Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1843-03-25

day long The cheerful blaze. with the smoke
| curling round !, and forming fantastic wfeaihs a
mnng Inc broad leaves and iassehke balls over
| head.
a scanty shadow 10 protect our kind old woman
| from the Gun; but just beyond II, on the level
! ground stood a huge white pine and a hemoca,
with the branches interlaced and covered with To-
liage thick that II seemed impossible tor the
sunshine ever to reach the moss which grew un-
dernea.h. 1t was pleasant sight when that nice
old woman took her stand at the wash.tub, with
| IN The shadow flung from this group Of trees
| The red cloak lay folded on the moss near by !;
me sleeves of her striped short gown were care.
fully rolled up; and the snow white border Of her
cap rose and fell with her head, while her hands
passed with a constant, but sonnet times feeble mo-
ton. up and down her wash-board
There the old woman was IN the quiet shnhe,
all day long hard at work, and with a Tranquil
melancholy hanging about her which must have
originated IN the more fearful sorrow Of her ear
~ life. How kind and patient she was-aiways
smiling indugently at our mIschlevous FRANKS,
and thanking us every time we brought her a stick
of drit-wood or a cop of water from the spring:
like broken down gentlewoman as she was; how
good naturediy she prepared the smallest sized
tub OF her set that we nigh. wash out the peck
et-ha ndk erchiefs and muslins. She would smile
TO how busy W. became, how earnestly we
scattered the white foam about, and with what
desperate energy We wrong The bits Of muslin
aud tiny ruff IS in imitation cf herself when she
prepared sheet or table cloth for The boiling hei-
lie.
I, was seldom tina, our Industry outlived the
thousand tiny bubbles that rose and broke IN II
rainbow ,,ngo amid the snowy fooua which filed
tub; before we could get lar view o! the
water underneath some new freak always carried
off into tie woods IN search of birds nests, or
Young wintergreen. We became very thirsty and
wanted drunk had taken decided fancy 10
search for strawberries on the knoll, or gather
pc ppe rmin, frcm the hollow. But the old woma n
did not scoId US, though tired of our useful.
ness soon; she was always ready 20 IN
duIge spreading her clothes on the grass. to.
ward sunset. she never made any objection, tho
1t always gave her additional trouble when she
was worn out with labor. But loved the poor
| " a 81 erwoman, and would ruu to the house after
luncheon for her half dozen times IN the day
We always kept her fire blaze from the drift
wood which lodged on the river brink; and when
niQhtiaii came. and her task was done, there was
always SPIRITED run from the grassy slope, here
the clothes dried, to the pine shade, and she
who carried the washer woman's cloak back, was
happy girl, indeed. Then the buttered
muffin and strong tea, which provided for
her comfort IN the house How We loved &c climb
up the back OF her char aud study the tea grounds
IN the bottom OF her cup. Such castles. and ser
wants, and rings, to say nothing of the birds and
Wild II animals saw there, perfect mir
! acie. The fortunes always came true; were
to get all the .'credit marks" during the week !;
be very good children, and not say a single angry
or naughty word for long time; she saw that IN
the cup-wIth presents and all sorts OF pretty
ttfugs-and the words wrought out ihelr own
prophecy with
There was AWAY. parcel. containing various
small papers of ten. sugar. and other groceries.
lad on a corner of the table Just before he wash
| erwoman went home And when our mother
gave her the money due COR her work. and pointrd
to the parcel. she weu'd drop a curtesv, fold The
g,tt under her cloak. and depart wiih ut spenkug
ii word; but Tune IN the week Ltda ALWAYS
came win n bn sI<et OF Wild fTutt houQuei Of
II rwers, or. perhaps. qnnnuty OF Young "inier
green and sassatras bark, just enough TO exhlhl1
grateful feeling. and an honest desire TO relieve
herself from ohiig alton
A change tell upon washing DAYS; the old
! woman came 5 usual, but. alas! Ida. dear Ida.
no longer helped us To gather sticks from the
drift heaps or allowed her ringing laugh 10 set
the birds ehrpIng, from sympathy. IN the pine
woods. Ida was an apprentice now-iearning
mlliner's trade On Falls Hill. II sad lass
US. We went down to the hollow two or three
DAYS after her deserttor. with desperate reson-
Iian be happy spite of her absence. We
laughed louder th7n ever; ran races like So MANY
greyhnunis; frightened the p,n-fshes with peh
bie.stoues; aud tried every expedient to make
the day seem natural; Int il was like dancing
wlthnut music, green flower with The sunshine
excluded.
IL was A disappointment 10 ns that Ida never
| came through the pine woods To her work. she
lived in a lltle one story house close behind Cas-
/ tie Rork. II n solitary and beautiful spot.
far from anv highway; and Ida went to Falls
| HILL through fuotpath which across the pas
tnre lots. spreading away from the high banks
W hich formed our valley. Bar sometimes the
! Young girl would start earlv. and come with her
1 mother for a fsw moments Monday mornings; bat
she seemed more thoughtful th,n formerly. and
| here somer thing peculiarly sweet IN her smile
: 1 I'll
4 htrd-IIke laugh. Her complexion seIiied IN 10
that clear pearIy white winch carries the idea of
IN entaI purity with IL. while ii indicates perfec'
/ health qnite truly 5 the richest bloom. Her
ewes were very changeable. and shaded by the
longes, and most jeiiy tashss you ever saw; while
| her little mouth brigh, and red ripe
strawberry When she smiled much dimplp
settled On her cheek and round her mouth. like