The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1849-12-07
CLARA WALTON.
NJ MRS. nALg.

" Pray, can you tell me who owns yon-
der pretty coltagel ! am sure il must
have history" said Mrs. Copant 10 her
laudipdy.
@"Ah, yes Is it no, lovely PLACE.
with its pillars and poIticoes all a,ound?'
said Mrs. Bell, advancing towards tie
windpw. Tits called cntrage once,
You know, and belongs 10 Mr.--."
mo, 10; don't mean lIoi Haunting
pagoda, which is just such vulgar, ex-
Pensiye looking hing as any body who
has money may buy Or build, said Mrs.
ConaJh. II mean that dear little cot on
the hill side there, nestled in among the
green vines aud shrubbery, aud peeping
forth from among ilie leaves and flowers
like timid bride from beneath her veil.
Who lives therer' ..''
oh! that is Woodbue Cottage, you
know" replied Mrs. Bell; "and tie Wal
tons live there, you know" ' 8
Yes, | know ii now, you have told
me" ," said Mrs. Conant, smiling at the re-
petition Of yOu knOw, which better edu.
cated people than Mrs. Bell are some
times il the habit Of using.
at is a charming place!" exclaimed
Emily Conaut and good ID ISoak him
self, with his refined taste for the beauties
of nature never described more delight,
fulspot Hope Mr.. Walton loves fishing
Mrs. Walt1n is a widow said Mrs.
Bel; aud she added, compassinnalely,
"her son, poor fellow, could not be per.
suaded to hurt fly, much less to pull a
struggling fish out of the water"
"Why he must be romantic, indeed -
said Emily Conant. "Whal is he-a pp.
et?
The landIady shook her head. "You
have never heard, then, Of Mrs Walton.
idiot sonl"
Mrs. Conant assured her that she had
not. ...G ......V ...,.r ...t.-...r.
"Well, then," said Mrs. Bell, in hel
rambling way, Clara Walton is very
beautiful and very bright, and that make;
it more strange poor Henry should be Sc
i'll shaped and dull But then he is q
kind. living, harmless creature, and his
mother, and sister think all the world o.
him, you know. Some people say it wa:
a judgment upon Mrs. Walton for he
pride, when size was so rich in her first
husband day; but that is over now. Bu
| must say, that she has borne all her sor
rows like a christian, as she is, yor
( know"
Tndced, know nothing of Mrs. Wal
ton or her affairs, except what you have
now communicated" replied Mrs. Con
ant. 81 feel an interest in her from these
circumstances; widow, poor, with az
idiot boy clinging 10 her for protection
which, from such relation, it woul'
seemsnatural she should give, makes
touching appeal to my feelings"
"And she has a lovely daughter" sal
Emily Conant. II wish, mother, "
could make their acquaintance.
THAT would be easy enough, if yo
were sick or in distress, said The landla
dy. Mrs. Walton is famous for he
broths and possets; and as for Clara. VIII,
she thinks nothing of going miles to car
ry something to the sick, orto watch witt
the poor, while she would not spare al
afternoon from her work or her books Il
visit a neighbor, sociably!" .--
"Oh, what an eulogy!' exclaimed Mrs
Conant, turning 10 her daughter "Hov
glad | am to find that the moral beaut
ofthe dwelIers in that lovely cottage is i
unison with the charms of nature aroun
them! What paradise we might max
of this earth, if all were good and Kind!
'f "Clara and her mother are good an
kind" chmed in the landIady; "ihat eN
cry body allows; but people say they ar
over proud, though, certainly, as Mr.
2 Walton is not able to 90 out much-sh
has the asthma terribly at times-exceT
to church, it is not strange that CIar
stay at home with her, aud to take car
of poor Henry. But then, she neve
seems 10 care about going, and that
strange; and now as she has managed /
catch the richest match in the State q
Vermont.I suppose she will hold her hea
higher than ever" ...
Then presume, that Miss Walto
is soon to be married, remarked Emil
. Conan. - s -a'AHgt nt .Ia,s 2
Il hope so,' replied Mrs. Bell "Er
they say her mother is urging on lh
match But, indeed, poor lady. who ca
blame her, when Mr.. Palmer is so ricl
and they have nothingl' -...
"But the cottage" said Mrs. Conant.
"Oh that is not their own; they liv
there on sufferance," replied the othe
"The place is owned by the Rev. NJ
Forester. ai,.g gE .-..-. ........
"What-Charles Forestell' inquire
;, Emily Conant. ...,
/ Yes, | believe his name is Charles
At any rate he is Southern gentleman
and came here with his invalid moihe
who had been ordered toltry our bracib
climate" said the loquacious MissuBel
/, "He fitted up the cottage. which b
RI bought, and onamented the ground
and lived there two years or more.i all
> bacame very intimate with the Walton
b told you they aIwaysyisiled the sick; s
Mrs. Forester had Clara with her near
e haIftho time; and M:. Forester gave b,
: essons--she was mere child when the
came; not more than fifteen, you.know-
: so he gave her lessons7in music and,drav
bing, and all sorts of languages; some sa
[ ha Innnhi.har Hahrn, ,U. and uhnn- the