Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-09-16
SELECTED TALE.
From Fra=ier's Mnga=ine.
- - The Good Dame Bertha.


The inscription beneath notified this fact and re-
minded me OF namesake Of the royal lady, who
had also rejoiced in the familiar appellation OF
"good." My Dame Bertha was two score and Ten
years old when we first were know to each other;
circumstances inducing friendship between us,
which led her to narra:e the singular experiences
of her life. Dame Bertha resided in River Mill
cottage with her brother, Mr.. Simon, the miller,
who was rather more than ten years her junior.
Imagine the low-roofed, gray -gabled dwelling, the
perfection of well-ordered neatness, with its trinity
kept flower garden sloping down in the water side,
the sparkling, beautiful river, dear to every hon
est anglers heart! :,sg y1s-sI .5E:fl g.,5s4 "a,
Iloyed the brimming wave that swan
Through quiet meadows round the mills 9 !,
The sleepy pool above the dam, --.i,-.
The pool beneath it never still,
The meal sacks, on the whitcned flour. t.s'
! oi The dark hound of the dripping wheel;H
The very air about the door ~ 10 ly,s, izrrfsy s
Made misty with the floating attn meal. ,a, :.
The whole scene personihed peace, plenty and
contentnient, nor was the personifcation false
the elder sister and brother with their meek affec-
| ton and universal benevocncc addingto its tran-
quill charms. ;.1Ia.. s,. ., ,; s,yi,
Mr.. Simon, the miller was small, well-made,
tidy bachelor, with clean-shave round face, and
bright blue eyes; very particular IN his personal
appointments, and in all the mnutlu, OF life, was
| Mr.. Simon, both relative to business or pleasure.
The former namely, the nil and its thriving trade
he inherited from his father while the latter con-
sisted solely of passion for pisc pursuits,
engrossing all spare time which Mf.ISimon could
give from the concerns of his mill He never read
any books save, the Bible and Isaac Walton /; and
there was strong resemblance between that wor-
thy piscaor and his humble disciple, in piety and
singleness Of heart, and also in quaint mannerisms
seeming to belong TO former age, and making the
comely, middle-aged miller appear far moRei an,
cent perSOnage than his two score years warrantsdi
and the good dame Bertha-she too, g rode forth
her palfrey knitting by the way p for her hands
were never idle.G She ordered her humble house,
hold with perfect regularity, and taught the peprt
children but to enumeIae the countless hose She
manufacturedmeanwhi were impossible. iTeaoh-a
ing she knitted; talking she knitted; riding she
knitted l think she could have knitted sleeping
as well and the memory of the good Dame Bertha
is ever associated in my mind with that iemlnne
and useful occupation. She was tall, Lady like
woman far above her station both inmanners and
appearance, although she never aspred to- any
thing beyond it, She impressed one with the idea
of one whom early Sorrow had caused to find refuge
in everlasting knitting, ias kind of Setative !; for
her pleasant, though serious countsnance was pre-
atureiy aged, and it was easily to discern that she
had not passed throughlife withoutthought orwith-
out care. Dame Bertha and Mr. Simon were the
children of the same mother BY different fathers
Mr.. Simon, as i have already said, being the de-
ceased miller's son. By mere chance had learnt
that Dame Bertha's parental relatives were of
class far removed from that TO which she now be-
longed, there was, indeed, both H blood and breed
lng CQlSGeInaOle aDOulileIy anu lh allct hlncs,
when knew how devoted daughter and. sister
she had Proved thought the epithet of good'
well bestowed 10 yl.-I ~ - isuaalsi ~ 10. e
1t has often been affirmed that fiction stops short
of reality, and Dame Bertha's "reminiscences 1ully
corroborated this truth ner words, nearly as cai
remember, ran thus (she knitting all the while):
" My mother was an orphan, and very young
when she became nursery governeSS IN noble
mans family. The third son returned from sea n
wild and thoughtless youth, but unfortunately too
IL att
stand the persuasions he used to induce her to be-
| come his wife. They Were married, and my father
was an outcast from his family III consequence.
Almost the first thing can remember, Is my lair
young mother in her widows weeds, working at
/. her needle, andG weeping as she worked. Wa
lived in a village a few miles from hence, and
| lodged at bakers, my mother supporting herself
and child by teaching any pupils she could get
Sorrow had dmmed her charms, but still she was
| beautiful exceedingly : and when anxiety and
overwork undermined her delicate constitution,
lingering illness ensuing, want and misery stared
us in the face One day, as entered the bakers
shop, tnnidly asking for another LOAF, 1--WE had
heavy bill ahead) tall, thin old man, with silver
hair and pleasant smile, patted my head careSs-
| ingly, inquiring at the same time, How my poor
mama was 2quHe put Crown piece into my hand
! for myself,l he said. i stared on hearing this
| For myself oh, no Tor mama mamma has no
| money a4And off l ran anXously. yl.e M 3 b.. 5
"This was the first time saw Smon's father,
| the wealthy miller OF s.
ga tender and assiduous friend he was for years
to my desolate mother ); he had seen her IN church,
| and sought her out when human aid seemed far
thest Off She never imagined that he aspired to
i be anything more than a friend, for he was old
enough to be her grandfather !; but she loved him
dearly and revered him for his Christian goodness
Isaac Evandale the miller, was universally beloved.
Simon has his fathers corney round face and bright
blue eyes he inherits his tidy ways too-and love
of angiineAand bids fair TO be an old bachelor.
| MY mother gradually recovered health and spr-
its under this friend kind fostering care, he taught
me to call him father long ere he became SO in
reality by marrying my nothertH '29''i9. 3at .11.
| Il saw this dear parent weeping-she held IN her
hand miniature, which she kissed repeatedly
/ knew it was my father s-she pressed me convul-
sively to her bosom, and knet down in prayer, for
| we were alone together A few mornings after
wards saw her kneel before the altar of the viii
lage church, as the old miller bride; but she look
ed smiling and happy then and Isaac Evendale
exclaimed as he .clasped me in his armS-'Thank
God! can be a real father to my little Bertha
now.' '!'-5HHeA sih-e-s5s t'2@ .=e.9 LII - -
| what pleasant home he made for us, tending
and watching my gentle mother more fondly, per-
| haps than the youngest lover could have done;
and when Simon, my brother was oorn,i was not
Jealous of the darling strange-for there was love
enough left to satisfy my inordnate cravings.
| Il was twelve years old--it was my birthday-7,
ah, how well do remember t!@when letter ar
! rived directed to my mother in my fathers name:
the writing unknown, and bearing the post mark
of a seaport town. 1t had been sent from place to
place in search of her, the writer evidently not be-
ing acquainted with her change Of name and abode
She opended it with surprise strongly depicted on
her countenance, saying, WHO can this be fromi'
looked at the contents, and, with piercing scream
and gestures of horror and despair combined, fell
on the floor as one dead SOS a,Ea5c ,i.: ,;iitj, .
i ssstThere. was confusion and dismay, stded
groans anu dreadful exclamatons; in the midst Of
the confusion was hurried away by domestic, not
comprehending how letter could have caused all
this sudden bewilderment- d m. ,jaf3s i. ifil.:e
"Our worthy pastor led me to the parsonage, and
his amiable. wife made me understand that some
great afction had befallen my motheri but what If
was she did not explain, To my most earnest enter
aties she replied, that by and bye might perhaps
be told the sad circumstances, but must be patient
and quiet now; for my mother was to Ill TO see me.