Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-08-15

ting cheerily, and the little Highland COW,
whose milk enabled them 10 live, were
standing amicably together, under cover
Of rude shed, of which one side was
formed by The peat stack, and which was
at once byre, aud stable, and hen-roost.
Within, the clock licked cheerfuliy as The
fire-liglt reached IFS old osk.woo case
across the yeiiow-sanded Goor--and a
small round table stood between, covered
with snow-white cloth, on which were
milk and oat-cakes, tie morning, midday,
and evening meal of these frugal and con-
tented cotters. The spades and the mat
! locks Of the laborer were collected into
one corner, and showed that the succeed
ing day was the blessed Sabbath OF,
the wooden chimney piece was seen lying
an open Bible ready for family worship.
The father and the mother were sitting
together without opening their lips, but
with their hearts overHowipg with happi-
ness, for on this Saturday might they were,
every minute, expecting TO hear at the
latch the hand of their only daughter, a
maiden Of about fifteen years, who was
at service with farmer over the hills.
This dutiful child was, as they knew, to
bring home TO them !" her sair-worn penny
fee," pittance which, in the beauty of
her sirl-hood, she earned singing at her
work, and which, in the benignity Of that
sinless time, she would pour with tears
into the bosoms she SO dearly loved.
Forty shiIlings year were all the wages
of sweet Hannah Lee--but though she
wore az her labor tortoise-sheIi comb in
her auburn hair, and though in the kirk
none were more becomingly srrayed than
she, one half, at least, of her earnings
we're TO be reserved for the hottest Of all
purposes, and her kind innocent heart was
gladdeued when she looked on the little
purse that was, on the long-expected Sat
tlrday might. TO be taken from her bosom.
and put, with blessing, into the hand OF
her father, now growing old at his daily
tolls.
OF snch child the happy cotters were
thinking in their silence. And we'll might
they be called happy. Il is at that sweet
season that fiIiai p.sty is most beautiful.
Their own Hannah, had just outgrown
the mere unthinking giadness of child
hood, but had not yet reached that time,
when inevitable seIfshness mixes with
the pure current of love. She had begun
TO think on what her affeclionate heart
had felt SO long; and when she looked on
the pale face and bending frame of her
mother, on the deepening wrinkles and
whiteninshairs of her father, often would
she lie weeping for their sakes on her
midnight bed--aud wish that she was be-
side them as they slept, that she might
kneel down and kiss them, and mention
their names over aud over again in her
prayer. The parents whom before she had
only loved, her expanding heart now also
venerated. With gushing tenderness was
now mingled holy fear and an awful
reverence. She had discerned the rela-
ton in which she, an only child, stood
to her poor parents now that they were
getting old, aud there was not passage
III Scripture that spake of parents or of
children, from Joseph sold 10 slavery, TO
Mary weeping below the Cross, that was
not written. never to be obliterated, on
her uncorrupted heart.
The father rose from his seat, and went
to the door to look out into the night
The stars we're in thousands-aud the full
moon was risen. 1t was almost light as
day, aud the snow, that seemed encrusted
with diamonds, was SO hardened by the
frost, that his daughters homeward feet
would leave no mark on its surface. He
had been toiling all day among the distant
Castle woods, and, stiff and wearied as he
now was, he was almost tempted to 60 to
meet his child--but his wife's kind voice
dissuaded him, aud returning to the fire.
side, they began to talk of her whose i'm.
age. had been so long passing before them
10 their silence.
"She is growing up to be bonny lassie,"
said the mother, " her long ard weary
attendance on me during my fever last
spring kept her down awhile--but now
she is sprouting fast and fair as lily, and
may the blessing Of God be as dew aud
as sunshine 10 our sweet flower all the
days she bloometh upon this EARTH" "Aye
Agnes" replied the father, /" We are not
very old yet--though We are getting old
Grand few years will bring her to wo-
mans estate, and what thing on earth,
think ye, human or brute, would ever
think of injuring her? Why was speak
ing about her yesterday to the minister as
he was riding by, and he told me that
none answered at the examination in the
kirk SO well as Hannah. Poor thiog-I
we'll think she has all the bible by heart
indeed, she has read but little else--only
some stories, too true ones, Of the blessed
martyrs, aud some O. the auId sangs o
c~o,Iond IN xph;ch thawa 10 noth;n,r h.,,