The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-08-25
A TRAVELLERS STORY.
Told by IN Transvaal Campfire.

"My father was well-to-do farmer in
England. was his only child, and my
mother died shortly after / was born.
Our land was rented from very large
landed proprietor, man who had made
his fortune In business. He bought the
estate about the time of my birth, and
came occasionally to live at the large
house attached to it, bringing his wife
and children with him. His wife was a
very kind, but very homely person who
was liked by all the tenants. She was
very kind to me, and used to have me a
great deal at the Hall, as the house was
called.
"When I first remember her children,
there were three of them-two boys and
O girl but before many years passed all
but the youngest child died, and then
Mrs. Clark, as 1 will call her, gave up
going to Manchester with her husband,
and always remained at the Hall, think
ing the country air beneficial for her
little girl.
"The child's name was Lucy, and 1
thought her perfect. She was but few
years younger than 1, and she and L
were constant playmates In our holiday
hours. My father sent me to a neigh
boring grammar school, but kind Mrs.
CLARK often supplemented the teaching
got there by allowing me to profit by the
lessons given to Lucy by very accom-
plished governess.
60 1t was in this way that great love
of art was developed in me. Ihad some
natural talent for drawing and painting,
and L eagerly availed myself of every
opportunity of cultivating it. Lucy and
/ never spent happier hours than those
ar which we used to go out sketching
together.
cit all rises before me even now like
o picture; the morning sun glinting
through the trees and checkering our
path as we wound through the wood
the discussion as to the best point of
view for our sketches the calm of the
noon, when we used to stop our paint
Ing and have picnic, feeling as if we
deserved some rest after such hard work,
and then our pretense OF diligence when
we used to say 20, this will never do,
wasting so much light! and began to
paint with renewed ardor until sunset.
"Then how delightful it used to be to
wander slowly homeward until we came
to @ certain stile where we always babe
each other good-by, unless L werc in
vited to go to spend the evening at the
Hall. There was tangle of dog-roses
and honeysuckle all around that stile,
and q plowed field beyond, with the little
sspire of the village church showing in
the distance, and the rocks were always
cawing in the tall trees close by when
Lucy and used to say goodnight
The governess of Mrs. Clark was al
uyIft A l,al ul, a,,II
have kissed each other but that was
put a stop to when Lucys tenth birth
day came, and we marked her tenth
birthday with black cross in our
m cmOries in consequence.
Hooking back I often wonder why
they let us grow up so closely bound to-
,gether. ! suppose it never occurred to
chem that any unhappiness might come
from it. The farmers son and rich
heiress were sure to be separated by cir
. cumstances as soon as she should be in
Produced into society, and in the mean
time 1 aided in making her happy, and
was happy myself. 1 suppose Mrs.
CLARK looked no further, and Mr.. Clark
let his wife have her own way about all
things that did not interfere with his
own plans, and his plans were chiefly
commercial.
"Lucy was l6 and I was 81, when Mr..
Clark one day astonished me by telling
noe that he was going to speak to my
father about sending me to Italy to
study art. He sent for me into his Ii
brary to tell me this. He sat in his arm
chair in front of the writing table, on
which lay numbers of papers, and
stood before him. / did not know him
we'll, for when he was at the
Hall did not go there much, and he
called nae young man, and spoke OF
my father as a very worthy man who
has striven to give you every advantage
Mis- limited means allow 1t struck a
chill through me, although my heart
aeaped at the idea of going to Italy.
The hardest part of it all was leaving
Lucy. but felt bidding good-by to my
old father very keenly.
went mp to the Hall the day that I
was to leavethe old place Mr.. and Mrs.
Clark aud Lucy were in the drawing
room when entered Mr.. Clark bland
and patronizing, Mrs. Clark fearful and
1ervous, and Lucy very pale and silent.
It was q miserable affair, and 1 soon
ended it. Mrs. Clark kissed me and
cried, and called me dear boy, while
Mr.. Clark looked at her with deprecat-
ory smile. Then he shook hands with
me, little pompously. and made sort
of valedictory speech which struck me
"a being like funeral grafton, and all
CHS time Lucy sat with her head averted,
and her hands clasped on her knees.
sLucv, my girl. said Mr. Clark, are
You not going to wish your old play
mate good fortune in his new life p
Then she spranQ up and came over to
me quickly. ooh, Frank 7 she said,
aud, throwing her arms around nv neck,
kissed me. The next instant she was
quite calm, with look ON her face had
never seen before. L believe she awed
her father and mother, for there was no
word spoken rs I left the room.
"I walked rapidly home, crossing the
old stile for the last time. / snatched a
piece OF honeysuckle as 1 passed, but /
was no longer thinking of the happy by
gone days. The portals of another ex'