The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-04-10

tion-to the notifying truth that they were
sometimes ashamed of him, and consequently
made little effort towards their maintenance in
sncb style as they desired When the spring
time came round, he scattered the seed with a
l;stless hand and when the suns Of summer n
pened the harvest, he gathered instinctively in,
but with no pious song-no thought OF ampier
threshing-hoors.
II was a wise rule among the Jesuits, that
would not permit Of two persons talking apart
and if these sisters had strictly kept such rule,
how much happiness would have been gained,
how much misery would have been avoided
They complained, and with good deal OF JUS
tice, of their brothers. improvdent and thrift
less way of living; and by dwelling often upon
il, and exaggerating real evils feeling of indif-
ference grew up against him, which he, on his
part, made no effort to break down They sell
dom met, save at meals, usually scanty enough,
and then in silence.
The grounds comprising the farm were extern
sive and valuable but sadly neglected and I'M
profitable. Patches Of briers grew about the
meadows, and the fences were SO decayed and
fallen, that sl the unruly pigs and cattle OF the
neighborhood trespassed At will Even the home
stead, which had originally made some preten-
siOns to gentility, now looked as if
"a merry place it was in days of yOre,
But something allied IL now the house was cursed"
The paint was beaten from the weatherboards,
some of the chimneys topping, shutters broken,
and the ratings about the piazza half gone. The
paling around the yard, in spite Of the props
here and there, leaned one way and the other
towards the ground, and the front gate was quite
off it's hinges; nevertheless, the fiower-beds on
either side the grass-grown walk, and the snowy
curtains at such Of the windows as had Enclosed
shutters, indicated that the place was inhabited
while the great, blue cloud Of smoke issuing just
now from the kitchen chimney gave the place an
unusually cheerful and home-like aspect.
Mary was preparing the tea, busting in and
out, and up and down the cellar-singng as she
did So and Annie was gone to milk, for they lived
humbly.
But though, for the most part, the brother and
sisters lived in the silent unsympathizing man
ner have said, there were times when mutual
good nature thawed away the ice between them,
and an evening or a morning passed pleasantly
"Now tell us what hath CHANGED to-day, that
Caesar looks 80 sad y said Annie Milford, gaily, to
her brother, as he came near where she sat milk
ing the little spotted muly COW. Without heed
ing the gay salutation, he threw open the gate,
and, without slipping his hand through the bride
rein, as he should have DONE he suffered his horse
to pass on in the direction he chose, and he chose
whrl suddenly round, thereby upsetting the milk
over the clean dress Of Annie. She was however,
in too pleasant a mood to be seriously vexed, and
called after Seth, saying
"Just stop and see the ruin you have wrought
when was thinking too, what color would suit
my complexion besto
The young man passed modify on, without
answering and seemingly without needing her
railery but kind word is never lost, and affect
ing to busy himself, he waited till Annies pail
was again flowing, when, passing as by accident,
be took it from her hand and carried it into the
house.
81 think the air feels like rain" said Annie, as
she took the milk to strain, y and Seth replied
that he thought 80 too and this was the first time
he had spoken that day.
By the time Seth had washed his face and
hands in the tin basin that always stood on the
stone step at the door, and Annie had strained the
milk, and washed and turned down her bright
tin pail by the well-curb, the tea was ready, and
though the girls had made the most Of scanty
lsrder, the board was less substantially spread
than suited the requirements Of a hungry man.
"Well, Seth" said Mary, as she added the
spoonful of sugar to his CUP Of tee, which he
liked to be sweet, gave away all your old boots
to day, TO Capt. Hill, who wanted them to smoke
under the nose of consumptive coltO Seth
could not help laughing, though he tried hard to
do So and drawing nearer to the table, he began
to eat his supper, which he at first manifested no
disposition to do.
"He staid a good while with us,o continued
Mary, "and amused us very much with anecdotes
Of early times; relating, amongst other things,
how, when he retired from the militia captaincy,
he traded his regimentals for steer.n
"My couutrymen! o, what fall was that y
said Seth, as he passed his cup to be re6lled-a
thing he was seldom known to do. With light
and lively talk of this sort, the supper passed
cheerfully-so small thing turns the current, and
sends it ripping into the sunshine, or moving
toward the shade.
When the meal was finished, Seth took up the
market basket, saying he would 20 into the village
and see if he could add anything to. their bill Of
fare.
" Not to night,n said the sisters, both at once
"you look tired-let it be tomorrow, or the next
dayn
But the more they urged him from going, the
more he was inclined to goa thing which a weeks
scolding could not have induced him to do so he
left the house, saying perhaps he should gather
little harmless gossip to enliven the next evening
meal and his heart and step were lighter than
they had been for many a day. Lifting the broken
gate to pass out, he resolved to stop at the black
smiths and order some new hinges.
The tea things were put by, and little fire
blszed cheerfully on the hearth, for the evenings
were growing chilly. Annie sat knitting on a
sock Of gray woollen yarn, beside the little old
fashioned workable and Mary was reading from
favorite volume, when Seth returned, and, plac-
ing his well-flled basket on the table, took up a
ham Of partly -dried beef, saying, When come
home tomorrow night, | want some Of this
to be broiled for supper and here are some cram
berries, too, that want prepared
Mary said it should be done, and kindly giving
him the rocking chair, they sat together-Annie
knitting, Mary reading, and Seth rocking back
wards and forwards before the fire, and occasion
ally making some comment on the book, till the
old cock, from the cherry tree by the door, crew
for nine.
Then, laying the embers together, they talked
of various plans for future improvements. The
paling around the yard was to be Strengthened
up and whitewashed, the shrubbery trimmed,
and new gravel put 10 the walk. Then the shut
tiers were to be mended and painted, q rag carpet
which the girls had made was TO be woven for the
dining groom, q boy was to be hired TO milk the
COW and assist about the farm, and then, Seth"
said the girls, "you will have more time for books
and thought
How bright the future looked to them ALL for
this strengthening Of each others hands, by inter-
change of wishes, hopes, and fears How easy Of
execution seemed all their plans, as they retired
for the night, pleased with themselves and the
world
The next day found Seth in the stubble field
as before but with countenance more cheerful,
a step more irm and elastic; and now and then, as
be stopped for his horse to rest and browse from
briers while taking book from his pocket, be
sat down on the grass bank and read, he really
looked enviable-lord Is he was Of the broad acres
around him
The sky was overcast, and the easterly wind
blew chilly all dsy-the leaves fell fast, and drift
ed to great yellow winrows along the woods-the
nuts dropped of IS q stronger gust swept by
the cattle covered from the wind in the fence
corners and on the sides of the hills--it was
gloomy and uncomfortable day.
Having assigned himself certain task, Seth
continued TO plough backward and forward long