The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-10-02

" Where on earth is the boy y and as she saw
him. added, " Come in; you will get your deatl
of cold" And Richard went in and ate with
better relish, and talked more than he had done
for q month Perhaps he didn't know why him
self very probably not; nevertheless if he had not
seen the lady in the moonlight, the humanizing
sensations he now experienced would have had
no place in his heart. Once or twice he was
about to ask something relative to the cabin, yet
hesitated, he scarce knew why And at length
thinking to gain indirectly the knowledge he
desired, said
"What thick woods you have at the north,
here"
eyes" said Aunt Jane, and then proceeded
to tell how little neighbor boy had got lost
there q few days previous, and that half the
village had been engaged in the search; at
all of which Richard expressed great wonder
ment, adding, at will not he left there much
longer ~fsr-boys to get lost IN. see there are
some clearings eating into it already But IN
this he failed as before and went ON to say that
some sort of house stood close against the woods,
if he were not mistaken; to which Aunt Jane
replied that he was not mistaken--that house
stood there
at seems desolate place Any person liv-
| ing there ?p asked Richard
Aunt Jane replied that no persons lived there,
laying stress on the word persons-at which the
young persons exchanged smiles.
How do you like the view of our village by
moonlight" asked Uncle Peter; and Richards
curiosity was left ungratifed for that night
His chamber CHANGED to be at the north end
of the house, and, before retiring, he drew aside
the curtain, and looked forth The light was
still burning brightly as before, and sudden
&c
stone. chimney RS be looked, .aed rap bny,oing
and glimmering along the dark, indicating
that the fire was not without tendance He
| fell asleep thinking of the lady, and wheth-
er she were old or young pretty or otherwise
concluding, of course that she was neither old
nor unpardonably plain.
The next morning after breakfast he discov-
cred small tree in the edge of the northern
meadow, which he said wanted pruning very
badly, profering his services at the same
time.
1t is not the season. said Uncle Peter but
Richard insisted that the season would make
no difference, but that, in fact he believed it
was then the best season-and in few min
utes he had crossed the meadow, and was lop-
ping off the boughs with alacrity, glancing
now and then towards the mysterious cabin.
There were roses and llacs all around the
door, ivy trained over the wall, and jasmine
about the window. The fence enclosing the
house was of the rudest description, and just
without stood the blackened stumps and trees
Of which before spoke; neither was the yard
itself entirely free from them but here they
were covered with vines of wild grapes, hops
or the wild morning-g glory, which in summer
| transformed them to columns of yerdurous
beauty. Just now, they were whitened with
the snow-fakes which had fallen during the
night. The curtain was drawn close over the
window, and no other sign of life was discover
able, save the smoke which hung about the
roof and settled in long blue ridges near the
ground
Richard was long time pruning the tree,
but the task was completed at length and it
he had seen Hi Hssfetffsgh t9saw without enngnucnhs
his curiosity; and as he crossed the damp
meadow homeward, he felt as much yexed as
disappointed and perhaps more so, when Uncle
Peter said
81 think the tree is not much improved; be-
side, you have made your feet wet and your
hands cold but that is not the worst--you have
missed seeing the prettiest girl in the whole
| village"
Pretty girls were nothing to him, Richard
said and going modify into the house, sat by
the fire with the newspaper, in which he affected
| to be completely absorbed. =,
Presently Aunt Jane came that way, to see IT
her yeast which was in an earthen jar, ana
covered with all of the table, placed close IN the
corner, were not rising, and, beating it briskly
with the iron spoon, said
"You asked, Dicky, something about the
cabin across the field last night"
Richard merely said I" Yes" without looking
up, and she continued
1.-THE Young woman who lives there was TO
see me this morning She came in at one door
the very minute you went out of the other"
"Ah,n said Richard, for he was too much
provoked to say more.
"Just see how my yeast is coming up" ex-
claimed Aunt Jane. "My work is getting all
before me. ! stopped to talk too much with
Caty"
about the yisiter, and if she were Caty, and
wherefore she lived alone, he forbore to ask, 80
perverse is the human heart.
"Come. Richard" said Uncle Peter, as he
drew on his mittens ~ am going down to
Medford. Won't you 90 along? 1t will be
| beginning business you know and on the way
we can tack up the sign"
But Richard said he didn't feel like going
and so moped about all day,
Busily Aunt Jane kept about her work; every
thing was ready for her just as she was ready
for it, save that her yeast did get little before
her. However, she said she believed the dough
f nuts would be all the better for that-and, to
wards evening when she fried them, expressed
her. conyiction Of the fact asking Richard, a
, she gave him two or three, ON a little blue dish
} if he didn't think 10, too. He thought then
very good--probably all the better for waiting
and concluded by saying
/ "What good luck some people always have!
@YesD said Aunt Jane, ATS better to be bori
lucky than rich" and she gave him anothe
cake telling him to keep his fingers warm witt
; that, and go, like good boy and put up tn
3 sign that he didn't know how soon DR.. Clavere
, might be needed There was no resisting thi
(; kind appeal; and taking the warm cake in on
hand and the sign in the other, he did as d
, rected. When il was fastened TO the gate-pos
4 he stepped little aside, and whistling tuns
e looked upon it with some degree Of pride, IA tn
4 badge of his profession While thus engaged
!, light step, crushing the snow, arrested his N
/ tention, and looking up, he saw before him
Young and seemingly pretty girl, though sh
, was too much mufled in hood and shawl :
e enable him to Judge very correctly. In on
!, hand she held n small basket and m the othc
: two or three books. .Some school girl, though
a Richard al will see to which Of the pretty COD
;. tages yondcrshe betakes hcrself@ and giyin
a the innocent Sign a smart rap with the hammer
= as he wondered whether she saw him lookin
e delightedly at his own name, he leaned again'
a the gate TO await her movements, having IKE
e upon the cottage with green blinds, "for, SURE
W. he thought "she cannot be walking far
, Nor was he mistaken in this. The cottagt
3 stood 10 the east of the road, which was bo
n dered on the west by the woods, with the clea
a ing and the cabin, which was away from II
e road, and nearly opposite Uncle Peters. On
two, three, of the pretty cottages are passed, an