Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-11-05
NOBLESSE OBLIGE.
" HANG Miss Ashurst!"


ooh, Philip
"Well, can't help it. Why does she
come to spoil everything? Don't know
how it will be Railways Miss Ashurst to
be considered, taken about, included in
everything. No more drives and boat
rows, Just you and me, Amy; no more
evenings on the doorstep. declare I've
a great mind to go over to Uncle Phil's at
Goshen for a month"
"Now, Phil, please" (coaxingly). cit
won't be so bad as you think. Besides,
you may like very much. Mother says
her mothev was the greatest beauty in
Connecticut"
"She isn't beauty, though; I'll bet on
that. A talking, writing, society woman
i hate the kind. Amy, will you go out
for row? Well have one more while
the boat is all our own"
This Capitalization was held on either
side of the Widow Mauran's garden gate
"a model gate for purposes of converse
ton, just high enough and wide enough
to accommodate two pairs of elbows and
allow the owners Of the elbows to look
easily into each others eyes. Phil smiled
into Amy's as he swung wide the barrier.
He offered his arm, she took it, and they
sauntered down to the shore. They were
picturesque couple to look at. Tall
Phil in spite of his momentary ill-temper,
possessed a frank, handsome face, lit with
fine eyes and the sweetest of smiles while
little Amy's modest, wild-fower beauty
was exquisite in its way. Second cousins,
intimate friends, all but declared lovers,
it was pleasant matter of course that they
should be always together; and in spite of
Amy's disclaimers she was at the bottom
of her heart as sorry as Phil at this inter-
ruption to their tete-G-tete-as sorry, or
sorrier; for blended with her regret was
the instructive apprehension Of girlish
heart, which, pledged in fact though not
in name, grieves with the unspoken dread
that some other woman may yet pass by
to snatch from her very lips the coveted
untasted cup in whose depth lies, or seems
to lie, all the best sweetness of coming
life. It was a comfort to have Philip so
cross about it, however; and in the effort
to sootne him she, woman-like, forgot her
own annoyance. So the evening ended
happily,
Amy's first glance set her heart to quak-
ing again. Never had she seen a woman
one of those born enchantresses who
reign not only by intention but by right
Her beauty would have been remarkable
had not her charm been more remarkable.
Her wit and talent were balanced by a
sweet good humOr which pervaded every
word and act, and favored all with fasci-
nation. Tact, culture, the perfect self
possession which verges upon self-forget-
fulness, lent their aid to complete her at
traction. And all was real. There was
no pretense about Miss Ashurst. The
kind looks which beamed from her beau
tiful eyes sprung from kind heart. She
threw herself into the interest of every
human creature who approached her with
warmth born Of true sympathy. No
wonder she was popular. Popularity
hardly spoiled her. She received her
daily Ovations as a matter of course, half
indiferently, half gratefully, but always
with modest grace which enhanced her
effect. A dangerous woman this to bring
into propinquity with susceptible youths.
Poor Amyl
But Amy, too, felt the charm. The
dazzling brown eyes which had bewitched
so many hearts worked their spell upon
hers at once and she lent delighted aid in
settling the newcomer and her belong
ings. This month in Pemigewasset was
sudden whim of Miss Ashurt's. She
wanted quiet and place to write in, and
the old homestead in which her great
grandmother was born seeming to meet
these conditions, she wrote to offer her
self as an inmate; and Mrs. Mauran, who
was glad to add to her small income by
an occasional boarder, gave pleased con-
sent. All manner of pretty things came
out of the trunks to adorn the simple
chamber. Miss Ashurst could not live
without artistic surroundings, and travelled
always with photographs, sketches, books,
small articles of girtu, and bits of bright
color in this or that. These disposed on
walls and table, with daintily frilled and
embroidered covers laid over the old
fashioned pillows, an easel with its can
vases and oil-tubes in one corner Miss
Ashurst painted pictures), writing table
exquisitely arranged drawn into the win
cow Miss Ashurst wrote books, sweet
faced Madonna painted on ivory, few
flowers grouped in classic vase, made
the homely keeping-room chamber over
into a bower of romance, simple Amy
thought. She stood as in a dream, inhal-
ing the perfume of wide, luxurious life,
of a whole world of sensations and 81 ghts
unknown till now, and scarcely compre-
hended.
"Therep' said Miss Ashurst, giving the
last touch to her vase of clematis and
roses, now | shall do beautifully. What
a pleasant room this is! The very expos
ure like best, and such a sweet view! IL
| is Just the room to work in. / am glad
your mother let me come, Amy. may
call you Amy, may not? We are rel