The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 17, No. 101, March, 1866 | Page 5

to the man's missing wife, how much desire and

resolution of doing her duty by her husband can a wife retain, while
injuring him in what is deemed the most essential point?
Observation. The effect of morning sunshine on the wet grass, on
sloping and swelling land, between the spectator and the sun at some
distance, as across a lawn. It diffused a dim brilliancy over the whole
surface of the field. The mists, slow-rising farther off, part resting on
the earth, the remainder of the column already ascending so high that
you doubt whether to call it a fog or a cloud.
* * * * *
Friday, July 28th.--Saw my classmate and formerly intimate friend,
Cilley, for the first time since we graduated. He has met with good
success in life, in spite of circumstance, having struggled upward
against bitter opposition, by the force of his own abilities, to be a
member of Congress, after having been for some time the leader of his
party in the State Legislature. We met like old friends, and conversed
almost as freely as we used to do in college days, twelve years ago and
more. He is a singular man, shrewd, crafty, insinuating, with wonderful
tact, seizing on each man by his manageable point, and using him for
his own purpose, often without the man's suspecting that he is made a
tool of; and yet, artificial as his character would seem to be, his
conversation, at least to myself, was full of natural feeling, the
expression of which can hardly be mistaken, and his revelations with
regard to himself had really a great deal of frankness. He spoke of his
ambition, of the obstacles which he had encountered, of the means by
which he had overcome them, imputing great efficacy to his personal
intercourse with people, and his study of their characters; then of his
course as a member of the Legislature and Speaker, and his style of
speaking and its effects; of the dishonorable things which had been
imputed to him, and in what manner he had repelled the charges. In
short, he would seem to have opened himself very freely as to his
public life. Then, as to his private affairs, he spoke of his marriage, of
his wife, his children, and told me, with tears in his eyes, of the death
of a dear little girl, and how it affected him, and how impossible it had
been for him to believe that she was really to die. A man of the most

open nature might well have been more reserved to a friend, after
twelve years' separation, than Cilley was to me. Nevertheless, he is
really a crafty man, concealing, like a murder-secret, anything that it is
not good for him to have known. He by no means feigns the
good-feeling that he professes, nor is there anything affected in the
frankness of his conversation; and it is this that makes him so very
fascinating. There is such a quantity of truth and kindliness and warm
affections, that a man's heart opens to him, in spite of himself. He
deceives by truth. And not only is he crafty, but, when occasion
demands, bold and fierce as a tiger, determined, and even
straightforward and undisguised in his measures,--a daring fellow as
well as a sly one. Yet, notwithstanding his consummate art, the general
estimate of his character seems to be pretty just. Hardly anybody,
probably, thinks him better than he is, and many think him worse.
Nevertheless, if no overwhelming discovery of rascality be made, he
will always possess influence; though I should hardly think that he
would take any prominent part in Congress. As to any rascality, I rather
believe that he has thought out for himself a much higher system of
morality than any natural integrity would have prompted him to adopt;
that he has seen the thorough advantage of morality and honesty; and
the sentiment of these qualities has now got into his mind and spirit,
and pretty well impregnated them. I believe him to be about as honest
as the great run of the world, with something even approaching to
high-mindedness. His person in some degree accords with his
character,--thin and with a thin face, sharp features, sallow, a projecting
brow not very high, deep-set eyes, an insinuating smile and look, when
he meets you, and is about to address you. I should think that he would
do away with this peculiar expression, for it reveals more of himself
than can be detected in any other way, in personal intercourse with him.
Upon the whole, I have quite a good liking for him, and mean to go to
Thomaston to see him.
Observation. A steam-engine across the river, which almost continually
during the day, and sometimes all