The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-12-06

=, henIC vincent lelt as ne walked toward
Mr.. Cheswlcke's residence, with couple Of
textbooks under his arm, on the appointed
day, that there was an indefnable something
about these people that drew upon his re.
| speet more than anything to which he had
been accustomed in others.
His chief satisfaction now was in the pros
peet OF hnding companion interested ia the
same subjects rs himself; who would not
thlnk It bore to have anyone dwell upon a
subject somewhat remote from the staple
topics of society, as he knew it.
As already indicated, circumstances had
precluded his becoming interested in fashion.
| able society, More refined than his father,
and less assured of the omnipotence Of money,
he was yet strikingly unconventional IN his
manners. He had not learned to distinguish
clearly between the manifestations Of the per
sonal dignity accompanying deserved social
eminence and the manifestations Of the spirit
OF caste, thing kept alive by mean desires,
petty prejudces, and deliberate injustice.
ArislOeracy had never had, practically, any
but an unpleasant meaning for him, and, as
i was never used discriminaiely by his friends,
he disliked even to hear the word; he hated
1t as a synonym for concentrated selhshness,
something, in its spirit and tendency, insidi
ously and disonorably un.American. But,
If respectfully treated, as he generally was,
he did not make point of stunning persons
of whose social principles he had reason TO
doubt the soundness.
As he neared his destination he felt a sud.
den fear that this higher capabiliiy of Miss
Maud's, in the existence of which he could
not help believing, might, after all, be Of lit.
tie avail TO him in their restricted intercourse;
she might, and in all probability would, ex
pect him to conhne himself almost wholly to
hta 1rnfpaatnpal 1ufina. in E,ot - naI
upon him that it might be considered indecor-
Gus to remain after study hours for the pur.
pose Of interchanging with his pupil thoughts
Of wider interest.
When he reached Mr. Cheswicke's he had
grown tremulous with the consciousness Of
rapidly receding hopes and Of vexation at the
possible barrier to their fulflment. Howev.
er, she would make plain wha. was within
the bounds of propriety.
lie was admitted by old Jerry, who had
grown up in the family with "Mas' john"
and who, with his gray hair, neatly combed,
his decent apparel, and his easy deferental
bearing, was priced as a servant of the old
school.
Henry, who like everybody else in town
but the newcomers, was well known to Jerry,
requested that willing messenger to announce
his presence to Miss Maud. Then, looking
Nv NatNAf Ht luuHu NHhl ne was nhll An
hour earlier than the appointed time. This
was causing him increasing annoyance, when
Jerry returned and said;
''Mr. Henry, Miss Maud says please to
walk into de libry, If you please, sah she
will be down Immediately
After conducting him into the library, Jer-
ry, pansing at the door before his exit, said /.
"Mr. Henry, hain't seed you befo' sence
you went away to de college. is mons tous
glad to see you back agin, sab. ] is indeed,
sab. "
Ordinarily, triaing incident of this kind
would have had none but pleasing effect
upon him, but now that his more delicate
sensibilities were aroused, they we're very
acute, and he laid his books upon the centre
table with an additional twinge of mortfca.
ton at the thought that, while this servant
could claim him as an old acquaintance, he
was scarcely more than n stranger to the lady
about to enter, although they were reared in
the same small town. His glance resting
upon the well'flled bookcase occupying
nearly the whole OF one side of the room, he
stepped in front of the rows OF volumes, but
stood looking at them mechanically.
The rustic Of dress in the hall caused him
to turn nervously, prepared to make one Of
his stiff bows.
Maud advanced toward him with extended
hand and with rare smile upon her lips aud
in her brown eyes, said;
Mr.. Vincent, hope | may say that we
ought by this time to consider ourselves
friends, not mere casual acquaintances. You
have been so kind to Brice, my only brother
now, and he has SO often referred to you in
his letters, that hare long felt as if / knew
you, and could not sufficiently thank YOU"
Somewhat bewildered, but much relieved,
Henry replied, holding the while her shapely
little hand in his bony fst
"lm proud, Miss-Miss Cheswicke, toto
know you-l mean to be called your friend.
As to your brother, he and | acted on the
time e.bouored principle that one good turn de.
serves another
How long he would have remained in this
attitude, gazing into her beamng eyes, is a
matter OF uncertainty.
Maud gently released her hand, and, as
they were seating themselves, asked, depre
catingly:
''Shall find German very hard to mastery
well, miss" he returned, laughingly,
THAT is a question the answer to which de.
pends upon the capabilities Of the student as
well as upon the nature of the language. This
language has its difficulties, and II you we're
schoolgirl about to take il up as Falstaif re.
fused to give his reasons, "upon compulson,"
! confess should have some fears; but, as it
is, have none"
"Db, thank you"
1t is no part Of the purpose Of this narration
to mark the stages OF Maud progress toward
the goal she had chosen to attain. 1t might
seem, without deliberation, that there was
small chance of the early development of en-
thusiasm ofteaeher and pupil in the prosecu-
tion of a study which had TO begin with the
very alphabet, but il must be borne in mind,
not only that everything done by charming
woman is charming, but that students Of in.
telligence and strong purpose, knowing there
can be no thorough enjoyment of the litera.
ture Of any language without previous mas
terry of its elements, hail each assured aequi.
sition with feelings akin TO those of one
whose every step up a steep and rugged path
way expands a view of inspiring beauty.
After Henry's departure Maud joined her
mother in the latter's sitting g-room, and was
thus accogted. .ll tH
Does to-days experience encourage the
hope that you can stand his presence and that
Jargon twice n week 2''
This was said in a tone Of disdain, which
was not lost upon Maud; upon whom, how.
ever, It produced an effect different from the
one intended
Certainly, ma, he betrays an ignorance of
approved social forms surprising in rich
mans son and II college graduate; but am
sure there IS no young man in Kingsbury so
intellectual and well.informed. His evident
pursuit OF knowledge for its own sake is ad.
mirable--and quite refreshingn
"His failure to see the importance of &C.
quainting himself with polite usages, in order
to make his services more acceptable to polite
people, makes me less confident OF his trust.
w0rtbiness than your father and Brice seem