The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-06-10
Original Gketfbes.
SKETCHES OF
GRIPEVILLE AND IT'S DENIZENS
N o. VIII /.
BY L'INCoGNITA.


Elder Trotter's ministerial labors
proved to be SO agreeable to his hearers
that they finally prevailed on him to
cease for awhile his peregrinations and
become permanent resident with them.
They hired him pleasant little house,
and offered him quite a comfortable
salary, and so he I" settled down" with
them, to use his own phrase but yet
his wandering spirit would haunt him,
and, to stife in measure its clamorous
promptings to keep moving, he still re-
tanned his old white horse and family
wagon in which he made occasional
little journeys about the country to ped
die now and then few books and visit
his parishioners. II was during one of
these excursions in which Elder Trotter
had strayed off some six or seven miles
from Gripeville in direction with which
he was totally unacquainted that he
traversed for some distance road which
was thickly lined with forest trees that
precluded any chance of viewing the
scenery beyond, when suddenly it
emerged from the dark shadows, and
wound along the edge of a beautiful
lake, or large pond rather, that quietly
reposed in the bosom of a verdant val
ley. Surprisingly lovely was the scene
which thrs burst upon the enraptured
sight of the good Elder. The pure
crystalline appearance Of the waters of
the pond was heightened by the extreme
whiteness of the sand which formed its
bed, and which extended in narrow
beach around its edge, and although but
a slight breeze was stirring, yet the sur
face of the little lake was rippled with
miniature waves that Broke in tiny foam
wreaths and bubbles on the pebbly
shore, thus giving to it the charming
appearance of a mimic ocean. The
pond was surrounded by an amphitheatre
of hills that one side rose in smooth
green SUBMITS from the waters edge,
stretching far away into the misty dis
tance, until their dim outlines were
hardly distinguishable from the calm
blue canopy of the autumn sky; on the
other they were crowned from base to
top with forest trees whose interming-
ling boughs were glowing in all the
varied brilliant tints of their autumn
livery, destined so soon, alas, to fade.
The lowing of the cattle from the dis
tant hills and the joyous melody of the
feathered songsters came floating over
the water and mingled with the hum of
the thousand busy insects that filed the
air through which slight mist was ris-
ing from the clear bright surface of the
pond. But the distinguishing feature
of this fairy scene was a small portion
Of land lying almost in the center of
the pond which, but for neck Of land
just wide enough for narrow footpath
that connected it with the surrounding
shore, would have been little inland
On this, stood an old dilapidated house +,
in the midst of half-cultivated, half
neglected garden whose boundaries were
hedged in by rows of locust, apple and
ounce trees, thickly surrounded by wild
shrubs aud briars that grew close down
to and dangled over the limpid water.
A pair of bars supplied the place of o
|gate where the footpath that led from
the house joined the road, and the Elder
espying this, happened to think that his
horse was tired and wanted rest, and
that he himself was thirsty moreover
he had curiosity to explore further this
delightful retreat which had about it
such an air Of serene quiet in the
midst Of decayiDg beauty. SO, hitching
bis old white nag to the bar-post, he