Year: 1873

| spent some OF the happleSt days OF my
life, is as lovely and retired spot as a
man could desire to behold. 1t lies in
a sequestered valley, the existence of
which is known to but few beside its
inhabitants. 1t is free from the hustle
OF the great world-the fever of specu-
lation had never reached it. Yet it is a
place that has been marked by savage
conflicts. The ring of the musket and
the charge of horsemen have, ere now,
resounded among the green hills that
encircle it.


| 1t is an old settlement originally built
/ by the French, who held it long enough
to fall into apathy and forget to guard
it as securely as they should have done,
when sturdy British force coming up
the river IN barges, one fine moonlight
night, took the garrison and the place
at the same moment.


How well remember that beautiful
river. How often by sunshine and
moonlight l have sported over its tran
quil bosom. How often have 1 gathered
the wild grapes that grew along its
shady banks. OF all the companions
who shared my idle rambles, not one is
left who bears not on his brow the
stamp that the iron hand of the world S
education has affixed there. All of them
now are sober, earnest men and women,
and / might look in vain for solitary
trace of the youthful characteristics
that distinguished them.


At the distance of mile from the
river, was an old but handsome man
sion, with fine lawn stretching away
from it on every side, while magnificent
old trees thickly surrounded il. The
owner OF this property, Thomas Afford,
was a man past the meridian of life |;
his family consisting of his wife and
daughter Agnes. Mr.. Afford did not
make the mansion his habitual residence
his home was chiefly in the city, but
early every spring the Afford family
came to their country place, remaining
until the birds began to leave for a
southern cline. The Affords were
looked upon by the simple people of the
country around as beings of superior
order, and were initiated by the better
sort in all their fashions and behavior.


Mr.. Afford was, of course, a person
of wealth, quiet in his habits, having
an easy, kind nature, and rarely trou-
bled himself about anything, 50 long as
he had good dinners and a full supply
of wine. His wife was q bustling little
woman, full of fire and energy, having
her absolute sway in all that pertained
in and about the country seat. In years
long past, her husband had learned to
submit to her authority, and yield in all
that she contested. By this means he
was able to secure an interrupted do
Z thn np1x-
for the dignity he surrendered. He
never mourned the loss of his sceptre.
but placidly resigned himself to make
the best of his situation. This was the
condition of affairs in his home at the
time of which we write


Agnes Afford was a brown-headed
blue-eyed girl of nineteen years. Snowy
in appearance, and very amiable and
condescending to every one in the
neighborhood. These traits gave her a
certain popularity none of the other
members of the family ever possessed.
When the grand old carriage would roll
up to the little church on Sundays,
whirling great cloud of dust upon the
foot passengers, they frowned on
Thomas Afford, and his stately wife,
but smiled pleasantly upon the daugh-
ter.


1t was late one summer when a city
gentleman, named Charles Addison,
made his appearance in the village on
his way to the mansion of Thomas
Afford. From the day of his advent to
the hour of his departure, the villagers
saw him sufficiently often to form a
strong dislike to him. He was un-
doubtedly the suitor of Agnes Afford,
being forever at her side when she
moved abroad. He was very communi-
cative and talked necessarily, but his
hippant language ana offensive haugh-
tiness soon made him a mark for the
tongue of the gossips. He was a con-
ceited little mortal, wearing light blue
frock coat, and walking with a brisk
step, nodding with patronizing air to
those with whom he had made acquaint-
ance, and rehearsing the hair-breadth
escapes he had passed through in his
travels abroad


There also came to the village of c.
the same summer, young gentleman
who put up at the inn, and seemed to
employ his time in fishing and hunting
the woods for plants. This person gave
his name as Martin Long. He was
agreeable in his manners, but extremely
reticent. He would sit for whole hours
among a party OF the villagers, and
never voluntarily contribute a word to
the conversation. Yet all the while he
would maintain respectful and inter-
ested air, replying courteously but
briefly, when addressed. Oftimes he
was seen to walk toward the mansion,
but he invariably stopped short of the
great wooden gate, and gazing earnestly
up at the house, would inger a few
moments as if in meditation, and then
turn back again to the inn.


He would be sometimes at the window
of his little room or at the door, when
Addison came by with Agnes Afford.
At such times he would instantly dis
appear, seeking some seclusion where
he no longer could view them.


There were some acute observers
among the denizens of C., and none
more SO than one Peter Horn, the
schoolmaster, who made nightly visits
to the inn where Martin Long had taken
up his abode. If there was any one
who could melt the frozen nature of the
stranger, Horn was the man. he had
no difficulty in making Longs acquaint-
ance, and this was all he desired at the
moment, trusting to the future for the
accomplishment of his purpose. By
degrees he made himself on excellent
terms with Long, and when not engaged
in his duties, was always sure to be
found in his society.


The scheme OF Peter Horn was good
one, SO far as it related to its ultimate
object. There is scarcely a human
being who can long hold out against
kindness and sympathy, if there be no
malice in the case, and they are not
foes. 1t. therefore, was not great
while before the reserve of Longs ma
ture yielded, and Horn and himself
were on terms of confidence. One day
they were out fishing, and Horn having
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