Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-05-29
IN THE GROVE.

II was a cloudy afternoon in Jr'y.-
The early morning had been prophetic of
a pleasant day but. like grea, many
prophecies Of the present day. had proved
utterly false. Yet Sunday School-ir
:raS Presbyterian in its belief, and so dill
not care for sprinkling-hsd deternin-
cdly shut its eyes to the threatening look of
the sky. and gone on a picnic. thirty miles
from home. But the heavy drops Of rain
which fell about the middle Of the day.
drove them from their orfgi6sf pace OF
destination, the famous Lion Creek Bird &c
Gorge. aud sent them on some FIVE miles
morc 10 the town of IIorwich.
The excellent music discGursed BIZ the
band which accompanied the excursion
lists. as well az the inherent curiosity Of
man TO look upon strangers. attracted
many Of the residents Of llorwich down
10 the grove, where the ricricers were.
Jack iaviland was one of the many who
could not resist the temp.ation-Jack
and his friend Marion. Down they wen,
to the grove with ono umbrella between
them.
Can any one hope to describe the feel
lng' Of lonesome young man who wan
ders through bevy Of young girls. any
one and every one of whom he desires TO
know. yet none of whom he can know -
Jack was oyerfowing with that incxpres-
siblc feeling. And who can blame him.
or who would expect him to feel otherwise?
lie had been shut Up for six months, por-
ing over Parsons on Contracts book
50 suggestive Of love drcams-'kent's
Commentaries. Law Glossary and
'Tomlin's Law Dictionary till his night
~ dreams presented a ghost!y. trouble
some rhalanx Of agents and principals. s.
Can any one ccnsurc Jack for feeling n
longing desire for little human sympa-
thy and human contact? He listlcssl;
leaned against pine tree and looked
around him.
Jus: then two young ladies' came into
the field Of vision. One Jack knew. the
other was stranger, and the other was
the one Jack Immediately began to admire.
She was Of medium height. dressed SIM
ply, yet tastcfully: white Garibaldi waist
i believe Jack found out afterwards that
was the name of it-bcltcd in BY broad
ribbon. dark skirt, over which was loop
cl another striped black and white. ana
on; from under which rccped two pretty
feet, eEcascd in thick, but new boots: a
classical ead--though Jack confessed to
me, that if the fgnre-hcad which formed
the fronti>picce of his Had, aud which was
l.l ny, tn Al, 4.
blind 'oll man eloquent, is classical, why.
he didn't think hers was-wi,h great
mass Of hair, real. brown. living, hair.
twisted into grand coil behind, but not
so firmly but that stray little curis had
managed to creep out here and there to
give themselves an airing as the wind flut
tered about her face and it was such
sweet, comcly face wi,hal, that Jack most
heartily cuvicd the wind. and crowninr
all, was 4 tasteful bit of head gear, such
rs Is worn now DAYS.
Jack stood under the pine tree and lost
his heart. But he NIGH, Just as we'll have
lost 1t 70 the will-o'thc-wisp. n spr,e, or
some other fearful deception. for what pos
sih.!l'y was there of his ever getting ac.
qualntcd with his suddenly set up Iivini-
ty. much less of-wcll. Jack had no, as
yet exactly defined it 10 his own mind.
Bat nature is a match maker. Arathcr
broad statement. do YOU say. gentle read
or: Does not the old coupct
There's divinity that shapes our cuds.
Roush-hcw them as we will"
apply to match. making as much as to any
other course Of life? Aud do you wan,
any better authority?
just then it began to rain. Jack had
his friends umbrella 1t would not do 10
let her get wet, so without n word Jack
opened the umbrella. s,alkcd over 10 where
she stood, and held it over her. He did
it in such an honest, Carncs, way. she
could not take offence. She looked up
into his face and smiled: Jack smiled -
She laughed low, ripping laugh, Jack
a Historically shor, one.
Its too bad, it rains said she, with the
accent on the too bad, just as girls al
wavs speak.
IL don't know" blundercd Jack.
She looked at him curiously. and said
ven. IN scII-ln'errcgatpTy way, as
though she might have said. What sor,
OF an oddi'y are you ? aud then laughed
again ?
With that Jack also laughed. and came
to himself. Then he began to talk, and
they got on 9randly.
The rain not ceasiug. Jack walked home
with her, for he found on, that she lived
in town. When they had arrived at her
door. and she had thanked him for the
use Of his umbrella. or rather the use OF
himself anu the umbrella, Jack knew he
ought to 60, but--every yourg man knows
how it is-hc wasn't quite ready.
My name, said he, ''is Jack-Jack
Haviland
And mine is Clio Stanley"
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