Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-01-11
BROTHER. AND SISTER.
BY F. THOMAS.

BROTHER AND SISTER.
BYE THOMAS.
The forest-crowned bluffs, whose bas-
es are washed by the miniature waves
of the Mississippi, are not the least of
the many charmsathat-- please the tourist
of this fiowing,valley. zone of the most
beautiful of these bluffs is the..site of a
city called-we'll say Dalton. All the
business houses are situated al. the bot
tom of athill, which terminates, per-
haps, a half-mile or less from the pebbly
beach Of the river. The top of the bluff
is taken up chiefly by the homes of busi-
ness men and womon of leisure, of
whom there's are $50. many in a western
country, just ceasing..to be new. These
are all cottage homes, with their porches
and Gothic windows, and lovely little
front'gardenstseparated from the wood
en- sidewalks by the plain but neat
wooden fences, and adorned often with
the mountain-ash, glowing with its
crimson berries. In the centre of this
abode OF beauty, and in the centre Of
native oaks, There is a college, from
whose windows and balconies one may
overlook the bustling city below, the
world-renowned river, winding through
its changing course, and the rising and
darkened. bluffs on. .the.opposite side.
Not many years ago-for the college
itself is not..old-three young men..ar-
rived FROM AN. eastern city, on..the End
of July, ,.notmore than. a week after the
closing OF the term, and the commence
ment of the-summer vacation. 1t was
their intentions toisstudy'. during the
months of July and August, and to en-
ter with greater dignity. than usually
belongs to the ingress of Freshmen.
The name of the eldest1was Edwin
Gregory; of the youngest, George
Clinton; and of the other, with whom
we are principally concerned, Fred.
Armstrong. In appearance, the latter
was prepossessing, though, suppose,
not absolutely handsome; Of medium
height, with an intelligent, earnest look;
of almost morbid.sensitiveness, and not
yet having had contact with the world,
sufficient to neutralize his constitution
al diffidence. Assis always the case at
such seasons, the college boarding.
house was almost deserted, not more
than a half-dozen students remaining.
The matron, Mrs. Walker, usually re-
ceived few outside boarders during the
vacation, in order to relieve the mon
otony OF loneliness, for she was social,
good-hearted soul, friend of the stu
dents, and not averse to moderate
amount of their noise, or to the over
flowing of their animal spirits, provi-
ded it was not excessive. This season,
three ladies presented themselves. They
were all unmarried, but not old maids.
One,.a successful music teacher, who
sought just such seclusion and relaxa-
ton as she thought might be obtained
at this place; another, an invalid, under
the care of an eminent physician; and
the third, from a village about twenty
miles distant, whose object was the
study of music with the peculiar ad-
vantages which Dalton furnished-Miss
Taylor, Edith Howard, and Allie Joy.
These ladies arrived two weeks after the
gentlemen. The reader must form his
own conception Of these personages, ex-
cept that of Miss Howard, without any
words of description from us. She was
of medium height, graceful, and pos
sessed of much womanly dignity. Evil
IDENTIFY she had not escaped all the
thorns which interrupt the continuous
enjoyment of life's journey, but the
trials had purified, and destroyed much
that would otherwise mar. The noble
and spiritual had unfolded and devel-
oped. The calmness of her counte-
nance marked the reign of inward
peace, and the sweet fragrance of no
BILE life attended her ever-wished-for
presence. Only now and then would
the shade of hidden, but transient,
sadness trouble the wonted tranquility
of her expression. Such she was, true
woman, when introduced to the afore-
mentioned gentlemen. Boarding to-
gether, of course they met at every
meal. Gregory, Clinton, and Arm
strong, however, strong in the determin-
alton of new students, had resolved that
nothing should interrupt their unquali-
fled devotion to their studies, and had
made up their minds that nothing but
complete withdrawal from the influence
of the ladies' charms, could save them
from ENHANCEMENT therein. When they
heard Mr.. Smith, one of the remaining
collegians, inquiring for Longfellow'
and Mrs. Hemans,' their curiosity was
an exceedingly practical man, who
would rather, under ordinary circum-
stances, read The Nation, or some work
on Political Economy than the most
beautiful poem ever published. Their
curiosity was gratified, and their sus-
picions verified, when they saw him
carry chairs into the densest shadows
of the grove during the heat of the day,
or linger long on the vine-encircled
porch after tca-and not alone. Before
long, he was OBLIGED to leave. Quietly,
and almost unc6nsciously to themselves,
our friends glided into his place.
A week passed on. The stoical gen.
tlemen did not start so abruptly for
their rooms. The social intercourse OF
the table was thawing the ice in which
they had encased their still susceptible
hearts. They, too, fingered on the
porch in the evening, and Ofteu now
until the deepening twilight, like n cur
tain. had fallen before all without. Like