Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-09-01

Deen noticeable, and the exceptiOna
manner of dressing our hair smoothly
banded in front, instead of the poodle
dog fashion then in vogue. We quietly
but independently assumed the right
to be waited upon with the same amount
of attention that the snobs received.
We paid the same prices for it as thew
| but airs usually appropriate all the at
tention possible to command. There
was some of this sort of snobbishness
to be seen at lakewood, which succeeds
in making egotistical and over-sensitive
poor people uncomfortable, but it did
not disturb us, and, on the whole, there
was a healthy atmosphere of sociability
that seemed to grow out of the
healthy surroundings of the place. The
parlors and dining-rooms were large,
airy, plainly furnished and permeated
by the purifying lake breeze.
We very shortly fell into the WAYS OF
the place; were met cordially half way
by some sensible, companionable peo-
pie, and my days at least were full of
real enjoyment. I could extract from
water and sky, sunrises and sunsets,
woods and wild blossoms, pleasure
that offset all the petty annoyances
which so persistently plague some peo-
pie who can not have everything exact
~ to suit them. Mary and 1 had been
obliged to become self-reliant in the
matter of coming and going without a
male escort or protection, and we went
by ourselves, for the most part, into the
forests, and were rowed by the boatmen
from place to place along the secluded
sh ores OF that loveliest of lakes, which
has become famous in this state. We
gathered the delicate ferns, the trailing
vines, and simple wood flowers, and
made our little room perfect bower of
beauty with these treasures. Occasion
ally we joined the fishing and sailing
parties by invitation, but we did
not get very much in sympathy
with the people on the whole who had
private opinions, doubtless of two indie
pendent young women who evidently
did not belong to good society. At one
time we crossed the lake with party
which contained character apparently as
exceptional as ourselves. A man who
could scarcely have belonged to any
society set, very ordinary looking, plain
ly dressed, almost roughly dressed, he
seemed to be entirely out of place
among the people who made up the
party. He WAS a favorite, however,
that was plain to be seen; and soon dis
covered why, when the gentlemen of
the party began to draw him out, which
was much like coaxing q turtle from it's
shell. He was stolid looking, almost
solemn, slow and deliberate in utterance,
vol ho fosr IL -
wit, wit of that refined and evnnescent
flavor that one can not catch and ''make
a note ON but which startles as it
sparAies and ripples through an entire
company provoking laughter, while
the heavy face moves no cachinatory
muscle in essaying them. Every flash
of fun coming from this sombre, stolid
face was fresh surprise. have never
seen his equal in this respect. I was in
no hurry to get back to the house on
this occasion, but all things come to an
end, both the pleasant and the unpleas-
ant fortunately, and so did this sail and
the sallies Of wit. Mary and saw this
gentleman at the table that evening for
the first time.
The following Iay we were rowed to
our s'retreat," as we had dubbed de.
hghtful, secluded nook that seemed to
be our special discovery, taking boat
for pastime. Thoreau was my favorite
author for these occasions. His words
fitted best into these places, although
they contained such zest of wiLdness
and adventure as made our little bit of
nature study and enjoyment seem very
tame indeed by comparison. But we
were IN good company with him at all
events. He refreshed us after The sur
felt of small stereotyped talk that sur
rounded us. [ read this afternoon IA
vorite portions of his "Letters," of
which never seem to tire, read aloud
to Mary, who was really resting her busy
fingers from the needle, but could
scarcely resist the impulse to work, and
move the daintiest of wreaths out of the
wood-vines and sprays that lay profuse-
y ready to her hand.
CIVIL the young lady mind if she has
one more IN her audience" spoke re-
markedly pleasant voice not quite in
terrupting the reading, as I had made
a slight pause, that the owner of the
voice had evidently taken advantage of
IN which to ask the question. The voice
was that OF the wit of the sailing party.
He did not introduce hin self, but took
a seat unobtrusively, and fell, without
other remark, stralghtway into listen
ing attitude. Naturally enough I was
a little disconnected, and half hesitated
to proceed with my reading, but for
tilted my courage by saying to myself
this is silly; you need neither be
ashamed of your voice or your book,
and / continued with as much the
manner Of unconcern as I could assume,
until the end of the letter.
''Thank you, said our sylvan visit
or simply but appreciatively. 81 have
not read Thoreaa's letters, but his Wal
den was revelation to me when I first
Saw it. But how does it happen that
a young woman, with a slightly sar-
castle emphasis on the woman
''should choose such book Are you
not afraid society will frown upon you
if you prefer a nature lover to a novel
ist?"
''Society is no bugbear to me sir.