Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-06-25
Selcctea Storp.
From HArper's Monthly, for June.
IN A ST ORM.

The rain was drizzliug Uut OF damp
heaven as if a cloud were driving toward
"a and breaking over US the wind, " hich
had risen at daylight. was swelling with
every succeeding blast; and the river
was rolling in white-csps. Still. there
was no question OF laying the boat by
when our party from the hills came down
and went aboard with much sdo and
merry making.
/ The RiIatreSS was a river craft that made
connection al Desbars, the little Port on
the bay at the rivers mouth, With the
sea beat that would take us by farther
voyage to our journeys end. Indeed,
the HUntreSS was not much Of an affair
any way. and tho accommodations were
such that We sll preferred to remain
above, even in the rain, being well pro-
tected in gossamec rubber. high boots,
and all the modern improvements. We
were a gay'pariy, who had been anus
ing ourselves, as travelling companions
do, with. reading aud iancy-work. hirta.
iion and scandal. Among others we
numbered Mrs. Howison. the d0yenHe OF
the party, who gave il eminent respecta-
bi,ity, kept every body up in his pedigree,
sDd did tbe diamonds. as Belle Evans
said; Belle herself who did the beauty ;
Mrs. Cameron. her chsperon. and the
mother OF Lucia and John; Miss Marvin.
so ssIstruggling with idiocy, whose
money was possibly the lOads.one OF one
or two youths who hung upon our verge,
IS Belle said, not OF US. vet not against
Us. OF The girls. Miss Evons was, per-
hsps. the most beautiful. yet Miss Murray,
with her clear, dark, colorless face, and
tho grea, gtay eyes, lanliless teatdres,
and dark hair, and with her manner OF
proud reserve. stimulated clriosity and
interest considerably more. Tall, and
perhaps too stately. with her silence and
her hsnghty ways. she impressed you IS
one with history; Yet when j had been
with her one day more than usual.
Mrs Howison begged 10 assure me that
people often lost casle by sssociatiog
with the commonplace. and that Miss
Murray was ouly Mrs. Cameron's COM
panion. engaged TO relieve Lucia from
the trouble OF reading and playing to her
mother. Not one OF sat all. my dear.
out iew steps above the servants, said
the good Dame HJwison. She is an
excellent person in her place. but Mrs.
Cameron berselt knows next 10 nothing
about her. although she has employed
her for nearly six years; so. you see, my
dear said the d0ycHHe. And her
authority perhaps added sing TO the
general behavior OF the maids and
Dsirons in this regard.
Yet Belle Evans was also not without
interest TO the impartial view, the more
aS she carried on a love Afair and firt-
sliou ST the same time. her engagement
with John Cameron having lately been
broken. aud her heart with it, it was IN
dersiood. which fragmentary condition
OF her system she was supposed to De
cOncesling by the disguise OF pleasure in
Colonel Bates's society, Colonel Bates
being the next friend OF John Cameron
himself. AS for Lucia, Miss Marvin, and
the rest, doubtless some portion OF the
world would have missed them had they
suddenly dropped out OF it. Such as We
were, We had passed some pleasant days
together, for even although Belle, every
day more dis,racting. drove Cameron 10
the beginning OF despair by her behavior
| with Colonel Bates-who was blindly
convinced that he only did his friend
good service in keeping her from worse
miSchief-and Cameron reduced Belle TO
the same pass by the exasperating In
/ difference with which he viewed her con-
duct, yet such sweet sorrow seemed bet
ter to them apparently than any common
experience OF Joy, aud they did their
best to prolong and accentuats II. 1t IS
better than novel; il is as good as
plsy." said once to Miss Murray, for IN
spite of Dame HowisOn, We had some
how taken to each other, "ior here are
the actors living and real before you,
and remember catching her eye sgair
when she smiled despite herself at these
side scenes. although somewhat too In
dignant concerning the shrubs and bios
SONS With which young Black was load
ing her Just then 10 smile at all.
You look ike Birnam Wood, Belle
hsd cried.
ard feel as if Dunsinane were at the
ends OF the earth. - she had answered.
And Sally Marvin. then looking Mis-
Murray over from head to foot. talked
alterward 10 Eucia. as she always did or
such opportunity, with an odd sort OF in
soleut laughter between the syllables.-
the color came to Miss Murray's face
but she never noticed anything oi th'
kind. not even thanking Belle by glance
when the latter resented her affronts. /
was not frequently. indeed, lat she wa
positively sfropted, but commonly ths
she was completely ignored. Ii seemed
10 make small odds 10 her. She remind
ed YOU of some one who, being in life