The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1848-03-21
THE STORY OF THE COTTAGE.

The following beautiful story is from a
letter datod at Saratoga Spiings, signed w.
In one of the pleasaniest rides we have
had obout Saratoga, we found one day a
cottage, whose appearance under noble
elm, and by the side Of a brook whose pratt
tling was forever musical, led me. instantly
TO suppose it was worth visiting; more espe-
cially as il was very old, and had about it
The look of the 18th century. | took about
couple Of hours the other day to visit it.,
and having made up my mind thatit hid a
story connected with it, questioned tho old
man whom found in it, so closely, that | 1T
length gathered tale Of, The life of man,
that | thought worth repeating TO the cote
ric aforesaid, and which may be worth wri-
ting here. ~
The widow Johnson occupied that cottage
sixty-dve years ago, and with her lived q son,
noble boy of fifteen, who was lie pride Of
the country around. None Nas SO well be-
loved as he, except his adopted sister Kate
Harden. She was indeed fairy. Her
golden hair seemed to be akin TO the winds
O, which it hoated so freely, and her eyes
had won their deep hue from the sky into
which she was so often gazing. "7ly gazed
she thus?n She had a mother beyond the
blue above her. A mother who dying, had
left her to the care of Mrs. Johnson and I'M
ill her voice failed, charged her to meet her
in Heaven. Nay, after she had ceased to
speak, she held her daughterlo to her breast
with her left arm, and pointing up with her
thin white finger, smiled holy smile and
sought her home. ls tag y. hH
Mrs. Johnson was not rich in the worlds
goods. The few acres which she rented,
afforded mere subsistence, and Kate and
Edwin assisted her, in her labors. 1t was
not strange that those two children, when
the one was sixteen and the other seven
teen, should love one another. Kate was a
strange child. They said she talked with
those whom others could not see and | do
not doubt it, / have no doubt she held COM
munion with he sainted mother. All all e.
veuts her voice fell on her ear in dreams Of
day as we'll as of night, until, she could no
longer resist its earnest call.
She faded. One by ono the bonds that
held her TO her cottage homo were !oosened
one by one her girlsh affections were mas,
tered and suppressed, until only ono remain-
ed, and then she was ready. That one,
love, was the migh,icst Of all. She did moi
crush that, for she was thoughtful enough 10
know that that might live when death was
passed: for there are affections strong enough
10 reach from earth to heaven.
The morning of her departure came, with
its sweet spring flowers and atmosphere 10, 2,
den with the odors of the country. All
things seemed TO be strangely solemn. The
eun peercd curiously in at tho little lattice,
and fell across the foot of the bed on which
the slender form Of the dying girl lay. Her
bird sang doubtfully in its cage, and the ve--
nv cat by the hearth looked up and seemed
10 feel that there was something sad going
On. 4aaft ,I9fa5 c8l loi
Fl The moment Of agony at length came
She had parted with all but him, and now
she held his hand between her two, and lri
smiled on his pale face. Gas pale as hers,) and
spoke in low sweet tone ofall the past and
future. "You will miss me when you go
after tie COW in The evening, Ned, and the
lane will be lonely, will it nol?-And when
you sit down hero by the hearth with moth
er, and my chair IS empty--you'l miss me
then too, brother. You'll sit at the table
with her, and have no one by the sido ofit;"
and her voice, broken and faint as it was,
fell to lower tone, as she continued: $50
out in the twilight sometimes, Ned, and sit
down under the tree by the spring on lie
red seat, iii come there if ! can"
A moment passed in silence as he leaned
over towards her; then suddenly throwing
her arms around bis neck, she said, 81 love
you, love you, love you, brothe3 Ned; and
drawing his head down, pressed }her lips to