Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-10-23

gentleman chanced to pass pOrtloll
of the summer season in the village,
come thither for the purpose OF recruit
ing his health and energies. He was
from distant city, and of course at
first greatly delighted with the fresh
ness and rural beauty of the locality
he had the good taste to select for his
temporary residence.
In person, he was of good figure,
tall, manly and attractive, His man
ners were easy and highly polished,
while his flowing conversation betray-
ed a mind of no low degree of cultiva-
ton. He was, likewise, reported to
he possessed of considerable wealth,
and that fact had it's due weight
do not say anything more-with the
mothers and maidens of the village
In the course of time be had sue
ceeded in pleasing almost everybody.
There was no social or family board
to which he was not heartily welcome.
If there was to be celebrated a picnic
party in the grove, he was the first
thought of in the schedule OF invita-
tions. All convival gatherings would
indeed have been tedious without him.
SO it was voted by all His flow of
humor seemed inexhaustible. lie
made himself studiously agreeable to
ALL He seemed informed on all topics
of immediate interest, and command
ed no less the respect than the ad-
miraton of those with whom he was
brought in contact.
He had seen Mary, and was pleased
with her from the first. Her vivacity
charmed him, so natural and easy did
it appear in his eyes. She uneApect-
edly betrayed him into making. con-
fessions he had not foreseen, and en-
tangled his heart with feelings OF
whose existence he knew till then just
nothing. Yet Mary was not artfIll or
designing; unless the most artless
simplicity itself be such, and of this
she had quite her single share. In
truth, the very absence of all art in
Ter was the highest degree of art. 1t
is so in all other things, as well as in
manners.
While Mary was thus successful in
engaging the attention of the stran-
ger to herself, Ruth was reserved, and
kept out of the way altogether. Per-
haps it was because of her native
modesty and sensitiveness; perhaps
it was on account of her sadness at
thoughts Of her own long-absent lover;
or it may have been from both these
causes combined. AT all events, she
studiously avoided the strangers soci-
ETY., as, in fact, she had long seemed
to shun that of every one else.
But even all this would not do
This very reserve in which Ruth had
wrapped all her actions, and even her
character itself, only excited his curl
osity and from his curiosity sprang up
a deep interest in her. Cost what it
would, he determined to become ac-
quainted with Ruth.
How this was all accomplished I
will not undertake here to say. The
pretty delay and perplexing disappoint-
ments that environed his entire way,
were numerous and as variously over
come. 1t would only be Il needless
repetition of what has occurred a
thousand times before, and of no es-
pecial interest or profit to the reader,
either.
He was taking a lonely walk in the
woods, one fine afternoon, towards the
sunset hour, engaged intently upon
the shifting thoughts that chased each
other across his brain. Coming to a
shaded place, scooped out between
two gentle hills, he espied a female
seated beneath one of the largest
trees.
; At first he hesitated; then, as he
saw at another glance who the fair
nymph was, he pushed boldly forward
and accosted her:
"Good afternoon, Miss Ruth" ven
tured he.
She returned his civility. quite
gracefully, though it was impossible
for her to conceal the surprise that
started her on being discovered in this
retreat.
The gentleman began lively and
animated conversation with her, and
at length so much engaged her as to
venture to sit at her feet upon the
moss carpet beneath the tree. She
seemed to oppose no wish of hers TO it,
and he accordingly felt encouraged.