Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-12-01

AS tue summer Gays lengtnened, deslre
grew into her heart, she hardly knew
when or how, to attend the commence
ment exercises at Amherst, Mass. She
had friends there who had often invited
her to visit them, but she had never done
so; now she was possessed" to 60. her
mind was wholly engrossed with the idea.
and she went on Saturday for the whole of
the following anniversary week.
Sabbath afternoon, while seated in the
crowded gallery of the old church listen
ing to the grand opening hymn which pre-
ceded President Stearns' eloquent Bacca.
laureate sermon. she became conscious of
a fixed magnetic gazc which drew her blue
eyes by some irresistible power toward the
array of alumni in the body of the house.
where they encountered those black. soul
full orbs whose passionate language once
met could never be forgotten. A deep
blush gave the owner Of the black eyes
this gratifying assurance as she turned
quickly away, ouly to look again and a.
gain, whether she would or not, for an
answering glance Of sympathy as her soul
was stirred by the gifted thoughts and no.
BILE ideas of the speaker. So it was at
''Prize Speaking and at the evening lec-
lures. At the concert of W Wednesday even
ing, and again on Commencement day,
they were seated where countless light
ming glances passed between them. which
each being quick at interpreting. they
we're thus. made acquainted by intuition
with the thoughts of the other. They met
frequently in the grounds, the grove. the
gymnasium, the chapel, on the tower, in
the cabinets. and one day. strangely e.
nough, the surging. seethiug crowd left
them quite alone for a moment in the
quaint silence of the Nineveh Gallary.
II am glad to see that you remember
our compact" he said, in his peculiar
rich voice; ''are you willing to continue
it 2"
A look. and the words spoken tremb-
ingly. More than ,oiu;ng," was all. for
Laurs's companions returned for her
ust then. and Cousin Nell exclaimed. as
she hurried her down the drive to the
er-garden--
"Oh. my, Laura! how that splendid
man looks at you! notice it every time
we meet. You've made conquest. l
shall write to your father that he'll soon
have you off.his hands. If he looked at
me in that way I should 60 wild. but you
are so cool aud Indifferent that I doubt
your realising that there is a man in
towns" for Laura. much to her cousins
1istaste, had turned deaf ear to all the
rawlings about students, to which they we're
given in common with most girls in town
where there is college.
And those chance meetings we're all
which the fates that time bestowed upon
them, with the exception that at the close
Of the week, while standing on the piazza
Of the Amherst House, she saw him mount
the crowded coach for Northampton
They we're better acquainted than scores
who had been formally introduced and ex-
changed few meaningless conventional
isms. As he lifted his hat when the coach
ratified away. each was conscious of a vague
pain at parting. q pain which was over
come by the faith which each had in the
Of the other, aud the confidence
that they should eventually meet again.
Every one remarked the change in Lau-
ra. Although not less cheerful. she show
ed much higher degree of culture, and
her manner acquired such new aud
charming dignity. Her tastes took such
different turn that she discarded her light,
frivolous music and practiced Beethoven
and Handel. She wrote an essay upon
culture for the village Literary Society,
not knowing her friend was preparing q
lecture upon the same subject at the same
time. Their diaries during most of this
season. as compared afterward, were curl
Gus from their similarity, and from the
way the stranger led the weaker and less
cultivated mind.
How she studied after she went home
from Amherst! "How you do study!"
said her father. we'll pleased; for there
had been time, when full of her pretty
girlish conceits and yanities, books had
been neglected. Now she took fancy to
conchology; she looked for specimens of
coral and sea-anemones in every little COL
lection in the village. and read every trea-
tisc upon the subject she could 6nd. She
asked questions of her father. of the dog
tor and of Squire Brown. 1T was See
ing the shells at Amherst, she supposed:"