Daily American telegraph., 1852-07-15
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH.
THE SILVER TANKARD.

AM MEXICAN TELEGRAPH.
THE SILVER TANKARD.
On slope of, land, opening itself to the
south in now thicklyrsettled town in the
State of Maine, some hundred or more years
ago stood farmhouse to which the epithet
comfortable might be applied The old
forest came down to the back of it; in front
were cultivated fields, beyond which was
ground, partially cleared, full Of pine stumps,
and here and there, standing erect the giant
trunks of trees which the fire had scorched
and blackened, though il, had failed to over
throw them, The. house stood at the very
verge Of the settlement, 30 that from it no other
cottage could be seen the nearest neighbor
was distant about six miles. .#
the premises we have described, had chosen
this valley in the wilderness, wide, rich tract
| Of land, not only as his own home, but pros
pectively as the home Of his children, and his
| children's children. He was willing to be far
off from men, that his children might have
room to settle around him. He was looked
upon as the rich man of that district well
known over all that part of the country. His
house was completely finished, and was large
for the times having two stories in front and
one behind, with long sloping roof, that
seemed as if it leaned to the SOUTH to offer its
back to the cold winds from the northern
mountains 1t was full of the comforts of life,
the furniture even little SNOWY" for a Pu-
ritan; and when the table was set, there was
to use Yankee phrase, considerable" silver
plate, among which a large tankard stood pre-
eminent. This silver had been the property of
his father, and brought over from the mother
country. @lJa@ &.laG G..I st taa
Now we will go back to this pleasant valley,
as it was on a bright and beautiful morning in
the month of June It was Sunday and,
though early, the two sons Of Daniel Gordon
and the hired man had gone to meeting, on
foot, down to the Landing" little village on
himself was standing at the door, with the
horse and chaise, ready and waiting for his
good wife, who had been somewhat detained.
He was standing at the doorstep, enjoying the
freshness of the morning, with q little pride in
his heart, perhaps, as he cast his eye over the
| extent of his possessions spread before him.
At that instant, a neighhor, of six miles dis
tant, rode up on horseback, and beckoned to
him from the gate Of the enclosure around the
house.
"Good morning neighbor Gordon" said he.
i" have come out of my way in going to meet
ing to tell you that Tom Smith, that daring
thief with two others, have been seen prowling
about in these parts, and that you had better
look out, lest you have a visit. / have got
nothing in my house to bring them there but
they may be after the silver tankard, neighbor,
and the silver spoons, ] have often told you
that these things were not fit for these parts.
Tom is bold fellow; but suppose the fewer
he meets, when he goes to steal the better.
don't think it safe for you all to be off to meet
L ~ ~ h1,<,r.
goodbye
This communication placed our friend Daniel
in an unpleasant dilemma 1t had been settled
that no one should be left at home but his
daughter Mehitable, beautiful little girl,
about nine years old.
Shall stay or go? was the question.
Daniel was Puritan; he had strict notions OF
| the duty of worshipping God in His temple,
and he had faith that God would bless him
only as he did his duty. But then he was
father, and little Hitty was the light and joy
of his eyes But these Puritans were stern and
unflinching He soon settled the point
al won't take Hitty with me, for twill make
her cowardly The thieves may not ceme--
neighbor Perkins may be mistaken; and, if
they do come to my house, they will not hurt
| the child At any rate, she is in Gods hands;
and we will 90 to worship Him, who never for
sakes those who put their trust in Him"
As he settled this, the little girl and her
mother stepped to the chaise the father say
ing to the child
"If any strangers come, Hitty, treat them
we'll We can spare of our abundance to the
poor. What is silver and gold, when we think
of Gods Holy Word?"
With these words on his lips he drove of,
troubled man, in spite Of his religious trust;
/ 1oa 1o IaFt Io tba yrI11arnpss
alone.
Little Hitty, as the daughter of a Puritan,
was strictly brought up to observe the Lords
day. She knew that she ought to return to
the house; but Nature, for this once at least
got the better of her training
"No HARM thought she, to see the brood
of chickens" Nor did she, when she had given
them some water, go into the house, but loitered
and fingered, hearing the robin sing, and fol-
lowing with her eye the bob'lincoln, as he fit
ted from shrub to shrub. She passed almost
an hour out of the house, because she did not
want to be alone and she did not feel alone
when she was out among the birds, and was
gathering here and there little wild flower.
But at last she went in took her Bible, and
seated herself at the window, sometimes read
ing and sometimes looking out. As she was
there seated she saw three men coming up to-
wards the house, and she was right glad to see
them; for she felt lonely, and there was
dreary long day before her.
Father thought she, "meant something,
when he told me to be kind to strangers. |
suppose he expected them. | wonder what
keeps them all from meeting Never mind;
they shall see can do something for them If
am little Hittyn ...
So, putting down the Bible she ran to meet
them, happy confding and even glad they
had come She called to them to come and,
without waiting for them to speak, she called
to them to come in with her, and said