Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1869-09-23
gsIeet Stnru.
CORA'S MISTAKE.
BY G. D. CLARK.

A boat was rocking upon the bosom of
the lake, rising and falling with the tide.
Sunlight lay about her in golden bands
thrown from the summer clouds. Far
away, the white winged ships went on.
some on this tack, some on that. Here,
fore and-aft schooner, with her white
sails spread like wings, few on toward the
north There, propeller, bound into
Oswego, went ploughing on her course,
sending wave rolling in by the motion
of her screw. There, bark upward
bound, close hauled q a wind, shaped
her course for the Weland, and the &C.
cupants of the boat looked and admired.
They were two in number, bright young
women, with the certain ease and grace
which the educated American lady always
shows, wherever she may be, in every
motion of her body. They were leaning
back in the bow and stern of the little
craft, idly watching the passing ships.
One was brunette, stately and tall
The other blonde, and one of those
shrinking little flowers which men love to
Gull
"You promised to tell me about lph
Waters" said the blonde: ''now let me
see if you are as good as your word, Cora
Belling."
Il wish you would not ask me, Jenny"
said Cora sit is not pleasant to 'ravel
out our weaved-up follies.'
Hem, Shakespeare" said Jenny Car
ter, with light laugh. "What talent
you have for quotation. You are almost
equal to Mr.. Richard Swiveller. You
must tell me-"
Don't jest with me now, dear" said
Cora. cit isn't always pleasant to tell
what wrong we have been guilty of. No
matter, you shall have it. had been to
Skaneateles on a visit. l have an aunt
living there, the dearest old lady under
the sun. and nothing would suit her, but
I must come AMI stay month with her.
You don't know Skaneateles? It is a
beautiful little palce, one of the prettiest l
ever saw. 1t lies on the shore Of the lit
tie lake, smooth as pond, and clear as
crystal We used to walk by the lake
shore and ride on the lake every day. 1t
was at Glen Haven | saw Ralph first
We had gone up on the steamer to that
place, water cure, in romantic glen at
the head of the lake. l was on the upper
deck watching the changing scenery on
the shore as we glided by, and Nellie June
came up to introduce gentleman"
"Ralph Waters, to wit"
Eyes, you know what man he is
Quite, self-possessed, a good talker, and
all that. He is not handsome-his best
friend never said that, but then one can
not help respecting man who can talk SC
learnedIy Of men and things as be can.
did. forgot that he was not handsome,
and found that preferred his society to
that of more pleasant men SO far as looks
are concerned. He staid there as long as
| did, but Nellie wrote to me that he went
to New York as soon as [ left.
II did not see him again for some
months-I met him after that in New
York. 1t was at Wallack's Theatre-he
happened to be in one of the orchestra
chairs next to me, and we renewed oul
acquaintance. When | came home from
shopping next day, found him waiting
for me. After that be came often. PEG.
pie used to joke with me about my friend
the professor. did not mind them, be.
cause did not believe he cared for me
more than for any Of the girls whom he
met. l never thought Of it until one day
we were looking over some old papers to-
gether. They were New York Mercurys
We found poem of George Arnold's
l always admired him, and he read the
poem for me. It was sort Of idyl, {
dreamy poem of a sojourn on the coast
such as George Arnold only could write
| I never knew Ralph could read well unit
then and I never shall forget the indies