Year: 1860

Why Judge Compton was an old bache Tor was question often asked, without 6 satisfactory answer being received, but that he was in confirmed state of single blessed ness, was beyond doubt. Nevertheless, forty summers had rested lightly upon his head for not thread of silver gleamed in his brown hair, and his keen eyes had a ray of mischief lurking in them, that betokened an unfailing fount of good nature somewhere in his capa. cious heart.

 A gallant man was the Judge, yet withal somewhat fastidious in his notions of female propriety, and dreadiDg strong-minded wo. man as if she were the Arch enemy in dis guise. At present, he was rusticating for a few weeks at the pleasant country home of one of his relatives, where he was gladly well comed, as he was everywhere.

 The quiet of Maple Glen was broken shortly after the above conversation, by the advent of Miss Maude Latimer, ward of Mir. Smith, who had just " finished" at 8 fash ionable boarding school Though cousin Jenny had much to say to our gallant hero concerning her darling Maude, yet ho paid very little attention to it, not having, ia fact, much opinion of the intellectual abilities of boarding-school misses, as he was pleased to term them. Still, at his cousins guest he was prepared to receive her with difference, ! though it must be confessed his anticipa- tons were not of the most pleasant nature. It was late one evening when Maude arrived, and he only caught glimpse of slight fig ure in sombre, gray travelling dress which figure was rapturousIy seized and embraced by Jenny.

 The next morning at the breakfast table they were tremendously introduced, and even the Judges critical eye was at fault as he scanned the beautiful form before him, the clear, dark grey eyes, and the brown hair lying smoothly above the high, white brow No sickly sentimentaism was there, but all earnest true soul had stamped it's impress on every feature. It would be needless to state all the incidents that marked the progress of the friendship between the Judge and Maude. Had they met in society, the result would have been very different, but being under the same roof, thrown into constant mpanionship and with minds that perfectly accorded, they could not but be friends.

 Maude was well read in the best litera- ture of the day, and her cultivated mind had grasped the grand thoughts of the master spirits of the age, and made them all her own. The well furnished library of Maple Glen was the scene of many pleasant hours spent in conversation, or in listening as one or the other read, to the strains of the old bards whose footsteps echo down the cor riders of time"

 Then there were long rides, taken through the winding woodland roads, and along the rocky banks of the picturesque river that wound round Maple Glen, and sails on the crystal lake eubosomed in tie green hills that fed it's clear waters There were gorge ons sunsets to be admired together, when the dying day drew around him all his royal draprry of crimson, purple and gold, and died in q blaze of glory-calm, and solemn moon- light evenings, whose perfect beauty filled the heart too deep for words: and sometimes, yes, often, there were times when they saw the sun lift his head above the eastern hills, and Saw the earth glori6ed with a fresh bap- tism of loveliness

 Yes, the Judge and Maudc got along amazingly we'll together, and cousin Jenny smiled to herself as she saw it; but like q prudent woman, as she was, she kept her own counsel and said nothing. But the sen- abilities of our hero were destined to receive q severe shock. One morning he entered the library in search of some book which he wished to consult, and discovered Maude en gagged in the perusal of something very inter- esting, evidently, for his entrance failed to attract her attention. He watched her Q moment and then said:

 May ask what has the honor of ab- sorbing your thoughts so completely this morning, Miss Maude?"

 She started slightly, and laughed as she answered.

 "Oh, Stewards last speech! It's grand, isn't it?"

 Imagine his feelings, especially when it is taken into consideration that the Judge was a Democrat of the most ardent stamp, and consequently entertained about the same af- lection for MT. Seward and his speeches that Q rabid dog might be supposed to have for a stream of water. He made wry face in spite of himself and Maude looking up, caught him in the act

 "Why, Judge" said she smiling, "you are not Democrat, hope!"

 " l am happy to say b am," replied he rather stifly.

 "I am sorry for you, my friend l must say," said Maude, while her eyes danced with mirth to see how shocked the Judge looked

 And you are"

 "A Republican, and of the blackest dye to be sure," returned she.

 "Well, every one to their taste," and Maude was alone again.

 What Judge Compton's meditations were it would be difficult to say, but that night he dreamed that Maude was President of the United States, and in the act of giving her hand to Seward, who was big negro with intensified woolly hair and thick lips, and Henry Ward Beecher was performing the marriage ceremony. He was rather shy of Maude for a day or two, but gradu- ally affairs turned to their old channel.

 One quiet afternoon Jenny and Maude were alone together, the gentlemen being absent on some business or other. They were seated on the piazza with their sewing, conversing on feminine topics, or pausing to admire the quiet beauty of the blue sky gleaming through the heavy foliage of the trees or of the golden bars of sunlight that lay upon the thick green grass. At length