Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1850-08-31
misIrIIanrOus s
THE STUDY.
BY MISS S. C. EDGARToN.

,.
A mile from the village of w. stood an ele-
giant residence, known about the country as
the Appleton Place. 1t was surrounded by
green fields and noble parks, with many little
gem of a garden scattered about its sunny
hooks, and bordering the gravel walks that
ran in every direction through the grounds.
Fortunate was the owner of this splendid
country -seat-fortunate. not only in his worldly
possessions, but peculiarly SO in his domestic
relations He had lovely and amiabIe wife,
to whom be was fondly attached, and au only
son, Just escaped from college bondage, and
nov running wild" amid the ruins of the old
Republics.
But though the owner of the place was in
deed fortunate, he had a gardener who sue
Icessfully riYailed him in happiness True.
Thomas Margrave owned not one rood of land
on the face of the globe; he could not even
lay claim to the pinks and roses that scented
his door-ysrd; but what cared he, so long as
the soil furnished him with food, and the trees
yielded him their shade and fruit; so long as
he could breathe the perfume of the flowers,
and sleep be0eath the roof of the prettiest
cottage in New England. what cared he wheth-
| er the nominal possession were his or not p
Enough for him to enjoy. He was too wise
to covet any other tenure than that which God
had given him in bis senses.
But Thomas had one possession of which he
was equally covetous and proud. He had a
young beautiful daughter-the heroine of our
Istory-the sweetest flower that bloomed in the
shades of Appleton Place.
Phebe Margrave was gloriously bright
creature. Lips lucious as ripe melting straw
berries; eyes like the shaded springs of the
woodland; cheeks warm and rich as a carna-
ton; brow like sunny snowbank, and curls
as dark and glossy as the wing of the young
crow she tanned and petted-all these, perfect
as they were, were lost in the brilancy of the
intellect which shone undimmed through hen
Epure, transparent face.
Descriptions of beauty are hackneyed-and
Phebe's loveliness was really too fresh and
spiritual to be painted by pencil as unsklled
as ours. She was most gifted, but mos
artless being, and had the excellent Judgment
which is too rarely an accompaniment of 1
beautiful person and a poetic temperament
She was not above her condition, and yet she
knew that she was capable Of filling any sta
ton to which her destiny might call her
While simply gardner's daughter, she was
fsatis6ed to tend the flowers, and arrange the
bouquets and garlands for the fetes at the
Place. She, with her own hands stamped the
butter, and picked the strawberries, and skim
med the cream that was daily sent up to the
table She did fine sewing, too, for Mrs Ap
pleton, and clear-starched her muslins anc
linens. All these little duties were pleasan
to her, and made peculiarly so by the deeI
love she bore to the family for whom they
were performed
We will open upon page or two of he
earlier life Thomas Margrave took possess
ion Of his cottage, and entered on mis- services
on his wedding day. His wife, an iunocen
Icountry girl, had wild enthusiasm for fiower
land witten poetry. No marvel that with suet
la passion, hourly gratified, too, her child shoult
have entered the world impressed with every
beauty of hue, and form, and notion NJ
wonder that she moved like zephyrs, and sans
like the birds, that her eyes were dewy, anC
her lips sweet as moss-rosebuds. Upon thi
little flower of God, therefore, the mother nov
centred her fresh pure love. She had no trea
tise upon maternal duties to consult, but shl
Tread the holy book of nature, and copied it
lrules in the education of her little girl Eigh
years she waited on this young spirit like
guardian angel--and then God said the spri
must be its own guardian, and called the moth
Ter to the duties of a higher life.
Appleton Place and its enclosures formed
ldomain distinct from the world around it,
Phebe grew up therefore, with only one play
mate, Gerald Appleton, the heir of this fin,
estate, and boy worthy to be the son of
lprince. Their intimacy was encouraged b.
1.-THE parents of Gerald. who thought swee
and gentle girl much better companion 70
their bold and impetuous boy than one of th,
same sex and similar character. His feeling
gained tenderness and refinement from in
ltercourse with one so soft and innocent, anC
bis manners displayed none of the rudencs