The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-10-21
R. I. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 81, 1862.

down on the Brooks estate-wOuld be Il
disturb the peace of his sisters family
who had been living on him nearly tel
years. Besides, Jane, his sister, anc
Mr.. Bunker, his brother-in- law, VIII,
had great influence on his irresolut,
mind, discouraged him from assunin.
such a responsibility as the matrimonial
station occupied by the lamented Brooks
should be glad to see you married
and happy, dear, for notwithstanding al
our affection for you, am afraid you
are sometimes dissatisfied with your
present mode of living" Mrs. Bunker
would say.
20, l assure again, sister, I appre.
ciate your attentions" Samson would
reply.
81 am sure we delight in doing for
you. Still if you desire to marry, take
somebody worthy of you, and nothing
will please me better"
''But Mrs. Brooks"
"a widow with six children I beg
of you, if you value your peace of mind
don't marry another mans family. Look
for somebody else.'
Jane could very safely give her broth
er this advice, for she well knew he
would never marry any one but Lucre.
tia.
So Samson hesitated. Although he
sighed for the widow, he felt that it
would be ungratetul in him to marry
against the wishes of those who do every
thing to make him happy who are s,
kind and disinterested, in furnishing his
and who thought so little of
the property that would fall to them,
provided he died bachelor; that they
we're perfectly willing, almost anxious
that he should marry anybody except
widow with six children!
Such was the state of affairs, when
Samson went one day to cut a saw-log
out of the trunk of large maple, which
the wind had torn up by the roots not
far from the house. Having thr. wn his
vest on the ground, and rolled up his
sleeves, Mr.. Keeper commenced chop
ping off the log, about eight feet from
the butt.
1t was hard job" Samson after
wards said; and as the sun came pour
ng down upon him, he was quite ex-
and heated before the first
9 cut" was off. Leaving the main por-
ion of the trunk hanging by chip to
the stump, in order that blocks might
be placed under it to keep it from fall
ing quite to the ground, Samson struck
his AK into the log, and began to look
for a shady place to sit down.
Near by grew stately Eastwood, from
the roots of which sprung up luxuriant
growth of shoots, surrounding the parent
tree. Rejecting that these would not
only shade him from the sun, but also
serve as protection against the saarms
of flies, he determined to find a resting
place among them, and began, accord
ngly to push them aside in search OF
he most comfortable place.
At that moment the chirping of a
quirrel attracted his attention to the
asst mass of earth, which adhered to
he upturned roots of the fallen tree.
The little animal was sitting on the
ummit of this mass, talking saucily to
'lr. Keeper, who thinking of the corn
would consume the coming autumn,
picked up club, and with well-aimed
'low knocked it into the deep cavity
eft by the exhumed roots of the tree.
'lr. Keeper, with an eye to pleasing
lis little nephews, jumped into the hol-
ow, picked the kicking squirrel out OF
he mud, and having thrown it down by
lis vest, proceeded to ensconce himself
n the bushes.
Mr.. Keeper found a most comforta-
lie spot, where he was concealed from
he sun and flies; and there leaning
gainst an ancient Eastwood, he indulg
d in revery, in which nice widow, a
elightful family of children, cider in the
vening, and gooseberry pie for dinner,
,ere charmingly mixed up together.
Mr.. Keeper was startled from his
leasant reflections by a dull crack
,g sound, in the direction of the tree {
'hich he had been chopping; and push {
lg aside the bushes, he saw the chip L
reaking by which he had left the log
ang ng to the stump
"There goes the log to the ground ~
g muttered with some impatience.
No sooner had he spoken, than the
-unk dropped off, and instantaneouslyl
,e whole mass of roots and earth over $
the stump, which was no lon
,r attached 10 the tree. Turned slowly :