The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-01-25

oiu '"iipdll''ti, IL SilFeT pencil case, anu
that prospect faded away. A slight open
ing of Dryden's heavily bound volume gave
another glimner of sunshine, hut it proved
to be sprig of myrtle in Palauon and
Acrlte Kate Leslie's elegant mark.
This circumstance recalled the recollec-
ton of ny pretty friend. Could she have
been the cul prit? And began to ponder
over all the instances of unconscious KEY
stealing that had heard of amongst my
acquaintance. Now my old friend Aunt
Martha. had been so we'll known for that
propensity as to be regularly sought after
whenever the keys were missing; and my
young friend Edward Harley, from TIE hab-
it of twisting something round his fingers
during his eloquent talk, people used to pro-
vide another eloquent talker, Madame de
Stael, with willow twig for tho purpose)
had once caught up and carried away a
key, also Bramah, belonging to Lawyers
bureau, thereby as the Lawyer affirmed,
causing the loss of several lawsuits to him
self and his clients. Neither Aunt Martha
or Edward had been near the place: but
Kate Leslie might be SUBJECT to absent fits
and might in a paroxysrn, have abstraeted
my keys; at all events it was worth trying
So wrote her note to go by the post in
the evening, flor Kate, | grieve to say,
lives about twenty miles off, and determn-
ed to await her reply, and think no more OF
my calamity.
A wise resolution! hut like many other
wise resolves, easier made than kept
Even if | could have forgotten my loss, my
own household would not have let me.
The cook with professional calousness,
came to demand sugar for the current pud-
ding, and the sugar was in the store room,
and the store room locked scarcely had I
recovered frcm this shock before Anne
came to inform NE that there was no oil in
the cruet, and that the flask was in the eel
lar, snugly reposng | suppose by the side
of the Schiedam, so that'if for weariness
could have eaten there was no dinner to
eat, for without the salad who would take
the meat? However being alone this sig
nified little; much less than circumstance
Of which was reminded by my note to
Kate Leslie, namely that in my desk were
two very important letters, one triple and
ranked for that very night; as well as a
corrected proof sheet for which the press
was waiting and that all these dispatches
were to be seat eff by tho post this evening
Reused by this extremity, carried my
troubles and my writing desk to my good
friend the hlacksmith-a civil, intelligent
man who synpathized with my distress,
sighed, shook his head, uttered the word
Bramah! and thought my perplexity was
nearly at its height when, as was vending
slowly homeward. my sorrow was brought
to climax 10y my being overtaken by one
of the friends whom l admire and honor
most in the world-a person whom all the
world admires-who told Ine in her prettest
way, that she was glad to see me near my
own gate, for that she was coming TO drink
tea with me.
Here was a calamity The lady Mary
H., professed tea drinker-a green tea
drinker, one lit was point of sympathy be-
tween us) who took nothing but tea and wa
ter, therefore required that gentle and. lady
like stimulant in perfection. Lady Mary
come to drink.tea with me: and l with no.
thing better to offer her than tea from the
shop-the village shop-hohea or souchong,
or whatever they might call the vile mix
ture. Tea from the shop for Lady Macy
Ill luck could 60 no further it was the ex-
tremity of small distress.
" Her ladyship is, however, as kind as she
is charming, and bore our mutual misfor-
tune with great fortitude admired my gar
den, praised my geraniums, and tried to
make me forget my calamity. Her kind
ness was thrown away. could not even
laugh at myself, or find beauty in my flow
ers or be pleased with her fattering them.
tried however to do the honors by my
plants; and in placing a largo night scented
stock, which was beginning to emit its odor,
upon the table, | struck against the edge,
and found something hard under my belt.
MY keys, my keys ~ cried I, untying
the ribbon, as heard most pleasant jim
gle upon the floor, and the lost keys, sure
enough, they were; deposited there, of
course, by my own hand unfelt, unseen,
and unsupported, during our long and wea-
ry search. Since the adventure of my dear
friend Mrs. S., who hunted whole morn
ing for her spectacles, whilst they were
comfortably perched'upon her nose, l have
met with nothing so silly and perplexlng.
"But my, troubles were over-my Attic
ton at an end.
1.-THE strawberries were sent to the dear
little girls, and the Schiedam to the good
farmer; and the warrants to the CLERK
The tax gatheier called for his money let
tiers and proofs went to the post; and new
er in my life did enjoy cup of Twining's
green tea so much, as the one which lady
Mary and took after my day of distress"
The Snow BIRD of America is remark
ed among ornithologists for the obscurity
which hangs round its history. On the first
approach of winter, it suddenly makes its
appearance at the farm house, apparently
driven by the inclemency of the weather
to the society of man. Whence it comes,
no one can tell and whittier it goes, flor
Its exit is as sudden as its entrancel no one
has yet been able to discover. 1t is sup
posed by seine 10 be in reality another bird,
only that its plumage, by some mysterious
and irresistible power, has been suddenly
changed. 1t delights TO hover near hay
ricks, feeding on the wheat they contain ;
while IN very bleak weather, when the
ground is clad with universal snow, and the
air is piercingly cold, it may he easily at
. tracted to the parlor window, by throwing
forth few crumbs-the desoation of its
lot, causing it to forget its natural fear Of
man. There is feeling of melancholy
passing over the mind when the bleak and
dreary landscape, deserted by all other ten
ants of the air, is only enlvened with the
presence Of the mournful Snow Bird. Yet,
even in the bitterest weather, he is always
gay and lively; and the desolation of the
scenery around him seems to have no sad
dening effect upon his cheerful heart.
EPITApH
On a stone in the Church gard at Langto,cn, in
Cumberland, Eng