The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-02-04
Select Story.
TIE MAJORS vALEDIcTIoN.
BY ID. CHRISTIE MURRAY.

The Major on sunshinny day in
the main street of Ballykillrowdy was
pleasant to behold. He was not strictly
handsome perhaps, but he had the air
of being handsome man-an air OF so
much nonchalance and good-humored
triumph that it imposed upon most peo-
pie and sent them away with the notion
that the Major was an Adonis. He had
one of the grandest figures | remember
to have seen. Strength sat side by side
with grace on his broad shoulders, and
the carriage of his head was in itself a
sort of wonder of high temper and viv-
acity. His mustache took splendid
downward sweep; his hat raked little;
the tips of the fingers of his left hand
entered his trousers pocket; his right
hand bore cane, which described as it
were of its own voltion, circles and seq
ments of circles He took his way smil-
ing, and his bright gay eyes and fault
less teeth made his face look as gray as
sunshine. This, when come to look at
it, reads like the description of Il hand
some man; but like the Majors air, there
is a certain imposition in it, though |
knew not how to lay my finger on it.
Ballykillrowdy was mainly owned by
Miss Vivian Blake, young lady of
charming exterior, who rode to hsunds
under the escort of an ugly male second
cousin, whom the Major loathed. But
such part of Ballykillrowdy as was not
owned by the beautiful Miss Blake was
owned by her ugly male second cousin,
and the popular impression was that Miss
Blake and the cousin would make a
match of it. Against this popular belief
the Major chafed, as Socrates might have
riled up against decrept syllogism. 1t
may be said of the Major that he had an
air of prosperity, which was greatly
more deceptive than his air of physical
beauty. Had his creditors met in con
clave they might possibly have decided
amongst them problem of some inter.
est; how did the Major live' He owned
neither lands nor messuages. Like his
look of beauty and his air of prosperity
his very title was misleading to the
stranger. He had never held a commits
sion anywhere, In anything; but mar
with such figure ought to have been
Major-if the rank had been creates
especially that he might ornament it, thu
| thing had seemed most fitting and ad
mirable, and, in short, the title was ;
popular tribute, unsought by him, con
ferred upon him by nature, so it seemed
| and adopted without one dissentingvoic'
by the public of Ballykillrowdy. and in
dorsed by the members of the Ulster in
lcrdly Belfast
Novelists and other social moralist'
have often been cynical, at small cost
with respect to the affection entertained
by an un -acred gentleman for well
acred lady But, as Boccaccio and
Mr. Tennyson will tell you, real at
tschment is not altogether impossible un
der such conditions. The Major wa
madly an love-not with Miss Blake
landed possessions, but with Miss Blake
Time had made his first inroads on tn
poor gentlemans close clustering hair
He was but two and thirty; but SOM
men age early, and have never hear
that a partial or complete baldnes
| gives safety against the assaults of tn
grand passion. The ugly second cousin
his own poverty, the rapidly increasin!
width of his central parting,and Vivian
kindness, combined together to fret tn
Majors heart. Yet the Irish elastcit
of his temperament constantly pulle
him out of the depths of his desponder
cy, though it as constantly suffered hin
to fall again. Spiritually, he resemble
an infant seated in that American inver
tion, the baby jumper, and he went u
and down at the most insignificant pro,
ocation.
In perfect seriousness, but with a
irish sense of rhyme, he wrote ballad
on his own condition aud to his mistres
1 eyebrow. Permit the Muse of Histor
conserve verse. The title of this stor
should, perhaps, have been 'One of tt
Majors Valedictions, or The Major
Last Valediction;' for during the yea
of his passion he was always biddiu
farewell, in terms more OF less affecting
| to the adorable Vivian. 'And as Il
I me- wrote the Major, after wishing vi
ian all happiness, even with the ugl
second cousin:
"Now as for me, there's Figl aud ralutl.
And this OF other places Mt TO die In;
And when I'm dead your smallest sigh OF pity
win reach and thrill me even wherel' I'm lying"
1t was an honest passion. The po
fellow was fairly hacked. All mann
of ambitions began to bestir themselve
for there was more in him, or at least
thought so, than the helpless power
dream of good luck over bottle of d
club Pomnard or a glass of hot Irish,
the state of the funds might order. P'
haps the title conferred upon him W
not without its influence upon
dreams
I'D hang me harp on a willow trt
an off to the wars again, said the M
ior; but l haven't harp, or the fun
to buy one; and there's no willow u