Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-11-25

There Is a little romantic glen in th'
more retired woodlands Of Wechawken
rccedos from the water, deep into III,
hills which protect il from the win,r,
blasts, and whose uverhanging trees
shield II in summer from the noontlde sun
a rivulct, clear as crystal, flows spark
ling over its bed OF pebbles IN the midst
forming here and there deep, black
pool, where large mossy rock, or ole
water oak, checks for a moment its pas.
sage. In the bosom OF this glen, neal
by where the springhead that feeds the
brook, gushes from the ground, at the
base Of a low-browcd cliff, topped witt
the larch and beech, and with its face
half hidden in creeping vines, stands {
rude cot or hut, Of the most rustic char
acter. II had originally been construc
ted OF the trunks Of trees, hewn and lai'
together, with roof ofpoles, interwovel
with willow wlthes, and covered will
sods. Nothing could have been mad,
more simply. But the hand Of lomal,
taste had been busy to complete and i'm
prove what the rough builder had lei
so comiortIess and unsighily. Slips o
woodbine and roots of the fragrant yel
low JessamIne, had been planted all o.
round, and trained, from spring to spring
to creep Up lis sides and ends, and weave
by The interlacing OF their plant tendrls
II thick and verdant covering for the
whole; while from the rock, which over.
hung i; in the rear, the vines had beer
taught 10 seek The roof, which they hac
completely over-run with a compact anc
beautiful canopy impervious to the rain
Thus nature, directed by taste, had char
mingly finished what poverty had bu
roughly shaped out. Places for win
dows and door had been kept free from
the embraces Of the generous vines; il
the former Of which were set little dia.
mond shaped panes of glass, economical
fragments from broken panes, fashioned
by the humble coitager, Simon Grey
The cottage, therefore, presen-cd to the
eye a quiet and most delightful rura
scene, so wholly embowered as it was il
green verdure. With its hanging
rock, and two ancient sycamore trees
before the door, within a few feet oI
which gushed the spring, which had been
placed there as II 10 protect 1t, and, with
It's deep, shadowy scclusion, it offered 9
resIstless temptation to the pencil Of every
passing artist and many has been the
amateur sketch which has been taken o
this vine-clad cot in the dell Of Wee
hawken.
There was however, within the cot
tagc, feminine subject which no artists
had yet happened to see, but who, if the,
had done so, they doubtless would have
thought quite as attractive as the outside
Of the rural dwelling that contained her.
This was Fanny Grey, the only daugh-
ter Of Simon and Sarah Grey, the tenants
Of the cottage. Fanny was Just sixteen,
and completely realized the idea convey.
ed by the phrase, perfect little gipsy.
Her figure was small and neat, and
round aud ripe as nectarine or peach,
or any thing that is plump and sweet. -
Her hair was Jet black, and curled all
about her neck, and the free winds played
unchecked amid their wilderness ofgrace
and beauty. Her eyes were black as
midnight, yet dancing with love and
laughter; her brows were archod and
black, her nose bewitching,. her dark,
rich red lips, fascinating; her chin and
throat captivating She was a brunette
Of course the bright red blood mingled
delicately with the berry-brown of her
check, and The effect was that soft tone
and coloring that the old Italian masters
loved to paint. She looked like an Ital-
ian, or rather like a brown Castlian
maiden, or, more truly still, as we have
called her, like little gipsy; for gypsy
she was ia mischiets, ,tnirth and merriment
She was natural coquet,e, and would
have been rustic flirt if she had had
any beaux to practice on; but her retire
ment and the poverty Of her condition,
kept beaux away, though scarcely any
one knew that there was such flower
blooming in the wild glen Of Weehaw-
ken. Fanny had voice too like robin
and sang from morning TO night songs
of her own improvlsatoring, set TO the
notes sung by the birds, for she had new
er been taught music by any other mas
tcrs. She was a sweet child Of nature,
ignorant Of the wicked world, and Of the
great city and all It's iniquitIes, that lay
but league distant on the other side OF
the water the spires of which she had
often seen by climbing to the top OF the
cliff that ovorhung the cottage.
Simon Grey had been carpenter in
his earlier life, and in constructing a
dwelling at Ilobcken, fell with II staging
which had been caroIessly put up with
c ast nails instead of wrought, and broke
a leg and an arm. lie was ut the time.
a husband and father, having married
three years before, very pretty and yet
we're sensible young woman, who had
belonged to one of the best families in
New York, bui whom pecunary losses
and the death Of her father by grief, had
reduced, with her mother, to degree OF
poverty that was n sufficient excuse Tor
their weallhicr relations quite deser'lng
them. Simon had found them living ~
a single room of humble dwelling he
III han oil. 4 hv iha lan1IOTJ tO fppuIT.