The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-01-09
Fifteen Years.
BY VIRGINIA +. TOWNSEND

"Strange!"
What is that you are saying, Ned ?"
Bessie Drew turned and asked this
question, going over the stiIe in the stone
wall, Just glimmer OF an amused smile
on her eyes and lips, but something in the
tone which made You feel that the savings
OF this "Ned," whoever he might be, pos
scSsed an interest for her.
1t was n summer afternoon, dipping to-
ward sunset; such an afternoon rs set
Iennyson's poem of the 'Iotus-Eaters''
singing and dreaming among ones
thoughts with lis slow, delicious sweet
ness, until, it might be, away off in dim
horizons of ones tancies, there We're glim-
mering phantoms of a strange. shining
beach, with a slumberous roll OF waves
upon the sands of the "melancholy, mild
eycd'' faces that gathered around the keel
OF the mariners. Through the still sun
shine, there was the soft, low humminc Of
insects,-and bright flashing OF small
wings-bngs, and butterflies, and some
times whisper of winds so hushed You
might have thought it the far off response
Of worshippers at prayer.
This Bessie Drew. turning TO speak as
she went over the stile, seemed the fit pro-
duct Of such an alternoon-the perfect
blossom of its warmth, and glow and
richness. She was young-not out of her
teens-and so pretty as Il woman would
put it, She was brown in hair and ewes
and complexion, with sparkle and gloss
and glow. There was such a dainty finish
about the girl. Nature had done her part
well from the beginning, but such maidens
as this Bessie Drew are not formed by ma
ture alone. Simple and unaffected as the
girl was in herself, you knew, with the
first glance, that culture and training had
had L great deal to do with making her
Just the bcwitching embodiment of youth
and grace which she seemed when she
turned, going over the stie, that summer
afternoon, and asked. 'What is that You
are saying, Ned? ?"
"Did speak out loud, Bessie? l ancied
| was only thinking my own thoughts. :"
'l've no doubt. You fancy that very
often Ned. when you break into vonr
silence with a thunder-clap Of Il word or
two, AS you did Just now. What is
strange | wonder.'
She looked around her for an answer,
on the green, fresh meadows, in the happy
sunshine, on the hot sandy road, like Il
great, leathery, yellow belt stretching up
among the pastures. and on boy with
big head, and mat of brick-red hair, and
bare, dirty feet, lying in the COOL damp
glass by the horse trough on one side of
the road, catching flies there. Nothing
very strange in that, certainly, to Bessie
Drew's eyes.
II meant it was strange if you will
have me paraphrase my monosylable, :"
answered Ned Ashleigh, not altogether
gracously, "that when God set about
making this planet, he didn't finish it up
better, and not leave things so much at
loose ends as he has done y
"Oh, Ned! :" exclaimed Bessie, little
shocked at some irreverence in this speech
and yet struck with something fresh and
strong in it too There always was rel
ish of "Athc salt' in Ned Asheigh's talk,
wholly unlike the common place chatter
and batteries of the rest Of her admirers,
if Ned really did belong to this class; she
was not quite certain she thought he did
sometimes.
81 shock you. do L? Well now, look at
that miserable biped lying down there
dirty and half clothed, and half starved
1t isn't his fault that he is in the world
you know, and yet what 4 wretched tug
of it he has had so far; and what kind of
Il chance is there for his future? What is
he to do with himself to make of his life?
1t would have been better for him if he
had never been born; and it seems to me
that is something which can honestly be
said of more than half of Gods creatures.
Looked at on one side, it may be doubted
whether the world is such a grand success
after ALL"
He was a young man who said this, just
out of college-a rather tall, broad breast
ed young fellow, with good features of a
Saxon mould, and gray eyes that smiled
pleasantly sonce in while, and long,
lightish hair-nothing very remarkable
about the Youths appearance, you see :;
and yet he would, anywhere, think, have
been taken for a gentleman, at least in
culture and good breeding. AS Tor the in
ward essential courteses, it takes time to
find and prove them. Ned Ashleigh had
Il good many virtues, counterbalanced by
Il good many faults. He was cynical and
satirical, and people to whom he did not
choose to make himself agreeable, were
apt to be a little afraid Of him. But he
had wonderful powers of attraction when
he chose to exert them, and those who
knew him best liked him most, and stout
ly affirmed there was fine, rich nature
hidden within the acrid rind of the young
mans disposition. Prosperity, after all,
was responsible for his Incidence and
luxurious tastes; and there is no foe so
deadly subtle as she is, with her face and
her song of the sirens. She had beamed
on Ned Ashleigh from the first hour of his
life. lie was the only child of parents
who idolized him, and did all they could
| to spoil him with all sorts OF petting and
indulgence.
There was some sort of connection be-
tween the Ashleighs and Drews, which
had brought Ned and Bessie together ire
quently from their childhood, and in con-
sequence of which certain eousinly free
dom and intimacy had always existed be-
tween them.
Bessie Drew thought Ned marvelously
bright and original; enjoyed the flash anc
fencing of his satire; it stung her owt
wits into new life, and was so much more
enjoyable than the thin sour gabble whicf
passed curren. in society.
The two were the best of friends; in.
deed, Ned Ashleigh was always his best
most genial self in the presence of this
young girl, who was puzzled and a little