Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-08-08
[WHOLE No. 74S
Popular Gales.
From the Nrw Mirror
A 5 I @ Il Y.
By MRS. @. IL. BulleE

Just where one ot those quiet, shady
luncs emerge into the broad, open mca-
dow, stands lil!c grove orhorse chest
nuts, locusts, snowbals, aud lilacs and
if You pui aside the branches, you will
sec a lnilc brown house rcposlng ~ the
centre, like IA partridge on her nest la
this quiet little cot lives an elderly MAJ
den, known throughout our village as
."Aunt Nancy" As you peep through
the branches Of the tall white lilac,
lshould II be in the morning. y"n VIII
probably see Aunt Nancy wedding
among the beet and onion beds, or l"ok-
ing with pleased eye upon the clus-
tcss Of china -pinAs,' jmmp-"p J"hmnes,
and 1pone so prely'S, which border tho
walk through the centre Of tins ilttlo
garden plot. Or, (should 1t be IN the
evening" you will find her with her
clean muslin cap and sp"clacIcs, h"'
snowy 'kcrchirf pinned over her bosom,
and her neat giugham dress, sitting ny
the window. Before her is placed Il
small round table or stand, on which the
Bible lies open, aud you will perceive
iha, the eyes and thoughts Of good Aunt
. Nancy arc deeply engrossed III The sa'
cred page she is studying.
The history Of Aunt Nancy is this
4 Sac was born III the same house where
she is now sitting, Of piuuS, industrious
parents but white yet Il very liIlle Snl
lhnislurtunc came suddenly upon her ia
.thcr. and he was forced 10 mortgage the
homestead on which they lived. Sick
ness soon after fell upon hlm valnly he
, IaborcI to redeem his 3lnhright !, was
swept from him, aud at length, broken
,ihcalied. The poor man died, For a
l'timc, lis widow and Only child struggled
on in poverty aud wretchcdncss, but the
! widow too soon followed her husband 10
The grave, and poor little Nancy was
| Icn liicndluss and iollorn IN the world.
Il A kind nuighbor received the orphan
| child into her family, and as soon a. she
was old enough, she was put out TO ser
! vice. Llllc Nancy was gentle and
/ mouruluI chlld for she had known but
| corrow and dependence. One bright
ray alone ,llumiucd the dar.S memory
of the past-hur earliest days of child
hood. To these, her thoughts ever re-
cured aud often would the poor child
be found at uightall when her tasks
for the day we're onded, gliding like =
shadow under the old stone wall, or SIT
ting with her pale face resting on her
hand, at the foot Of the large bullon-ball
which Swallowed the little brook CUR
cling past her fathers door the do"l
around which when u happy llt!o thing,
! she had so mcrriy sportcd, catching the
butterflies in the deep clover, OF listen
| ing to the birds which nowhere ever
sang so swcct,y.
! As Nancy grew older, one allah
sorh,ng thought by degrees took posses
\ sion of her mind. 1t was strange
idea for one so yoGng, so poor, and
! icndcss for, it was to redeem, win
! her own hands, that cherished spot--thc
.home-from which poverty had driven
forth her dear parents.
Il When she was about lourccn,a lady,
/ who had been passing few weeks ~
I our village, by chance, met with the
orphan clhd, aud being pleased WITH
:. her appearance, aud with the g""t
character which all the villagers gave
her engaged her to attend upon herself
and child. Aud nov the strange dream
Il ,or Nancy seemed to brighton, and cheer o.
;. fully she accompanied her new mistress
Ito New York. liut the lady dad n"t
provc as kind to tho forlorn glrl as she
had promised. The gcntlcncss OF Nan
cy, her patient, unconPlanlng dlSp"si-
'.lion. were Admiralty calculated Tor Tia"
I|ill-nalurc and irritable Temperament C'
her mistress She could vent all h'I
/ spleen upon the pale, hoar''srI'nc0
.|Inirl. who never allowed herself I" mur-
mur Il, such injustice. One day Ma
L. had been unusually severe. Nan.
. lev had used every cxeltlon to please,
; but in vain, aud IN tears, she rei'rcd I"
u her wrctchcd bed She closed not hcI
eyes all night, but lay revolving IN he'
mind the misery of her situation br'
even hu, nmid all her grief, gIcameG,
aCar of the old homestead, and sui the
futile hope that there she might yet re-
pose, almost oyorpowercd the sadness
of her present lot.
Her rlnn. were formed. aud lir.l, she
t,tt.fTgga