LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 782, 22 December 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THE MILLER’S DAUGHTER. {From the Danbury News.) It’s no use talking, Bob, I’m determined to go. You know what Byron says about the pleasures of the pathless woods, the rapture of the lonely shore.’ ‘Oh ! nonsense, Guy. But you may well aay it’s no use. When a man begins to quote Byron there’s no telling to what lengths his insane fancy may carry him. By Jove ! It’s incredible, though, that you, the rich Guy Marstou, the idol of fond mammas and ambitious daughters, should turn aside from the glorious pleasures of Long Branch to isolate ,yourself in some crazy old farm house, miles from civilization.’ ‘But, seriously speaking, Bob, I’m tired of the conventionalities of a swallow-tail and white kids, and long to breathe a freer atmosphere. ’ s *Oh 1 yes—there yon go again, * conventionalities,’ ‘longings,’ * freer atmosphere, ’ and all that sort of bosh—deuced fine sentiments. I can imagine you, Guy, a huge sombrero on your head, a pipe in your mouth and a stick in your hand —a cross between a tramp and a hostler —sitting by the ‘ salt sea waves,’ cursing the mosquitoes and mouthing bombastic quotations from the poets. What a fall from your pristine dignity.’ ‘ Really, Bob, you’re becoming quite eloquent,’laughed Guy, ‘yet, despite your heroics, I still adhere to ray resolution. Perhaps, after all* I shall have a better time than you.’

* Impossible,’ replied Bob, * unlesa you become a second King Cophetua, or make love to ‘ the miller’s daughter,’ as Tennyson suya. ’ ‘Since when, pray, have you been reading Tennyson ? But here we are,’ and as he spoke, the train stopped at the long depot ol the ‘Branch,’ with its promiscuous throng of belles and ‘swells,’ lackeys and bootjacks, gamblers, statesmen, peddlers and merchant princes, its long line of vehicles of all desci’iptions, and its huge pile of trunks, around which seemed to flow a never-ceasing stream of railroad profanity. Here the friends parted—Bob to plunge into the giddy round of pleasures of the prince of watering places, and Guy to pursue his journey after quietness. ‘ Bye-bye ! take care of yourself, old fellow !’ cried Bob from the platform, and the train sped away, past the long rows of cottages which hung like a fringe upon the blue mantle of the ocean, and into the pine barrens to the southward. Soon wearying of the monotonous scenery, Guy made one or two futile attempts to become interested in * Middlemarch’—a rash purchase from the news agent at the depot—and at length fell into a quiet doze. His slumber, however, were of short duration, for he was soon rudely aroused by the clamor of the brakemen, who were shouting with all that richness of tone for which they are famous, ‘ Secomba a-a 1’ This was Guy’s destination, so mechanically grasping his modest valise, he rubbed his eyes and, under the guidance of the conductor, reached the platform, and, still but half conscious of his movements, made his way thence to terra firm a. The train at once continued its way, and our friend stood inanely staring after it till it disappeared from sight; then he looked around him. Nothing met his astonished gaze but the solitary track, a vast surrounding wilderness, a rickety platform, and a board, which, fastened to an adjacent tree, informed the hapless traveller, in letters almost obliterated by the action of the elements, that this was * Secomba. ’ Now when Guj had decided to spend the summer in some quiet country village, he had pitched upon this Secomba more on account of it position on the map and its innocence of notoriety, than because of any authentic information concerning its size and the manners of its inhabitants. Concerning these facts he could obtain no information, and yet, with a blind confidence in his luck, he had set out for this unknown paradise to find himself, upon reaching it, miles, in all likelihood, from any human habitation. Dejectedly he sank down upon the steps of the little platform and pondered over the situation. To go back was out of the question ; to go forward, equally impracticable. The nearest station in any direction was fifteen miles distant, and already the afternoon was fast merging into twilight. Sadly he gazed around him, when suddenly he caught a glimpse of a footpath leading off into the woods to his right. Advancing towards it he found, much to his delight, that there was really a road, though the verdure with which it was covered and the webs which the industrious spiders had spun from branch to branch across it, would not seem to indicate a much frequented route. Reasoning, however, that a road must from its very nature have an end as well as a beginning, he cheerfully set out upon his dubious way, vigorously puffing his cigar, and now and then whistling a bar or two of his favorite opera. Deeper and deeper into the gloom he plunged, and still no footprints but his own appeared upon the moist earth around him; no sound was heard but the melancholy note of a distant crow and the chirp of the lively cricket, aud no break appeared in the green walls which seemed to shut him in from the world. Suddenly his path terminated at a wider highway, along Avhich Guy could discern, to his great gratification, the inarms of recent travel. After hesitating a moment, he turned to his right and pursued his journey with renewed vigor, momentarily expecting to reach some cottage in the wilderness, one of those retreats ‘ far from the madding crowd’ which he used to dream about when afflicted with the ‘blues.’ Nothing of the kind greeted his eyes, however, for his pathway continuing to descend, brought him at length to a small swamp through the middle of which trickled a little brook or ‘ run,’ as they are termed in that part of the country. Across the narrower portion of this stream was thrown a diminutive bridge for foot passengers, while a little lower down the water became shallow enough to enable a carnage to cross, and at the same time afforded the casual traveller an opportunity to water his horses. Making his way through the swamp with infinite damage to his Oxford ties and silk stockings, Guy reached the litcle footbridge. Pleased with the quiet beauty of the scene around him, he sat down his valise, and, leaning upon the single trembling handrail of the crazy structure, gazed down upon the clear water beneath, placidly flowing over its glittering bed of white sand, and soon became lost in one of those reveries peculiar to romantic minds. But in these cold, matter-of-fact days, the visionary dreamer gets many a hard knock from the obtrusive corners of harsh realities, aud it oftimes becomes the part of prudence to smother our romantic aspirations with unsparing hand, lest our dreams come to a bitter conclusion. Just as Guy, yielding to the influence of the same, was quoting aloud those peculiar lines : ‘ Men may come and men may go, But I go on forevci',’ his slender support suddenly gave way, and he was thrown into the streaxxx beneath, followed by his valise aud the planks upon which he had been standing. The shallowness of the water rendered the chance of drowning but slight, yet our unfortunate friend found that like many difficulties into which men plunge, it was easier to get in than to got out. At length, after several hard struggles, each of which served to besmear him with a still tlxicker coat of the tenacious black mud of the swamp, he reached the bank, and then devoted his energies to securing his hat and valise, both of which were tranquilly drifting down the stream. Recovering thexrx at last, he suddenly become conscious of the fact that both his shoes were missing. Whether berne on the surface of the stream, they had drifted off into the wilderness, or whether they had

found a grave in the muddy abyss around him, the strictest search failed to disclose. As he began to understand the nature of his position with all the evils that attended it, he leaned against a tree, and, totally overcome by his succession of misfortunes, gave vent to his feelings in a torrent of expletives more forcible than polite. As he paused at length from lack of breath to continue his passionate soliloquy, a merry peal of laughter greeted his jrartled ears, and looking up in amazement, he saw in close proximity to him, a nondescript sort of vehicle, drawn by one horse and containing two very pretty young ladies, who, he felt confident, had been spectators of the whole of the recent catastrophe. Now Guy was an extremely sensitive young gentleman, though extreme sensibility is not a common weakness among the youth of this generation. The mere thought that he had been an object of ridicule to two persons of the opposite sex brought a roseate blush to his begrimed features and made him painfully conscious of his moist and disordered apparel. Observing that the merriment which had so startled him came from but one of the party, a piquant brunette, while the other was striving to suppress her mirth in an attempt to regain the reins, which had fallen to the ground from the relaxed hand of her companion, he advanced towards the latter as being the more polite of the two. Picking up the reins and handing them to the lady, he made one of his best bows, albeit its effect was slightly marred by the streams of water which trickled down his features from the upraised hat. Looking up, he found himself gazing into the depths of a pair of beautiful brown eyes, which, gleaming with suppressed merriment, sent a strange thrill through his bosom. Lost in admiration, he remained, mute, nor did he break silence till a second burst of laughter from the brunette brought him to his senses. Conscious of the absurdity of his attitude, he managed at length to stammer an inquiry as to the nearness of a hotel. ‘About sixteen miles,’ replied the maiden with the brown eyes, smiling in spite of herself. A heartrending groan escaped the unfortunate Guy as he thought of the lateness of the hour, the weariness of his limbs, and the unprotected state of his feet. The beauty seemed to appreciate his position, for, with a glance of pity, she said, simply : * If you will ride on with us, I think I can find a place where you can remain a day or two, which is all you require, I presume.’ ‘ Anywhere, anywhere, oat of this infernal —Excuse me, I mean 1 shall be happy to accept your kind invitation,’ hastily ejaculated Guy, and without waiting for a second offer, he scrambled into the waggon with more haste than grace, and regardless of the brunette’s sarcastic glance, ensconsed himself upon a bag of meal behind the single seat occupied by the young ladies. Slowly the party were dragged through the swamp and out into the open country. The road was sandy, the horse slow, and the mosquitos plentiful—three evils which, under ordinary circumstances, would have thoroughly disgusted the aristocratic Guy. But from some cause the journey seemed all too short, when, after an hour’s travel, they stopped at a quaint old mill seen dimly through the thickening twilight. (To he continued.)