Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-12-08
BURNING THE FALLow.
BY MRS. NOODLE.

! BY MRS. NOODLE.
The winter and spring of 1924 had pas
sed away. The latter was uncommonly
cold and backward; so much so, that we
had fall of snow upon the 18th and 18Th
of May. and several gentlemen drove
down to Coburg in sleigh, the snow ly-
ing on the ground to the depth OF several
inches.
A late, cold spring in Canada is gene
rally succeeded by a burning hot summer,
and the summer of '34 was the hottest l
ever remember. No rain fell upon ike
earth for many weeks, till nature dropped
and withered beneath one bright blaze of
sunlight; and the ague aud fever in the
woods, and the cholera in the large towns
and cities, spread death and sickness
through the country.
| Noodle had made, during the winter,
! large clearing of ftwenty acres around the
house. The progress ofthe workmen had
been watched by me with the keenest in
terest. Every tree that reached the
ground opened wider gap in the dark
wood, giving us broader ray of light,
and a clearer glimpse of the blue sky
But when the dark cedar swamp fronting
the house, fell beneath the stroke of the
axe, and we got the first view of the lake,
my Joy was complete; new and beauti-
! full object was now constantly before me,
which gave me the greatest pleasure
/ BY night and day, in sunshine or in storm,
water is always the most sublime feature
! in landscape, and no view can be truly
grand in which it is wanting. From a
child, it has always had the most powerful
effect upon my mind, and from the great
ocean rolling in majesty, to the tlnkling
forest rill, hidden by the flowers and
/ rushes along its banks. Half the solitude
! of my forest home vanished when the
lake unveiled it's bright face to the blue
, heavens, and l saw the sun, moon and
stars and waving trees reflected there
! I would sit for hours at the window, as
the shades of evening deepencd around
me, watching the massy foliage of the
forest pictured in the waters, till fancy
transported me back to England, and the
songs of birds and the lowing of cattle
were sounded in my ears. 1t was long,
very long, before l could discipline my
mind to learn and practice all the menial
employments which arc necessary IN
| good settlers wife.
The total absence of trees about the
doors in all new settlements, had always
puzzled me, in country where the in
| tense heat of summer seems to demand
all the shade that can be procured. My
husband had left several beautiful rock
elms, (the most picturesque tree in the
country, near our dwelling. but, alas!
the first high gale Frustrated all my fine
trees, and left our log cottage entirely OK
posed to the rays of the sun. The con-
fusion of an uncleared fallow spread
around us on every side: huge trunks of
trees and piles of brush gave Uttered
and uncomfortable appearance to the To-
cality, and as the weather had been very
dry for some weeks, heard my husband
daily talking with his choppers as to the
expediency of firing the fallow. They
still urged him to wait little longer till
he could get good breeze to carry the
fire throug gh the bushes
Business called him suddenly to To-
ronto, but he left a strict charge with old
Thomas and his sons, who were engaged
in the Job, by no means to attempt to burn
it off till he returned, as he wished to be
upon the premises himself, in case OF
any danger. He had previously burned
ali the heaps Immediately about the
doors While he was absent, old Thomas
and his second son fell sick with the
ague, and went home to their own town
ship, leaving John, surly, obstinate
young man in charge ofthe shanty where
they slept, and kept their tools and pro
visions. Monaghan, 1 had sent to fetch
up my three cows, as the children were
languishing for milk, and Mary and re-
mained alone in the house with the little
ones. The day was sultry, and toward
noon strong wind sprung up that roar
cd in the pinetops like the dashing of dis
tant pillows, but without the least degree
abating the heat. The children were ly
ing listlessly upon the floor for GOODNESS,
and the girl and 1 were finishing sun
bonnets, when Mary suddenly exclaimed;
tsBless US, mistress, what smokeT
Iran Immediately to the door, but was
not able to distinguish ten yards before
me. The swamp Immediately below us
was on fire, and the heavy wind was dri-
wing dense black cloud ofsmoke direct
ly towards us.
e.What can this mean?" l cried "Whc
can have set fire to the fallow?"
1 As ceased speaking. John Thomas
stood pale and trembling before me.
"John, what is the meaning OF this
fire? 90
60, ma'am. I hope you will forgive
me- 1t was set fire to it, and L would