The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1885-12-31

The incidents in the story am going
to tell you took place more than thir-
ty years ago. Most of the people
mentioned are dead, or will have for
gotten the events that Ishall narrate,
80 that am not violating confidence
or friendship in giving them for the
benefit OF the young people of another
generation. OF course l shall not give
their real names.
Matte Read had always lived in a
small village in Vermont. Her father,
when she was child "kept" a country
store. but after a few years, not sue
ceeding in this, he sold out his bust
ness and withdrew, with his small CAPT
tai, to his fathers old brown house
on the hillside, which was comfortable,
if not picturesque, and became what
he had been in his younger days-a
farmer.
Matte went first to the district
school, and afterwards, for a few
terms, to the academy in Millville.
She here 'stook lessons" in music, and
her father bought her melodeon, and
endeavored, in such measure as his
narrow income allowed, to make home
attractive to her. Her garden was
gay with marigolds and balsams and
sweet peas and old-fashioned pinks,
and to one who was unambitious and
contented, it possessed a homely
charm and beauty that were very at
tractive.
But Matte did not see or feel this.
She thought her life was dull, and
longed to get beyond the green hills
about her, and to see 1.-THE world. "
This meant to her nice dresses, the
admiration OF others, and the devoted
attention of mythical parsonage
whom we will call "the coming man. "
Oh, ii she could get away from all this
daily routine of homework, this con-
slant helping mother, which had to be
done day aftet day! She hated to
sweep and dust, and feed chickens,
and make pies and fry doughnuts,
and help with the butter and cheese,
and put up luncheons tor the men who
worked on the farm. And all these
things, which might have been pleasant
occupations, became drudgery to her
unwilling spirit.
But at last Mattie's restless and dis
satisfied yearnings had their opportu-
nifty for being gratifed. She received
most welcome invitation from one
OF her school friends, whosefather had
removed to Massachusetts, to "nfake
her good long visit" What a ioy!
And Cambridge too, with the possibili-
ty of "going into Boston every day!'
No wonder that she was greatly up
lifted at the prospect.
Now came the dressmaking and all
the busy whirl of preparation. Her
Aunt Melissa came bravely to the
front, in spite of all her other engage
ments in that line, and the new plaided
silk was bought and made, with all
the "shirrings" and founcing set forth
in the last number of Godey's Lady's
Book. The bonnet must be right, for
was it not Mrs. Hills "pattern hat"7
And the new black silk "visite," with
its pinked ruffie, was it not splendid?
AS she started of, under the escort of
he'll fathers successor, who was going
to that mysterious region called by
country folks "down below" to buy
goods, she was a proud and happy
grill"
At Cambridge, her country home
became, for the first time in her lite, a
valuable possession, for she could
talk about it. She was quick to catch
the exalted speech of the heroines OF
her stories, and her imagination en-
veloped her home in new beauties.
"A nutshell was glided barge,
Smelling seemed palace large"
and she drew such picture of her
country residence" that she almos.
believed in it herself.
Tom Sherwood was her hero of the
nour. He had always lived in Boston,
but thought he should delight in the
country, and she told him of her an.
cestral home and broad acres, and re-
ally worked herself up to little en-.
thusiasm on the natural beauty Of
her native place.
Every day brought new pleasures
with it. There were drives and pic
MICS and spreads" and all the be-
wildering delights OF young girl in a
college town. There were visits
to Boston, that wonderful cen
ter of everything attractive to the
New England mind! there was the MI
scum; there were the shops, with ev-
erything to tempt the eye, and the
concerts to charm the ear. Oh, it was
'just lovely" as she said; and Mat
tie had never dreamed of such good
time in her lite. But the visit came to
an end at last, and Matte returned
home, with sad consciousness that
the bright vision was over. and the
old life was to begin again just where
it left of.
L. ~gs-la