The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-11-09
ONLY A COUNTRY GIRL
BY JAMES LESTER.


"You are mistaken; I would rather
die than to marry q mere country girl"
'But, Fred, suppose her Intelligent,
full of natural poetry, tender-hearted,
graceful, unspoiled by admiration, a
guileless, simple, loving creature?" r'
CO." said Fred, laughing, "choice Sc,
lection of virtue and grace. Country
beauties are always sweet, and so are.
country COWS. No, I tell you, if she was
as lovely as an angel, with the best sense
in the world, still if ,unskilled in litera-
ture and music, with no soul above churns
and knitting needles, | would not marry
her for a fortune" I
cha, ha!o', laughed Helen Irving:
Hidden by, the trunk of tree, she sat.
reading within few feet of the egotist.l
In another moment the young lady
came in sight. Fred's face crimsoncd,
and he whispered in visable trepidation,
''Do you think she heard me?"
NO." rejoined the other, audibly, "she
has not even looked from her book. You
are, SAFE" -.,..,...,-e... :.
Leaning on one white arm, the cid oak.
tree in the background, flowers strewed,
around her, she sat quite at ease, appa-
rently unconscious that two handsome
young gentlemen were near her.
Approaching with low bow, upon
which his mirrow had set the stamp of
faultless elegance, Frederick Lane took
the liberty of asking if the young lady
would inform him where Mr.. Irving
lived.
With an innocent smile the lady looked
up "Mr. Irving, the only one living In
the village, is my father" she said, rising
in a graceful and charming manner.
"The large house OH high ground, half
hidden by trees and thick shrubbery;
there is were we live"
Fred replied with very graceful
bow.
"Tell your father I shall do myself
the honor to call on him tomorrow. He
will remember me-Frederick Lane, at
your service"
eyes, sir, will tell him." said Helen,
tucking her sleeves around her pretty
arms, and making rather formal cour-
tesy. Then, catching up her books and
gathering the scattered flowers, she hur-
ried home.
"Now, father, mother, aunt and sis"
exclaimed the merry girl, bouncing into
the room where the family were at sup
per, $50 sure as you and I live, that Mr..
Lane you talked so much about is in the
village. He will call here tomorrow,
the finest specimen ola city beau, las, of
course, he will be, all sentiment, fault
less in kid and dickey, important and
self-assured as one of the kind can posi-
bly, be. Promise me, all of you, that you
will not lisp one word about music, read
ing and writing in his presence, because
I have plan. Father will not, ! know,
and if you, sis, will be quiet and ask no
questions, I will give you that work-box
you have coveted so long"
"Why, on that condition, Ill be as
still as mouse, but what's the rea-
son n" f.-
"Oh,, that's my own business" said
Helen, dancing out of the room. =
Helen sat at the open window, through
which roses thrust their blushing buds,
making both shade and sweet fragrance.
The canary overhead burst forth every
moment in wild snatches of glorious
music Helen was at work on long blue
stockings, nearly finished, and her fingers
few like snow-birds. ~
"You knit most admirably; are you
fond of it?'' :4Tt.T}-.
eyes, quite; I like it better than any
thing else-that is, l mean / can churn
we'll" -. y ,,.,ff,yc
'And do you read much ?' Fred's
glance had travelled from the corners of
his eyes to every table, shelf and corner,
in search of books and papers, but not
page, yellow or red, repaid his search.
"Oh, yes" said Helen, with sancti-
fled air. - ...,;'..'-.-
1'What books2 permit me to ask"
"I read the Bible a. good DEAL" she
said, gravely. t,i'
"Is that all ?"
GAIL! of course not Yet, what do
you not find in the Bible? History, po-
etry, eloquence, romance, the most thrill
ing pathos :" blushing, and recolleeting
herself, she added in manner as child
ish as it had before been digni6ed: GAS
for other books, let me see what have
got in my library; there's the Primmer,
Counting on her fngers,) Second-class
Reader, Robinson Crusoe, Nursery Tales,
two or three Elements of something, BIZ
ography of some person or other, Moth
er's Magazine, and King William III.
There, now, isn't that a very good assort-
ment?"
Fred smiled.
''Perhaps I do not know as much as
those who have been to school more" she
added, as if disappointed at the mute re-
joinder; but in making bread, churning
butter and keeping house, l am not to be
out-done."
The young man felt more in pity than
in love, but his visits did not always so
result. He began to feel magnetic at
traction, and he mainly attributed it to
Helens beauty; but the truth is, her
sweetness and artless character, engaging
manner and disposition, quite won the
city-bred aristocrat, Fred Lane. There
was freshness about everything she did
or said. She perplexed as we'll as de-
lighted him.
Often, as, as he was wondering how
some homely expression would be re-
ceived in society, some beautiful senti-
ment would suddenly drop like pearl
from her lips, as remarkable for original
ity as for brilliancy.
'IfI should fall into thesnare," thought
he, "I can educate her; it will be worth
trying"
It IS useless to combat the tender pas
sion; so at last he fell at Helen's feet,
fguratively speaking, and confcssing his
love for her.
~ care not, Helen, only be mine" was
his invariable answer to her declaration
of unworthiness, chow you would appear
in society"
They were married, had returned from
their wedding tour, and yet, at the expi-
ration of their honeymoon, Fred was
more in love than ever. At grand en-
tertainment given by the relatives of the
bridegroom. Helen looked still more
iE.l uar huShand did not insist