Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-11-08
From tho Violet for 1889.
THE COTTAGER.
BY MRS. l.. II. sIGoURNEY.

BY MRS. L. II. sIGOURNEY.
There was a laboring man, who built cot
tape for himself and his wife. A dark grey
rock overhung it, and helped to keep it from
the winds.
When his cottage was finished, he thought
he would paint it grey, like the rock. And
so exactly did he get the same shade of the
colour, that it looked almost as If the little
dwelling sprang from the bosom 0! the rock
that sheltered It.
After while, The cottagor became able to
purchase a cow. In the summer, she picked
up most of her own living very well. But in
the winter, she needed to be fed and kept
from the cold.
So he built barn for her. It was so
small, that it looked more like shed, than
barn. But it was quite warm and comior'
table.
When it was done, ncighbor came in,
and said, "what color will you paint your
barn."
~ had not thought about that" said the
cottnger.
"Then advise you, by all means, to paint
il black and here is pot OF black paint,
which have brought on purpose to give you" J"
Soon, another neghbor, coming in, praised
his neat shed, and expressed a wish To help
him little about his building "Whtc is
by far the most genteel color" he added.
sand here is a pot of white paint, Of which
make you present"
While he was in doubt, which Of the gifts
TO use, the eldest and wisest man in the vii
lage came to visit him. His hair was entirely
white, and every body loved him, for he was
good, as well as wise.
When the co,tager had told him the story
Of the pots of paint, the old man said, 1" he
who gave you the black paint, is one who
dislikcs You, and wishes you to do foolish
thing. lie who gave you the white paint, is
partial friend, and desires you to make
more show than is wise.
" Neither of their opinions should you fol-
low. If the shed is either black or white, it
will disagree with the colour of your house.
Moreover, the black paint will draw the sun,
and cause the edges Of your boards to curl
and split and the white will look well but
for little while, and then become sollcd-
and need painting anew"
"Now, take my advice, and mix the black
and white together" So the cottager poured
one pot into the other, and mixed them up
with his brishes,-and it made the very grey
color which he liked, and had used before
upon his house.
tie had in one corner Of his small piece OF
ground, n hop.vine. lie carefully gathered
the ripened hops, and his wife made beer OF
them, which refreshed him, when he was
warm and weary.
II had always twincd around two poles
which he had fastened in the earth, TO give
it support. But the co,tager was fond of
buding,-and he made a little aIbour for IL
TO run upon, and cluster about.
He painted the arbour grey. So the rock
and the cottage, and the shed and the arbour
were all of the same grey color. And every
thing around looked neat and comfortable
though it was small and poor.
When the co,tager and his wife grew old
they were sitting together in their aIbour, a.
the sunset Of summers day.
A stranger who seemed TO be looking a
the country, stopped and cnquired, how every
thing around that small hahltation happened
tn be the same shade OF grey.
alt is very we'll il is so, said the cottager,-
for my wifr aud I, you see, are grey ALSO
And we have lived 60 long, that the worlt
itself looks old and grey to us now"
Then he told him the story Of the blacl
and white pant,-and how the advice of nj
aged man prevented him from making hi:
little estute look ridiculous when he was
young.
have thought NJ this circumstance,
said he $50 often, that it has given me in
strnction. lie who gave me the black paint
proved TO be an enemy and he who urged
me to use the white, was friend. The ad-
vice of neither was good.
"Those who love W too well are blind 10
our isults,-and those who dislike US. are not
willing To see Our virtues. One would make
us all white,-thc other all black. But
neither Of shem nre right. For VIC are of a
mixed nature, good and evil like the grey
paint. made Of opposite qualities.
"fc then, neither the counsel Of onr focs,
nor Of our partial friends, is safe to b. taken
we shsnld cultivate a correct Judgment,
which. like The grcy paint, mixing both to-
gelher, may AVOID the evil and secure the
good"