The Lincoln County herald., 1872-12-25
AN ILL-WIND.

oouoauctVv ~ U pattiCu'o''y Ill WIN u
that blew me to Railway, and stranded
me there for the summer Of '66 Seen
10 the light of later events, il is not q
wind to complain Of But, just at first,
1t was rather rough u give up camp in
Adriondacks with some of the choicest
spirits Of the National Academy, and de
cline upon Railway for my summer
studies. All for the season that 'au in.
scrutable Providence (vide obituary. had
seen fit to remove our beloved brother
(meaning my sister Lizzie's husbaud)
from this vale of tears"
Now, her husband was a pretty poor
investment, from the beginning. He was
The pastor Of small church upon Q sal
ary, which I am bound to state, was no
smaller than his talent. What Lizzie
found to admire in the man, l never
knew; but she had loved him with the
blind credenee that belongs to some faith
full souls, and she mourned him as ten
derly as if he had not left her a psuni.
less widow, with two helpless infants on
her hands The mourning 1 had moth
ing to say about-but the infants! Well
they and Lizzie were in one scale, and the
Adirondacks in the other. The noun.
tain went up, as it is proper for noun
tains TO do. had no moro money than
a tolerably obscure young artist would
be likely to have, and it was made clear
to me that my years savings would be
better invested 10 keeping up Lizzie.
little home at Railway than in the other
affair which was purely personal.
This was how l came to settle there
and though l grumbled 10 secret, l wa.
not such brute as to let Lizzie know 1t
On the contrary adapted myself to the
situation, and found it not SO bad after all
There we're some pretty bits of wood and
water in the vicinity, a graceful outline OF
hills not so far away, and some low lying
pasturelands, with silver ribbon OF
stream winding and widening through
them also COW or two, generally in
patient contemplation on the banks, or
wading knee deep in the tranquil tide
Enough for artist need, if not for artists
aspiration and better practice for me in
the end than the ambitious themes | so
ardently desired to attempt. naturally
had my dreams Of mountain gorges, with
inaccessible pine trees overhanging roar
ing torrents, and all that sort of thing
But that i'll wind Of Lixzie's saved me
from making fool of myself, dare say,
and as it was, my pictures Of "Bonuie
Brook, near Railway" and Morning in
the Meadow" were hung upon the ego
line at the next spring exhibition, whore
they brought me substantial recognition
as q "rising" artist.
Something better still came before that
Lizzie introduced me to several of the
church members who called upon her
after my arrival, aud had invitations to
tea parties and sociables. They weren't
very brilliant, and I used to get pretty
we'll bored. But one night things grew
more lively. Dancing was not on the
programme, as a rule the church people
we're rather straight. laced and afraid of
it; but somebody went to the piano and
ratified over "The Caledonians, and then
a sudden stirring Of young blood set
every body to choosing partners. My
hostess was kind enough to select one for
me.
"l'll introduce you to Miss Caring
tons friend, Miss Ashley. You know
Miss Darlington? p
l had not that honor.
"Ah then l am happy to have the
pleasure Of making your acquaintance.
Miss Caring ton is one of our NEST
charming young ladies' You will be
enchanted with her."
l shrugged my shoulders mentally.
So far l had not found the Railway
young ladies particularly facina,ing /;
perhaps because, like tho singers of the
old song, my heart was in the High
lands, my heart was not there" and was
no fair judge of their charms. suffered
myself to be led up to Miss Darlington,
and submitted to the introduction be
ing punished im modiately for my imper.
tinent sense of submission" by her
careless rejection Of my hand for the
quadrille.
Thanks. But Miss Darlington pre-
ferrsd not to dance at present"
"Perhaps Miss Ashley will be more
oblising," my hostess said, rather spite
fully. "Whsre is ysur friend, Miss Gar.
rington :? Oh, I see bcr now at the
window"
And | was carried off unresisting to be
presented 10 tall, slender, dark eyed
girl, who stood with her pretty disdain.
full face half.avertsd from the company,
and who acknow lodged my existence with
the same self possessed indifference that
Miss Carringten had displayed. She
was gracious enough, however, 70 accept
me for her partner. and 1 was piqued into
. determination to melt the fine fsost Of
her manncv before l lsft her. 50 | talked
not as I had talked to most young
isdies-but 40 to ooe for whoU one S
best is not supsrauous; which iadesd
she made me feel very soon. Not by
saything outside Of herself. She sas the
lesst dressed, and che least noticed pei
son 10 The room but wondered st 1t
,.- 60. c.>r - hand M o.n olsa had an