Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-11-22
JACOBS FNULTS.

1t was early June in ono Of those charming
,--laoes on the Hudson river that lie between
lIew York and Albany.
Jacob Raus was an iuattont!ve observer OF
.ne lovely phases OF nature. He was preoc-
cup!ed with his own troubled soul, and here
was buta wintTv prospect. The world pointe
pu. to man the necessity Of doing some
thing; there was no corresponding need in
his soul lie had lately come into an excel
lent property, and had invested good por-
Sion of tin a ranch in the west. The west
was 20 place,of his choice, but what else was
lo to do? IIeowns so, and was without even
n commercinl,iraininy. He had been bred to
alo pJofesiu1l. land he WIS not rich enough to
live with ricnamen pleasure seeker, even
had such n ito,attrocted him. He had per-
feet health, wacaa good shot, good reader,
a good walker. good companion. He wore
a blonde beard upon his sunburncd face, with
Its handsome, clean cut profile and hazel eyes.
This bald statement of his case presented
itso,f over and over to his mind, quite as if
he ,ysac weighing an abstract question that
bored him excessively. Then he grew irri-
tsted that his father should have given him
such an old Fashioned, half humorous name
that erxerted always an unspollen and only
half recognized negative tyranny on his whole
life: that his father SHOULD have had that ir
responsibility in the paSernal relation That is
scarcely 10 be found outgide OF the Anglo
Saxon race--as if the AnglDSaxon was born
armed at all points and with an intuitive
lnowledgeo of fighting his way through the
world.
Now he was free at ga freedom that
meant bondage to his own lrnitatious; and
while he regretted that he had no profession,
he bitterly recognized the fact that the desire
ia r,rova1 fJ,la
His desire was, as~ye have said, not one for
action It was a vague desire for larger
happiness. such as women have oftener than
men.
All these reasons for gloom were ever pres
mt 20 Jacob. but he had lately walked to
moro definite purpose and a moro definite
{,itef His decision to 60 ON a ranch had made
Giu. rc":z-rige that lie could not leave Mill
cent Fuls~. whom he had known from her
rbildhoaG ana who had been for some years
past half Unconscious to himself, his chief
temptation lie offered himseif'to her. She
refused nix. Size was the yOu7lge5 and only
unmarried, Nc Of five sisters. Sho was -
years Ole rC,.d.ome, travelled and accom-
plished.
Jacob, rs lu'wnlked through q shady road
rut fine bouquet of sweetbiier roses and
trimmed their thorny, struggling stems with
ar i'll hurnored energy. He he'd not pride
enough to go away without asking to see her
once more, just to say goOd,0v, aud shcihad
recorded htia an interview tiSt ,'enine at
$50 O'Clock;
lie walkcd,arouud the Full n; large Eouse,
past The bra'ah piayaas, aud fund her alone
IL little sitle porch that was overgrown with
hopeysuckle vine. and amid their pinlsii
vellow blossoms Mifhcent, in q pink muslin,
looked like rosy Juneperssonilod. Her father
h,E tn ,l-iva tho
planned precisely as she took Jacobs silently
proffercd flowers with fine blush for'thanls.
~ am afraid,p she;Said ncrvously rs she
carefully picked Afew thorns from the stem
OF her bouquet before sho grasped it, Chat
didn't succeed the Their night in--thatis-I
mean that am afraid that didn't saywhat
meant"
81 should be glad" said Jacob, "to hear
that you didn't mean what You said"
''Oh, no; I.didn't~metln thatF
"Well, it DOESN'T matter a great deal what
you meant if you didn't mean that"
II do wish that you would be reasonable
Jacob"
81 wish you 'wouldn'tAcall me Jacob when
you have told me that YOU didn t.like that
name"
"Oh! Did I say thata dolthin!i that
like it, since you have no other. Indeed,
Jacob. il it were not for soma faults that YOU
have, think I should hkeyou better,than
any oue,"
The young 1nanssat down on a step lower
than the one-that the girl occupied
Perhaps" he said, -gloomily, lyon will
discuss these. faults Of mine; / may suggest
some TO add to She list. My name is one;
but TINT is hardy my fault, and L believe
that cosld change it by IN act of the legis-
lsture or something OF the kind"
Nal A,,lsx
name was jacob said Milhcent, laughing
az shouldn't mind your name, bat there are
come things that would grow worse and
WORSE"
MY age, suppose
ayes, for one thing. 9Tenyoars IS too much
difference"
- 'But you will grow Older"
"There will still be tenycars between u.s. n
! "The general opinion is that a woman
gyows cd faster than a man. You would
ratch UP to ue."
"Ah! that is like most general opinions,
wrong. have made my'own observations
On that Sbject. TO ths close observer, mid
die agsd women are younger, even in appssE-
anceA than men of their ownrage.n
Where did you learn so much abaut
meur'
Have I not been in nil our1large cities ana
in most of those of Europe9 Can one NOT re-
csiYe impressions Of strangers as they pass,
and accumulated impressions form opinions
,Msn's eyes grow duh and the lines of tho
sncuth1aya, and the faces heavy and meager
while wone1's faces are still full Of benovo-
iance, though thrdr figures have lost their
grace aud compilations their dehcacy. Still
tiioee vosnsn are young"
"Youth 70 Then condition of the mind,
wiLs SibS1f'
"Csftafnly, it, is the capacity Of receiving
new impressions 81 meeting ones fellow beings
with sympathy, and undertaking new enter
prises'
"Sopne people must then be born with more
capacity for youth than others"
ITO be sure"
"Aaad ], who'have by sex and nature less
youth than you. and yet have wasted ten
years more OF 1t, must sooner become like
those horrid middle aged people"
81 am not speaking Of you"
"You arenot speaking of mel How incon-