The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-06-29


as Mr.. Fearing, How pleasant he was
What nice gray eyes he had and how
they watched Nelly while he talked to hen
way that Nelly could not be shy and pref
ty soon her eyes sparkled, her color rose
softly, her red lips opened to a stream OF
gentle, playful talk, and her bright laugh
rang cheeri!y, if softly How soon they
came to Pine Hill Station and then MI
Fearing carried her lunch basket, and she
threw her sacque across her arm, the sun
was so hot; and in five minutes they were
at the wood road, while the rest Jagged
behind, heated with their heavy dresses,
anu tired with holding up the long skirts
So Nelly and Mr. Fearing stood still and
waited, and when the halting company ar
rived her quick wits and nimble fingers
were speedily at work to help them.
Il always carry pins and salt and match
es to a picnic, said Nelly with laugh
"ior | noticed often that nobody ever re
members those things
1t was we'll she did to- day and they all
voted thanks to her on the spot as with
lightened burdens and smiling faces they
began the walk up the steep hill road to
the bare fields on the north side of Pine
Hill, where the arbutus grew. The day
was lovely, sweet with the delicate inetfa-
BILE perfume OF early spring the sun shone
warmly down, the south wind blew softly.
tie resinous odor Of pine boughs sighed
from the soft gloom Of the woods, and the
bright, full brook poured over little fall
at the hill foot as if it were SO glad to be
free once more, it must leap and laugh to
express its delight
| Here under the brown grass, hiding shy
faces of baby bloom with its thick dull
leaves, clustering closely to the shelter of
great stone, or creeping among bushes
OF sweet fern, low white birches, and tam
gled strings of last years grass, the arbu-
tus grew in protusion; and Nelly. with
delicate cluster of tinted white or rosy
pink from their low beds, and gathered
them in q great sheaf. Her calico dress
neither impeded her graceful motions nor
vexed her soul with anxiety. Mr. Fear
ing, who was young artist from New
York rapidly rising to fame delighted in
the picture she unconscously made, as she
lifted her lovely face to call some other
girl to a better place for finding the treas
ures, OF ran lightly across the steep slope
to rescue one of those fine gowns from
dragging brier or pitilcss brush. For now
the fincry came to grief; where the BUSH
es had been "stubbed' knife pleatings.
shirred rutlles, folds, all found abounding
enemies; the woolly seeds Of faded gold
cn-rods ground their small spikes into
Addy Mason's pea green gown, and Il
fierce low blackberry vine laid hold of it
and effected three triangular rents; Jane
GLASS; yak lace left shred on every bush,
ain memory Of" Lima Holdridge said
while Lina's own pretty de bege was not
only torn in the tlounces badly, but was
sown all over with those small black seeds
that on two sharp legs set themselves in
any soft fabric by the thousand ard leave
their traces even when picked out. Before
long they were all hot and tired and ad-
journed to the waterfall to lunch; and
happy was the man or woman who shared
Nely's sandwiches even Mr. Fearing, who
had tasted delicacies Beckett never even
knew, in Paris cafes and New York clubs.
came more than once for supply of this
neW-tound dainty - whether because he
ro"l'y liked them. being hnnrry with the
keen air, because he wanted to see
Nely's face brighten with innocent salts
faction, we cart tell, OF will not He was
awkward enough to spill Il cup of hot cof-
fee on her skirt, but it never ciouded the
pretty face a moment.
''Never mind, it will wash" said she,
and sent Il grateful thought home to her.
mother to think it was not her precious
black silk.
But Miss Bristow's dainty cashmere had
its own libaton Of claret from the hands
of 4 dreadful boy, who stumbled over Il
stone with the bottle in his hands, and lib
orally sprnkled that dove-colored gar
ment with irremedable spots. The lady's
dark eyes flashed, and she bit her beauti-
tul lips. To he sure, she had other dresses
but how should she get back to New \ orll
without a travelling dress? She looked at
Nelly and envied her, though the next half
hour brought her companion in misery,
for her cousin, Miss Rycker, in an en-
broidered batiste just imported, slipped
fairly into the brook and sat down igno-
miniously in a shallow pool, Of which she
made Il mud puddle by her sudden intru-
sion, splashing the elegant dress from
head to foot, and making the wearer
thoroughly uncomfortable. Other slight
mishaps beiell the party, but they forgot
them in the fragrant blossoms and keen
sweet air.
Nelly had filled her basket to the brim
with carefully chosen sprays, fastened Il
bunch OF the deepest hue at her throat
and another in the jet buckle that fastened
her feather hat-band. 1t was no special
vanity in her. for they were all adorned
with their spoils. Even the gentlemen
were decked with button hole bouquets
But nobody looked like Nelly; and Mr..
Fearing thought so too. as she stood on
the brow of the hill, looking over the long
valley that ran northward, threaded by Il
bright stream, and closed at the end of the
vista by a great dark mountain. Behind
our little girl IL deep green growth of
young pines made a verdant shaded back
ground Her black hat hung on her arm;
her face was full of keen pleasure and sim
pie, fresh beauty; the red lips, warm col
or, open, innocent eyes, dark sweet rs pan
sizes are. and the tlutterng rings of hair,
which the sun threaded with gold, bur-
nishing its deep brown as the wind breath
ed gently among the shining tresses, play
ed over Il low white forehead. The artists
eye look in the whole picture and remcm-
bcred it, but the mans heart took in a
more vivid and lasting guest; for here he
found a real woman-not \ doll of fashion
or a queen of society, but a bright, pure,
tender creature. fresh and sweet as the
blossoms she wore, unaffected, sweet tenn
pered, delicate, yet withal, piquant in her
manner and speech from native wit and
quick perception.
1t may be inquired, naturally enough,
how Mr.. Fearing discovered all this in one
morning. | confess it seems improbable,
but lovers have IL wonderful insight into
character sometimes. 1t does not always
verify itself on further acquaintance, but
this time the judgment was true. more
by good luck than good guidance, as the
Scotch say and if Mr.. Fearing did lose
his heart suddenly and hopelessly, he, at
least, never regretted it thereafter. But
the day was over now. They went back
to the station, tired but merry, and far less
elegant in aspect than the party who
came down the road in the morning. Their
baskets, ,emptied of provisions and bottles,
were overlowed now with exquisite bloom
and perfume, that filled the crowd of dusty
travellers with longing and envy.