Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-01-02

rival of an intimate friend at Aberleigh
rectory, caused me frequently to pass
the lonely farmhouse, and threw this
interesting family again under my obser-
walton.
The first time hat | saw them was on
a bright evening, while the nightingale
was yet in the coppice, the bfiar-rose
blossoming in the hedge, and the sweet
scent Of the bean-fields pertaining the
air; Mrs. Lucas, still lovely and elegant,
though somewhat faded and care-worn.
was walking pensively up and down the
grass path Of the pretty flower COURT
her eldest daughter, a rosy, bright bru-
nette, with her dark hair floating in oil
directions, was darling about like a bird;
now tying up the pinks, now watering
the geraniums, now collecting the fallen
rose-leaves into the straw bonnet which
dangled from her arm; and now feeding
a brood of bantams, from a little barley
measure, which that sagacious and ac-
tive colony seemed to recognise as if by
instinct, coming long before she called
them, at their swi!test pace, between a
run and a fly, to await with their usual
noisy and busting impotence the showers
Of grain which she flung to them across
the paling. 1t was a beautiful picture Of
youth, and health, and happiness; and
her clear gay voice, and brilliant smile,
accorded well with a shape and motion
as light as a butterfly, and as wild as the
wind. A beautiful picture was that rosy
lass of fifteen in her unconscious lowell
ness, and l might have continued gazing
on her longer, had ! not been attracted
by an object no less charming, although
in a very different way.
1t was a slight, elegant girl, apparently
about a year younger than the pretty
romp of the flower garden, not unlike
her in form and feature, but totally dis
tinci in colouring and expression.
She sat in the old porch, wreathed
with %jessamine and honeysuckle, with
the western sun floating around her like
a glory, and displaying the singular beau
ty Of her chesnut hair, brown with a
golden light, and the exceeding deIicacy
Of her smooth and finely grained COM
plexion, so pale, and yet SO healthful.
Her whole face and form had a bending
and statue-like grace, increased by the
al adjustment of her splendid hair, which
was parted on her white forehead, and
gathered up behind in a large knot-a
natural coronet. Her eyebrows and long
eyelashes were a few shades darker than
her hair, and singuIarly rich and beauti-
full. She was plating straw rapidly and
skilfully, and bent over her work with a
mild and placid attention, a sedate pen
~sivencss, that did not belong to her age,
and which contrasted strangely and sad
ly with the gayety of her laughing and
brilliant SITTER, who at this moment darted
up to her with a handful of pinks and
some groundsel. Jessy received them
with a smile-such a smile!-spoke a
few words in a sweet signing voice; put
the flowers in her bosom, and the ground
sci in the cage Of a linnet that hung near
her; and then resumed her seat and her
work, initiating better than l have ever
heard them initiated, the various notes
Of a nightingale who was singing in the
opposite hedge; whilst /, ashamed of
lettering longer, passed on.
The next time l saw her, my interest
in this lovely creature was increased
~tenfoId-for then knew that Jessy was
blind, a misfortune always so touching,
especially affecting by the personal
character Of the individual. We soon
became acquainted, and even intimate,
under the benign auspices Of the kind
mistress of the rectory; and every inter-
view served to increase the interest ex-
cited by the whole family-and, most Of
all, by the sweet blind girl.
Never was any human being more
gentle, generous, and grateful. or more
unfeignedly resigned to her great calam-
ity. The pensiveness that marked her
character arose, as l soon5 perceived,
from a different source. Her blindness
had been of recent occurrence, arising
from inflammation unskilfully treated,
and was pronounced incurable; but, from
coming on so lately, it admitted ofseveral
al~leviatfons, ofwhich she was accustom-
ed to speak with a devout and tender
gratitude. sShe could work. she said,
6 as well as ever; and cut out, and write,
and dress herself, and keep the keys,and
run errands in the house she knew so
well, without making any mistake or
confusion. Reading, to be sure, she had
given up, and drawing; and some day
or other she would show me, only hat it
seemed vain, some verses which her dear
brother William had written upon a group
Of wild flowers, which she had begun be-
fore her misfortune. o, it was almost
worth while to be blind, to be the sub