Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-04-25
MISCEILANY.
THE MAID OF THE MILL.
BY MISS MILFORD.

south OF England, close 10 low t"o
arched bridge, thrown across stream
Of more beauty than consequence, stood
the small irregular dwelling and the pic
turesque buildings Of Rutherford mill.
Many passenger has strayed his step
to admire the old buildings of Hather-
ford mill, backed by its dark orchard,
especially when the accompanying fig
ures, the Jolly miller sitting before the
door, pipe in mouth, and jug in hand;
the mealy millers man, with his white
sack over his shoulder, carefully de-
scending the out-of-door steps, and the
miller's daughter fitting about amongst
her poultry, gave life and motion to the
picture.
The scenery on the other side of the
road was equally attractive in a differ
ent style. Its principal feature was the
great farm Of the parish, an old manor
ial house.
In my mind that was the pleasantcr
scene Of the two; but such could hardly
have been the general opinion, since
nine out Of ten Of the passers by never
vouchsafed glance at the great farm,
but they kept their eyes steadily fixed on
the mill; perhaps TO look at the old
buildings, perhaps at the mlller's young
daughter.
Katy Dawson was accounted, by COM
mon consent, the prcttiest girl in the
parish. A complexion Of the purest
white, a coral lip, and cheek like the
pear, her namesake, on "the side that's
next the sum-" were relieved by rich
curls Of brown hair o! the very hue Of
the glossy rind Of the horse chesnut,
turning when the sun shone on them in
to threads Of gold.
But gay and smiling though she were,
the fair maid Of the mill was little acces-
sble to wooers. Her mother, who had
long since been dead, and her father,
who held her as the very apple OF his
eye, kept her carefully away from the
rustic junketings, at which rural hirta-
tions are usually began. Accordingly,
our village beauty had reached the
age of eighteen without lover. She
had indeed, had two offers; one from
a dashing horse dealer, who, having seen
her for five minutes ono day, when her
father called her to admire a nag that he
was cheapening, proposed for her that
very nigh: asthey were chaffering about
the price, and took the refusal in such
dudgeor, that he would have left the
house utterly inconsolable, had he not
contrivcd to comfort himself by cheating
the offending papa twice as much as he
intended, in his horse bargain. The
other proffer was from thick, sober,
silent, middlenged parsonage, who unit
ed the Offices Of schoolmaster and parish
clerk, all old crony of the good miller's,
in whose little parlour he had smoked his
pipe regularly Saturday evening for the
last thirty years, and who called him
still, from habit, 'young Sam Robinson.
He, one fine evening as they sat togeth-
or smoking outside the door, broke his
accustomed silence with formal de-
mand Of his comrades permission to
: present himself as suitor to Miss Katy; {;
, which permission being, as soon as her
, father could sneak for astonishment, civ
{ lily refused, master Samuel Robinson
addressed himself to his pipe again with
his wonted pblcgm, played manful part
in emptying the ale jug and discussing
the Welch rabbit, re-appeared as usual,
on the following Saturday, and to Judge
from his whole demeanor, seemed en-
tirely to have forgotten his unlucky pro-
posal.
Soon after the rejection of this most
philosophical of all discarded swains, an
important change took place in the
neighbourhood, in the shape Of new
occupant Of the great farm. The quiet,
respectable old couple, who had resided
here for half century, had erected the
mossy sun-dial, and planted the great
mulberry tree, having dete, mined to re-
tire from business, were succeeded by
young tenant from distant county, the
younger son Of gentleman brought up
to agricultural pursuits, whose spirit and
activity, his boldncss in stocking and
cropping, and his scientific management
Of manures and machinery, formed The
strongest possible contrast with the old
world practices of his predecessors. All
the village was full Of admiration of the
intelligent young farmer, Edward Grey,
who being unmarried and Of social dis
position, soon became familiar with high
and low, and was no where a greater
favourise than with his opposite neigh
bour, our good miller.
Katy's first feeling towards her new
acquaintance was an awe altogether diff
ferent from her usual shame-facedness;
genuine fear Of the quicknoss and tai
cnt which broke out not merely in his
conversation, but in every line Of his