Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-07-13

say she ain't likable but. somehow
you never feel 10 know her size seem
10 have things in her head, and you can
tell what they be-"
"Iiut she's good gal," Mrs, Oak
ford observed, still soitened by the 10
collection Of yesterdays scene, ~
hain't no fault to find with her"
Mr., Crawford had been established
for nearly week under Mrs. Oakiord'r
roof before he succeeded in making
any approach to acquaintance with
Jane,
Ma. Oakiord, and her coadIutress,
informed him daily, that Samantha Jane
was aueer-yery deeer," The girls two
married sisters, fine, ample, personalble
women, Int with no very great intellect,
gave him the same information, c0uched,
however, IN more grammatical Englisi,
a. becaine their education, Tie family
doctor hardly went no far, Int said that
Jane was delicate, growing too fast,
and II was this that made hcr
odd,
Mr.. Crawford had gone, one morning,
to q town. distant couple OF hours
by rail, not expecting TO return
until evening but not finding the ae'
auaintaneo he wont to seek, he came
back early In tho afternoon, Going up
to his dtting'room, hc discovered Jane
seated on the floor, no deeply ongrossed
In ono Of his books, that she did not
hear him enter. When, finally, she hc'
came aware OF his presence, she was NO
startled, that, In her haste to rise, she
dropped the volume. ,
"Mother sent me to dust q little, she
said, embarrassed, "liut l-l-got
reading and forgot all about it,
"I am sure tho room needs no dust
ing," said Mr.. Crawford, "and my books
arc quite at your service, Miss Jane
that II some Of them-l fear there are q
good many not suited to q youthful
mental appetite"
His smile was 30 genial, his voice so
pleasant, that Jane forgot her con
fusion. =.
"rm afraid I don't care much about
any, except novels and poetry" sho
said, reluctantly.
"Don't you ike history9'
~ like reading about the Stuarts.
There are bits OF French history, too I;
and tho crusadcs, Well, I'm afraid
that's about all. But my sisters
say it is waste of time to read
novels"
"That is, perhaps, going too far said
Mr. Crawford. "But they don't answer
as n steady mental diet, any more
than cakes and sweet meats would
do, alone, to support the body"
"Oh, dear" sighed Jane,
Understand, ] nm not advising yon
give up reading novels altogether, l
only say that other books should be
read, also" ,
"There are plenty Of things I'd like
to study" said Jane. "But it's
two wears since there's been a good
school in the village. had got started
Ia I.ot;r, h~t 1 de"'t know ano"eh To 90
"Suppose we ask your mother if you
may come to school to me-" said Mr..
Crawford. 81 rather like teaching, and
| have 80 much idle time on my
hands, that I would be glad to fill
up portion Of it,
Jane showed her gratitude in n very
annoying manner; she burst into tears
and ran out of the room.
Mr.. Crawford had hired q pair OF
horses, when he came, and he began, now,
by persuading Jane to ride. He used
to ask for her company in his swalks, too;
and when the lessons began, the garden
was made the school.room. So the girl
spent more hours in the open air than
she had ever done in her life; and rap
idly began to improve in health.
Mr.. Crawford remained until Novem-
Der, and then had to return to the city.
But the winter did not seem long to
Jane. He superintended her studies,
even though absent, and she had his
frequent letters, and the promise of his
return early in the summer, to keep her
hopeful and buoyant.
lie found her greatly changed when
he came back, though the alteration in
her letters had taught him to expect
this. Even the neighbors admitted that
she was growing pretty.
Another summer of happiness to
Jane; and when winter came again, she
was allowed to 60 to good school, in
the nearest large town, returning
home every Saturday, for a brief
visit.
Mr.. Crawford appeared anew, with the
sunny weather, and spent his third
summer at the farm. He found Mrs.
Oakford and Jane in trouble. The two
married sisters had died within few
days of each other. All their lives
there had existed between the pair, that
sympathy one sees between twins, and
after the elders death, the younger was
seized, with the same fever, and from
the first, told her husband that she was
going to die. emily kept calling to
her, and she must CO." she said.
Jane had another source of trouble.
Young Henshaw had fallen in love with
her, and wanted to marry her. Now the
Henshaws were among the most prom
inent people in the county. The old
mother was narrow-minded, purse
proud woman, and how it came about,
that she did not oppose her sons
attachment, was q marvel to everybody.
But she approved of the match, upheld
the somewhat weak young man,
and helped Mrs. Oakford to torment
poor Jane.
The girl had known only one pleasure
during the whole spring. Ina maya
zine that Mr.. Crawford had sent her, she
found copy Of verses she Lad written.
He had had them published without her
knowledge.
The summer went;the winter came and
passed. Mr.. Crawford returning to his
quiet haunt, for the fourth season, found
Jane grown into beautiful woman
she was nineteen.
A deadly feud was being waged by
the Henshaws. Jane had definitely re-
fused the youthful hope of the family.
and his mother was so furious, that she
went about declaring that the girl had
vainly tried to turn her sons head.
In the middle of the summer, great
trouble befel Jane. Her step-mothsr
died suddenly, and she was left alone in
the world.
Jerusha Norris remained with her,
and IL never occurred to either of them,