The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-13

girl like, had vowed. eternal friendship.
Col. Maham's family having been cour-
teously urged by Mr.. Gordon when
homeward bound, had stopped and spent
several delightful days with the Gordons
at their handsome suburban residence in
the city of A.. Before bidding
adieu to their hospisable entertainers,
Col. and Mrs. Maham had obtained a
promise that Rose should spend the
month of December at Berkley Hall.
The promise had been fulfilled, and for
nearly q month Rose Gordon had been
the loved and honored guest at the old
plantation. Having always lived in
city, the life of country planter in all
of its aspects was delightful novelty to
her. She had imagined that country
people" were all clod hoppers, uneduca-
ted and unre6ned. ga countryman" to
her crude fancy conveyed no other idea
than brown jeans and yarn stocking, a
very comfortable, well-to-do sort of a
specimen of the genus homo. 1t had
never occurred to the generous hearted
girl that in the iron frames of those
brave tillers of the soil were to be found
the very bone and sinew of her country,
or that under those rough vestments were
hearts as warm to love, and as true to
friendship and the claims of home and
fatherland as any which ever throbbed
beneath satin or broad cloth!
At Berkley she met q different speci-
men of the "countryman." The country
man, to "the manor born" intelligent and
we'll educated, bred to observe with the
incest care all of the gentle courtesies
and refnements of high life; placed by
Fortune above want or labor; served by
obedient, cheerful and afectionate slaves;
enjoying almost daily intercourse with
neighbors, social and cultivated posses
sing nearly all of the advantages enjoyed
in city life, yet freed from the chilling
restraints and ceremonies imposed by
etiquette and fashion, the home life of
the planter presented to her romantic
and girlish fancy, pictures of the free
Saxon life in the green woods Of "Merry
old England" when the born thralls of
the noble Thames were proud of the
patriarchal rule of their kind and much
loved masters. ....
With keen appreciation Rose enjoyed
the new life opened to her. The long,
brisk rides on horseback taken by Marion
and herself, always accompanied by Har-
ry and his chosen friend, Arthur Fergu-
son, who was also passing the merry
month of December at Berkley, and
sometimes the grave and gentle Walter
joined them. Pleasant; too, were the
long afternoon walks to the swamps and
the mill, and the merry talks with the
Nymph of the swamp and wood-the
gentle echo-whose last words only were
ever heard. Then, again, neighbors'
visits had to be returned, and long, de-
lightful drives of several miles had to be
taken to accomplish them. And the gay
dinings with kindred and friends; ah,
who can forget those reunions SO full of
JOYOUS insouciance There was no dane
ing at Berkley that winter. Coming
events" had "cast their shadows before"
and altho' none were gloomy. few felt
mirthful enough to patronize the gay
saloons of terpsichore. But Rose cared
not for the dance, it was the fresh simple
country life she loved, and her girlish,
gay and guileless enthusiasm amply repaid
her admiring and affectionate friends for
their loving efforts to please her, and
while away her holiday hours.
. TO BE CONTINUED.