The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-08-26
For the National Era.
LEGEND OF THREE MILLERS
BY ALICE CAREY.

BY ALICE CAREY.
Once-it matters not when nor where-three
milers were at work in the middle night Why
they were at work at this time, | know not
but probably it was a busy season and this
seems the more likely for that it was late au-
tumn, and the wheat harvest and the corn har-
vest had been very abundant Merrier times
there were at the old mill than had been
known there for many long year; for. all day
| long now, there was testing and Joking one
with another for active employment makes
the spirits light and besides, there we're many
strangers at the mill-young men and boys.
chiefly, who are likely 10 be more gay and care
less than older persons; for many years how
ever lightly and brightly they pass rest on us
Ike great burden after a while. So, as
said, there were merry times at the mill for
that so many youth came, day after day with
grists TO be ground And there was neighing
of horses that waited for their masters for
many We're tied under the trees and along the
fences-sOme eating oats from little sacks that
were tied about their noses, some craunching
yellow corn from great baskets and Others nib
bling the scant grass, for it was getting parched
and dry, so far was the dewy freshness of sum-
mer past The clover blossoms red and white
that had stood up and taken the sun, exhaling
sweetness from their loose burs, and feeding
the bees and humming birds were now flat
tened and brown, but not yet scentless The
millstream was dry; though for that matter it
was little difference, for the mill was not moved
by water, but by means OF wheel on which
horses kept treadng and treadng and tread
ing The wheel was hung sautwIse; 80 it per-
haps seemed to the poor beasts that they should
sometime get to the summit for they seemed
to be climbing hill, no doubt But, alas
they never got any further.
How many of us are on tread wheels lust ms
they, round and round, and round and round,
forever and yet we get no further for our
pains-further in years and further in sorrows,
it is true; but nothing nearer to that bright
summit, which, once wrapt in the golden mists
of fancy, seemed so near. Half our lives we
are looking forward TO some time Of rest and
beauty that is before us, and ere we are aware
the Eden is past and the remainder of the
journey we go down, and look back wondering
why we were not conscious of the good time
that is gone. Ay me, we are blind or short
sighted, at best and we must use the gifts of
reasoning, and of Judgment and of intuition,
which God, our good father, has given us, lest
we turn aside, and are lost in darkness-dark-
ness only lightencd by the ruined beauty of the
fallen son of the morning
Yet it is all ordered wisely, we know and |.
who am treading on the wheel of time, blind
est and weakest of ALL must essay to be
"Contonted if | may enjoy
The things which others understand
But am wandering | said the mil-stream
was dry, for the mill stood in hollow, along
which in spring and early summer there ran Il
bright runnel, Overhung with wild willows and
silver elms The elm and willow leaves were
both faded now deeply yellow, and with every
gust of wind dropped Oft and twirled earth
ward. Little heaps OF them lay together mere
and there, among the yeined pebbles and blue
clayey stones that lay in the bottom of the
brook. A few pools Of water there were still
o'ercrept with marsh moses, and alive witt
minnows and frogs that had gathered together
as the waters shrunk away
Sometimes the ugly yellow and green tOad'
climbed upon the loose stones, and sat abstract
ed and silent as philosophers. One would think
they were quite obliyiOus to earthly sounds
nevertheless, if one of the three men who kept
the mill CHANGED to 90 that way to fill his cup
Mt the spring flor there was a beautiful spring
in that hollow with quick hop and plash they
were lost in the green pools They did not
like 10 well the clear water that burst out
p
but pure and cold, almost, as ice.
The immediate fountain was roughly walled
about with the stones which some provident
hand had at some time gathered from the
brook and the grass that sprouted out of the
wall and the thick green moss, were shadowed
| in the we'll but beside, the water was clear;
you might see your face, AZ in glass, If you
looked into it, but no harmful thing ever cooled
or hid itself there-perhaps that ugliness loves
not beauty, nor the impure that which is pure.
A little way from the walled fountain the
stream sunk and was lost among the loose
stones and the wide-leaved and rustling grass
SO all the water was in stagnant pools, as ]
| said, except the sweet spring bubbng over its
| blue walls Sometimes, lifted out of these tens
you might see the heads of serpents, black
gray, or copper -col0red; so, even the beasts OF
| the field would not drink there | said even
the beasts but instinct is less likely to err than
| sense and reason. ID seems TO me more imme-
dately the gift Of God, and is perfect at first
The day that was gone had been snltry
"the blue fly had been singing i the pane"
little. but the cock had not crowed all day. but
had stood silently with shut eyes, while his
feathery danes hard by wallowed in the dirt
Earlier than usual they flew into the trees, and
| turned their rufiled bosoms from the wind
which came soughing danply from the woods
for the sun went down behind a great black
cloud 80 that only little red and stormy light
looked through.
"There will be rain, said the housewife, as
the cattle huddled close about the she'd "let
the milking be early tonight"
"Help me to lift my bags of -four into the
cart said the boy, who had been lettering
about the mill "my oxen are but slow travel
lers and storm is brewing"
"All in good time" said the farmer, AZ he
scattered the last handful Of wheat into the
finely broken ground looking now at the cloud
ed sunset, and now at the broad field thickly
sown with the plumpest grains of all the last
years harvest
The silver-winged twilight was presently
gone the cottage windows were closed and 30
came on the night.
The two oxen--one doye-cdl6red and the
other black-lay close together, in dusty hol-
lows not far from the house, their great broad
foreheads upturned, and their black mournful
eyes wide open. Often they shook their heads,
AZ the rain battered against their faces and
their white wide spreading horns struck against
each other, sometimes, as they did no. II the
storm had been dashing furiousy, they might
have risen and crouched against the rough |
brown trunk OF the walnut tree, that, hard by, |
stood up and took the wind in its top; but for
the slow DRILLING they would not rise, but lay
breathing hard, as if in endurance, and slash
ing their long tails against their huge sides.
The solid beam Of red oak which had bowed
their patient necks all day was now leaned
against the crib, the bows Of white hickory |
growing stronger in the moisture. The boy |
who placed it there an hour agone, is asleep |
his slow team brought him home before the
rain set in The sounds that made busy din |
through the day have one by one subsidized and
oil is still, save the click Of the old mill in the
hollow