Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-12-03

| stance and gravity, not mtrch turned OF
fifty aud Daniel lubh, one Of Sir johns
gardeners, a sirapping red haired youth,
as comely aud merry as herself-wcre
severaliy recommended, by the old and
young, AS hitting matches Tor the pretty
mistress Of the rolls. But Sally silcn-
ced Mr. Thompson's fine speeches by
a very stout, sturdy, steady mo" and
! even inflicted a similar sentence ul-
though 50 mildly, that Daniel did not
quite despair, on his young rival; for
Sally, who WINS Seventeen last Candle
mas-day, had boen engaged these three
years!
The love affair had begun at tho Free
School at AberIeigh; and the object Of
it, by name Stephen Long, was tho son
of a little farmer in the Neighborhood,
ard about the same aye with his fair
mistress. There the resemblance cea-
scd, for Stephen had been as incompar-
ably tho shortest and ugliesi boy IN the
school, as Sally was tho tallest and the
preltiest girl-being indeed Of that stunt
ed and Jarge-headed appearance, which
betokens a dwarf, and is usually accom-
panied by features as unpleasant in their
expression as thoy are grotesque IN
their form. But then ho was the head
boy; and being held up by tho master as
a miracle Of reading, writing and cy-
phoring, was a person of no small i'm
Portance at Aborleigh; and Sally being
with all her clevcrness something ol q
Ounce, owed to Stephen much obl'ga-
! ton for assistance in the school bust
ness. He arranged, cast up, and set in
order on the slate, the few struggling
figures which poor Sally called her sum
painted over, and reduced to some
thing like form tho misshappcn and dis
jointed letters in her copy b~ook-learnt
all her lessons himself, and tried most
Intellectually to teach them to her-and
finally, covered her uncomfortable want
Of memory by tho loudost and boldest
prompting ever hoard out Of a theatre.
Many a rap Of the knucklss have Sally
North's plumbers cost Stephen Long. and
vainly did the master admonish him to
hold his tongue. Prompt no would
although SO incorrigibly stupid was his
fair mistress, that, even when tho words
wero put into her mouth, she stumbled at
repeating them; and Stephens olicious
kindness commonly ended in their boing
punished in company-a consummatlon,
for his share OF which the boy was gal
liant enough to rejoice. She was fully
sensible Of this factoring devotion, aud
repaid it, as far as lay in her powor, by
taking him under her protection at play.
times, in return for tho services which no
rendered her in school; and becoming
more and moro bound TO him by a series
Of mutual good Offices, finished by vim
dicaiing his ugllness, denying his pcdant-
ny, and, when twitted with his dwaifish-
mesa, boldly predicting that no would
grow. They walked together, talked
together, laughed, romped, and quarrell-
ed - in short it was a decided attachment;
and when IL village Romeo was taken
as at apprentice, by a cousin of his
mother's-a respectable hosior in Cheap
side it is on record that his Juliet
the lightest-hearted parsonage in tho
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES for an hour aud
moped for Il day. All the school stood
amazed at her c%on.tancy!
Stephen, on his side, bore tho test Of
absence, like a knight Of Amadis' day.
Nevor was preur chevalier SO devoted
to the lady of his lovo. Evciy letter
home contained some tender message or
fond inquiry f; and although the mess'-
ges became gradually less and less @n-
to!ligible, as the small ~pedantry of the
country school boy ripened into the full
blown affec,ation Of the London appren-
| tice, still Sally was far from quarrelling
with a love-message, IN SO small u
ground as not understanding it whilst,
however mysterious his words might
seem, his presents spoke his affection in
a more homoly and convincing language.
or such tokens there was no lack. The
very first packet that he sent home, con
sistiDg Of worstad mittens for his old
grandmother, u pair Of cotton hose for
his sister, and a night cap for his father,
contained also a pair of scarlet carriers
for Sally ; which attention was followed
up on every opportunity by Pin-cushions,
ribbons, ,himbles, needlc-cases, and as
great a variety Of female ware as that
which A%utulycus' basket was furnished
with. No wonder that Sally, in spite OF
occasional airtations with Daniel Tub,
continued tolerably constant especial
~ as n of Stephens sisters, who had
been at service in London, affirmed that
he SO much improved, as to BIO one OF
the smartest beaux in all Cheapside.
So a.fairs continued until the identical
Valentines Day. Last Spring, a writ
ten Valentine, exceedingly choice in its
decorations, had made its appearance al
Master North's, rather out of date, il