Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-11-10


ing nod, with the fine healthy looking
young gentlemen around them. They
are soon interruptcd:--one complains of
the loss Of her thimble-anothcr that her
thread has been taken away-and a third
that the fellows plague her 50 that she
won't work, not touch to, and III lew
moments Babcl-!ike confusion is effect
ed-very much to the satisfaction Of all
parties. The owner Of the quilt now III
terfcrcs, and carefully removes the quilt
ing frame, blushng all the while, at the
good naturcd jokes ol'the young men, re-
lative to herself, her quilt, and her lover,
whO--if she is fortunate enough to have
one--is pretty sure to be present. The
scene is now all life and gaicty. In one
part Of the room may be seen the student
of the old village Doctor, amusing, and
astonishing by his quotations of Latin;
and laughing at the amazement of his
friends. Hard by is the school master
Of the district--a privileged and favored
.pcrsonagc--you may know him by his
pale checks and fair hands. lie is lean
ing familarly over the chair Of a pretty
giri--thc very laircst in the room. She
Is telling his fortune, by the old and Gu
rious method Of palmlstry--tracing out
with her pretty fingers, the various lines
OF good and bad fortune which lntcrscct
the hand OF the master There are
strange bushes on her check, and they
steal at times, even to her neck, with a
variable and beautiful play of coloring.
She knows that the eye of the general
fayoritc is upon her, and her young
heart is thrilling with a new sense of Joy.
Nor will her pleasant dream be broken
in upon by disappointment. There is
admiration and honest love, but nothing
olthc dccctlul and the designing, in the
gaze OF her lover.
Meanwhile the sports of the evening
90 on--thc "Blind mans Buff" with its
old encounters and ridiculous mishaps--
the play of Iawns' with its kindly pres
sure of the 6ngcrs-thc whirling of a
pewter plate lin default ofcatching which,
before its revolution ceases, the dclin-
qucnt, if male, is doomed to kiss all the
fair checks in the company, and, rice
rerSa if a female. Then, too, there is
the mock marriage ceremony Of lcaping
over the broomstick-a pretty certain
precursor of that more imposing ccrc-
mony, whose bonds arc broken orly by
death.
But-thc evening passes away al
most inscnsibly, and the time Of depar-
turc arrives. The slcighs are speedily
laden with the merry company--and the
jingle of bells, and the loud cheers from
one vehicle to anothcr--and the rich
toned laugh of the fair travellers, break
upon the calm cold air of midnight.
There is nothing on earth like a sleigh
ride by moon-light--when the path is
smoothly worn--and the horse springs
onward as freely and lightly as if he
were running wild in the desert and re-
joicing in his untamcd freedom.
! We can duly appreciate the blessings
of refined socicty--we know how much
the rugged aspcrities of our nature are
soitcncd by an intercourse with those
whose minds and feelings have received
the polish Of education and fashion. Our
sole object iii the above hasty sketch,
has been to convince those who from
education and habit have learned to hold
in contempt the simple pastime of our
ancestors, that the pure thrill OF oipleasure
may be awakened in the rustic farm
house, as well as in the gay halls ofiash-
ion, where the chastencd and rich light
lends deeper beauty to the fair brow
with it's wreathing tresses, and wilder
lustre to the laughing eye, and where
music melts upon the ear like very
dream If melody and love