The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-03-31
MOTHER MCNAVITS CHILD.

"A story OF an Epidemic ana a Heroine IN
Scotland and of What Befell Her in San
Francisco.
From the Argonaut
THAT would be jolly, Tom, if it wasn't
for that miserable shanty just under our
window, and those Internally noisy urchins
across the street, and"
Don't expect, my dear boy, to secure all
the beatit11des at a rental OF twenty dollars
per month. :"
"-Aid if you wasn't so everlastingly
bearish, and
"What more, my dear. fellow? Out with
it,"
And if that shy daughter of the
land!ady wasn't SO frishtfully ugly"
well postscripted, Jack! I knew all
along where the chief objection lay
"Upon my soul. Tom, believe you rent
ed the rooms just because you thought her
looks world annoy me. "
"You compliment me undeservedly, my
dear boy. / had not that much forecast
But now that YOU have suggested it, think
/ will adopt Il new method of tutoring you
The great Aristotle imbued his followers
with philosophy while strolling about the
groves and thorong Ltares Of Athens. Why
should not initiate the master Of the
peripatetic school, and make San Francis
co lodgings means of intoxicating moral
precepts upon your mind?''
Good enough, Tom. But not such con-
fourdedly dlsagreeable lessons, if you
please"
"AI Wholesome instruction., my dear
Jack, is dstas:eful TO the beginner. You
will relish it more as you advance
Never Tom; never. if Miss Corbin is
an average specimen of the studies proposed
in your new system of object teac hing
Don't speak SO confidently. my dear boy.
The future is G eat gainsayer OF thought
less ntte1nnces. But, to iuaug'1rate the
course, the school will please come to or
der. First class il moral philosophy, at
tent!on.'
''keliy. sir
''WIy have You Seen tit to speak Of the
EnGl,tiy's daughter lbs a drawback to the
jolii1y Of our present locaticn?"
''Bec:.use she $50 terrltcaliy hidoOUs, and
because
mo generalities. sir. Answer me cate
gorically. Exact1less of definition was the
great point for which Socrates commended.
She has lovely hair-brown, sleek and taste
fully al1anged?"
Yes"
Blue eyes of singular brilliancy and
gentleness?"
Yes
Fine eyebrows and lisshes, and beau
tifu] mouth and teeth?:'
EYES,"
San elegant fgure-girlish, but eymn1et-
rical eand we'll deveioped-and admirable
hands and feet?"
eyes,
"Taste in dress, grace in bearing, and
yes"
"Then. go to! If the total Of these be not
loneliness, the word is a deception.
But, Tom, did you ever see any one SO
fearfully pcckmarEed?
IT put to my mettle, Jack, you know I
never yielded the superlatiye to living man.
Miss Corbin's features have ses-sseil
smoothness-a very gloss of fnish-com-
held countenances that resembled cullen
der-yea, that were engrailad and corrugat-
ed like mass of conglomelate. But, af-
ter ALL it is only skin deep. If the nature
within be loneliness, these surface blem-
ishes may become as attractive to the eye as
piece of ornamental fret work"
II grant you, Tom, that Miss Corbin is
homely enough to afford to be good"
''Perhaps she is good enough to
afford to be homely. At any rate, you were
not born the censor of her or any
body else's appearance. The face you dis
like may be comely to others and to the
Creator. And if not, remember, my dear
boy, that ugliness has license to exist in
this world as we'll as beauty"
"And have Alright to express my opin-
ion of it"
''And may have a reason to regret ever
doing So. Thus ended the first lesson.
The class is dismissed"
Tom was awful cynical sometimes, but
we were the best of friends, and I liked him
just as we'll as though he had not been twice
as old as was, and crotchety and baldhead-
ed besides.
We had chummed together for years, and
took adiouraing rooms in a private resi-
dence on Russian Hill. 1t was during the
first weeks occupancy of our new quarters,
while smoking on the verandah, and look
ing cut upon the moonlit bay, that the fore
going conversation occurred. .
have never seen Tom so moved by 8
book as he appeared to be by volume he
brought from the library one evening. He
fdgeted and wiped his bald head so much,
and uttered so many EXPLANATIONS, that I
finally asked him what he had come across
to agitate him SO.
"A most affecting story, my dear Jack, {"
he replied, most affecting
1T must he. judging from your manner"
IF it would not disturb you, I should
like to read it aloud"
II shall be very glad to listen to it, Tom.
My book is rather dry"
excuse me if read it badly. It was
always difficult for me to get through we'll
with anything that affected me. I shan't
even attempt the dialect with which it
abounds"
He cleared his throat, turned himself in
his chair SO as to face me, and read slowly,
In q nervous voice:
In one of the outskirts Of Edinburg,
where the homes of the middle classes