Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-10-30
CHAPTER II.
BLANCHE.

Blanche and strolled about the door yard
The gate was half open-its normal condition
and proper one as Indicative of the easy
happy-go-lucty disposition of the parent Sef-
TONS Capt Tommy, the father, ran sloop
to New York. His real home was on that
craft, and it was a saying among the vii
layers that he could pilot her through Long
Island sound and the East river with his
ayes shut. His daughters made frequent
trips with him to tho city The "old man"
was most at home when it blew, and blew
hard, to the CONSERVATION of Mary and
Phoebe, who would implore him at such
times to put In at some of the sound harbors
on the north shore Of Long Island. But no
wind blew too hard for Blanche, though so
far as outward seeming went, hers was an
equal placidity in storm or calm. AS boy,
| had looked upon Blanche as one Of the
colder girls'-girls already treading the
shore of womanhood, and girls soon to con.
summate the great aim and end Of life-as
life was regarded In our village-matri-
mony
Recently, had timidly ventured Blanche
some attentions, and was pleased and SUR
prised to find that she had accepted them
with apparent pleasure. She had queenly
oquies, which never talked to any one,
called her the "Empress;n and often, as
saw her walking the street, did lament
that such face and form should ever be-
come worn and wasted with the labors and
cares of the everyday commonplace life
about us.
blanche Is the mum Of our family" was
Mother Sefton's frequent remark She
| - Il H., 49, u.
5er, Blanche was not imperious or arrogant;
yet something about her kept every one at
the distance she desired to keep them II
was not so much what she said or did, but
something she made you feel; and rebel
against it as much as you might, you could
not break through the barriers she chose to
put up at any distance she pleased.
For this reason Blanche was not a gen
eraI fayorite People said she was stuck
4 mp and Yput, on, airs" Her real offense
| lay in her keeping her own counsel She did
! not tell all she knew regularly every day tc
4 half dozen friends, leaving with each one
the idea That they were honored with her
special confidence. .g4I wv
Ihad admired this girl all 9my life Wher
Isay ''all my life" mean the life ola boy
who worships q queen at a distance-the boy
OF fifteen; who sees that queen surrounded by
older courtiers This had seen--felt is the
better word-when I was navigating mud
puddles barefooted and barelegged Hel
world seemed as one never to be reached by
me. D.
Yet within the last year an unpremeditatet
acquaintance and friendship had grown VI
between myself and Blanche Seton. How i
commenced could hardly tell found my
self talking with her on subjects which
seemed of little interest to my other com
panions. was surprised to find that I coulC
talk with her at all had imagined that tn
thought and conversation Of these ''grown-u]
young women" lay on topics could not com
prehend. All women over q certain ag
seemed as possessorS OF some secret not We
revealed to rue.
We walked for some time in silenc
through the main street Of the village, it
sidewalks shaded by the great sycamores
, reached the outskirts, crossed the bridg
leading over Pond creek, and reached
wooded promontory jutting into the Cove
The moon shed glittering, tremulous mar
far over the beautiful expanse of water, an
! the katydids were filing the warm Angus
, night with their calls. It was one of the CT
. chanted nights Of our North American sun
mer.
: "Well, John" said Blanche, ''you are &
a ing away with the rest What are you goin
4 forF
r 81 don't know" replied, land don
a care.n
do you really want to gog- she asked.
! ~ do and don't There's no home fc
n me here That's why l leave it"
q 'But you will come home rich and tai
Y care Of your mother, and marry"
o Marry, marry, mkrryF exclaimed In
4 patiently. at seems to me that's all poop
1. think of in this world"
:, She laughed in her own pleasant way an