The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-04-29

She was not my cousin by blood
that darkeyed Maria-only my un
cle's adopted child. No tie of rela
tionship stood between us, for though
cousins have 1 scarcely think the,
ever loved very truly. She was tn,
very realization Of my dream of girl
ish beauty. She was every thing
had ever hoped for; and when com
ing back from the long journey, il
which 1 had well-nigh put a girdl,
round about the world" l found he
altered from romping child to wha
she was, l knew my fate was sealed
and for a little while she had beer
so kind to me that l had been mad,
a fool of.
1t was very different now. Sh,
had bound up Cato's hand. Sht
sighed over the black-haired Cap
tain's storied scratches. Yet si1
months before l had been wounded
NEARLY unto death by an accident
and her first greeting on my con
valescence was, 'You careless wretch
the only wonder if you didn't man
Iage to cut your arm quite of, and
make fright of yourself for life
I've no patience with people who
can't look where they are going
You'll break your back yet. and end
lyour days in a wheel chair"
''Let me keep the use Of my feet
at least, so long as l am to dwell
within reach of your voice." said l
and We passed for a couple of un.
courteous testers.
Sometimes, in my character OF
cousin, l used to act as Maria's es
cort. Old enough it was to see how
tired she grew of me. How any
stranger seemed better company thar
I. And some day, when she hat
been woed and won, perhaps by thu
Captain bending over her at tht
piano, l should shake hands and ut
ter some careless congratulation, anC
she would nod sdieu to me, and w
should part forever. Strange enough
all of it, when l remember how I &C
tually felt toward her.
The Captain was going. He haC
looked at his dainty watch, "Shock
ing how late it was-'How lightly
falls the foot Of Time that onll
treads on fowersr and, with a quo
tations and bow and a glance a
Maria, the room was empty of him, l
was a relief to me.
Mania had reseated herself at the
piano. l saunted in and sat b,
her. "Will you sing something 70
me2' I asked. "This sweet olC
thing for instance?' and I tossed
"Love Not" upon the piano.
"Sweet old things are tiresome
and l am tired" said Maria; ant
if she could have read m,
soul she could not have blushel
more deeply. Perhaps she wa
thinking Of the Captain.
IF you could only hear Nina
friend, Miss Deane, sing that" sal,
1, affecting to yawn.
another blonde?"
"a lovely one.
"Ahr' and laughing she arose, ant
going out upon the porch gathered
two or three rosebuds. Not becaus
! she wanted them, 1 think, but mere
; ly for an idle mood. AS she passet
me afterwards one dropped from he
} bosom at my feet I left it lyin
there, but came back with slippere,
I feet an hour after to find it, and kis
it sleep with it against my heart. !
T silly, romantic thing for a man G
. thirty to do. Yet 1 did it neYerthe
less.
So ended my first evening at Oak
j., dell. l had hoped for nothing elst
! yet always l felt a new pang.
; wondered why l came there SO otter
! as 1 looked at the summer sun risin
lover the distant hills next morning
and vowed, as I had vowed before
never to come again.
Ny uncle was busy with rod an
, line as / entered, and we were t
pass a long, bright day by the troU
streams. At four, Cato was to driv
y the ladies down, and we were to g
/ home together in the carriage. De-
\ pite my resolutions l found myse
anxious for their coming as the da
/. lwore on, and when, with the soun
Y of wheels, my uncle cried, "That
/ Mira's laughw my heart beat at tn
, sound of the musical riple, and / 70,
/ got the rod l held entirely. l ca
see it yet, the mountain stream spar
Q ned by a rustic bridge beyond tn
} tiny waterfall, amber and gree
, where it caught the sunlight. Abor
5 us mighty trees, making a nook dul
,flky and and solemn as a Druid ten
9 pie, and on the other side of th
: bridge a white road, winding ribbon
1 like away, up which the carriag
7 came, whirled toward us by tw
Y ebon horses.
They had brought some one wit
? them. A young farmer, bearis
and grufr of voice Certainly ne
my superior in any way. Yet ho
y attentive Maria was to him! He
pleasantly she listened to his accouI
of his last fishing excursion! Whe
- he called acrss to me|
"Had ny luck?'
She answered for me.
"Of course not, cousin Paul new
catches anything or shoots anythiI
y Basket and game bag both inevi
ably empty"
IS "Haw, haw! Now that amt tru
It is?" roared the farmer.
d II shan't contradict lady," said
e "Wa'al 1 would if she said that t
me" said the gentleman. ISL
d couldn't though; 1 always hev luc
:. Haw, haw"
e ! flushed scarlet. Certainly it is I
crime to fail in, catching fish
shooting bird; but no man lik
k to have his failings in these pa
ticulars remarked upon by gi
It who evidently despises him for the
in the hearing of a roaring lOut wi
Il prides himself upon his skill, al
)" that day my basket was empty
deed.
1 flung my rod away in a few m
" ments and wandered away into t
ID woods. Maria's laugh followed me
l long while!' Now and then t