The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-05-21
From Arthur Home Gazette.
Love VS.. Health.
by MISS C. NJ. stDGwICK.

About mile from one Of the Berkshire vii.
lages and separated from it by the Housaionic,
is one of the lovrlesi sites in al our old coun>
try. 1t is on an exhausted farm of rocky,
irregular grazing ground, with meadow of
rich alluvial soil. The river, which so near
" surrounds it as TO make it peninsula " in
little" doubles around narrow tongue of
land. called The "Ox bow"-a Bit of mead
ow so smooth, 40 fantastic in its shape. so Sc.
cluded. so adorned by its fringe of willows,
clema'uses erape-vires, and all our water
loving shrubs, that it suggests 10 every one,
who ever read fairy tale, scene for the
revels of elves and fairies. Yet, no Oberon
no Tilana dwelt there; but long ago.
where there are now some ruinous remains
of old houses. and an uncouth new one. sto"d
the first framed house of the lower valley Of
the Housatonic. 1t was inhabited by the
last Indian who maintained the name Of
Chief. and from him passed TO the first Mis-
sonary 10 the tribe. There Kirkland, the
late honorcd President of Harvard College,
was born. and there his genial and generous
nature received its first and incffaceable inn
pressions. Tenant, unknown TO fame, sue
ceedcd the Missionary.
The In,lan dwelling fell 10 decay and
the properly has now passed into the hands
of poet. who. rumor says, proposes trans
forming i. to villa, whose occupancy will
give 10 it a new conservation.
Just before its final high destiny was re-
realed, there dwelt there rustic pair. who
found out, rather late in life, that Heaven had
derreed they should wear together the con.
jugal yoke. That Heaven had decreed it,
no one could doubt who saw how well it fit
ted. and how well they drew together.
They had one cbild-a late blossom and
cherished as such. Little Mar. Marvel
would have been spoiled, but there was moth
ing to spoil her. Love is TIE element Of
life and in an atmosphere of love she lived
Her parents were people Of good sense-
upright habits, with no theories, nor preju-
dices ambitions or rorrup'ions, to turn the
child from .he inspirations of Heaven, with
which she began her innocent life.
When little Mary Marvel came to be sew
en- years old, il was a matter Of serious con
sideIalion how she was 10 be got TO the dis
trict school or the plain Qhe common
designation of the broad village street,) full
a mile from the Marvels' secluded residence
Mrs Marvel was far better qualified thar
the teachers of the said school 10 direct the
literary training of her child. She was 1
strong-minded woman, and reader of al
the books she could compass. But she hat
all the indoor farm work to do-cheese tC
make, butter 10 churn, &C.; and after little
Mary had learned 10 read and spell, she mus
be sent TO school for the more elabor att
processes of learning-ariIhmetic geogra
ply, &c.
Now, Julius Hazen,' said Marvel to hi
only neighboi's son, don't ou want to call
) as you 20 by, days, with your little sister
and take our Mary 10 school? guess sh
WIN be lOuDlc' onc Nuuiu EO aiohS
,, but, somehow, mother and shall feel easier
! as the river is to pass, &c.,-if you are vii
! ling
A kind boy was Julius and, without hes
= italion, he promised TO take Marvel's treas
ure under his convoy. And, for the tw
| years following, whenever the district schoC
e was in operation, Julius might be seen con
, ducting the two little girls down the hi
thai leads TO the bridge. At the bridge the
lotered. Its charm was felt, but indefini
bic. II was spell upon their senses the
e would look up and down the sparkling slreaI
! till it winded far away from sight, and |
F. their own pretty faces, that smiled again
y ), them, and at julius skittering the sion'
along the water, "a magical rustic art } Th
: old bridge was point of sight for picture
y lovelier than Claude painted for many
n year, the old fingered there TO recall the p'
II etry of their earlier days; lovers. to waic
the rising and setting of many star, an
l. children 10 play out their noon-iimes ar
= twilights. Heaven forgive those who n
!. placed it with dark, dirty, covered, bar
g like, of bad cdOr in every sense The wor
e kind of barbarians, those who make war
II not upon life, but upon the life of life
innocent pleasures