The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-25

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side, which they painted bright red, perhaps to
make the contrast between it and the white one
they had left as wide as possible. Their oppo-
| peuts chrstened IL the Revenge, and had not the
4 name been given before IL became known that
they had engaged for teacher an out-and out
| Episcopalian, one who kept Christmas and actu-
ally didn't cook for Thanksgiving, nor go TO meet
ing on that occasion, they might have called It by
a more sinister name.
If this unhappy quarrel embittered the tenn
pers and hearts Of friends and neighbors its evil
effects fell not less heavily upon their children
! Some of them took so completely the tone of
their parents, that they would not speak to their
former paymstes; and others, who neither knew
nor cared aught about the quarrel, we're forbid
den to do SO bv their parents. None felt this es-
rrappernrnt nrvro Krrnly IMAM ntrle ycuy CS....
MIN and Mark, the son oil ner Ialners neighbor,
and until this miserable contention most intimate
| friend, Ensign Ross. An unbroken friendship had
subssted between their families from the first set
Element Their homes were separated only by a
green meadow and bit Of pasture, and from in
fancy they had shared their plays and lessons to-
gether. Together they had learned to skate and
swim, together they had conquered vulgar frac-
TONS and received due punishment on that same
day for singeBg the teachers long queue in com;
memorstion Of that event; together they had re-
| ceived their commissions ia the militia and, let
me tell you, reader, that commission in that
body, which at the present day resembles Fall
staff s ragged regiment, was at that time consid-
cred an honor not unmeet for the highest digni-
taries in the land. Together they had wooed,
wed, and settled down on the old homesteads, re-
joiced over the birth of their children, watched
their growing fondness for each other and, as
Mark grew up tall and straight as young pine,
aud Molly like graceful, beautiful green willow,
there was nothing said but as they watched
them coming home from school, full Of mirth and
mischief or seated over the brawling river,
on the old elm-shaded pole, coming their lesson
from .Sc a.-o1 wJfsay dog s-e.s S->-, .-.s-
| putting about the exact number of words on
certain page, the thoughts of both sometimes re-
prted " beautiful knoll, midway hatw7sa ,hsir
dwellings, which had often been pointed out as a
fine building Site with skind Of wonder as to
whether it would ever be used for that purpose,
Ensign Ross had no child save Mark and hav-
ing seen the fate Of several only children before
his eyes, he early determined that his boy should
not be spoiled by being babiedn Therefore, he
never took his part in any of his childish sqnab-
bles, and Mark early learned that if he got into
trouble there was no use in complaining at home,
for his mother was woman of too much sense to
pet and pity him in secret.
Though he heartily detested MIR. Evarts, and
the feeling, to judge from the blows and thumps
bestowed upon him, was duly returned yet his
father knew nothing of the matter or, If his
wife sometimes mentioned that Mark had been
punished, he usually replied with-"Aye, aye,
and he deserved it richly, dare sayp
or course, he was little inclined to sympathize
with the peculiar indulgence which his old friend
manifested toward his late-born twins
"Considerin' that Molly is an only daughter,
and was for q long time an only child was his
frequent remark to his wife, " | allow that they
did pretty well by her But it puts me out of all
manner Of patience, to see such man as Ithiel
Chinnin led by the nose by two such imps Why,
it makes no difference who he is talking to, If it
was Thomas Jefferson, and one Of those precious
boys was to break in with string of questions
| as long as the moral law, he would stop and an
swer them all. He not only makes goose of
himself but spoils the boys, and must tell him
soD
He did tell him, or at least tried to but some
how in this case, his hints failed of their usual
effect. The truth was, the Leftenant was dimy
| conscious Of the least possible tendency towards
weakness where his boys were concerned; he did
not like to admit ID, even to himself and the fire.
snsnt hints Of his neishbnr tnnehsd upon sore
Ensign Ross was by no means hard or unfee-
ing. He was naturally genial and jovisl, but he
had oontrived to get certain fired ideas into his
head, especially upon the management of chill
dren, beyond which he never troubled himself to
| look. "Spare the rod, and spoil the child y was
Scripture with him, and he wanted nothing better
| He was naturally inpatient and could not brook
interruption especially from children therefore
ne often censured as weakness that which was
simply good nature In his slower and more patient
neighbor When the teacher punished the little
boys SO severely, without inquiring into their
offence or listening to their fathers explanation,
he stoutly defended the former, and read the LET
tenant such lecture on his folly and weakness
in all that concerned his boys that the latter was
deeply grieved and astonished. Indeed upon re-
Election, be felt himself, that he had said many
things that were unwarranted, even by their long
friendship but he did not like to confess ii, and
contented himself with reasoning after this man
ner-"lf he is a mind to be mad at a hasty but
well-meant word, why, let him.
Chinnin, on his part thought more delibe-
rately-" IL Jonathan Ross thinks have turned
into natural fool, why, let him seek those that
are wisern
Thus arose a frosty atmosphere between them,
chilling alike the ripened fruit of the past, and
the opening hopes of the future. Had they been
left to themselves, doubtless the memory Of the
past and sense of their present folly would have
brought back the summer TO their hearts, but
q rumor of their feelings got abroad as such
things always do in . country village and the
powers of scandal and schism took the matter
up, going from one to the other, watching every
word and look distorting, exaggerating, and mis-
representing, until, after few weeks, they could
no longer discern, in the pictures held up to them
by these meddlers, any trace Of the DID, friendly
features. Still there were some grains Of truth
in all these reports; for they were by no means
happy, and their state of heart and mind was one
which is prone TO think and say bitter things
From the day that Leftenant Chinnin with
drew his children from school, they ceased to
speak together, for the epithets Dotardn and
"Busybody,n which had been sngrily applied to
each other on that occasion, seemed to stick in
their throats, and prevent any thing like friend
ly utterance.
All through the remainder Of the winter, the
snow lay white and unbroken on the fields be-
tween the two dwellings; no path, trodden hard
| and smooth rs ice, marked the constant inter-
course of the families no small footprints devia-
ting from the path at every few yards, gave evil
| dence of the presence and exploring propensties
Of Mark and Molly. Although not absolutely
forbidden TO speak with each other, they seldom
| met now--never, indeed--save when Mark con-
| trived to come round that way from school, and
| exchange few words with her through the pa
lings Of the front fence, during which intercourse
he never failed TO express a very hearty wish
that Mr.. Evarts had been In Jericho before he
ever saw our village.
| Thus the STRIFE ragged through the WINTER
months, until the raw winds and heavy thaws OF
March came, bringing with them scourge which
many 10 their secret condolences felt to be judg
ment for their sins-the scarlet fever, or, as 1t
was then called, the black csnker. Something
was necessary to bring them back TO o sense Of
| dependence and human brotherhood. Instead Of
q blessing, they had made their children sub
ject of contention, and God in his wisdom took
many Of them home to himself The rebuke was
felt Those who had passed each other with stiff
necks and averted faces, again clasped hands over
the graves Of their little ones and before Gods
altar In silence and tears
For time the disease seemed inevitably fatal
fear and grief sat upon every coantenance: the