Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-05-26
THE RUSTIC WREATH.
1Y MISS MIrTFoRD.

THE RUSTIC WREATH.
BY MISS MirTFoRD.
I had taken refuge in harvest field
belonging to my good neighbor, Farmer
Creswell; beautiful child lay on the
ground, at some little distance whilst
young girl, resting from the labor ofreaP-
ing was twisting rustic wreath-enam-
elled corn flowers, brilliant pOpies, snow
white lily blues, and light fragile hare
bells, mingled with tufts Of the richest
wheat ears,-among its hat.
There was something in the tender
youthfulness Of these two innocent crea-
lures in the pretty, though somewhat fan
tastic occupation of the girl, the fresh
wild flowers, the ripe and swelling corn,
that harmonized with the season and the
hour, and conjured up memories of "Dis
and Proserpeiue," and of all that is gor-
geous and graceful in old mythology
of the lovely Lavinia. of our own poet,
and of that finest pastoral in the world,
the far loveliest Ruth. But these fanciful
associations soon vanished before the real
sympathy excited by the actors of the
scene, both of whom were known to me,
and both objects of sincere and lively in
terest.
The young girl, Dora Creswell, WAS the
orphan niece of one of the wealthiest yeo-
men in our part of the world the only
child of his only brother and, having lost
both her parents whilst still an infant, had
been reared by her widowed uncle, and
fOndly and carefully as his own son Wal
ter. He said he loved her, quite as well.
perhaps he loved her better, for, although
it were impossible for a father not to be
proud of the bold, handsome youth, who
at eighteen had mans stature, was the
best singer, the best cricketer, and the
best shot in the country, yet the fair Dora,
who nearly ten years younger, was at
once his handmade, his housekeeper, his
plaything, and his companion, was evident
ly the very apple of his eye. Our good
farmer yarInted her accomplishments, as
men of his class are wont to boast of a high
bred horse or favorite greyhound. She
could make shirt, and pudding, darn
stockings, rear poultry, keep accounts,
and read newspapers was as famous for
gooseberry wine as Mrs. Primrose, and
could compound a syllabub with any dairy.
woman in the country. There was not
such a handy little creature anywhere SO
thoughtful and trusty about the house.
and yet out of doors, as gay as lark,
and as wild as the wind, nobody WAS
like Dora. So said, and so thought Far
mer Creswell and, before Dora was ten
years old, he had resolved that in. due
time, she should marry his son Walter
and had informed both parties Of his inten-
tion.
Now, Farmer Creswell's intentions were
known to be as Interchangeable as the laws
of the Medes and Persians. He was fair
specimen of an English yeoman, tall,
squarebuilt muscular man. stout, and ac-
tive, with resOlute countenance, a keen
eye, and an intelligent smile: his temper
was boisterous and irrassible, generous
and kind to those whom he loved, but
quick to offence, and slow to pardon, ex-
pecting and exacting implicit obedience
from all about him. With all Dora's good
gifts. the sweet and yielding nature of the
gentle. and submissive little girl was. un-
doubtedly, the chief cause of her uncle's
partiality. Above all, he was obstinate
in the very highest degree, had never
been knnown to yield point or change a
resolution and the fault was the more
inveterate because he called it firmness,
and accounted it virtue For the rest,
he was person of excellent principles,
and perfectintegrity; ;clearheaded, prudent
and sagacious, fond of agricultural expe-
riments, and pursuing them cautiously
and successfully good farmer and a
good man.
His son Walter, who was in person, q
handsome likeness of his father, resembled
him also in many points Of character wa.
equally obstinate, and far more fiery, hot
and bold. He loved his pretty cousin a:
much as he would have loved favorite
sister, and might, very possibly, if lef
alone, have become attached to her as hi:
father wished; but to be dictated to tc
be chained down to distinct engagement
to hold himself bound to a mere child
the very idea was absurd-and restraining
with difficulty. an abrupt denial, he walk
ed down into the village, predispOsed, Out
of sheer contradiction to fall in love with
the first young woman who should come
in his ways-and he did fall in love &C
cordingly.
Mary Hay. the object of his ill.fatsd