Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-07-28
INDEPENDENCE, IOWA, FRIDAY, JULY %, 1876

high posts, was covered by quill
whose varied hues seemed designed
to remind the patriarch of his los,
sons "coat of many colors."
But at the window one forgot all
else in a view where the dance and
sparkle of the bright river water con
trasted with the sombre green Of
pines stretched for miles away to the
very. feet of hills that lowered alofl
in still sublimity.
Had Paul Ashford been wrecked
upon some cannibal island, so fal
from victimizing him, the natives
would have speedily raised him to
their highest office-such the effort
less popularity that always attended
him. What could there be in com
mon between the culture and refine.
ment of Ashford's nature and a
coarse, sluggish mind like Zebdie]
Burton's whose intellectual exercise
was comprised in n weekly nap under
Parson Stebbin's preaching, spelling
over his agricultural paper and al
manac, and Scripture readings every
sabbath" Yet Zabdiel related to
him the minutie of the farm, the
price brought by his pair of steers,
and that expected for the brindled
heifer, the prospect for crop and hay
field, until the young man possessed
a complete knowledge of agricul
ture, theoretically speaking.
Even the hard cider of "Aunt
'Tury's" disposition to mellow be-
meath the spell of his sympathetic
politcness, AS her union with Zab'
diel Burton had been New Eng
land marriage de cuvenamce, arising
from his want Of housekeeper and
her wish for a house, she still re-
tanned her ancient prejudice against
mankind, just as horse long wont
to stop at certain places is urged
with difficulty past them. So the ex
ception in his favor was no slight
tribute to her guest.
The children, of course, simply
dotted on him, and Glen made him
the confident of her childish troubles
how the boys at school laughed al
her red hair; how she disliked Aunt
'Tury; how she had loved her moth
er, but could not remember her faith
er; and how much she "set by" hel
brother Jimmy, which last was evi
dent to Ashford.
Studying her with ever growing
interest, he saw that she possessed
the passionate intensity of devotion
which makes a a.one-ideaed nature
girl of little adaptation, strong indi
viduality, and an unreasoning homes
ty, that could never discern in blacl
or white the falntest admixture ol
gray.
of she ever loves" thought Ash
ford, "But she will probably throw
herself away on some 'Braown' OF
'SteOblns' without the most remote
suspicion of her possibilities"
To anything he chose to tell her O
the world that lay outside her home
Clemence would listen like MADAM
Recamier, a rauir. Remarkable al
was her general quickness of apprc
hension, this was particularly showl
in music, for she would catch up thu
airs that Ashford sang or whistlet
in voice like that Of any WOODLAND
bird, and with perfect accuracy o
tune. Once, however, on his hum
ming a French song, the bright fac'
suddenly clouded, and when, in con
cern, he asked the cause, unable te
reply, she ran away, crying as if he
heart would break.
This happened in the earlier par
Of his stay, and the explanation came
incidentally through Uncle Zab.
"Clem's mother was Canuck,
said he. "My brother Jim, he got
leetle too much larnin' an that spill
him fer farmin'; kind O. turned hi
head an made him restless, an 'twa'
all to an fro with him, till one time
he wuz up to Varmaount, an see Thu
gal thar; near the border, whar then
Canucks swarm over from Candy
an weren't he all possessed to MARI!
her! Clem's named fer her mother
Clemence Adaly Marie-1 couldn'
tell yer the string O. Frenchitiee
names. 'Tury she was dretful so
agin Jim's wife from the fust mini
she laid eyes on her. She warn't So
turribly harnsum, nuther; jimp look
in enough, but hadn't no color, an
big, onairthly black eyes,"
"Does Clemence look like hcr?'
suggested Ashford.
"Wa-al, no, she don't genelly. tho
hev seen her favor her, an She go
her voice. an some of her ways to {
Il; but little Jim, he's her picter.-
Wa-al, as 1 wuz tellin' yer, Jim HI
died shortly after the boy wuz born
an she follered on, au' thar wuz then
two children on my hands, fer jim
warn't the man to hoe the copper
aout o his row, ken tell yer
Clem's got SO she pays her way il
helpin' Ketury, but Jim's a dead loss
all eat an no work to a boy O. tina
age, besides caountin' on a sight o
trouble from him yet"
This recital attracted Ashford's no
tice still further to Clemence. HI
gave her books (for she knew he1
uncle's limited library by hearD
taught her songs, and helped he1
plant new flower beds, hitherto tht
whole poetry OF her life. Ant
through the summer the pines KEEP
up their eternal murmur, unheeded
now by Clemence, who dreamed no
yet of time when their green mo
notomy should be to her visible, aud
ible weariness.
September was nearly over wher
Ashford, half regretfully left thu
place where his light-hearted boyhooe
seemed to have come back to him.
His healthy, sunburnt and elastic
spirits were sources Of unspeakablt
triumph to the physician, who hae
seen him last the image of llstlessnes'
and ennui.
| During his varied life of travel ano
pleasure for the next few years these
country recollections had nearly faded
from Ashford's mind, until something
occurred to bring them freshly VI
once more. This was nothing les'
/