The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-08-08
THE NATIONAL ERA.
BY MARTHA RUSSELL.

Not long since, while on q visit TO some KIND
friends of mine, I found myself in the company
Of several ladies, who were discussing with much
interest the subject of education and the respective
msr;ts of several fashionable seminaries in that
vicinity Not feeling particularly interested in
the subject, joined my friend E., in looking
over Darley's graphic illustrations of Rip Van
Wrinkle, and soon became so deeply absorbed that
heard only the murmur Of their voices, occasion
ally broken by word or two uttered in shriier
kew. seeming like the echo Of the voice of Rips
good vrowe.
was suddenly recalled from this enchanted
valley, by the voice Of the fashionable Mrs.
W, exclaiming-
"Ah, yes, we will ask Miss r Then laying
her jeweled hand ON my shoulder, as If not quite
sure that was free from that drowsy atmosphere,
she continued
sYou have hardly heard our argument, my dear,
but we were speaking of the superior advantages
which seminaries in the city possess over those
in the country in all that relates to the true finish
of young lady's education. May we ask at
what seminary you were educated?"
There was something so bizarre 80 ludicrous,
between the lady's expectant tone and the picture
her words called up to my mind, that ] could
hardly repress o smile as the unvarnished truth
rose to my lips but one glance at her naughty
face brought with it the memory OF her wealth,
her morbid exclusiveness, her horror of anything
onative to the soil p and, let confess the truth,
reader, with feeling strongly akin TO cowardice,
evaded a direct reply by saying, 81 was educa-
ted at home"
9Ah you had governess then. Your parents
were so wise as to follow the good old English
custom. wish it was more fashionable here, for
IL is much to be preferred to our mixed boarding
schools. have sometimes thought would employ
yoverpess for Celestia, but it is SO difficult to
find one possessing all the requisite qualifications
Your friends must have been fortunate"
NV folly had brought its reward. colored,
grew confused, embarrassed and was trying to
stammer forth something whenI caught the clear
gray eyes Of my friend E fixed earnestly
upon me, while most provokingly quizzical
smile gathered around his mouth. All at once
nv confusion vanished, and, raising my eyes to
the laay's face, said, quietly
az fear have led you into mistake, Mrs
W. should have said that was educated
chiefly at the district school in my native vii
lage"
There was slight, almost imperceptible raising
of the iady's shoulders, and her bland air Of re-
spectfu attention vanished at once as she replied,
with slight drawl-
@Ah-ahem! / think | have heard Squire
W say that there have been some improve
ments in the common schools within few
years y and, turning carelessly away, she began
to discuss with her neighbor the last new design
for crotcht that had appeared In the Lady's Book.
"Cooly done, that" whispered E.. "You
must remember that great gulf suddenly yawns
between people sometimes, even in this world For
moment feared you would fail to see that little
red schooLhouse of which you 80 often speak, in
the golden atmosphere that surrounds Mrs.
W-p
AS other people besides Mrs. W sometimes
ask after my Alma Mater, have determined to
describe it, partly because think our school,
was peculiar even in those days, and partly be-
cause wish to daguerre q few traits of one who
has long since been among the angels.
Should you ever chance to visit our village.
reader, you will find the main road from the west
for the space of two miles or SO, clnging close to
the foot of rugged chain of hills, known as the
Totoket range. On the left you will hsve their
precipitous front in some places barren and bleak
and crowned by huge old cliffs
Here dark with the thick moss Of centuries,
And there Of chalky hitsnsss where the thunderbO
Has splintered them;p
and in others, draped to the very summit with
mass of tangled green, through which rise the
heads Of the tall cedars, like watchful sentinels
genial spring time, when he unfurls his esfy ban.
ner and displays every shade of green, from the
deep black hue Of the cedar, to the pale, faint
tinge Of the buttonwood and the aspen, with
the white blossoms of the dogwood peeping
out from the midst like stars And still besuti
full 10 he, when the frosts Of autumn have fallen
upon him, aud all the shows of summer have de.
parted when the everlasting cedars clothed to
the very topmost branch in robes of flame colored
livery, stand, like old martyrs, lifting their up
stretched arms to heaven, and limiting, not iimly,
that God still speaketh from the midst of the
burning bush would we but listen.
On the right, the open country sweeps south.
ward toward Long Island Sound, but so broken and
undulating that you must ascend the mountain.
would you catch glimpse of the blue water.
AS you approach the village, a valley opens, in
the midst Of which sleep two small but beautiful
sheets Of water, separated only by narrow, rib
oon-like bit Of green meadow. Winding around
these, you may trace green lanes, crossed here
and there by more public roads, and catch glmpses
Of the sharp roofs and heavy stone chimneys Of
old farmhouse, rising from amidst clusters Of
green trees
Not great many rods beyond this point the
mountain suddenly makes . turn 10 the north
west, and, like the face Of stern fellow-traveer
relaxing into smile at parting, smoeths It's
rugged features, and With q gentle loving arm,
embraces our village and the valley north Of Il,
known among the early settlers ss the pleasant
land Of Goshen" Here, for the first time,
you catch view Of the village, which locks like
birds nest hidden between the hills, and just
where the last undulsiicn Of the mountain slopes
down to meet the main road, stood the Red school
house have spoken Of iss origin, and described
its appearance Ia previous sketch, bat said
nothing Of the old applstrss whose booghs over
hung it roof; that appls-trss, which must, even
~ gsrn, have hsd . kiad Of fSrs-sssling Of its
destiny, Or surely IL trunk would never have
besn garnishsd with such sxosllsnt knots for
footAeldA it limbs would never have twistsd