covered, or rather
sprinkled, with long rush-like grass,
suggested the vicinity of the sea.
Adriaua turned towards where the
sea should be, but the tide had gone
far out, aud only hazy line indicated
water in the distance. There were
some boats lying on the muddy beach,
and some fisbing-uets spread out to dry,
aud troops Of bare-footed children, lux
u'iating in suudry pools and puddles
that the tide had left, gave rise to the
impression that in 50 far as the popula-
ton sas concerned, Grayside was an in
creasing place. She wondered how
people living amidst such dcsolation
could be content, ond, much as she had
wished for an out-of:thc- world residence
her heart died within her as she noted
the bearings of her future home:
"You must inquire for Mrs. Rcbecca
Davis" said she to the driver, as she
shrank back into the corner of the an.
tiquated chaise that had brought her
from the nearest post tom
'1nquirc, is it?" muttercd the dri-
yer, to himself; "sure then its little
the lady knows where she's going to.
No need to inquire, ma'am," said he,
aloud, II know tho house."
And after .p1oceeding+tor about half
a mile, he turned up narrow lane,
fenced on either side by struggling
hedge, and greatly abounding in loose
stone.heaps, over which the chaise Jolt.
ed uncasily.
As they advanced, the hodge assum
ed somewhat mere trim appearance
] and y they, drove into sort Of. court
yard, tho geto Of which was left open
as if an arrival were expected. it seemed
to Adriana d though the transforma
tion-sceno Of pantomimc had takcr
place.
This courtyard was surrounded 0,
three sides by an old stone wall, cover
ed with CAREFUL y-trained fruit-trees
whilst tho house formed the fourth sid
!, J Of the square; the back Of it evidentl