The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-10-20
: ESTABLISHED IN
Z MARCH, lSi7.

with the same, paid quarterly, was
poor; but wherein lay the difference,
and how it was that the latter occu-
pied a superior position to the former.
| have never been able to fathom.
Ellen belonged, herself, to this class.
Her father had been in one Of the low
er departments Of a public office, and
had retired with a pension Of exactly
this amount after some thirty years
service. There was time in his life,
to which she regretfully yet proudly
referred as "the time when we were
well off, y in which his salary had risen
to two hundred and fifty pounds ayear.
That was the time when she got her
education, and developed the taste for
music which was now supplying her
with work which she liked, and little
provision for herself. There was no
scorn or hauteur in Ellen; but she
talked Of the working classes with as
distinct a consciousness of being apart
from and superior to them as if she
had been duchess. It was no virtue
Of hers; but still Providence had plac-
ed her on different level, and she be-
haved herself accordingly. Servants
and shopkeepers, Of the minor kind at
least, were within the same category
to her-people to be perfectly civil to,
and kind to, but, as matter Of course,
not the kind of people whom in her
position it would become her to asso-
ciate with. When Iasked myself why
| should smile at this, or wherein it
was more unreasonable than other ira
ditions Of social superiority, could
not give any answer We are not
ourselves, so far as know, sons of the
Crusaders, and it is very difficult to
say what is the social fgment Of rank
by which we hold so dearly. Ellen
Harwood exhibited to us the instinct
of aristocracy on one Of its lower lev
els; and one learned a lesson while one
smiled in ones sleeve. Never was
anything more certain, more serious,
than her sense of class distinctions,
and the difference between one degree
and another; and nobody, not prince
Of the blood, would have less under
stood being laughed at. This serene |
consciousness of her position and its
inherent right divine was possession |
inalienable to our music-mistress. She |
would have comprehended or endured |
no trifing or jesting with it. One
blushed while one laughed in an un-
dertone. She was holdieg the mirror
up to nature without being aware Of
it. And there were various fanciful |
particulars also in her code. The peo-
pie next door who let lodgings were
beneath her as much as the working
people--all to be very nicely behaved |
to, need | say, and treated with the
greatest politeness and civility, but I
not as if they were on the level Of
"people like ourselves" Lady Clara
We're de We're could not have been more
serenely unconscious of any possible
equality between herself and her village
surroundings than Ellen Harwood.
Fortunately, Mr.. John Ridgway was
in our own position in life"
These and many other vagaries Of
human sentiment I learned to see
through Ellen's eyes with more edif-
c2tion and amusement, and also with
more confusion and abashed conscious
ness, than had ever occurred to me be-
fore. These were precisely my own
sentiments, you know, towards the
rich linendraper next door; and no
loubt my aristocratical repugnance to
myself the neighbOr Of
that worthy person would have SEEM d.
ID Just as funny to the Duke Of Bays
water rs Ellen's pretentions did to
NE. It must not be supposed, how
ever, that Ellen Harwood was in a
state of chronic resistance to the claims
IF her humber neighbors. She was
IN active, bright, cheerful creature,
full Of interest in everything. Her
father had been i'll for years; and she
lad grown accustomed to his illness,
Is young people do to anything they
nave been acquainted with all their
ives, and was not alarmed by it, nor
so far as we could tell, by
;he constant claims made upon her.
She allowed that now and then he :
vas cross-''which Of us would not be
,ross, shut up in one room forever and
,ver?" But she had not the least l
ear that he would ever die, or that
he would grow tired Of taking care Of
lin. All the rest Of her time after
Ter lessons she was in attendance upon
lim. excepting only that hour in the
,vening when Johns visit was paid.
Size always looked forward to that,
he confessed. TO think OF it makes
,verything smooth. He is so good :
Though | say it that shouldn't" she
,ried, laughing and blushing, you
ant think how nice he IS. And he
Knows so much; before he knew us he
lad nothing to do but read all the
,venines-fancy. And | never met
nv one who had read so much; he
m ,nows simply everything. Ali" with
. little sigh, lit makes such a differ
nee to have him coming every night;
t spirits one up for the whole day"
But, Ellen, can't think how it is
hat he doesn't get tired--''
Tired" She redeemed up to her
very hair. why should he get tired?
Lf he IS tired, he has my full pernlis-
,ion to go when he likes, she said,
throwing back her proud little head.
But nobody shall put such an idea
INTO my mind You don t know John.
If you knew John that would be quite
such a thing would never
come into your head.
You should hear me out before you
blame me. [ was going to say. tired
of waiting, which is a very different
sentiment.
Ellen laughed, and threw aside her
little offence III moment II thought
you could not mean that. Tired Of
But he has not waited SO
very long. We have not been years
and years like some people-no; only
eighteen months since it was all set
Ii w. ,,.n =, q I, ,,nn,,ln liI-n ,.n11