The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-12-28
M AR A.;
M ARA;
OR,
The Girl Without References.
[FrOm Cornhill Magazinc.]

| lEIOul NOFIlulll htlgaZlnC.
This was how their love-affair had
| begun. After this they saw each other
frequently, then daily; and Halsey
took an early opportunity of apprising
Butts that he had better show himself
reserved i'll talking about Miss. Child.
This was not cautious. Butts, who
could no more comprehend a threat
than he could joke, discoursed more
than ever about the girl, her ADVERTISE
ments, and her water-c0lOrs; and it soon
beach to the other that the designing
advanturess Certain others said "thG
mink" or the creatrlre'') had formed
an improper connection with the most
bearded of the four OxOnians who were
staying at No. on the Parade.
1t IS curious system, by the way,
that alacrity with which moral people
jump at the idea of an improper c0nnec-
ton. One would really think that Ger
tain mOTalizers did nothing but muse
upon mprOprieties from the rising of
the sun till the return of the same next
day. -.-~.'
There was, in truth, no impropriety
between Mara and Halsey. A day or
two after the little episode at Butts he
accOsted her on the beach; and break
ing through the cOnventiOnalities which
are very well between people who do
care to do, but which are absurd when
hearts are already more than half uni
ted, he told her frankly that he had
heard she was seeking employment,
and offered to assist and serve her by
every means in his power. She
thanked him, but probably both felt in
that moment that, if he ever placed her
beyond reach of want and care, it would
not be by procuring her situation as a
governess, as a dressmaker, or even as
an artist. ;" a. ..''
From that time their love was not a
thing which either sought to conceal
from the other; and soon he fell into
the habit Of meeting her every day on
the beach. He deserted his books, took
long rambles with her by the seaside,
returned, said goodbye to her at the
door, and passed all his evening in re-
nodded, and listened. Then he intro
duced US all three to her. She blushed
on first presentation but we soon be-
came good friends, for there was no
ahectatiOn IN her nature. She was art
less, gentle, and, when amused, would
laugh so innOcently and sWpetly, that
we regretted her habitual mood should
be ore of 'pensiveness, and rather sad
pensiveness. At her request, we often
Joined her and Halsey in their walks
on the beach; and one day the good
idea, occurred to one amongst us to
charter sailing boat and go q series of
coasting trips and picnics to places of
not afraid Of the sea, and liked these
expeditions; but the first time we set
out on a sunny morning with our boat
fresh painted and sails new bleached;
when we men in our jerseys and straw
hats marched down to the beach carry
ing q hamper between us. and installed
Mara on thrOne-like pile of scarlet
rugs IN the. stern; when, above all, on
putting out, Merry broke out into one
of IOm Dibdin's songs, in the chorus of
which her pure, bright voice was soon
heard to join; then there was a pretty
to do, indeed, in Sandbeach. It so hap
pened that for that very day, and lIn-
der plea OF a prior engagement, we had
fSfSea fT K6tst an =! invitation to creqqet par
kins were to si.s.ea - and the fiat IL
went forth from one sud of the town
to the other, that g the mink had
formed an improper connection, not
with one amongst us only, but with all
four. God bless us all i'll this island Tor
the charity we bear our nelghboTB -zz
"A few annoying consequences now
began to crop up. There IS eertalhly
| NOT an inhabited country, save this one,
where n ,man--by which | mean a
Iamale--eyen when he has attained to
| Butts age and virtuOus insenslbll1tI,
could betlr to speak otherwise than With
tgallant1y of a woman SO lovely and
|. .defenseless as Mara. But Butts, who
kept no gallantry in stock, except Tor
| Mrs. Bfitts-WlIO probably exacted 1T as
n tribute without leaving it to his op-
/ tion-and for such lady customers as
subscribed to his rooms, bought sta
/ tionery Of him and had references
| Rnfts babb1ed about Mara as it he were
| one fish-fag and she another. The Rev.
L l,Joel Gr0nes, the pastor OF. the jumper
Echapel.er taking his cue from Butts
4 warned our 1andlady, who jumped E1n-
Y der his guidance on the road to saiva-
! ton, that our conductor was becoming
"a stIl1nbling-b block and an occasion. FOL
7-7Sffense. The Anglican rector, who nae
,sh . allied on us on our arrival, and intro,
on heed us to- some of the local tea tables
, at hlSed severely at us over his prayer
lpe- Ink yhenthe walked up his church ont
Iday, and, during the whole service
saed'to be deiberating whether HI
OK Slid write to the dean of our college
rice oHmonstrate with us after the ser
nlA In the yestry. He took the thirt
cox of coming to No. 5 on the Parad'
VIM I'VE were at dinner, and dwelling
~ apole letically on the shock our beha
Err y1or causing to all sensitive Sand
beacA It is to be noted that "
UM. liaa M done thing which ought b,
i Tgffa1laye shocked soul not pre-
yeu- dlspossS cIy4 g Sh0cl1ingm We Wer
una; ma stranget Ito the town, and quite oil
and and enough iksake care of ourselves. It
N of shOcKedD DDle to see us go out sall1n
, st: with an. 5e9laperoned young lady, a
. ana no they had no was to shut their eyei
= W and not aEof the grievous sight. Blu
Dned no, the mo- of the Sandbeachers de
' ex- manded thS S1lr own morals should b
tern tern lalmpugned Il we should be whispere
ts'U about nn.aietthe church-porch, an
, call anatnenlatlEsA over tea and muffin
7 for 1t was only an exasperating pieC
aflsh or fYlgor on part of Merry that I'll
the eoIiYefssttlon ,,6 is5t Mara and us gre
nfor- q 1lIt!e more sled.
20. Belng IN b1lt y 44eading room one da
he heara "a "a aeach quidnunc-oI
CEt curly -halred 5lllA son of Snigge /,
Sn1gge, stFIoiIl e g! Il crack pleasantl
ND OF the sligsIsn 'II concerning Mar
/, Ei5e stfoeies Alp Z lA0 Nj, and gave him
acted sLstp oi my -: sent MN Feefll
3T3, a over y csslle-olllteAAIlsI then under
abers Merry was q muScR Christian al
his slap must have MOD s,l1,.snn,fn
fahly to a few in the m who had 3
mt ten earned quite aS r. ga la title TO it
Young snigge, if MerfS Sad ONLY lie,
present to hear and rel ri them.
Butwhat was to eome ali tIisa
Lar aAes Halsey had been not mex amrilvg ri - q lihe
oSsas ans tine, but one holding I kah views.
air,.lr Il