The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-02-06

III
GRAFTON.
b,o so near unto me- and yet cannot behold thso
AZ near unto me- aud yet thy voice does not reach
msP
Among the islands in the British Channei, On
tia coast OF vine.cad France" there Is one
which has made large contributions TO our prai
RE It is a bright emerald on the bosom OF the
blue ocean, kept always freshly green by the
sunshine and the spray. 1t is the hive OF swarm
ing but by no means starving popuiaton' I''
strv children cherish it in their memories as the
home Of all things Beautiful" the home OF 'neir
cb;ldhoodD cover the ocean wave" they look
lonc;urlv hack to it, and kinde into glow OF
n,triotism that could hardly wax warmer, were
the tayorite isle limited by the boundaries OF the
Chinese Empire, instead of by few narrow
miles
The inhabitants are generally descendants of
the French, whose language they speak, with
some pecuiaffaes d 6iaieUt, and in fo,4h So -
tnre they resemble their continental neighbors
much more than the subjects of Victoria, whose
sway they proudly own.
In greenly-shaded street of this village-like
inc glimpse of the sea, stood vine-hung cot
t,ge. the home of Christine S. Christine was a
short, sun-browned, but rosy-cheeked girl of
seventeen, with eyes as bright and black as
brown hair oifsetting face as merry and good
humored as you might find among thousand
It was no great wonder that Christine should
fall in love" though her parents frowned upon
IL and no wonder that the sailor youth, who on
dusky Sunday evenings walked home along the
turf path by her side, should have fancied that
even a portionees girl, such as her, was an ines
timnble portion.
Christine was 10 heroine of romance she was
a simple farmers daughter, who "tethered" her
own COW ia the yard in summer time; made the
family butter aud cheese from her own hands
milking and acted in all respects the part of o
good little household fairy, in the kitchen as well
rs in the " best room"
But the father and mother of Christine had
little will to give her away to "ladn as poor
% herstlg--s son Of the ocean, too, whose amia-
BE, honest face was his only passport to their
iavor. 50 thOrns sprung up thick and high in
the path of the young couples "true love-"
More than once did Jacques steal an hour to
say goodbye TO Christine unknown TO her father.
though almost under the vine-dropping caves
and many time did the poor girls tears fall fast
AMI warm on his shoulder, as she thought of the
winds aud waves that would toss him, while she
was shuddering at their threatening far away in
her lonely chamber
1t will not be for always, ChristineW the
hopeful Jacques would say, consolingly. awe
shall earn happiness and a little home for our.
selves, by-snd.byp And patiently was every
hard-earned penny of the industrious seaman put
into this fund for the future. His comrades, in
true sailor fashion, laughed and jeered at his sud.
denlyclosed purse; but no matter; he bore all
unchafed, and toiled on through sunshine and
through storm, that he might reach the humble
goal of his most aspiring wishes. Once, at part
third finger 1t was the seal Of betrothal, which
the customs of the island had from time i'm.
memorial, eDjoined and held sacred Christine
hid 1t away in the most secure corner of her
most secret drawer, well knowing that its simple
CLEAN would be the electric fash to awaken the
tempest Of her fathers wrath Every night she
peeped at it and every night it seemed to re-
proach her with faithessness to its giver, in dis
owning to the world his place in her heart.
One morning early, Christine came down tc
her duties with beating heart, and a ring on her
chubby right hand. Furtively glancing from
under her dark cyelashes, and blushing with the
very 'iiort to lock usconcerned, she seated her
self at the breakfast table, to encounter hel
fathers tcrror-boding eye, which soon fastened
ITS gaze upon her unfortunate finger
" Where did you get that ring girl % he OK
claimed abruptly, humping down his halfdraineo
coiee-cup upon the bare oaken table.
1t was given me" timidly but decisively re
piled Christine.
" Given you - he repeated, a flush purplin,
bis forehead g" Dare you wear Jacques Leroy
ring before my eyes, to pretend yourself his OF
with it, say! III never own you, the betrothe,
Of that beggar"
But Will be, and | shall keep the ring |!
tesO'u'eiy exclaimed the little damsel, with heav
'"s cneS' aud curling lip. al love Jacques, an,
-, ~ Io'es me- and We shall be married some day
" u0d wills shall be nobody,s wife but his
it, tOom
RI, uisals flashed from her sparkling black eyes
mat might have warned her father of the wisdom
" feservng his remonstrance for another tim,
saw place. But the overcharged cloud Of wratl
'o,'' lot usually the fitting hour to burst
'"1hder and lightning whirlwind and Storm
,asel around her head for few moments, shak
- "u' 10 more firmly root the resolution Of hel
az ana then she took refuge in An escape Il
her chamber.
81, use her own expressive language, she CRIED
''y long, and all night toop Jacques was fal
-! upon the sea and had he been nearer, hel
80 independence would have hindered hel
~. ,pfning to him for help. That pride die
s, aux itself too much humbled, in going t.
}. , ul''r the roof Of another, the station En-
"'ea at home from her childhood. Her pa
- aud friends curled their lips at her plan
lug out to service,n as we term it and ridi
@, ana scolded her by turns, both in vain.
.len the humble roof she was born under
IA. uncut severe struggle and many scaldini
" lake few steps in the world alone
- 'ns ude Of her life began to flow more calm
~. . peasant home and kind patrons she found
,h.. 'Ou.a not throw feather In the way Of hel
l., m hopes aud purposes. More as a daugh
servant, she moved about her tasks
utoh. sahy' now over her newly scrubbed
Of .n "0or' now over her wheel, In the sunshin,
s.,.m.". sr' where 1t fell through the western