Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-07-19
THE LONG POND.
MARY F. Hayne. In Demorest'al

i
MARY F. Haynes In Demorestial
It was the day before commencement
Bell was pensively adjusting her hat for
drive around the Long Pond; pensively. BE-
cause she knew just what was coming. Sc
did everybody in the class; and that was
the most dreadful thing about it Every
one who saw them drive away would know
with absolute certainty just what was going
to happen.
That is, they thought they knew. They
knew just what be would say, and, to Ger
tain degree, from close and constant obser.
walton, extending over long period, could
imagine almost exactly how be would say il
That is they thought they could; the real
fact being that such things nsver are said
exactly as they are supposed to be.
Thank Heaven! there is always q varia-
ton which individualizes each occasion aud
lends it half its charms; inducing each per.
son to say TO himself or herself, "this is ours,
our OWL" II that day had actually come
TO Bell, she would not have been standing in
that doubtful attitude so long.
But they did not know what Bell would
say. They were all wrong then, SO Bell 70
fected, and that, as she said to herself, was
the saddest part OF It
They will expect us to come home tri
umphant,n said Bell, and when they do see
Us, what, oh, what will they think! OF
course every body will blame me-"
And yet, in her heart, Bell thought that
she was not at all to blame
The brightest rays Of June morning
danced in at her open window, and sought
to wake answering sparkles in her large
brown eyes. But those thoughtful oris were
steadily cast down, yelled by their long.
thick, dark eyelashes.
Bell was a very sensible girl; the other
girls thought her rather too sensible and toe
composed. But she had an acute sensitive
ness which compelled her to be constantly
experimenting at a glance just what was
passing through the minds Of her compan-
ions. She knew precisely what they were
thinking about given thing and perceived
what their judgment YVES almost as soon as
it was formed 1t was impossible not to be
more or less Influenced by what she read in
those novel books SO curiously open TO her.
She was not wounded or offended, or out of
tune with the persons themselvea She
knew it must be SO, yet could not help being
affected by the inevitable fact All the fine
strings of feeling in her own consciousness
3
vibrations which she could not help noting.
Perhap. this very faculty OF discernment
had gone far towards bringing her into her
present dilemma. II she only had not been
able to read another's character so readily
and had not responded SO involuntarily to
those mute appeals for comprehension and
sympathy, why then, perhaps-then if
All. those IFS and butsI II it had been
otherwise, but for this or that coming up SO
unexpectedly, then, perhaps, one might
have shaped the future after ones own ideal
Bell, as will be readily perceived,
was now absorbed in the contemplation of
the ideal; the practical side Of life was
still before her. Bell considered that she
was thinking good deal about that, and
labored conscientiously to prepare herself
for it. She meant to look at everything, &c
leave out nothing. and to walk in the
straight line absolute truth and beauty,
il it were anywhere TO be found. But un-
like many OF those resolute and conscien-
tious characters, she was constantly moved
and affected by instructive sympathy with
the feelings OF others There were even
times, when her thoughts were full Of any
thing which perplexed her, when the very
inanimate objects around her appeared to
assume an aspect of life, as if they might
have some bearing upon the matter in quss-
ton
When she descended tho stairs, her foot
s teps seemed to wake unaccustomei echoes
in the portentously empty and silent hall
The place looked most unaccountably de-
serted. Bell would have fancisd heself alone
in the building had she not caught a glimpse,
ON her way, Of every one OF her class. The
whole seventeen-or sixteen and a half, as
they were apt to say, the fraction serving to
designate lilly Smith, who had always been
the lag of her division-the whole seventeen
were dimly visible, scattered here and there,
but none of them very near. They all
wanted to see, and yet they all ostsntatiously
kept aloof in n way which showed how in
tensely they appreciated the Importance OF
the OCCASION Her two dearest frenis were
quietly walking away from her along
the corrilor. They did not turn and
look toward her; they were far
too well bred for that and also far
too sympathetic. Indeed, Bell was rather
overcome by the amount of sympathy
which she could not help discerning. know
ing all the while that it was utterly mis-
placed She trembled slightly, as she got
into the carriage, and was beyond measure
angry with herself for that She was aware
that they would notice it, and say: Bell is
more affected than l thought she would DO;
she has always taken it SO quietly"
Poor Bell thought she should have died
before she got into that carriage; she knew
he should die before she got out OF it. She
herself dozen times over that if
he were going to the guilIotine she couldn't
nave felt worse; and Yet, how WAS it how
was it that a little little tinge Of compla-
III. g,
woman did yet cast slight rose tint over
he scene.
She was going to receive her first pro-
Dosal, AMI how can that help being an
IRA in the life of school-girl' Sensible |
md well trained as Bell was. she did feel |
hat there was something rather nice about |
{ after all.
Still, TO do her justice-a thing she was
always careful in dispensing to herself rs |
we'll as others-to do her justice, Bell wa,
.hiefiy affected by sorrow and embarrass- |
neut She felt that she must give pain, |
md she had the keenest realiz ition OF all the |
unpleasant consequences. 1t would be SO |
lard TO mako things straight afterward. |
But she meant to make things straight, il |
he persisted in the attempt
Thus busily revolving many things within
hat they had left the village behind,
lor did she fully awake to a con-
ciousness of her surroundings until |
he found that she was passing under |
he shadow of tall trees, and looking about |
Ter. saw that they had turned into the cool |
limness OF the woods on the shore OF |
.ong Pond Here was SO fit a place and |
opportunity that most Of the students love
making took place beneath these friendly |
hades. Hence the significance Of the invita-
ion to drive around the Long Pond. 1t was |
! sort of advertisement Of ones intention.
Bell reused herself to meet the danger II
happened, most fortunately for her, that |
he little circles OF her intimstes bad .
,ery animated discussion OF Daniel
)eronda only the evening before. in
course Of which Will had taken the side
adverse to Bells opinion. II she could only
,et him on the same ground again. thsrs
night be such a thing as keeping up . con
-ersation all the way. When Will did hap
en- to take the opposite side he was some
THAT tenacious Of his opinion Bells heart
mote her for the artifics. 1t did seem I'M
generous to take advantage Of Wills weak
'oint However. she remembered that all
ratagems are fair in love and var; AMI
vas ros she aiming 1t the best thing for
10Th Of themi
She braced herself more firmly In hel
eat. and opened fire with great res
,lation Did he really mean jus;
what be said last night or bad
he misunderstood him, Because she and
lizzie were speaking of it afterward, and
he would 50 like 10 know.
Never WAS any appeal made in vain Il
VIII Barfon's politeness and good natura
Bell completely accomplished her object
nay forgot what her object had been Fo,
Bell was herself an enthusiast on a few.
Tery few subjects. Of which George Eliot