Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-11-06
A MAIDEN FIFTY YEARS AGO
BY the Princess.


From the New York Commercial AID sertiser,
While Aunt Beckis wiped and adjusted
her ghsses aud got out her knitting, |
put log on the dying embers, trimmed
the lamp, and then settled myself in a
corner of the hearth. The rain beat
against the windows, the sea reared in
the distance; 1t was wild night. Fred
erick had gone to visit dying woman in
neighboring town; we were alone, and
Aunt Beckie had promised to tell me the
story of her life.
Fifty years ago, my dear child" she
began, Il was bright. happy girl, q lit.
tie older than you, perhaps, but with a
nature SO like yours that l let you look
into the pages of my history hoping that
You may See how, by foolish pride and
unreasonable jealousy, destroyed my
happiness and brought upon myself a
burden thati a,lthese years have never
laid down. I was pretty GIRL may
say 1t now, for these silver locks and
wrinkles can bear no witness; and had
many beau, but Of all the lads that
came and went to and from our house
and they were not few, for my father
was hospitable and well to do man,
and was fond of gathering the young
about him-thsre was not an equal to
Adair Strong-ah! strong he was in heart
and body; he was bonnie laddie,
child, and loved him dearer than I
knew. 1t was one May day eve, fifty
years ago last spring, that father invited
young and old to come and dance in the
hi hon a.
from every post in bright garlands, for I
had be4n the queen that day, and the
floor shone with new wax like a bit of
ice. All! now we danced and danced to
the sound Of Jerry Bats fiddle, the little
old man you saw a-Sunday last with the
crooked back on the beach and the shoes
and knee buckles; he sticks to the old
time fashion still. Jerry's sands are
running fast; he's ten years older than
l am, and am a-gettlng on
but where am l? We danced and
danced till l could dance no longer, and
Adair asked me to GO out on the green.
The moon shone ike day and we sat down
under the lilac blooms. Now when | see
them through that window in the spring
time, noddlng in the breeZes, comes fresh
10 me that night over again, for there un-
der those bushes, Adair asked me to be
his wife.
The days now went by like dreams,
for | was the happiest and proudest girl
in all the town, and our wedding day
was set for the harvest time. But one
morn q wee cloud came across my sky,
anu watched it so steadily, yet blindly,
that it grew into thunder cloud, and
when it broke it put out the fire of my
life.
"Adair had q cousin, a pretty girl
She was as fair as was dark, who came
from Salem TO teach our village school.
She made her home with Mrs. Strong,
and soon became the favorite of all the
town, so gentle and so helpful was she.
We were firm friends at first, but little
by little my jealous temper got worked
upon by the stories brought by mischief
makers and whispered in my ear of how
Adair loved his cousin and she loved
MIN; how he waited tor her every night
beside the school house door and they
walked home along the sands or strolled
arm in arm through the cedar grove.
James Romney even told me he had
seen Adair kiss her pretty cheek one
day in the lane. I was beside myself
with rage and jealousy. and thought to
heal my wound and bring Adair back to
me by accepting the devotion Of Master
Romney, gay gallant come from town
on some sort of inspection of our light
houses with no good character to back
him. He was pretty fellow, and wore
fine cloth and linen and jewel hanging
to his iob,~which were things we knew
not in our quiet parts. l heard in after
he came to US, and had already spoiled
no Of HsI f,,r
down the coast. But was mad as have
told you, and thought only to make ADJ
air feel the pain was feeling, so danced
with Master Romney. | walked with
Master Romney, and daily the clouds
deepeued on Adair's facc, but he said no
word.
1T Just wanted month of our we'd
ing day, and things had been going wrong
now for fortnight back, when one even
ing Adair and l walked along the sea.
Never will the picture of that night fade
from my memory, when my heart was
80 angry and the world so fair to see.
The sun was Just sinking into the west,
and all the sky was rich in its glory; the
waves chased each other Up the long
white sands, winding around the rocks
as though Trey were in the midst ofsome
sea dance. The boats bobbed to and fro
on the horizon like so many rose-colored
birds, and the CHEEKY voices of the fish
ermen as they trimmed their sails for
the night sounded like far away music
Put on more wood, child don't you
feel it is growing cold and I am getting
sentimental" said Aunt Beckie as she
reused herself and picked up her knit
ting again. Her hands had been laying
idle in her lap as she gazed in to the fire
and told her story.
"All was fair and clear without, but
bitterness waged within" she continued.
eve had walked in silence some dis
lance, when Adair took my hand in his
gently and said, 'Beckie, l have brought
you out here tonight to have a serious
talk with you. In one month, God will
ing, you will be my dear wife, and can
not let that dear and holy day draw
nearer without telling you how you have
wounded and troubled me in these days.
am sure you have meant no harm, or
were 1t other than Master Romney
would say aught against it.; but he is no
man for pure girl to keep company
With and one 80 soon TO be wife,
and Adair's voice took tenderer
tone.
Even now, he went on, would have
held my peace, thinking it were only a
passing mood, had not Mary Plymton
told me she had heard it gossiped Of,
over the Parsons tea, at the last week 8
Dorcas, and knew | must speak, Beck
lie; but have prepared for this speak
ing with care and thought. | am right,
dear and he tenderly stroked my hand.
"My jealously, that had SO long smol-
dered in my heart, now burst into fame
ma enveIopeu my reason and the just
ness of Adair's words. | could see.and
think of no thing but what seemed
to his own treachery and faithfulness
Have a care, Addir Strong,' | said,
and | flung his hand from me with such
violence that it struck against the rock
where he leaned and cut an ugly cash.
have care how you accuse me, when
you stand 80 guilty YOURSELF
He started and paled, as I thought,
with guilt
Do you think you can preach to me
and lay down the law, going your own
gait the wnileg / cried, my passion in
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