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Southern Field and Fireside.
PCBUSHED^Y^iSra^MNER,
NEW SERIES.r
THE STORY TELLERr~
[For the Southern Field and Fireside.]
BELLMONT.
BY MRS. BIT* F. HUNT.
JENNIE put her resolutions into practice the
next morning, and nothing marred their
pleasant intercourse until a few months later,
when Minnie told Jennie that her father was
going to move away, and she was afraid that
they would never see each other again.
‘Oh Minnie, don’t go,’ said Jennie; ‘stay
and live with us, and be my sister, then we
can always go to school together, and mother
will make us dresses just alike, and father will
get you a pony too, just like mine.’
But Minnie shook her head slowly as she
thought of her parents and little brothers, and
concluded that she would rather wash dishes
and mind the baby with them, than to enjoy
all of Jennie’s fine things, dearly as she loved
her. . ,
• Annie,’ said Mr. Ralston one morning as he
came in from a general inspection of his farm,
* I huvo just had a long conversation with Hen
ry Loring. He informs me rhat he will start
in about a month for the West. I was aston
ished, as I had no idea that he thought of har
ing, though he is a man .of action and few
words; but I am really sorry that he is going.
We will loose a good neighbor and an upright
C1 ‘Twish that he could be induced to change
his mind, replied Mrs. Ralston. ‘ I think he is
doing as well here as he possibly could there,
with a family of small children and a delicate
wife. I hope he may never regret the change.
I wonder what she thinks of it?*
* n was her suggestion and wish that they
should go. I believe she has a brother living
there’—and Mr. Ralston added, laughingly,
that when a woman makes up her mind to do
anything you might as well yield at once, or
there will be trouble in the household.
•I wish if they do go,’ said Mr. Ralston, mu
singly, ‘ that they would leave us Minnie, at
least until her education is completed. It will
break Jennie’s heart for her to leave. What
do you think of making such a proposition to
herfather?’
‘ I would just as soon think of asking him
for his right hand,’ replied Mr. Ralston. 1 His
pride if not his love, would reject indignantly
the offer of a home to one of his children while
health and strength were left to him.
So the matter dropped, and at the appointed
time the young farmer and his family exchange
their Southern home for the new and untried
scenes of the West.
CHAPTER 111-
Oh, happiness! our being's end and aim ;
GoU Pleasure, Ease, Content, whate'er tby usbw:
That something still which prompts the eternal sigh,
For which we bear to live or dare to die,
Which still so near us, yet beyond ns lies,
O’erlook’d, seen doable by the fool and wise;
nf celestial seed ! if droop’d below.
Say in what mortal soil thou deign’st to ffowt^
Six years, with their sunshine and shade,
had faUen very lightly upon Elimwood and its
happy inmates. A few lines more deeply
traced might be found upon the benevolent
brow of its honored master; his once erect
form, now slightly bowed, but still the same
heart throbbed as in the days of yore, and his
children, as they sat in the cozy family parlor,
thought that they had never seen their father
look st> well, as he sat in front of the large
bright hickory fire, whose merry blaze went
laughing and hissing up the great old chimney
place, playing fantastic tricks, and shedding
its cheerful glow upon the encircling group.
And Mr. Ralston’s face was but the index of his
soul. He had just finished a retrospective
gianrn over the events of his life, and now the
( i quiet satisfaction and happiness beamed on his
AUGU STA . GA., SATURDAY, JANUARY 10,1163.
face, as he cast a glance over the family group.
Xn her accustomed place sat Mrs. Ralston, still
wearing the same serene and placid beauty ;
and if h« had admired and almost idolized the
wife of his youth, the feeling had but deepened
with time, and in his eyes the matron’s charms
were even more lovely than her girlish beauty
had been. By her side sat Reinhold, an open
book lay upon his knee, with his elbow rest
ing on his mother’s work-table, and his hand
supporting his head, while his full, piercing
black eyes were bent upon the fire, veiled in a
dreamy revery, as if pleasant thoughts were
the subject of it; and occasionally the slender
fingers would thread the wavy mass of dark
hair, and push it back from the broad smooth
forehead, as if its weight pressed too heavily
upon the busy brain. The warm glow of
health mantled the full rounded cheek, impart
ing life and animation to the almost olive com
plexion. ‘ A noble boy,’ thought Mr. Ralston
as he gazed on Reinhold’s manly form, and
■bold, handsome features. Well, thought he,
had bb been repaid for taking to his home and
heart the little waif that had been thrown upon
his bounty; the gleeful little child that had
prattled on his knee; the robust romping
school-boy; the thoughtful, studious youth,and
now in the first bright lush of opening man
hood, he seemed doubly and truly his son.
Nesr by Reinhold, and in striking contrast,
sat Jennie —still the little househola fairy. Six
years bad made but slight change in the lair
young face; and although the little child of
ten had merged into the tall and slender girl es
sixteen, her face had lost none of its trustful,
confiding look. The same loving blue eyes
shone with their beaming tenderness; the
same blush played hide and seek on her trans
parent cheek, and the merry rippling laugh, as
in the days of childhood, gladdened the home
of Jennie. And weU might Mr. Ralston’s face
beam with inward delight, as after reviewing
the past, his thoughts settled upon the present,
fortune, with her fickle wheel, had made no
backward turn for him, but had lavishly cast
ber horn of plenty at his feet; broad and ex
tensive fields bad but magnified under his pru
dent management. Peace and plenty had smil
ed upon him, and his children were all that a
fond parent could wish.
Reinhold had that day returned from the city
of c , where he had been for the preced
ing siynonths, studying law, with a celebrated
barrister of that place. Mr. Ralston had wish
ed his son to follow the pleasant and honorable
profession of his fathers, that of tilling the
ground. He thought it was too much neglect
ed, and rather held in contempt by the present
generation, who considered it essentially neces
sary to devote a certain number ot years to the
acquisition of a profession, which but few pros
ecuted with any degree of success.
Reinhold bad reasoned his mother over to
bis side of the question, and with such a
champion on hid side, he was sure of gaining
bis point, whatever that point might be. Mr.
JELilston acquiesced, saying that perhaps the
boy would some day honor the profession, and
if he had owned to the weakness, if weakness
it might be called, he thought his son would
bcacraay oallisg or profession. He remem
bered with gratified pride,his successful ortora
efforts on the college rostrum, and his
sound practical views on every subject; and
now after six months of close application, he
bad returned to Elimwood to spend the Christ
mas holidays.
Jennie was first to break the silence by en
quiring of ber brother, if Ada Dalzelle, had re
ceived the first honor in her class that had
j ost graduated. 1 Julia Hinton told me in her
] fl »i letter that she felt confident that Ada
would receive it, though it was eagerly con
tended for by several, of no meagre pretensions
ta talent.’
*Of course she did,’ he replied. ‘ Madam La
os on t thinks that Ada is by far the most accom
plished young lady that has ever received a
diploma from her, and she is certainly the most
beautiful.’
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‘ Ada always was pretty, ’ carelessly remarked
Jennie.
* Pretty is a very tame compliment to apply
to such a queenly-looking creature as Ada. At
their concert last week, her beauty was the
theme of evory tongue, and as her siren voice
rose and fell in its rich cadence, one might easily
imagine himself in Paradise, listening to the
songs of the angelß.’
‘Surely, brother Reinnie, you have exalted
Ada to a high place in yeur calendar of saints.’
‘ Not quite so high as that, but as near a
saint as young ladies ever get to be,’ he re
plied, with a significant glance at Jennie.
His father joined in the laugh that followed,
saying that *he was afraid that Reinhold was
a more devout follower of Cupid than of Black
stane.'
* Indeed, father, Mr. Gardener will give you
a very different account of me. Why, he urg
ed me frequently to go more into society.—
Now, mother, do come to the rescue, and say
that I have grown thin and pale from a too
close application to musty, law books.’
Mrs. Ralston looked up with a fond smile
into the radiant face of her son, saying; * that
as the firelight gave everything such a ruddy
glow, that she would wait until morning be
fore expressing her views, but she remembered
distinctly that he had told her in his letters
that he devoted but evening in the week
to visiting.’ % "
‘And I will wager anything that that .even
ing ooincided with the reception evening of
the young ladies of Madame Lamont’s,’ said
Jenuie.
‘ What a fortunate thing it is for you, Jen
nie, that you didn’t live a hundred years ago m
tho witch-burning days, I fear you would have
stood but little chance for your life,' and Rein
hold looked at his sister with a great deal of
concern depicted on his face.
‘Didyou say that Julia Hinton and the
Wares came to-day, also ?’ asked Jennie.
‘Yes, and several friends with them; they
were all under the charge of old Mr. Dalzelle,
and your humble servant enjoyed the privilege
of checking ponderous trunks and hat-boxes,to
say nothing of the innumerable carpet-bags,
baskets and shawls, that all ladies carry for no
obvious reason but to lumber up a double
quantity of seats with, and look i bunder-bolts
at any offending mortal that essays to touch
them. I only wonder that I escaped with
whole boues, for besides being baggage-master
aud waiting boy in general, I had to stand tar
get for all of Miss Julia’s witty sayings ; be
fore I could recover from one stunning blow
another crash would follow, more bewildering
than the first. I hate boisterous young ladies,
and think they ought to be excluded from so
ciety, or at least, loDg enough to learn the
proper definition of politeness.'
‘You are not saying much for the refining
powers of Madam Lamont,’ aaid Mrs. Ralston;
‘ I should think that after three years training
th«udeness of Julia might be improved.’
*>7611, to some extent I thiuk it is, but sim
pering, drawling airs do not sit well on Julia,
so she affects not to be affected, which I ad
mit is the more bearable of the two, but a wee
bit more modesty would be as becoming to
herself as agreeable to others.’
‘ I see you still harbor malice against Julia
for calling you sweet-heart, aud making you
carry her books when you wanted to take
Ada’s,’ and Jennie smiled as some of those
school-day scenes were recalled to mind.
‘I can assure you, sister, I bad forgiven, and
forgotten that long ago. I was thinking of
her devoted attentions to Arthur Bryon, who
is in the same office with myself. And that
reminds me of a package that his father re
quested me to deliver to Mr. Curtis, his Attor
ney in D- for Rachel Clyde, the old wo
man of Bellmont,’ and Remhold drew from bis
pocket a small paper parcel.
‘Did you know, father, that - this Mr. Bryon
was a college friend of yours ?’
* Yes,’ returned Mi. Ralston, ‘ I remember
him very well, though he was several years
my junior, and a keen, shrewd fellow he was. I
* * fjj
AT THREE DOLLARS Per ANNUBI.
[VOL. L—NUMBER 2.
I have never met him but once since we left
college, and that was about twenty years ago,
when I purchased Bellmont farm, but what
does he know of Rachel Clyde ?’
Mrs. Ralston’s knitting and Jennie’s slipper
were alike given up, and all of their attention
directed to Reinhold’s reply; for their unsocial
neighbor bad continued to reside iu the old
ruins, without as they knew of, ever holding
intercourse with her fellow beings. They had
heard that once a year she had walked to
D , and returned with a cart laden with
her year’s provisions, but where she obtained
the means was a mystery to her neighbors.—
But as she lived a quiet, harmless life, no one
disturbed her.
‘lt is just as we supposed,’ continued Rein
hold. ‘ She is partly deraDged, and in her
ydunger days lived at Bellmont, I believe in the
capacity of servant or seamstress, though years
ago she lost her mind, aud was a raving ma
niac in a lunatic asylum; but having partly re
covered her reason, was liberated, and conceiv
ed the idea she was the last descendant of the
Bellmont family, and would pass the remainder
of her days iu tho old family residence. Mrs.
Bryon was a relative, and the sole remaining
heir of the family ; a great portion of the val
uable estate, Mr. Bryon informed me, bad been
squandered by the only son, who died sudden
ly, after a career of vice and dissipation,
though still leaving a very handsome amount
for Mrs. Bryon, and she having formed an at
tachment to this Rachel Clyde in her girlhood,
set apart a regular yearly allowance for her,and
at her death requested her husband to continue
it as long as the unfortunate woman lived.*
‘ltis certainly very kind of him,’ remarked
Mrs. Ralston, but I wonder that they ever
parted with Bellmont.’
• Mr. Bryon is a man that has very few senti
ments of romance in his nature; he looks on
everything in a purely business view. He re
ceived a liberal compensation for the place, and
could turn it to better account in stocks and
bonds, than in allowing it to remain in a pile
of ancestral ruins.’
‘He has been a very successful merchant,
I presume,’ said Mr. Ralston. 4 He was consid
ered a wealthy man when I made that pur
chase, and I know that he had nothing when
he commenced business.’
‘He is one of the richest men in the city—
lives in princely elegance, and his daughters
are looked upon as belles and beauties, and the
whole family pride themselves very much on
their noble blood.' Arthur expatiates largely
upon the virtues of a certain Lord Bellmont,
who was a grandfather, uncle, or something of
the kind, aud he being the last male descend
ant, feels that it devolves on him to keep up the
ancient glory of the house. The Misses Bryon
with Arthur will spend the Christmas holidays
at Mr. Dalzelle’s. So, little sister, you will have
to lay aside your rustic airs, and take a few
lessons in courtly manners; they are not com
ing until after Christmas, but will be here in
time for Ada’s birthday party.’
* Mrs. Dalzelle told me,’ returned Jennie,
‘ that the party will be the most brilliant one
she has given, and you know that is saying a
good deal. But I know she has been preparing
for it, for the last three months. She has had
carpenters, painters, and upholsters at work;
ana in fact, the whole place has undergone a
thorough renovation.’
4 Ada is anticipating gay times, now that she
is released from the thraldom of the school
room, and considers herself a full Hedged
young lady. lam afraid that it will put Jen
nie in the notion of giving up her books,’ and
Mrs. Ralston looked enquiringly at her daugh
ters.
‘ You needn’t have any fears on that score,’
answered Mr. Ralston, before Jennie could re
ply. • Sbe likes too well to be petted, and
made a baby to want to appear as a young
lady.’
4 Well, lather, Jennie has succeeded in blind
ing you more than I thought sbe had, ’ and
yieioboid laughed provokingly, aud looked at t
Hus sister. Time flew unheeded, by the family
f