Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-03-31
A Family Genius.

IL not unIrequently happens Vnat the
poor "black sheep" has been dyed the
Plutonian hue by malice or ignorance,
and that after leaving the unapprecia-
tive fold for new and more congenial pas
lures, his wool is washed as white as
snow by those who more properly value
him.
But the family "genius" s"-ah, well !!
we have all met a specimen here or
there, and are almost ashamed to confess
that in not few instances we were sad
ly disenchanted.
Nancy Develln was a family ''genius. I"
The divine seal was set upon her the
moment she came into this cruel, censo.
rious world the divine afflatus was
heard in the first faint cry and seen in
the far-away gaze of her wondering eyes.
Assuredly she was marvellous child.
and surprising possibilities lay before
her. 1t is not strange, considering that
the world is proverbially blind to gen.
ius, that she was given most unpoetic
and unsuggestive name.
However, the misfortune was allevlat.
ed few years later, when the genius
discovered that 'Nancy" was convertible
to Anne and that "De Velin" was
the proper and aesthetic form of the
prosy cognomen "Develin," so hence
forth she was known as Anne De Velin.
The gifted girl had many talents, uu-
doubtedly, although the simple people
among whom she dwelt did not always
readily recognize them. But she was
admired and fattered for more prosy
consideration. She was the only child
of a wealthy but practical and unlettered
farmer, who was fondly indulgent to-
ward her in all things. She was really
a bright and pretty girl, fairly educated
and accomplished, and her wardrobe was
expensive and stylish. At eighteen.
Anne De Velin was highly dissatisfied
with country life, and yearned to know
something of the gilded world wherein
dwelt men who were not all Doors, and
women who were not all drudges. and
where on the wings of her genius she
might rise to that dazzling station she
felt she was fitted to adorn.
"Nan amt good fur much at hum" ;"
said the maiden aunt, who was house.
keeper for Anne's widowed father, "and
l reckon never will be. She was born
for the pianner, and the books with the
yaller kivers, and them ar things she
paints. and calls pictures but that ar
about all. 1 guess, seeing she kinder
bankers fur it, you'd better let her go to
town."
"What kin she do there ?" inquired
the practical farmer.
wall" urged the aunt, ''she thinks
she might git somethin' she calls fame
from her varses and pictures; and the
gals rale handy at 'em, and she's purity,
tn, and knows how ter rig herself in
them ar farbelows of hern like rale
princess born to 'em"
"Goll darn the varses and the picturs,
and that ar other thing she'll get. Fur
my part, | don't valur nothing that
hain't good square money valur l
alters said it, and say it yit. But the
gal kin have her way, as she's set on
it, and ye kin write to Aunt Crowly and
tell her Nan is comm. If there's any
thing in the gal, she'll have a right
good chance with Aunt Crowly. But I
reckon she'll be glad enough to git back
to the farm agin arter spell. Her
wisdom teeth amt cut yet yit, and the
sooner they be the BETTER
Anne De Velin was in an ecstasy of
delight. Her Aunt Crowly was a gay
and fashionable lady, and had spoiled
the girl by profuse compliments. Anne
had yet to learn that the praise and fat
terry Of summer guest are not always
sincere, however agreeable they may be /;
and she had never yet visited Mrs. Crow
ly in the city.
81 wonder what Joe Sanders will
think % thought Anne, when she knew
she was really going. She rather liked
Joe Sanders, who was sensible and
tne-looking young landholder, and who
adored her. Him she had never consid-
cred boorish, nor was his persistent de.
votion obnoxious to her, although be
was not at all the sort of gentleman
whom she wanted for lover.
Anne De Veins ideal lover was not
broad-shouldered and muscular, and
bearded like Turk, but he was tall
and shapely; he was dark-eyed, aristo-
cratically pale, and bad a gracefully.
curved moustache. He wore elegant
clothes, diamond on his white hand
and pink bud in his button-hole, and
was as unlike Joe Sanders as a prince is
unlike plough-boy. And this was the
sort of Romeo to whom she expected t.
play Juliet in the new grand city life
before her. But she was quite too much
OF coquette to part lightly with Joe
Sanders.
81 really can't see what you want tc
60 to the city for, Anne" he observed
very soherlY.