Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1829-06-03
MISCELLANEOUS.
DORA CREsWELL.
BIZ Mss Milford.


sauhter along these green lanes Of ours,
in the busy harvest time; the deep verdure
of the hedgerows, and the strong shadow
of the trees, contrasting so wildly with
the fields, partly waving with golden corn,
partly studded with regular piles Of heavy
wheat sheaves: the wholepopulation abroad
the whole earth teeming with lruittulness
and the bright autumn sun careering DER
head amidst the deep blue sky, and t.
deecy clouds of the most glowing and least
tickle of the seasons. Even a solitary
walk Losses its loneliness in the general
cheerfulness of nature. The air is gay
with bees and butterflies; the robin twitters
from among tie ripening hazle-nuts; ana
YOU cannot proceed a quarter of mile,
without eucounteung some merry group
Of leasers, or some long line of majestic
wains, grooming under their rich burthen.
brushing The close hedges on either side,
and knocking their tall tops against the
over-hangug trees, the very image Of
pondgous plenty.
Pleasant, however, as such a procession
is to lpok at, it is somewhat dangerous to
meet especially in a narrow lane; and ]
thought myselfvery fortunate, one day last
Angus, In beng so near 4 FIVE barred gate,
as to be enabled to escape a cortege of la
boures and harvest wagons, sufficiently
bulky and noisy to convey half the wheat
in the parish On they went, men, women
and Children, shouting, laughing and sing
Ing, II Joyous expectation of the coming
harves home; the very wagons nodding
from SIZE to side, as if tlpsy, and threaten
ing evey moment to break down bank, 81
tree and hedge, and crush every obstacle
that opposed them. 1t would have been as
safe to lave encountered the car of Jug
gerHaut; | blessed my stars, and after lean
log on tAe friendly gate until the last
cleaner Ind passed, a ragged rogue of
seven yea, old, who, with hair as white
MS fax, a s,in as brown as a berry, and
. features as uotesque as an Indian idol.
was brandislirg his tufl Of wheat ears, Il
shrickiog forth, m a shrll childish voice
and wt-h a most ludicrous gravity. the
popular song Of "Buy a broom"-ailcr
" a'chiag tbs young gentleman, the urchin
Of my acquaintance as long as a curve in
the lane would permit, turned TO examine
in what spot chance had placed me, and
found before my eyes, another picture of
rural life. but one as different from the one
| | had Just witnessed, as the Arcadan
pheasants of Poussin, from the Doors OF
Teneirs, or weeds from flowers, as poetry
from prose.
/ had taken refuge in a harvest field
belonging to my good neighbour, farmer
/ CreswelI; a beautiful child lay on the
ground at some little distance, whilst a
/ young girl, resting from the labour ofreap-
/ ing. was twisting rustic wreath Of enam-
/ eled corn flowers, brilliant peoples, snow
white lilyblnes and light fragil hare-bells
miaged with tufts OF the richest wheat
Iears, around his hat.
There WAS something in the Vendei
youthfulness of these two innocent Great,
ures; IN the pretty, thong somewhat fan.
tas,ic. occupation of the girl, the fresl
wld-Gowers, the ripe and swelling corn,
| that harmonlzed with the season and tic
I hour. and conjured up memories of "Dis
and Prosperine.0 & of all that is gorceou.
and gratefcl in old mythology; ofthe lovely
/ Lavinia of our own poet, and of that fines
/ pastoral of the world, the far lovelier Ruth
But these faucilul associations soon van
ished before the real sympathy excited b,
/ the actors ofthe scene, both of whom yer,
/ known to me- and both objects of sincere
and lively ioterest.
The young gJrl, Dora Cresswel. wa.
the orphan niece of one Of the weaIthies
! women in our part Of The world, the only
child of his only brother; and having los
/ both her parents whilst still an infant, hac
been reared by her widowed uncle as fond
" and carefully as his own son Walter
He said that he loved her quite as well
perhaps he loved Der better; for though i
was impossible for father not TO be prou,
of the bold, handsome youth who at eigh
teen had mans strength and a man.
stature, was the best ringer, the best crick
cter, and the best shot in the country; We
the fair Dora. who, nearly ten year:
/ younger, was at once his hand maid, hi.
housekeeper, his plaything, and his com
( panion, was evidently the apple ofhis eye
Our good farmer vaunted her accomplish
ments, as men of his class are wont tt
beast Of high bred horse, or fayonlc
greyhound.
She could make a shirt and a pudding
darn stockings, rear poultry, keep accounts
and read the newspaper; was as famous
for goosberry wine as Mrs. Primrose, anC
could compound a sy llabub with any dairy
] IT,