The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-04-08
MINNESOTA, THURSDAY, APRIL, $, 1875.

"A - AL 1G1l4 ", 10 ~
ed that he was handsome, and remark.
ed that his clothes were Of the very
best material, and seemed to be made
in a more fashionable and elegant
style than was common to the gentle:
men of Lowminster. "'', =
"He is in the army, I suppose y
said Miss Baxter, in conclusion !; II
saw brass plate on his portmanteau,
with Captain Herriston' engraved up.
on it" -
"Herriston!" repeated Mary.
"What pretty namel"
1t seemed to her very prette name
as every thing about the strange,
seemed to her elegant and attractive.
She saw him strolling in the garden
by-and-by as she sat at her work; and
he came to the window, and talked to
her with a manner that was istless in
spite of his politeness, yet which seem.
ed to Mary Baxter the most perfect
manner in the world. She was only
nineteen, and this splendid stranger
was the first interesting person she
had ever encountered. It was scarce.
" strange if he appeared to her to
belong to different race Of beings
from the young men Of Lowminster-
the smart, well-do-do, over-dressed
tradesmen's sons who admired her
and paid her compliments in their
clumsy manner, when she and her sis.
ter met them in the meadows after
the Sunday-afternoon service at the
cathedral.
Captain Herriston talked very lit
tie, but he stood a long time by the
window, dropping out lazy sentence
now and then. In the evening Mr.,
Baxter smoked his pipe in. a rustic
arbor at the end Of the garden, &C.
cording to his custom in this summer
weather; and while he was sitting
there with his two daughters, Captain
Herriston came out and Joined the
family group, pleased to find that. he
might smoke his cigar in the presence
Of the young ladies. He quite drew
the miller out in conversational
way by his questions about Lowmin:
ster, Mr.. Baxter dilating much upon
the prosperity of the sleepy old place,
and the fortunes that some of the
leading tradespeople had made in it
"Why, there's Josiah Greenock-
you might have noticed his shop
perhaps, as you drove by-fsh-mong
er and poulterer; if that man is
worth sixpence, he's worth a plum
and there's Martin the butcher, pref
ty nigh as rich, I dare say. Esthe,
Greenock and my daughter Mary are
uncommon fond of each other-they
were at school together; but Harriet
you see, she stopped at home to take
care Of me, and I don't think there's
a better housekeeper in Midlandshire
A very nice girl is Esther Greenock
little set up, perhaps, on account o.
her fathers money, but a very nice
girl for all that, and like sister tc
my Mary. I haven't seen you two
together lately, by-the-by, Molly
he added, turning to his daughter
"What's come of Esther !"
"she's staying at Woodgreen with
her aunt, father" answered Mary:
"she's likely to be away the best part
Of the summer
"You haven't been whipping thu
stream down yonder yet, Sir p asked
the miller, presently.
,"No, Mr.. Baxter" answered Cap
| tain Herriston. ITO. tell you th,
truth, though I carry a rod and
tackle, I am no very enthusiastic ang
Ter. I have come to Lowminstel
more with a view to the recovery o
my health than for the sake Of tht
fishing; but Of course I shall
try my luck. It will be an easy
way Of getting rid Of my time, for on
thing"
He gave short impatient sigh a
he said this, and walked away from
the: ::arbor after wishing its inmate
a brief goodnight. When they cam
to know him better by-and-by, the!
found that he was subject to thes
sudden changes of mood.
| He staid at the miller's cottage fol
many weeks, whippingthe stream dali!
without any very profitable result il
the way of fish and dawdling away
his evenings in the garden, sometime
smoking his cigar in the arbor, some
times strolling among the Aower-bed
or under the old apple-trees in: tn
orchard with the two girls, or will
one of them-very often with one 0
them, and that one was Mary.
| He had grown very confidential il
his talk with her before many week
were over, while the roses were still
blooming in the pretty rustic garden
He told her all his troubles, ramblin,
on about himself in gloomy discon
tented way, which seemed to afford
kind Of relief to his mind. Yes, ther
had been troubles of the heart as vel
as money difficulties. He told be
how he had been engaged to a yer,
charming girl with large fortune, an
how the lady's father had interpese'
in a most Infamous manner to proven
the match. Every thing in. life seem
ed to have gone wrong with him.. HI
own father had treated him badly