Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-10-12

. among them was Ben Bolts Such rides as they
: had down hill! and though the larger boys ane
girls said Alice May was too little and cowardly
to join them, because she felt fearful sometimes
fyet Ben Bolt held her in his arms, and way they
0 went, merrily as any Of the rest. f7e'S
But the Winter began to wane, and now and
then soft, mild day would come that lessenee
the pyramid and snow house materially. "Such
la pity,' they said, and wished Winter would last
always; but there was one little, wreL-like voice,
that prayed for volets and blue birds. sr; -.,
The pyramid .tumbled DOWN tie snow house
grew thinner and thinner, and the boys jested
about its being in decline, till one day it disap-
lpeared-faded away like many Of their childish
lhopes. ,sa a5 --zs. asa, q fs.sijtse -.z-1aE
! The glad Spring came with its larks and daises,
and one delightful day the chi ldren went May
ling. Kate Ashley was. queen,, and "a brilliant
queen she was too, but Ben Bolt gathered white
vioets, and braided them in the soft curA of AL
ice. and told her she ssweeter, dearer than
Thousand May queens like Kate Child 5as she
was, his words made the sunshine brighter, and
lent enchantment to the atmosphere of her exist
ience. asst1' ,7f.''i'e'3 ~ <'"' - '+9'f ~ +
Then the long June days came, encireiing the
green earth with coronal Of roses, making it re-
dolent with perfumes and in the warm noontide
hour the children stroled to the foot of the hill
and clustering together, told over their childish
hopes of the future .Some swereduredsby5 ambi-
ten some dreamed ofsquiet repose; some of gay
city lite; but there was one whose eye kndedand
young face flushed with enthusiasm, as he spoke
Of he spark ling blue waters, and the brave ships
that breasted them gallantly.7s s.!1 Il ~.-asg
Ben Botwas going to sea- Captain Shirley,a
generous, whole-souled being a= ever trod the
deck, was to take him under, his protection the
next five years. There were exclamations of sur
prise and sorrow from the chil;:ren; old haunts
were visited and re-visited; they sat down in the
shade of the old sycamore, and listened to- the
musical murmur Of the brook. ond the dreamy
hum of sAppleten's miH;;'' exchanged keepsakes
I and promised to remember the merry, brave
hearted boy whose home would be the wide blue
eocean.,l sd .lU1;s25 ~ss ezoda .~sz IA III /
!. Alice May seldom joined them. She was SO
delicate and tinid. and the thought of BeA's de-
parture filled her eyes with tears, SO she would
steal away alone, fearful of the rdieule of her
harder companions. HG7ts :! -. -s1a - p
Butone night Ben came to Mr.. Mays cottage,
to bid them goodbye. Alice stood by the win
dow watching the stars, wondering what made
them SO dim, thinking of the stars that dim
med her eyes, as Ben told ever his hopes so joy
fully. She could not part with him there, so she
walked through the little door-yard, and stood be-
side the gate, looking like a golden. crowned an
gel in the yellow moonlight; andzwhen he told
her over agan how large she would be on his re-
turn that he would not dare to call her his little
Alice then, she sighed. be-. . !1.3-,f.1t f:.,-.w
Ben Bolt had come back. How strange that
Ave. years should have passed quickly, and
stranger still that this tall handsome sailor,
whose. voice was SO full and rich, should be Ben
Bolt., Kate Ashley was not thinking Of the sweet
Sabbath rest, us the chime of the church bells
f1oated through the village; there she stood be-
fore the mirror, arranging her shining curls, and
fastening her dainty bonnet, with its white ribs |
bons and dropping blue bells. thinkisg if she
could not fascinate Ben with her sparkling eyes, |
it would be delightful to have his chief attention
during the day. -., ,Ezr... 2 .,=.s!test 3t ~
He thought she did look very beautiful, as he
sat, before service, looking on the olden faces-
bat there fairer one than hers he faneied, as
he saw the sweet faee ofAiice May, with the
half-closed eyes, and long, golden edged lash
in his bosom a curllike the one nesting SO soft |
ly by her temple; and twas a tailsman, keeping
him from the enchantment of other eyes.
When the service was closed, Ben was throng-
ed about by old familiar faces-they had so much
to say, so many things to speak of, SO much joy
to express at his safe return, that it well nigh be-
wildered him. 1t was very pleasant to be SO
warmly welcomed by old friends, delightful. to
chat OF by-gones; and it was indeed Sabbath of
joy to Ben Bolt.
Sweet Alice! Ab, how long and weary the time
had been to her. Sometimes her heart died with
in her as she thought Of the broad ocean; but
when she looked so shy at Ben that morn, and
saw how handsome he had grown, heart sick
ness came over her, and the sunshine fell but dim
lys on the grass at her feet. She knew she had
hidden away in the depths of her pure heart.a wild,
earthly love, and she strove to put it from her,
for would he think, of her nom? So it was no
wonder she should slip her slender hand in her
mothers and steal quietly from the joyous throng.
1t was Sabbath eve-one of those balmy ,moon-
light evenings Of the young Summer; Mrs. May
had gone to visit neighbor, and Alice sat by the
window with the Bible open, and her slender fin
gers pointing to the words falling musically
from her lips ~ #....s ..s lis :..s -s.a 81
| sAnd there shall be no night there, aud they
need mo candle, neitherlight of the sun for the
Lord God gveth them light, and they shall reign
forever and ever - - E.. , s.r, s-.gss~4
! She looked tremblingly upward in the moon.