The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-09-04
illEGATE CITY
AIAaala Ln~akanrY.

a
From the Old Bachelor, in Harpsrs Bssar.
Yon wonld hardly believe that old Alger'
non Ridley, whose palsisd form you see
painfully tottering and shutting along the ave.
nue.. was ever an Adonis. But he WAS. He
capiivsted men and conquered women, and
. like most heroes and conquerors he knew his
own power. My cousin Mary l.atimef or
be we're neighbors. They played togethe!
first then, - thoC grew older. they walked
and rode, and boattd, while yethe was boy
and she girl. Next came college, and away
be went. They said blithe good bye and
parted, nor did they meet again until the
long vacation. Home came the handsome
Alcernon, no more boy. Frank, familiar
bouyant, he was even more welcome than be-
fore. The swift years flew. Each added q
grace to her, charm to him. He told aeE
Of bis college life, the mad pranks, the hopes,
Il triumph. She told him Of the town Cos
81 IL the books she read, the journeys she
made. the friends she gained. Ny friend,
Mary I.atimer," said Algefnon to his init.
mate college companions, lis one OF the
noblest of women; We are the best of friends. y
My friend, Aleernon Ridley" said Mary to
her mother, '.is the brightest man IN college.
| am very fortunate in having such friend.
Dod't you think so mammal
1t was curious how much she talked Of AL
eernon, how constantly she congratulated
arself upon her good fortune in his friend
shl,,, and how very intimate they were when
he came home. People seem 10 think that
Algernon and cannot be good friends without
being lovers, mamma, how foolish people are.
Then Mary told her mother little OF the
heart history OF her friend; how he was idol
lied by the cleverest girls; how they would
fall in love with him how sorry he was, but
what could be do, and what . remarkable
young man be was. needing evidently, moth
ing but firm aud faithful woman for .
friend, with whom there WAS no danger Of
falling in love. Home came Algernon q
graduate For few weeks he was to enjoy
the delights of idleness before beginning the
study OF his profession. 1t was summer it
was lovely contry and almost every day,
and almost all day, Algernon and Mary were
together. She took her work into the woods,
and while she sat fair as nymph upon q
rock, be smiled and swung himself into the
pine trees with his stalwart arms, and, hid.
den in the evergreen foliage, his voice rang
ont in the warm silence ofihe woods IN tone
half gay, but rich, and strong and sweet:
$50 now my summer task j. ended, Mary.
And return to thee, my own hearts home.
As to his queen come victor knight of faery,
Earning bright epoils for her enchanted dome"
Then down he bounded laughing, to her
feet, and said, do yon know that I 1t is the
prelude to shelleys 'Promatheus. | like
Shelley because he despised the conventions.
He thought the dismal old world fool and
he told il So And who had better rig bit to
tell it so ? He WAS poet. Hark hear that
woodthrnsh! Shenstone was . poet, too,
when he sang:
81 have found out gift for my fair,
have found where the wood pigeons breed,
But let me such piunder forbear;
She will say twas barhar rs deed;
For he ne'cr could b. true he ayerred,
Who would rob u poor bird of her young
And loved her the more when heard
Such tenderness fall from her tongue
He looked up in her face as be repeated
Inc lines. Fair ass wood nymph, say,
Mary Latimer sat upon the rock, and her
busy fingers few aid her soft eyes answered
his, and her happy heart was contented with
such friend.
Busy busy always busy he would say
Mary you country girl. you village maid
en- do you remember these love hines tina,
sruff old Ursa Major used TO repeat?
Verse sweetens tuil, however rude the sound
Still at her work the siliage maiden sings,
And as she turns the busy wheel around
RESOLVES Tue eAQ SlclsslIuut OIL
Well, ! too mast turn the busy wheel
around, although am not exactly village
and, Mary, l shall want to hold in
my hand some clew to the dear old days; go
you will write to me, and we can be just as
good friends as ever"
With the evening they returned ard SO
he summer days Of ijleness passed hy-to
ler all poetry and music, and manly beauty
md fascination. He went, and Mary told
Ter mother about the correspondence. Her
lent. "Why, mother, how absurd Alger-
ION and understand each other perfectly. |
)ur friendship is purely Platonic." Then |
or an hour she talked of him, describing
he did, repeating every thing he
aid, until her mother replied:
MARY, il il matter in which my experi-
.nce must decide. Unless you love Ager
ION more than me, you will not write to him.
y you see him you are conscious of some
au..s, but they do not overcome your feeling |
or him. When he writes be will seem fault
ess. He has no right to ask you to give him
Ill your confidence, except upon one condi- |
ION
Mary looked al her mother, and burst
nto tears.
When she told Algernon that her mother |
vas unwilling tat she should correspond |
With him, he said that ii was extraordinary, |
,"cause they understood each other perfect
:, 4 knew that they we're capable ola
'latonic friendship.
.We know that it is just that and nothing I
rore, don't We, Mary r.
Certainly We do, said Mary.
He went, aud Mary had no life left but in
the wood walks and the poetry,
nd his tones aud his looks as he repeated
t. But she did not w.ite. The next sum
ner he came again. The walks were re-
lewed, there IVES more Shelley; and one day
Don after he returned, Algernon said to her
"Mary, am off for week-for am en-
aged to the most beautiful woman in the
World. | want you to know each other, for
am sure We shall all three be as good
riends as we two have been. And, now,
Ion't believe your mother will object to our
corresponding. We, at least, have shown
hat yonng man and woman may have
'latonic friendship.
Agernon Ridley never brought the most
,eau,itul woman IN the world to see his
'latonic friend, and Mary Latimer never
married.