The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1888-11-10
MISS EWALD'S PROTEGE.

mer !! MISS EWalu nuSeu, lOOkeu
over the fence at the reapers in the
wheat field, and singing out Brian
Jefferys straight, well-knit figure, in
its cool blue cotton overalls and
blouse.
How easily and lightly he swung
the scything cradle around, the yell
low grain falling before the glitter
ing blade.
Miss Ewald had been at Grass
lands week. She was 26 and thor
oughly disgusted with the world, or
so she imagined when she selected to
spend the summer in the country,
instead of going with her friends on
the usual round of gayety at the
watering places.
81 am tired of folly and fashion,
of society-of everything" she had
said, and packing her trunks went
away to the loneliness, the cool deep
shades, and the simple primitive
life of Grasslands, bewildering Far
mer Jason and his comely wife, with
her beauty and grace and city tot
lets, and making acquaintance with
Brian Jeffrey, the farmers nephew.
"He is probably as old as l am,
but with as little worldly knowledge
as l had at 49," shifting her white
linen parasol a little her eyes still
fixed on the blue-clad figure in the
field.
A brilliant idea had shaped itself
in her mind during the week. She
would help the young man to a
higher plane of flife-point the way
into the intellectual world.
"Why not ~ she had reasoned.
"Of course my friends" with a slight
curl of her lip" would deride the
plan but l see no harm in it. He
is here, shut off from the world, and
with no examples to stimulate am
bition or make him desire culture" "
The morning that she stood by
the fence, looking into the wheat
field, she decided to speak to him
about it-offer, with tact and deli
cacy, to loan him books and papers
and her aid in turning his thoughts
into higher channels.
That evening, as she stood on the
veranda, gathering a bunch of
creamy roses for the bosom of her
light blue gown, he came and lean
ed against the column near her.
The fading daylight seemed to
gather about her golden head and
lovely purely-colored face, and the
young farmers dark grey eyes were
fixed on her. 1t was good time
and place to unfold her purpose.
His face flushed, and he looked at
his shapely, sunburnt hands, while
she gently explained that all her
books and magazines were at his
service, and that she would be. pleas
ed to have him read with her some
times
He seemed to catch instantly at
her full meaning, and the light in
his gray eyes almost startled her.
would you indeed be so kind to
an ignorant, poor wretch?" he MUIR
INJURED.
Her fair face flushed.
1T is no great act ofkindness, Mr..
jeffrey. / understand the limita-
tions of your surroundings, and il
you will accept"
81 do, most gladly, gratefully
he quickly interrupted. "In a
country neighborhood, where all or
nearly all, are on the same level
where an almanac and the Bible
constitutes a library, there is not
much show for literary advance
ment.
1t was a strange summer to Rosa
mond Ewald-one utterly out Of
the line Of conventional experiences,
Never had teacher so apt pupil,
and the lines of study took a much
wider ranges than she had ever inn
; agined.
Favorite authors were invested
with new interest, and she found all
her own mental faculties stimulated
and quickened. She forgot that she
had ever been weary of life.
1t was delightful to have such an
intelligent, sympathetic protege.
81 never knew before that sim
pie act Of kindness could give one
SO much pleasure. feel like diff
ferent creature from the languid, en-
nuyed woman who came up here
One evening she was surprised
and delighted at the sound of fine
tenor voice singing "My Queen, '
with an eloquence CT expression un-
expected.
She stepped to the parlor door
and saw Brian jeffrey sitting before