The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-01-16
THE DOVE OF THE STORM.
nY Dora McNEILLE.

THE DOVE OF THE STORM.
BY DORA McNEhLE.
Gently and quietly the night folded III
wing over pleasant home among the Greer
Mountains, where happy circle was gath
cred round blazing fire of maple wood. Il
was one ofthose old fashioned homesteads
ofwhich every one has bright ideal; call
trees bent over itas if TO shelter the young
hearts that bent happily under hat roof and
peacefully, even as the birds that sung 10
them through the long summer days, dwell
the little mountaineecS in their secluded
home. Their parents had now been absent
a week on a visit to friends at distance, tho
il was mid-winter, ayrd the broad evergreen
forests were thickly covered with snow. They
were not the people who spend in pleasure
the loveliest season God gives us, for little
thought could they take ofjourneying for a.
musement, when the rich fruit and waving
grain was ripening fast for them to gather
1t was the farmers season for fitting, now;
the harvest moon had long since waned, and
left rich stores in barn g. granary. There were
stalwart boys TO leave Mt home, who knew
right well what care was needful-and the
parents had not feared to leave the little band
alone, without any protection but their own
innocence, and the care of Him in whom
they trusted. . .... ...g.... .....
Trained MS they had been to brave oil
storm and danger, caring lightly for either,the
hardy children had enjoyed the independence
of being left To stake care of themselves" as
james Graham expressed il, and now they
were recounting all the home duties they had
faithfully performed, for the absent ones were
expected home that night, and each little
heart beat happily in the consciousness of
having done right .... ...f...
4 az n
don't expect TO find all the corn husked when
he gets home" . .. .... .- ..r
mo, nor the old shed all boarded up so
nicely" said Richard. .. ..rt. ...
"What have you got to tell father, Annie?"
said James to little gentle creature, who |
looked like white morning glory with blue
eyes. Efr s. r#.. r.-...
ooh, shall tell him how good we've all
been, and how helped you feed the lambs
every day"
"You'if tell him we've been good too, wont
you, cousin Marion?" asked Richard, for the
rogneish boy began to remember certain in
stances of his teazing and fun which he thO't
might not sound veyy well in the account
ga gay aud brilliant girl was cousin Marion
who had escaped from the dull restraint of
city life for little while, to enjoy the free
dom she loved. Oh, il was strange how she
u
where she was the brightest star, to siI on
that old stone hearth in the farmers kitchen,
and crack butternuls, or help pare apples till
her little white hands looked black enough;
bnt she did love it, and dearly they all loved
her; she WINS so gifted and SO kind, so win
ming to all: and then. as james said, she was
first rate hand at making candy and popping
corn.
But Marion Norville was not genteel-in- /
Iced she wasn't; for she had rather play the {
games of the country girls, or coast ,
with James Graham of a than {
lance the bewitching FoiiAu her splendid {
,ity homeland why should she not? for the |
shadows of old bending trees tremble on the
rozen lake, and the moon shines brighter
here than gas-light does in crowded room {
III beauty which God did not make. Perhaps !
90, Marion had boiler thoughts than those {
,fmere enjoyment, for every night she had I
gathered the children round her, and with
hem repeated aprayer SO earnest in its few {
simple words, that their young eyes closed
'everently as they knelt, and all her mirth and
yaiety was for few moments forgotten. S
Now as she sat on rude, low seat, with {
Annie's sweet face resting on her lap, the {
glowing fire light lit up her face with the tru- I
,st giadness as she ans wered Richard
''Yes, coz, we've heen good almost all the a
ime, and" I
While she was speaking, the whole. group I
vas startled by a low, distinct rapping on the j
window pane,and there, with its white breast
PRESSED close against the glass, was a trem- a
,Hng dove, picking the frost covered window
Is ifhe pleaded for shelter from the drivngd
term. All the children ran eagerly to the !
Ioor, and Richard laid the dove gently and b
carefully in Marion'ss hand. The Pickering c
light ofthe candle shone far out on the lonely G
Dad, and dimly showed two figures all G
with the flllingsnow. twas una
al in that lonely place TO see strangers pass
ng thus at night, and the ever restless Rich !
,rd exclaimed, eo,sa8 .5tea -ll6tf@ ed {
"You carry in the dove aud warm it, and a
mean to run cut and see wbot they are" i, +, I
Beautiful looked that halffrozen dove to {
he kind ones who had rescued it, AS tines |
led close in Marion's bosom, there was al a
yleam in its opening eyes that seemed almost
human so earnestly ittold ofquet gratitude i
md content. They smoothed the ruf1led G
white pluines caressiIgly. talking all the
while 10 "Dovie," as lift knew their meaning. ]
They scarcely needed the entrance of Rich |
,rd till he said