The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1878-01-18
NARIAN scUDDER.

am what the world calls IAN OldISl
fellow but the boy never dies out O
some natures, and mine Is such one
/ am fond OF reading sentimental sto
ries pretty little poems, and sad weir,
novels: of listening to the mornin.
songs of the birds and OF pluckin!
wild flowers in the fields as 1 wa
years ago, when in the heyday of M
youth 1 was, like my fellows, more oI
less romantic. Albeit the whites hav,
drifted like flakes of snow, and the
summers like buds between,' until
sometimes feel, with Rusllih, that it i.
"a little saddening to watch tie gO9deI
sunsets, the sun goes down so fast
vet am Young in all but outward form
and semblance. | make little pilgrim
ages when the summer has fled, to the
no great neglect of my legal practice,
To watch the changing color OF the for
est trees, and sometimes, once i'll q
few years | visit New York, and pass
a sunny autumn day at Central Park.
No words at the command of a super
anuated Old lawyer, like the writer,
can properly describe the beauties OF
that marvel Of city gardening, when
the frost has put its imprint on the
myriad of trees and shrubs. a lovely
spot to all admirers of art in nature,
and at any time Central Park becomes
iHdescribaDly captivating when its
plumage has changed from the emcr-
aid Of spring and summer, and has
assumed the numberless tints of the
rainbow. TO wander on, needless of
whittier my footsteps tend, and note
this specimen of gorgeous scarlet, that
clump Of golden leaves and ever re-
curing browns, silvers, puppies, and
YCllOw5 Is my delight And when the
sun shines brightly and the birds sing
their melancholy sOng5-it always
seems to me as if they sung in unison
with nature; merrily when she is re-
viving, serenely and with mellow
hess in the days of her decay feel as
if had come into possession of my
Spanish castles, and i'll heart at least /
am boy again.
] recall at this moment a visit made
to Central Park two years. ago. l am
not positive whether it was in the last
days of October or the first of NOvem-
her. Suffice il that the weather was
most beautiful. had strOlled about
until | was weary and foOtsOre, and
had stopped to rest on the bridge over
looking the lake. As you will remem-
Der, this bridge is reached from the
mall by crossing the drive, and one
may loiter there and see all those who
pass in carriages. There were but few
people visible as I leaned against the
rail and surveyed the lovely scene
about me. The sun wassinking rapid
lV below bank Of gray, cOld-lOOking
clouds, a chilling wind was springiug
up, and ! was about buttoning my
coat more firmly around me and set
ting out for the city when l noticed a
rather distinguished-Ioolli gentle
man down by the lake. He was, per
hapS, thirty-iive years of age, and
was amusing himself 10y throwing peb-
les out into the wrinkled waters. He
was handsome fellow, smoothly
shaTcn and tastefully dressed, though
something about the cut of his attire
persuaded me il was not Of American
manufacture. | set him down i'll my
mind as an English tonrist, and ~ he
was now coming towards me | prepar-
ed TO scrutiniZe him more closely
Just as he was mounting the steps
which lead To where ! was standing
the rumblng of wheels diverted my
attention, and | turned my gaZein the
opposite direction. Presently a lady and
gentleman came daShing by behind Il
pair of high stepping horses. From
the instant the carriage came in sight
until it disappeared my eyes rested on
the Il, dy. 70 say that she was beau-
f1I beyond the power of this land to
I.
I never saw 70 my recollection so
faultless apair of shoulders. Her head,
too, was marvel 9floVeliness. There
was ii poiSe about it WHICH enhanced
the sweetness Of the face, reminding
me Of Lucca's, and the rich locks of
i,air which escaped from control with
the rapid pace were as those Of Dante's
"Bpotlice,n like sheaves of gathered
sunshine. J stood spellbound, az If an
angel had passed my way. For mo-
mcnt scarcely bTeathed, counting it
wrong to nhale the air. hallOwed, a.
I thought it, by Il recent presence
bordering on the divine.
"L0Vely woman, isn't shC3' came
from beside me, and as soon as | could
recover my cquanimity ] turned and
meeting the eyes of the pebble caster,
replied
Indeed, Sir, you may well say 50.
like most men of my years, | have
my sweet sud bitter memories; | have
castles OF gold aud cedar, and immense
domains in dreamlapd, through which
IiOw silver rivers. My castles over
look lawns Of perennial green and the
air is fragrant with the incense oil
orange blossoms and myFrh. Sitting
at my window at cVentide, ] sec inthe
luminous atmosphere faces of Won
sirouS beauty, but none fairer or more
angelic than ncrS. y lovely woman,
mOst asSurcdly."
az suppose, Ofcourse, you know her?''
hc returned.
al haven't that honor. ! wish l
had" l said. "DO you know herr"
inquired.
Ny companion gave a long whistle,
and finally answered abruptly: "Ges,
do know her, and she has history,
too; but it is not known, nor of pecu-
liar interest to strangers. Let ii pass.
But" he added, in brisker vein, 81
am surprised, if you are a New York
rer, that you do not know the brilliant
Mrs, Vaughn
II an not Il New Yorker" Icjoin-
ed, 81 live 10 Boston, and have never
heard of Mrs. Vaughn. | assure YOU
"Well, YOU have Of hCP husband
surely" my entertaining fricud re-
su med. "She i the wife of Howard
NaIi Qhn, the apitalist-Naughn. Gid |
diurs - Gucls, the Broad Stecet bank |
ers. Vau rhn i Il fine fellow, | think, |
though ! have abundant reason 10 |
hate him cordially. But | respect tke
man and ignore my personal animo>i-
ty. lie likes gOoj horses and good
living, but hc - u man Of cultivation,
also. You may remember him as
ley, the explorer and engineer A,nt
out to build an overland line of tslc-
graph from San Francisco 10 st. Pc |
TeTshurg, some years ago, and which !
was abandoned with the unexpected
success of the second Atlantic cable. |
Vaughn afterwards wrote Il book re- !
citing his experiences in British
Amcrica-'snOw shoes and slCdgee' |
j think was its title. OH, yes, ne j. |
clever fellow; he writes articles for
the daily papers ON finance, essays OH !
social and literary themes for the |
magazines, and poem now and then, |
so sweet and pathetic that you would |
imagine its author to be some pasto- |
raj queen who had never wandered
from the shaded lanes and quiet forests
n, her country home long enough to
even hear the echo of city's hum and
hustle
had becuI walking while he WAS
speaking, he fell To cutting the bushes
with hi, cane, and seemed to be pre-
occupied. had become greatly inter
ested in his remarks, and expressing
mythan!>s for the confidence he had
.nu,I4nni,.44,I i,rfip1nfeH fIuI (