The majority of the girls of his
acquaintance had a manner rather than an individuality, and looked and
acted much the same whenever he saw them. They were conventionalized
after some received country type, and although farmers' daughters, they
seemed unnatural to this lover of nature. Allowing for the difference in
years, Amy was as devoid of self-consciousness as Alf or Johnnie. Not the
slightest trace of mannerism perverted her girlish ways. She moved,
talked, and acted with no more effort or thought of effort than had the
bluebirds that were passing to and fro with their simple notes and
graceful flight, She was nature in its phase of girlhood. To one of his
temperament and training the perfect day itself would have been full of
unalloyed enjoyment, although occupied with his ordinary labors; but for
some reason this unpremeditated holiday, with Amy's companionship, gave
him a pleasure before unknown--a pleasure deep and satisfying, unmarred
by jarring discords or uneasy protests of conscience or reason. Truly, on
this spring day a "first time" came to him, a new element was entering
into his life. He did not think of defining it; he did not even recognize
it, except in the old and general way that Amy's presence had enriched them
all, and in his own case had arrested a tendency to become materialistic
and narrow. On a like day the year before he would have been absorbed in
the occupations of the farm, and merely conscious to a certain extent of
the sky above him and the bird song and beauty around him.
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