The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-08-07


Their little golden circles i'll a iiutter
With tale, the &ooing winds have dared to utter
Till all are ringing
A. il Il choir
=, Ofgolden-ne,ted birds in heaven were singing
And with lulling sound
! The music floats around,
And drops like balm into the drowsy ear
| Commingling with the hum
| OF the Sepoys distant drum,
And law beetle ever droning near.
Sounds these of deepest silence born,
Like light made visible by morn;
So silent, that sometimes start
TO hear the throbbing Of nv heart.
And watch, with >hivering sense Of pain.
To see thy pale lid, lift again.
The lizard with his mouse-like ewes,
Peeps from the mortSe in surprise
At such strange quiet after days harsh din;
Then venture. boldly out.
And looks about
And with his hollow feet,
Iread> his small evening beat,
Darling upon hi prey
In such trick>v, win>ome sort Of way,
HIS delicate marauding seems sin.
Aud still the curtains swing.
But n"i>clcS>v:
The bells melancholy murmur ring,
A. tears were in the SKY.
More heavily III" shallow, fall.
Like the back inI,ling> OFFS pail.
Where !juts the rough beam from the wall.
The candle. flare
Nth irS>hcr gusts Of air:
The beetles drune
Turns T" a 'ir-"-likr solitary moan;
Night ierpen>, AMI sit, in cherries doubt alone
The OLD OAkEN BUCkKT-This beauti-
tnl and popular song or ballad is said to have
had its origin under the following crcum-
stances, which give it additional interest:
Some years ago, when Woodwork, the
printer.and several other Gold New Workers
were brother typos in a printing office, which
was situated at the corner of Chestnut street
and Chambers, there were very few places in
the city of New York where one could enjoy
the luxury of q really good drink" Among
the few places most worthy of patronage, was
an establishment kept by Mallory, on Frank
lin street, on or near the the same spot where
st. Johns Hall recently stood. Woodworth
in company with several particular friends
had "droppcd in" at this place one afternoon
for the purpose of taking some brandy and
water, which Mallory was famous for keep
ing.
I The liquor was supcr-cxccllent, and Wood
worth seemed inspired by it; for, after taking
draaght, he laid his glass upon the table
(remember, reader, if you please, that in
those rare old tines friend rarely met
friend without inviting him to imbibe, and
smacking his lips, declared that Mallorys ca,
de Gle was superior to anything he ever tast
ed. No." said Mallory, "you arc mistaken
there was one thing, which in both our stu
atoms far surpassed this in the way of drink
ing What was that 2" asked Woodwork
obviously. The draught of pure, fresh wa
ter that we used to drink from. the oM oole,
! b'"hehthat hung in the well, after our return
from the laborS of the field on a sultry day in
summer"
The tear-drop gliStcncd for moment in
,Woodworth's eye. True true !" he replied
and soon after quilted the place. lie return
ed to the office, grasped a pen, and in half az
hour The Old Oaken Bucket" one of the
most delightful compositions in our language
was ready, in manuscript, to be embalmed in
the memories Of succeeding generations.
! LARGE FAMILIEs.-To the instances of
unusually large numbers of children bv one
mother, may be added that of a Lady Elphin
stone, who is said by tradition to have ha,
no less than thirty-six children, of whom
twenty-seven were living at one time. Their,
is story told of this lady and her husband
Lord Elphin>tone, which seems to corrobo
rate the tradition; it is, that they once aske,
a new and somewhat bashful acquaintance t.
visit them, telling him that he should meet NJ
one but their family circle. Their guest ar
rived shortly before dinner, and being show,
through the dining hall, on his way to tn
drawing room, was much disconnected AT SEC
ing long table laid for about twenty people
On demonstrating with his host and host
ess for having taken him in, as he thought
he was quietly informed that he had beef
told no more than the truth, for that tlei
family party. when all assembled, only feel
short of thirty by one. believe that John
eighth Lord Elphinstonc and his lady are tn,
pair to whom this story refers and though
the Scotch peerages make no mention of an,
such phenomenon in the Eplinstone family
vet am >tronglH inclined, from the good
ness Of the authority from which | derive tn.
t~,'l.,'pn. to believ: il to be true k'rriouqe