Newspapers / The Sunny South (Elmira, … / April 15, 1877, edition 1 / Page 1
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g^wteM to the interests of 'Boris and Siris, Volume 1] ELMIRA, N.Y, & WILMINGTON, N. C., APRIL 15 1877. [Number 9 CAUGHT. BV FIUKUA. /!■■:..■.,//., /■:. A. [CONTINUEHJ The face of tlx- young man flushed with ea ger hope and in-concealed expectation, as be waited for Edith’s reply. An I it came to him, with blushes innium cable and many drooping^ of her pretty curly head. Though why she should have show’ such signs of confusion, Edith could never -fave told. “Men are such tyrants Of course., I don’t wish to spoil your pleasure, though I have no doubt you. would go anyway. So I suppose I will have to say-yes. That is, if you won’t let those terrible horses run away with me.” “Selim and Ali are not -o terrible as your fancy paints them, Edith. They shall conduct themselves with such propriety, that you will acknowledge iheui to Lie perfect models of well-tamed horses They were -landing on'the steps of Mr. At woods residence, bile this conversation was being carried on 1-’old had walked home with Edith from ’bi oh, and even now was Like one, who >r delay seeks a vain excuse, A well-matched/oup'c they made, any casu al observer would have remarked ; and yet if one had paused, And cast a more attentive glance in their direction, many points would have been discovered, in which they were ex actly opposites, Harold Manvers was descended from a line of noble ancestors, as any one might have known, from the kingly bearing ami proud, erect manu r in which he carried himself. What added to th s was ahibit be had ac quired of throwing back the wed-formed he id when moved in any way. His figure would have been pronounc' d too slender, if that h d not been odiicci by an unusual width of chest, and by the shoulders being what i- gen orally termed •‘square ” But his r-gal figure was admirably proportioned, and all pronounc ed Harold Manvers a fine looking man. Waving masses of soft brovu hair were tossed back from a forehead, where intellect had stamped her unmstakable seal. The fea tures were sharp in their outline, betokening the highest type of refinement and cultured tastes. A drooping moustache, well agreeing with the dark brown hair, shaded a month which was almost feminine in its delicate pro portions, and yet possessing that firmness of outline widen spoke of a resolute nature and characterized him as a man who would do and dare anything. and who could and would over ome any difficult}' that stood m bis way. Now Edith was ju-t the reverse of the firm Harold. A combination of all the grace of Tennyson’s “lily maid”—“Elaine the fair, the loveable; and the subtle witchery of the ‘wily Vivien.” A little below the medium size, she was a creature of life and animation; one, whose love any num—even suck a man as Harold Manvers—might .A to win. Truth could beam from h-r “bonny blue eyes,” as well as mirth could sparkle in their ever varying yet ever-constant depths. The shining ringlets and waves of .tick gold en hair reflected, every stray sunbeam as it toyed with, and rested so lovingly in their countless tangles. And that one particular feature of a woman, winch will lx notify the plainest face; her nt 'utk, where the slightest va riation in her feelings could be distinguished. “ Then her lips, so rich in blisses! Sweet petitioners tor kisses! Pouting nest of bland persuasion, Ripely suiting Ewe's invasion.'’ No uncommon woman was Edith Atwood. Only an ordinarv. sweet. loving girl,-just like us all, a true daughter of Eve. But although stan ling on a moon lit piazza, bathed in silver radimce, and fanned by the gentlest of summer zephyrs, is very pleasant to the young and heedless, still—the careful old folks always remember tint “it isn’t good for you to be out in he evening air so late, my dear.” So with a laughing “Yes, mammi;l’iii coming now,” and a hasty good-by to Harold, “my clear” was obliged to follow her prudent mother into the house, leaving Harold to- hh— just then—very agreeable musings, and Ids solitary walk home. Thursday morning dawned as clear and beautiful as the most exacting we ithe.-hunter could desire. Not a cloud dimm : 1 th • golden splendor of the day, and there was a sufficient quamity of blue in : he sky, to farm-ci every Dutchman in Hoihdd with a u riform of that As Harold Miniver, drove his magni Acer, to thorough-breds up o Mr At wood’s pretty city reside c ■, he saw Edith waiting in the door, literally “on the tip-toe of expectancy.” A very lovely picture she ma le, her lithe, graceful figure showing to perfection against tiie dark frame-work of the door-way. Of course, gentlemen arc nor expec e 1 to b ’ wise on the subject of a lady’s om fit. But Harold /A/think the fresh, spotless mi-Ln, dotted with blue forget-me-nots looked very com and refreshing; and that the littie bow of blue rib bon nestled very bewitchin gly in the debths of Edith's sunny hair, and well matched her sapphire eyes. Just then, those eyes were dancing with the pleasure of the moment; for she fully appreci ated the delight of almost living past the square of pretty houses, not packed ch>sely side by side, as our economical Northern neighbors arrange them, but glorying in ibe refr. siring greenness and beauty of the ample lawns and gardens that surround’’our lovely Southern homes. / say, let us be thankful that we have room and time enough, to spare, in order to adorn and beautify even our city residences, and to train up our children and brothers and sisters to love the beautiful ■d's well as the useful. Not to prize alone that which fills you: pot-kefs with money, men of the world and of this grasping age but that which fills our lives with sun shine, and gratifies our Southern passion for the beautiful. In airdescriptions of the South, which have come under my notice, I have all ways smiled with delight and—I hope—a par donable pride, when 1 reed what they say of us—that there is scarce), a hiu^e khat is not surrounded by a flower-garden, Bta&iy Of ev ery description is natural to us. Everybody knows what a pic nic is like; so I will spare my readers a description of what is so familiar to all of them. Selim and Ali ful ly sustained their reputation'for being well-be haved animals; and spirited as they were, even their Arab lire had to yield to the firm will they were so accustomed to obey; so nothing occurred to marthe pleasure of the drive. After the comp iny had partaken of a bounti ful repast, in true pic-nic style, on the lawn, which on that side of the house gradually sloped down to the water's edge, every one seemed seized with a sudden desire to ramble away in couples. Wherever any observer who had nothing better to do than to watch others, might turn, he would see one and then another pair stray off to the various romantic little nooks and corners^with which “Riverside” so abounded, and which are so delightful to the i youthful lastes. As is the case on every similar occasion, ev w hundred yards "r so, you might be in imminent dancer of coming upon pairs of loveis, in all the various stages of pro gression. and who seemed perfectly oblivious to the fact that there are^erfand cesser 1) peo pie in the world besides them. Harold and Edith soon found themselves standing in the shade of a spreading cedar, which almost overhung the river. The gentle slope had here civen place to an abrupt decliv- ily—what would be commonly called ‘a steep hill." Not many feat from the foot of the hill, the placid river gl di d along, with ihi calm flow of a deep stream near ils moulin This bank was not ail difnruli of ascent or descent, provided one was careful enougn to watch ev- •. ... f'.--- > :•■»•.'■■'?,..■.,:•! y0 II*«I t-, tle- ^Crnt- est pressure, and made what wv imm might denominate a bold adventure, really h trivial undertaking to those who were guarded in their actions.- - As I said.- Harold and Edith were standing side by side, at the lop of the hill, watching the silent beauty of the scenery. The intoxi cation of the moment was too much for even Harold Manv. rs’ sirength of character to resist easily. With the one his heart loved so truly, by his f ide: while he gazed a; her'eyes, soften ed by that far off look that betokens a mind occupied, with one thought. alone, and that is so becoming to t-wc eyes; while he seemed like a thirsty man, to drink in the new beaut}' of the face wearing a subdued look so rare to one of Edith’s lively temperament, and which was caused by the quietness around: how could he restrain himself? How could he keep back the words that struggled so wildly to es cape from iris tips?' Though lx intended to control his language, he resolved that he would no longer deny himself the privilege of yielding to the sudden impetuosity ihat had of late, so often overcome Iris sober judgment. He would speak, no matter what might be the consequences. “I know—1 fed myself that all this is very beautiful, very charming to the senses. But Edith, I want you to listen to me Just one moment. Will you not?’ “Well, I am listening now. It was real cru el, Harold, to draw me away from all this beauty, and I don’t know whether I. will for give you or not.” '•Perhaps you will have more.dill’o forgive, when I have told you what 1 will. Dear Edilh, can’t you ..ee that I love you with my whole soul? Lam notone to go into ecstacies, but I would like to hear you say from your heart. “I love you, Harold 1 Do you think you care for me enough,to say that?” How proud of him she felt! Standing—her prince among men—-and asking her love as a precious gift not demanding it as a right. And she loved him dearly; she knew it now, and she meant to tell him so, too.
The Sunny South (Elmira, N.Y. & Wilmington, N.C.)
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April 15, 1877, edition 1
1
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