Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Albany register. (Albany, Or.) 1868-18?? | View Entire Issue (Aug. 22, 1873)
& r Fiiw VOLUME V. ALBANY, OREGON. AUGUST 22, 1873. NO. 51. Not many miles from London is a tiny village, a very fjeau ideal of rural beauty in miniature I he church is just large enough to seat comfortably about one hundred and fifty persons; close by is the prson-age-house on a corresponding scale, as to size, and the good clergyman who occupies it is endowed with a alary to match. The squire's house, wot tar off, is just a quiet little re , treat, in which its proprietor hides himself tor a few weeks occasionally when weary of the gay life insepar able from his more splendid resi dence. Tlie cottages on the estate are in good repair, and the very model of what cottages ought to be, covered with those creeping climbing clusters of ivy roses, and honeysuckles, which setid poets into ecstasies, and doctors into fits. One might fancy that some clever, en terprising individual had succeeded in tratistering the wliole concern from the delightful country of Uto pia that land which, like tlie im mortal "Mrs. Harris," everybody has hearrt ot nut nobody nas ever teen. Yet in this charming retreat were sins and sorrows, heartburn ings and tribulations, as in every other part of the "habitable globe.5' For a great many of the sorrows, little Mysie Collins must be held answerable. Mysie had lately suc ceeded old Miss Walker in the im portant positiou of village dress maker; and the taste and dexterity of the new functionary soon secured to her a greater number of custom ers than her predecessor had ever managed to obtain. Kay, she had even beeu favored by an order to make some mormug-dresses for the quire's lady, while the clergyman's wife declared that to emuloy a city band was unchristian extravagance, iiice one ot their own parishioners could suit her quite as well at half the price. So Mysie grew in favor, nd all the more so for Iter having given a home to her aged and in firm grandmother, who was not of to pleasant a temper as to make her society a thing to be coveted in gen eral by anybody. But Mysie had no nearer relative living, and her statement of the case was that, as the wanted all her time for her bus. iness, she thought it would be a great con venieuce to Iter to have her grandmother to overlook the housekeeping and keep the little tervant-roaid in order. Now, this account of Mysie's affairs was, like most of her representations of her own proceedings, fictiou founded ou fact. Thtfact was that Mysie did all the real work of housekeeping, Jiction that the old lady was assistance- True, as Mysie said, "grand, mother did the overlooking,' if the latter term might be held to signify "grumbling? but there, you could never trust anything tnat Mysie aid about herself. To hear her talk, a stranger would conclude her to be the most heartless, openly elfish little piece of vanity in tlie world; while those who knew her wore aware that no human creature could be more selt:deuying and gen erous. A witching tie thing she was; her dark eyes, now sparkling with mischief, now tender and lev i g her shell-pink bloom, the little pert nose, and the pretty dimples playing at hde-and-seek in the cheeks and corners of the small, de cided mouth were a 1 so many ar rows in Cupid's quiver. Sad to wy, however, with all her generous goodness, truth cornels us to con fess that Mysie did flirt: not, how ever dclilK'i ately or maliciously, nor did she break hearts to gratify a tpirit of petty vanity. But some times unconsciously, sometimes from the love of frolic inherent in ber buoyant, laughing nature, Mysie did occasionally make deeper wounds in masculine hearts tbau she need have done. With an un mists kahly deep affection she could not trifle, always giving a decided answer, like an honorable little woman as she really was; but if she was not convinced ot the genuine' nessof a suitor's attachment, she could seldom resist the temptation to probe his feelings by a spice of .coquetry on her part. And woe to - I jV - I a J a any maie niri wno aarea w ap proach Mysie Collins; she was sure to avenge on such a one the mischief lie had wrought elsewhere, lie longing to this" latter class was Tom Jones, a soldier, home in the village for two months' furlough, and who quick'y fell into the train of Mysie's admirers, thinking that he would very soon be at the top of the list in the estimation of his inamorata. Rut Mysie had heard sundry well authenticated accounts ot female nearts cooly trifle5 with by this same gallant Tom, and, as usual, set herself to punish the offender. Luckless Tom taking her smiles as so many encouraffetm nts to farther proceedings, soon ventured to way lay the little lady as she was return ing from carrying home some work and begged the favor of a walk with her that evening. According to the etiquette ot rustic court ship, such a proposal is generally understood as a preliminary to an offer of marriage. Mysie smiled and dimples chased each other most bewitchiiigly over her sparkling countenance, as she replied demure ly: "Hut the boots I have on must go to the shoemaker's this evening and I shouldn't like you to walk there with me: and if I go there after getting grandmother's tea will be too late for a walk after wards." "r$ut you are going home now, Miss Collins?" said Tom, auguring favorably from her shyness; "if you will let me have the boots as soon as you are at home, I will take them for you, and come back for you for our walk by the time you have hushed tea." "Hut grandmother won't like to see a soldier m the house," returned the unconquerable mysie; "it you you will be so kind as to take the boots tbr me to be mended, just come round under our little back window, and I will throw them out to you," To this Tom eagerly agreed, and skulked round to the back of the house, while Mysie went in straight to her grandmother and told the story, winning from the old lady a grim chuckle ot approval at the thought of tlie military flirt getting dealt out to him the due reward of his past iniquities. " Look, grandmother !" exclaimed Mysie, as she changed lier boots, holding up the dirty ones for Mrs, Elster's inspection; "areu't they de lightful muddy? Oh! I stepped in all the worst puddles I could find coming down the lane, and I'm sure I can't find any paier tit to wrap them in; so Tom will have to take them just as they are. Oh! won't he be in a hurry to take me for another walk?" She ran up stairs, and leaning out of the little window, beneath which her suitor stood waiting, said in a whisper : "Catch them, Mr. Jones; yon must excuse there not being paper around them, I hadn't any just at hand.'' And so saying after some pretended hesitation, she threw out the boots, one of which, missing one of Tom's outstretched hands, went plump against his arm, leaving a thick patch of mud on the hand some uniform, "Oh! what pity!" said Mysie syrapathizingly; "but don't come back here for me, Mr. Jones, wait for me at Chips Pond." Mysie drew back out of sight, bad her tea comfortably, and after lea weni ior a waiK with her cousin Ived Wharton. In the course of the return walk late in the evening, they took the opportunity of calm'y sauntering by Chip's Pond, where stood the enraged Tom, whom Mysie passed with an innocent nod and sweet smile as if perfectly un conscious of having been the cause of his spending the whole evening on the "dreadful post of observa tion"' in vain. Hut at last Mysie's own time came. A friend of hers had mar- ried a sergeant in the marine artil lery, and Mysie was invited to spend a week with them. Having arranged her business affairs she went. Her friend Mrs. Duncan was liv ing at Wilmington, where a corps of the Royal Marine Artillery was stationed. During the first evening of Mysie's visit, a friend of Sergeant Duncan's came in to spend the evening with him. The new comer was a tall, stern-looking man of about thiny-five; handsome and in telligent, hut apparently quite un used to appreciate the charms of female society. He chatted with the sergeant the whole evening, tlien wishing him and his wife good-night turned to go; but suddenly starting back, just laid his big brown hand on Mysie's a moment, paused, and said abruptly : "I'm coming again to-morrow." He seemed to have exhausted his words, for he instantly left, without speaking more to either of the as tonished three. As soon as he was gone, Mysie's mirth burst out. "Who in the world is that?" she asked, as she paused in the midst of her laughter. "Somebody much too good for you to play with, my girl,'' answer ed the seargcatit. "'I here isn't a girl in Wilmington who wouldn't catch at a word of kindness from Corporal Morris; but he won't look ot one of the whole Int. He's done tor now, I can see. Men like him don't speak as he did to you unless they are pretty far gone. Now, don't go carrying on any tricks with him, or you'll break the no blest heart God evw made. No man could be more faithful to a woman than Jack will be, it he ever takes a wife; and if he doesn't take you, why, child, you'll be a fool, that's all." And the sergeant took up his pipe as a man who has said all he means to say on a sub ject. 1 he next day Morris came very early, and asked Jysie to go for a walk. 1 hey had not gone iar when he spoke in the stern, quiet way natural to him. " M iss Collins, I have never loved anybody else. Do you think you can marry me ? love you " N ow this was not at all the sort of courtship Jysie wanted. Her own Iteart was not sufficiently caught to'enable her to understand the sudden, earnest love of this grave man, who could not make tittering speeches, but could only, out of the unfathomable depths of his strong, nob'e heart, state the fact which shook his whole manly nature " love you!" She an- sM'ered in a tone ot demure mis chief: "Perhaps your mother wouldn't like you to marry?" " Jother won't think ot mterter- ing in a matter that is my Dusiness; she is too good a mother for that, ' ie replied, taking jtfysie's imperti nent little speech seriously. "lint I don't love you, ' urged Jysie. "Hut perhaps you will in time. Let me write to you when you re turn home." And so it was settled. Jysie iked his letters, and in excuse for confessing herself caught at but, re marked to a mend : "1 like his letters, and as be will be away at sea four years at a time, you see I shall g-t these nice letters without the bother of a husband always about the honse." Hut Jforris wanted a speedy marriage. His terra of sea-service would soon begin, and he was anx ious to leave her his wife. Jysie was frightened when things began to look serious. She was ashamed to break her word to the man who had chosen her as the one love of his life, and her own heart took part with him. In short, poor Jysic was at that point when a woman feels she cannot be happy in giving up her lover, and yet does not love him quite well enough to be ready to resign herself unreservedly to him. She took what she called middle course; she wrote that she had no money, as what she had saved must be for her grandmother, ne wrote back tnat he had saved enough to justify them in beginning housekeeping; and should he come to her home to marry her, or woul she prefer to be married from her friend Jrs Duncan's. His money was in the bank, and he asked her to name the sum she wolild like him to draw for furnishing their house. She wrote in reply that if she was married at all, she would come to Jrs. Duncan's, and men turned a round sum as necessary. " I here," thought Jwysie, as she sealed tier letter; "now Jack will think he's going to get an extrava gant wife, and he won't be in such a hurry " But she waR wrong in her calcu- lations. Jorns took her letters in good faith, and his very next dis patch informed tier that the money was withdrawn from the bank and in readiness tbr ber use, and he begged that their marriage might take place as soon as possible. Jysie went to Jrs. Duncan's per verse in her first interview with her lover, when he laid before her the money and asked her to accompany him to choose a house she told him she did not love him. and he had better take back his money. He looked at her flushed face in silence, and then said slowly : "And do you think, Jysie, that I could let you go out into the world again without a penny? If you won't have a husband to keep you, you will peed the money all the more. He turned to go, when Jysie exclaimed. " Take your money, Jr. Motrin, or perhaps you'll hear to-morrow that I'm gone, and the money too." "If you go, I hope you wiU take the money, he answered. "It is useless to me without yow," and he left the room without another word. Our willful little coquette was thoroughly frightened now; and when Jorris came next day as if nothing had happened, he found his - lady-love in a very humble frame of mind. She had found her master. The wedding came off, and Jysie never flirted again, except with her own husband. The gay, laughing coquette was, henceforth, before the world, an irreproachably faithful wife; but when alone with her hus Imud she was at once the delight and the torment of his lite. At length came the order for sea-serv- ice. jwysie parted tiom nira affec tionately, but calmly, while his long passionate kiss as she stood in the boat to say good-by," told of the strong man's heart-wring. She could have thrown herself on his breast, and shrieked in agony of sorrow, but her shy pride kept her back; and Jlforriu left her for the long separation not knowing that the eager passion of that way ward, loving girl was folding itself round him in clinging devotion. At first, to her friends, she laughed off the parting; but when a year of absence had somewhat tamed her spirit, she began to confess that she "wouldn't be sorry to see Jack come back." Then, as time rolled on, she felt more and more the weary waiting; until, hearing one evening that the cholera had broken out on her husband's ship, she rushed into Jre. Duncan's house at ten o'clock that night exclaim ing: "Oh! the cholera's on board hit ship! Oh! do pray for my JackP The four years hod not expired, when one afternoon, Jysie Wat busy sewing in her little room. The day was warm, and the house-door stood open to admit the air. She sewed on for a time, then leaning back in her chair sighed half aloud: "Heigh-ho! I wish Jack were here! 0, Jock, if you only knew bow I love you uow!" A shadow fell on the floor, and, looking up with a start, Jysie caught a glimpse of a tall figure in uniform, standing in the passage, the seargeant's stripes on the arm, blazing out in the golden-tinted sunbeams. Thinking it was Ser geant Duncan come with some mes sage from his wife, and hopiiig be had not heard her cry for Jack, she rose, feeling rather" ashamed, and went towards the door. The visi tor moved forward. A crimson flush of doubt, ioy, dyed her face at she drew back an Instant to look on the bronzed features. "Jysie!" Everything was forgotten then as she sprang to the outstretched arms of her husband; and in on wild cry telling all the peut.up. growing love of the long absence, sobbed, as her bead nestled on hi breast. "0 Jack, I do love you, my dar ling!" Anecdote of Theoporb Hook. On the evening of the arrival at the university he joined a party ot school fellows in a carouse at one of the taverns. Sundry bowls ot 'bishops" and of egg-flip having been discussed, songs amatory and bacchanalian having been sung with full choruses, and altogether the jocularity having begun to past the limit ot becoming mirth, the proctor made his appearance, and advancing to the table at which the "freshman" fresh in every sense of the wordwas presiding, put the question : Tray, sir, are you a member of the university ?" 'No, sir," relpied Hook, rising and bowing respectfully. "Pray sir are you?" A little disconcerted at the ex treme gravity of the other, the proctor held out his ample sleeve and said : , "You see this, sir?" i "Ah," returned Hook, having examined the fabric with great earnestness for a few seconds, "yes, perceive Manchester velvet and may I take the liberty, sir, of inquiring how much you might lave paid per yard for the article?" 1 hequiet imperturbability ot man ner with which this was uttered was more than the reverend gentle man could stand, and, muttering something about supposing it wot mistake, he affected a retreat amid shouts ot laughter from Hock's companions, Out in the Apache country the Indians are said to have become so peaceable that is hard to tell a redskin from a white man, the only difference being that the white bat no scalp, and the Apache has two, Miss Clara M. Babcock, a grad uate of the Divinity School of Harvard College, occupied her father's pulpit at the Warren street Unitarian Chapel in Boston on Sunday lad