The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-02-11
' HER SURROUNDINGS,
BY FRANK LEE BENEDICT
From Peterson's Magazine

luualntanCe with Jane, whose ldt'lH'II
came all the more noticeable non lis'''
to the voluble powers OF conv"t~h.p.
sessed by her step.muther and M's, N,
The girl impressed him as beng pro-. r'''.
than shy; In morbid, unhealthy >tu'
mind, TOO, which caused her To iccl thl 'a'
had no special place in the world, ald "a o..
particularly needed by anybody; iuIl II 'hEu.
! longlngs and ASPIRATIONS that prep"A.i 'h'
troubled her; passing through the restless, II"
patient phase common 10 all very Jouue it
! pie endowed with that doubtful gouu, ." ih
apinalion; and the restlesshess and imra r.t.
were increased in her case by the un>y mpr
lthctic commonplace badness Of her suIruand
lngs.
! Mrs. Oaktord, and her coadjutress, lnt"rme
him daily that "Samanthy Jane as'qucer
very queer" The.gIrls two married sisters,
fine, ample, personabe women, but with n"
very great intellect, gave hum tue same MI"
NATION COuched however In more granima
cal English, rs became their education. Ih"
family doctor hardly went so far, but SAID that
Jane was delicate, growing TOO fast, and 1t wa.
this that made her odd. She must have re-
and amusement, he sad, else she might 1t
of consumption, as her mother had done be
| fore her.
Mr. Crawford had gone one morning 10 II
town distant couple Of hours by rail, not e1
IpeCtlng to return until evening; but not hnd-
ing the acquaintance he went To seek, he came
back early III the afternoon. Gong up To his
sitting room he discovered Jane, sitting on the
floor, so deeply engrOsscd IN one of his books
that she did not hear him enter. When final
Nv, she became aware OF his presence, she was
SO startled that in her haste 10 rise she dropped
the volume.
Mother sent me to dust u little" she said,
I - u Il
forgot all about It,"
II am sure the room needs no dustng,' Mr..
Crawford answered kindly, "auu my books are
quite at your service, Miss Jane--that is some
Of thcm-but | fear there are good many
not quite suited to youthful mental appe-
| ltc"
HIS smile was So genial, his voice 50 pleas
ant that Jane forgot her confusion.
| "I'm afraid don't care much about any,
except novels and poetry" she said rcluc
family.
Don't you like history"
i II like reading about the Stuarts. There are
bits OF French history, too; and the Crusadcs.
Well, I'm afraid that's about all. But my
sisters say 1t is great waste of time to read
novels"
THAT is perhaps, going too far" SAID Mr..
Crawford. But they don't answer AS steady
llltDlUl ultt, any lliOlt llltil anu o"'Nt'
meats would do alone to support the body"
"Oh, dear!' sighed Jane.
Understand, am not advising you to give
up reading novels altogether. only say that
other books ought to be read Also
There are plenty of things I'd like to
study" Jane SAID, with sigh. "But it's two
years since there's been good school in the
village. | got started in Latin, but | don't
know enough to go on by myself"
suppose we ask your mother if you may
come to school to me-" SAID Mr.. Crawford IL
rather like teaching, and have 50 much idle
time on my hands that should be glad to fiji
up portion OF IT,"
Jane showed her gratitude in very annoy
ling manners she burst INTO tears and ran out
OF the room. Fortunately, she had to deal
with person capable OF cOmprehendlng her
EXACT state of mind. The proposal was SO un-
looked for, So full Of delightful possibilities,
| that for the moment she was overwhelmed; he
suspected this, and Judged her conduct accord
IlngIy.
Poor child ne said pityingly.
i Mr.. Crawford had hired II pair of horses
when he came, and he began now by persuad.
ling Jane 10 ride. He used to ask for her com
Ipany in his walks, too; ald when the lessons
ncgan the garden was made the school
room. SO the grll spent more hours in the
open air tAnu she had ever done in her life
and rapidly u'gsn to improve IN health. Mrs
lOaktord deferred to her lodger's whim, as she
considered 1t; but she and ,Icrusha agreed
that they ii rs soon have expected people tC
choose the top Of a tree for n school house rs
the garden"
The summer passed; James health lmprov
led wonderfully
Its Gurus" said Mrs. Oaktord, but shel
not half rs narvy as she used to be, and read
IN, too, readn' all the time; jest the thing, II
have sad, To make her So"
Meantime this "readin'," or rather her stud
les with Mr.. Crawford, became with Jane M
ever increasing delight After tho first week
in which hupeiuncss and Encouragement nj
ternated, she settled to her work with quc
perseverance, and astonished her teacher by
her progress, ~ real a. it was rapid.
MIR. Crawford remained until November
and then had To return 10 the city But TIT
winter did not seem long to Jane He super
intended her studies, even though absent, ant
she had his frequent letters and the promise o
his return early in the summer, 10 keep he
hopeful and buoyant.
He found her greatly changed when IN
came back, though the alteration III her let
: tcrs had taught him to expect this. Even Ia
lncighbors admitted that she was GROWING
pretty; but they averred that her eyes were TO-
large, and her manners were not 10 their taste
"She was too much dressed up" was their veI
dict, "and had too much TO DO with books
and MarIah Oakford would find out her blur
der some day; but then, MarIah had Away
been as sot rs mule, aud 'twasnt no use {
try to bulge her"
e Another summer Of happiness TO Jane; an,
. when winter came again she was allowed :
Il 90 to good school in the nearest large town
a returning home every Saturday for a brIc
b visit
Mr.. Crawford appeared anew, with the sur
} ny weather, and spent his third summer a
the farm. Ile found Mrs. Oakford and Jan
: in trouble The two married sisters had die'
within few days Of each other. al tiei