The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-03-04
ABBEVILLE S. c., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1874.
iful in the September sun.

'lAol III Ille CeptcIuUer'Su
"We think it a nice town." he
replied, speaking with the moderate
words and the perfect assurance OF
the Bostonian, to whom this city is
the sum Of all excellence and de-
light. Remember four o'clock. -
And he disappeared in the crowd.
''Tom married." said to myself
as | walked along. 81 dare say it's
to his fathers pretty ward, Clara
Maitland, whom I saw when I spent
the day there eleven years ago. /
remember what long curls she had,
and how fond she seemed of him.
Yes, [ dare say it's to Clara. Ihope,
though she hasn't grown for moth.
ing but to display the latest fash
ions, waltz a little, and torture the
piano. Better some rosy, sturdy
German Gretchen than a poor doll
like that. 1t would be shame for
poor Tom, with bis physique and
brain, to be tied for lite to such a
woman
And then turning down School
street my thoughts wandered to q
blue-eyed girl 1 had loved for many
a year-a girl who was not satisfied
with the small triumphs of the cro-
quet ground, but who could send
an arrow home to the mark, and
could climb the hills with ae, her
lstep light and free as the deer's in
the glades below, and hold a steady
oar in our boat on the river, and
; swim ashore, if need be ; and then,
when our walk was over, could sit
down to a lunch OF cold meat and
bread and batter with an appetite
as keen as a young Indians after a
hunt; yes, and who knew how to
be efficient tin the kitchen, and the
rarest ornament Of the parlor.
How impatient I was to see her, the
bewitching maiden a prince might
have been proud to marry. And
again I said to myself, as l went up
the Parker House steps, 81 do hope
Tom hasn't made a fool of him.
SELF .
! Four o'clock foand me at the
station and a moment later in
walked Tom, carrying a basket
fllod with Jersey peaches.
"They don't grow in Greenland, %
said he, .tuckiug the paper down
over the fruit. "Come this way"
"Now for the story, Tom" said
7, as we crossed the bridge, and
caught the breeze cool from the
sea. "But I can guess beforehand
the girl you married. 1t was Clara
Maitland"
A shadow passed over Toms
face.
"Clara has been dead four years. -
said he. "She inherited consump-
ton from her mother. We all did
eFe@ythlqg for her : took her to
Minnesota and Florida, but it was
of no use. She did not live to see
her eighteenth birthday"
"Poor Clara! She loved you
dearly. Then I suppose yop chose
some Boston girl OF. your acquain-
tance?" ...
"Jack, you couldn't tell who Mrs.
Tom Foster was if you should try
from now till morning. I shall have
to eplighten you," and moving the
basket to one side, and seating HIM
self in his seat, he went on:
"You know I have the misfor-
tune to be an only child. After I
was twenty-one, father and mother
began to talk about my marrying.
1 have plenty of cousins, you know,
and we always had young ladies
going in and out Of the house; but
while Clara lived she was company
enough for me, and after she died
| I was full of business, and didn't
trouble myself about matrimony.
To tell the truth, Jack, [ didn't
fancy the girls. Perhaps I was un-
fortunate in my acquaintanees; but
they seemed to me all curls and
hounces and furbelows, and [ would
as soon have thought Of marrying a
fashion-piate as one of these elabo-
rate creatures. I don't object to
style; I like it. But you can see
fine gowns and bonnets any day in
Washington street windows; and
my idea of woman is one whose
dress is her least attraction.
Do you recollcct fathers former
partner, Adam Lane? He's clever
old gentleman, and millionaire,
and father has the greatest liking
and respect for him. He has two
daughters-onc married years ago; ;
and the other, much younger, fa-
ther fixed upon as desirable wife
for me. I rather think the two
families had talked it over together;
at any rate, Miss Matilda. came to
Greenland for long summer visit:
She is an amiable girl, so >petted
and spoiled that she is absolutely
good for nothing-uudeveloped in
mind and body. She looked very
gay in the evenings, attired in the
latest importations. But she was
always late at breakfast; she didn't
dare ride on horseback; she