Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

laitfe! to jrhck Kg£ BY M. B. WHARTON. “The only enemy that can successfully grapple with Yellow Jnek is Jack Frost.— A Newspaper Paragraph. I thought thee cruel onec, Jack Frost, When I was ybungfand Small, You pinched Iny ears, and bit my toes, You painted red my cheeks and nose, And kept me dose within the doors, And thus I deemed thee chief of foes Thut could my youth befaH. I thought thee cruel, once again, When up to manhood grown, I saw thee clothe the earth in white, When all that’s fair, and pure, and bright, Was withored by thy deadly blight, Withered in onip short luckless night, Where’er thy breath had Uown. You nipped my buds and spoiled my vines And filled me with dismay, Am enemy I called you then. A foe to garden, field and*glcn, A curse sent to the sons of men, And never Ip return again, I hade thee haste away. But now Jack Frost, I find at last, Thou wast my dearest friend; One has come iii to take thy place, Without thy beauty or thy grace, With poisonous breath and saffron face, Bent on destruction to our race, And sorrows without end. Our land lies mourning at its feet, And ’neath his ghastly tread; Our fairest flowers have met decay, Our brightest gems have lost their ray, The youngjihcibihiutifid, the gay Are vanished from our sight away, And numbered with the dead! Comeback, Jack Frost, again come back, Thrice welcome to each heart, Stretch forth thy white and frozen wand, Bid suffering tide at thy command, Give health and quiet to the land, Come wrest his sceptre from Ills hand, And bid the Ghoul depart Whole cities wall his deadly stroke, Trade bonds beneath his rod, Palsied our every interest lies, Tears, bBteifteni'A diffuse our eyes, Our fbsOm* wit>k groans sighs, Come, then, Harm angel of the skies— Thou messenger of God! Thou Great Physician from above, Who cam’s! to save the lost; Thou wlio did’st once for sinners bleed, Come in this hour of direst need; Come, and in mqfcy intercede; Come, stay the Plague’s insatiate greed— God send the white hoar-frost! ‘First appcarcuce in that part,” exclailnecl three men at onco, in their eagerness to get off tho worn-out joke. “I knew they would say that,” said Clifford, languidly, apostropliiz- i ing the company in general. “I should as soon have expected you to turn missionaiy,” laughed Mrs. Ilarrington. “But sit down here, and let ule give yon a cup of coffee to support you while you ro- vcal tho mystery and make good your claims.” I como to announce an excite ment,” roturned ho. “Could I nuiko a hotter claim?” “Certainly not.” “What is it ?” questioned several voices. “There’s a wreck up tho beach.” “Delightful!” exclaimed Mrs. Ilarrington; and all tho men began to ask questions, and nobody waited for answers, after the usual habit of impatient human nature. “Wo must go and seo it,” Mrs. Harrington said. “Virginia do you hear? Please to lock up from that tiresome letter ! Somebody take it away from her, do! Virginia South- well, there’s - a wreck on the sands, and you are to make a sketch of it.” Miss Southwell foldod her letter, put it by her plate, and answered quietly, “To hear is to obey, I supposo Is it really a wreck, Mr. Vance?” “It is very heartless of yon to spoil my attempt at a sensation by being so matter-of-fact,” he answered; “and I don’t protend to bo its truthful as Gen. Washington. But, at least, a brig came ashore last night in the fog, and will, very probably, go to pieces before they get Iter off.” “And there was nobody drowned —no ganger;’’’ asked Mrs. Hurling-. ton.* ' T'V 1 “I am sorry for your disappoint ment; but I believe nobody was hurt. I have been down already, and found the men as jolly as crows. Oh, yes! one fellow got hisdhutnb mashed; so you can play the good Samaritan on a small scale.” “No matter; a wreck is a wreck,” Mrs. Harrington said; then added pensively, “At least, it might have been a West Indian thing.” “Sorry; but it is only louded with coal.” “Anyway, we must go- to soejti”) ‘ “It will look quite picturesque at night,” Vance said, “so wo will wait till then.” “And how are wo to exist iii the meantime?” demanded Mrs. Har rington. “Everybody has grown so stupid! I declare solemnly, I novor saw such a sot of people; and you are getting just as bad us tho rest, Clif ford Vance—isn’t he, Virginia?” “As far as the stupidity goes, I am not prepared to judge; in the matter-of badness, I thought Mr. Vance was always pre-eminent,” returned she, carelessly. “Good, good!” pronounced the masculines, and laughed like the id iots they were. • * “She has not forgiven you for your slighting remarks about the patriarchs last night,” said Mrs. Harrington. Vance was looking full ah Miss Southwell, smiling and -.perfectly at • ik i least, I ease; but as she glanced toward him'/ that lodff^s she wShld have : something in his eyes—and thoy were nn< J H nl* A ik th 2 k. lw - 4 If t* '.X X . _ Li "I- - i. J 1 *" * 1 vAnce. [By Frank Loo Benedict.] In tho dense fog of' tho previous night a brig jO^mf ashore, mid there she lay in the morning light, with her how thrust upon, the sands, and the surf, that had not yet quiet ed itself after the-stormy weather of the past days, beating against her stern with:-* .hoarse murmur, as if angry that ..its- violence seemed to have no more effect upon the stout timbers. . Somobody brought iblio news into tho party at the Nest, while they were seated at the breakfast-table. I said soyieVqijljv, but it. was jio less personage than -Clifford Vance; and lie was, 5s you may remember, little acoustopdedf tn g spoken of in that darmero ana general way. There was* fcjuito* a laVgo gathered|RjKffibJb«j£able; for. pretty Mrs. We ifit&tress of the mansion, never ' could ^support the dullness,^nglplanc^sands with out the Companionship of plenty of men. to admire ’ her, and a , few wo men to envy and abuse lier J) said, for she liked tb s think that th6se of her less favored, hrjthat way of personal at! factions mid masculine attentions,'>did forfeit! their right to two of the supplications in the Lite siy where she was concerned. Everybody was ^p/newhat dull that morning; sp it.was a relief to all con cerned, whether >thcy liked him or not, when Clifford Vance made his entrance rather unceremoniously in to the breakfast-room. “Have you bpetf up all ' njght, Or are you wiltSu^ in your sleep?” de manded Mnp ilarrington, after the firstsalutaons.j, .. “Neither./ 5 said CUffcrd; “I ap pear in the chaVadtor of a public ben efactor.” ,jj3we & ■■ JLQ ■ - ■ ■ >• /uisr great, lionest, mournful eyes, |n of his reputation—made her for her words. . “One would suppose I had perpe trated a bon mot, instead of a simple stupidity’,” said site, with a con temptuous little wavo of her hand toward tho giggling men, which si lenced them. “Now don’t retract,” cried Mrs. Harrington. ^ “Shall she, Clifford?” “Naturally, l am flattered at Miss Southwell’s taking the trouble to think enough about mo to have an opinion at all,” he replied, in a voice; and looking at her, he perceiv ed ;tlmt ho hafl, at least, sucp^ed^ljp vexing her by his words and manner. At least that was an improvement On tho indiffcrouco with which sho had treated him during tho week their acquaintance had lasted. Thou there Avas a general rising from tho table; the peoplo sauntered out on the piazza; the men lighted their sugars; and the young girls bo- camo clamorous for croquet. Mrs. Harrington lingered in tho bronkfjst : room to give cortain orders; and Clif ford Vance took tho opportunity to go up to Miss Soutlnyell, as sho stood leaping against a pillar, idly twisting lier letter in her slender, nervous hands. “So you think mo bad,” ho asked, abruptly. “Yes,” she answered; “and I fear tho most hopeless part of tho matter is, that you pride yourself on it.” “I think not,” ho said, musingly; “I am suro not! Just now, Miss Southwell, I would give a great deal to be good.” His voice was so different from its ordinary tono, tho wholo expression of his face so changed, that sho look ed at him in surprise. “The only way is to try, then help comes,” she said, quickly. “Docs it?” ho askod, wondoringly. Up floated Mrs. Ilarrington in the full flow of her bright spirits; and Miss Southwell turned to answer a question one of the children was ask ing, and did not notice how Clifford Vance’s oyes followed her all the while he kept up that interchange of laughing badinage with their host ess. Sometimes so slight a thing makes the beginning of areal acquaintance; those brief words had placed Clifford Vance on a very different, footing with Miss Southwell from that which lie had occupied before. She hud. come down to that quiot place greatly, prejudiced against flic mail, though'she hud' hover'known 1 him. I always used to say Clifford Vance was the best abused porsoii of my acquaintance; and Miss South-' well was not a woman to forgive what she believed his vices, as tho world forgavo, because ho was rich,. handsome, and brilliant. She had come down there very unwillingly, for she neither approved of Grace Harrington, or tho set of peoplo that made tip her intimates; but Graco was tho nioco of Miss Southwell's step-mother, and the sort of connection made occasional intercourse an absolute necessity. Once within the spell of Mrs. Har rington’s society, it was impossible to resist her fascinations; and Vir ginia could not help being charmed, like less rigid folk, howovor much there might bo in words and’conduct of which sho disapproved, when she thought them over beyond tho reach of the pretty creature’s influence. So he had como down to tho Nest, as Mrs* Harrington called her cot tage, and found Clifford Vance stay ing with hiB invalid uncle at the very next house, and as much at home with Graco and her set ns if lie had boon domesticated in tho dwell ing* Miss Southwell had not avoided him, sho hath done what was much more aggravating; as ncurly as possi ble ignoring him in tho magnificent way she could do such things, treat ing him with a supreme indifference, which must have boon a joyful spec tacle for all the other masculines to .witness. •li Ojf course, that very treatment caused Clifford Vance to, observe her Closely. He had made up his mind before that sho would he an unplcas ant young female to Imvo about, because be had heard so much of her genius; tho wonderful little poems she could write and set to music after; tho pictures sho paint ed; and then her conversation, her charities, her dignity, and high-bred manners—ahead roll of virtues so long that it was no wonder ho took the trouble of hating her before sho came. And lie found her ontirely differ ent from the iueal that lie had form ed. No airs, no graces, cold enough to him, but natural as a child with poo pie whom f ho liked; and her greatest peculiarity scorned to bo an odd habit of telling tho truth upon all occasions, in a straightforward way, that often amused Clifford immensely. Ho discovered that sho hud won derful eyes, and a heavenly mouth when she smiled, which was not so often as ono could have wished, ahtl a great quantity of beautiful brown hair; hands and foot perfect—tho sort o^yvomftivpn wliomnature sooins to have bestowed more tinVo and pains than sho does on a dozon ordi nary beauties. v So tho week had gono by, perhaps a day or two beyond; and until the morning on which I brought those peoplo boforo you, Clifford Vance could not flatter himself that ho had made the slightest progress toward an acquaintance with Miss South- well’. Thut evening tlioy all drovo down to tho beach through the glory of tho moonlight, nntl saw a vory pret ty picture indeed; tho dark brig; with tho surf boatiug against the stem; tlio tent, which tho men had pitched on shore, with a bright tire burning in front; ovorhoud, the cloudloss sky, bending away off, till it Boornod to meet tho waters in a long lino of dazzling light. Mrs Ilarrington did not ordinailry givo Vanco much leisure to talk to anybody besides herself; but this evening sho was a good deal occupied with a new man that somebody hud presented to her; so Vanco lmd a lit tle opportunity to follow his own do- viqos. lie wont in search of Miss South- well, and found her standing alone on one of the sand hills, looking out over tho sea, with her great eves aglqWg lighted up as it coukl kindle amtjp’owbcaufifu! in moments of excitement and en thusiasm. So wiso Clifford, reading her mood, was able to begin a conversa tion that did not jar upon her thoughts, and finally load tho talk back to tho subject -of the morning; and they stood there a long time con versing in a way which Miss South- well would not have believed possible oven the previous evening, She had no timo to wondor until sho was back in the room, and alone for tho night; then sho did take her self to task, and tried to recall her strong prejudices ugainst this man, and found that tho keenness of their edge was somewhat worn off. That was the beginning, and I lntvo no timo to givo you details con cerning the ton days which followed; but before they wore over, Mrs. Har rington was furious to discover that tho man slic hud elected to flirt with desperately that summer, had grown singularly insensible to hor witch eries; and Clifford Vanco learned that a now era in his lifo had dawn ed—lie loved Virginia Southwell. Ho had no mind to tell her so. Ho know how hopeless it Avould bo then, probably* equally va at any fntitro time—but lio loved hor, and ao knowlcdged it to himsolf; and then there'begun, in his mind, the regret and remorse which must overtake a man who bus led a wild, reckless lifo, when ho finds that his whole soul lias at last gone out in a pure love, which makes him long to he worthy of his object. Ho had no mind to tell her, hut he did so only the night before lie was obliged to go away. They hod driven down to see tho wreck for tho last time—a misty, damp evening, with tho moon giving a flickering, uncertain light, and the surf moaning dismally against the sand, liko tho wail of human suffer ing. After tho party returned, Vanco and Miss Southwell walked up and down tho long veranda, talking free ly, as they had fallen into tho liuhit of doing, and—how it came about ho hover could havo told—tho secret which had lain during that brief 1 dream-season in his soul, swelled up to his lips and would he uttered. “I am not offering you my love,” ho said, “do not bo afraid of that! I will not oven offend you by saying that I love you—but (his much you cannot bo angry to hoar.” “Iam not angry,” sho answered; “I am surprised—griovod. I did not think of this.” “I know you did not,” ho said; “perhaps I; am presuming on your kindness in speaking at all; but tho fooling was strongor than my will! I could not go away without telling you ail you tiro to mo.” “It is so short a timo—I hope you avo solf-docoivod,” sho said, brok enly. “Do not hopo that,” ho answered, in tho low, pathetic tono of real fool- 1 ing. “Thank God for it as I do—it will mako mo a better man. I have not attempted to docoivo you; I have not triod to gloss over my past fol- lio£ and sins; but weak and wiokod as I havo boon, I think you cannot bo angry at my saying that knowing yon hasmado mo bitterly ropont, mndo mo long to atone.” “I Imvo not judged you harshly,’’ she said. “I will not deny that I was prejudiced against you; but may say tliis much, my friendship is yours, if you will have it.” “0 bully. God bloss you!” Sho lot him take her hand for an instant, then sho turned to enter tho liouso. ! “Not; yet,” ho pleaded, “give mo a moment moro. Perhaps in this world you and I will never walk thus’ again.” She took his arm onco more, and they walkod slowly up and down in liio dim light) while tho merry tones of a waltz, thut Mrs. Harrington was playing, rang out from tho parlois; and up from Ll^dishmco eunioili^ low, hoarse moaii of tho'scii, ming ling strangely enough with tho gay melody. Ho kept nothing back from hor; lie did not seek to palliate his errors, and ho was very manly through it all; not ono touch of theatre, or false Hontiniont, which would Imvo jarred so quickly on hor keen porcop- tious. “I shall not see you for a long timo, perhaps,” ho said at last; “it is hotter that I am obliged, to go away.” “But you must remember'always I think of you kindly and pleasantly,” she answered. He tried to restrain himself, hut ho could not keep back the words, “Nothing more?” Her lipp quivered, and ho saw hor grow palo in her trouble at giving liim pain. “You must recollect how short the time lnm been,” she said. “It luis seomccl vory long to mo, I Imvo lived so much in it! But if there lmd boon any more time- don’t.bo afraid of distressing mo; if you lmd lmd and opportunity to— 1 “Always your friend,” she inter rupted in a low Voice. “I could never promise any thing mere. He lot her go, thon; ho was much moro composed than she; for when sho began to say, in a trembling voice, that sho trusto d, at least, she lmd done him no harm, that ho would acquit her of intentional wrong, lie checked her with a weary, pain ful smile, which hurt her moro keen ly than tho hitter reproaches could Imvo done. “You havo been a Mossing to mo,” ho said, “always romomber that. I thank you.” She went softly away, too much troubled and confused to know what to say moro; and Clifford Vance wilndorcd out Into tho night, with tho dull moan of tho sea booming in Ins ears, like tho echo of the mad pain that tore so fiercely at the in most chords of his passionate undis ciplined heart. In the hall Miss Sonthwoll met Mrs. Harrington; but sho passod with a brief answor to some question from her hostess, and went on up to hor chamber. When the next day camel un d she know he was actually gone—by this timo even started on his southern journey, to bo absent for long months —a strange revulsion of feeling came over her. Sho began to think that slip lmd boon cruel to let him go so coldly and carelessly; tho time tlmt she lmd known him looked so much longer in recalling it, and she seemed to know and understand him so much more thoroughly, and to see clearly tliiil his errors and sins had been tlioso of reckless youth, that there; wus’sfciil hopo of amendment, aiid groat capabilities in his oarnost, im- pulsivo nature. ) j Virginia Sontlnvell was a very proud woiiian; she had always boon callod, and had boliovod herself a cold one, because no strong fooling had over touohod hor heart. Site found a groat clmngo in herself and when another day and night had gone, and sho forced herself to stand and look her soul in tho face, bIio discovered that this man lmd grown to bo moro to hor than any other’lmd over been. It was not that sho told horsolf she lovod him—but she miss ed him, and was sorry that sho lmd let him go so utterly without hopei She sat down at last and wrote him a briof letter—a frank, henert' • letter, such as few women would Imvo lmdenfiioiont nobility of soul to write; yot, as far as words wont, it was only an assuranco of hor friendship, and a dcairo to seo him again, if possible, much soonor than ho lmd intended to roturh. That was all, as fur as words wont, but when sho read it over, sho saw tlmt through tho wholo breatboil something beyond what was written —the nmn would Imvo a right to think tlmt sho lmd held out a hope. Alone in her room, she felt the color conic and go in her cheeks, and hor hands trembled, nervously, hut sho would not retract—sho was not ashamed. Her shaking fingers fold ed up tho shoot hustily, and thrust it into an onvolopo, and the letter was sont off without her giving horsolf moro leisure to reflect. (CONCLUDED NEXT WKKK.) ' Hit m „ s prophecy is worth re calling about these times:- “As long its you Imvo a boundless extent of fer tile, unoccupied land, your laboring lopulation will bo far moro at ease ban the laboring population of tho Old World; but the time will Como when New England will bo thickly settled, wages will bo low and fluct uate, and sometimes many will bo out of work. Then your institut ions will bo brought to a test. Hurd times mako the hiboror discontented and turbulent, and incline him to listen with cngorncas to agitators, who tell him that it is a monstrous iniquity for ono to Imvo it million while another cannot get a full meal. When a legislature is to bo chosen, ini ono side will be a statesman, preaching paticnco, respect for veste pi I rights, strict observance of public r.'iifb. On Hie oilier a demagogue, muting about the tyranny of capital ists and usurers, asking why anybody should be permitted to Jivoiu luxury while thousands of honest people are in want of nocoHsaries. Who will be likely to ho proforred by this dis contented element, and what soft of legislature will you bo likely to ex pect? I fear in some such season of adversity spoliation will increase dis- tress,” The meanest man yet discovered lives in New York, lie stole and sold his wife’s wooden leg. The Justice sent him to the penitentiary for ono year—deciding tlmt ho hud no light to steal sections of his wife, saying that ho might attempt to pawn tho baby next. At; tlio Paris Oh3orvutory a largo hall i.; to lie tilted up as a picture^ gallery. On tho Avails, together Avitli portraits of the most eminent ustron • omors, will ho hung views of tho moon, the planets and various celes tial areas as they appear in telescopes of tlio greatest power. In Aviatcr, rugs; In summer, flags; < In -ii■ k111-~, drags; Iu adversity, shrugs; In thirst, mugF; Iu courtship, hugs. I M :'t; )