The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-06-30

the deep dell near, was all that met the ear.
And yet she was not lonesome-she loved this
soltude--the manifest presence of God flied it,
and heart and mind received the holy, the ele-
vating, the joyous influence. The day ad-
vanced-the sparkling freshness of the morn
ing mellowed into noon. And then she got up
and took pitcher and went down to the spring,
that seemed to have been calling her in its
merry voice all the morning. A narrow steep
path down into the dingle led to the spring
and beyond it arose q high hill, heavily wood
cd like ali the land about there She filed
her pitcher, and returned to the house to take
her lonely noontide luncheon. And then, as
the meridian sun was pouring its rays in at
the door, which you know faced the south, she
removed her needle-work to the west window,
and resumed her sewing. Day waned, nor was
she conscious OF its waning, until the burning
sun Logan to glance in at her through the win
dow where she sat- and oblige her to take her
work to the opposite one---smiling at the COR
ceit of being chased from place to place by Apcl-
ID. She sat at the cool east window, until the
striking OF the clock warned her that it was
time to prepare the afternoon meal, which was
to comprise dinner and supper together
She arose, and put away her work. But what
was there to be got for dinner, after alli Tea
III.
beef without vegetables. poor meal certain
ly, to set before an epicurean, such as Mr..
Sutherland had been, for of herself she never
thought.
Suddenly she recollected having seen some
wild plum-trees growing on the hill beyond
the spring, and she knew the fruit should now
be ripe and she thought che would go and get
some, to make pie. No sooner thought thar
attempted. She seized her bonnet, caught IN
q little basket, and set out. She fastened
down the dingle path, crossed the run, and
climbed the hill. She reached its summit and
stopped to breathe, and rest for a moment
The sudden glory of the extended landscape
held her spell bound. Ga one side the forest
q boundless ocean of waving greenery-spread-
ing on and on, thousands of miles, for aught
she knew, after it was lost under the horizon
On the other side, the vast prairie, with its
dotted groves, like GASES in the desert, and in
the distance the river, and the village and the
opposite shore of Missouri Territory. For a
few minutes she stood in enchanted admira-
ton; and then, remembering that she had no
time to lose, addressed herself to the errand
upon which she came, promising herself after
tea when they should be at leisure, to return
with Mark and view the landscape over by
moonlight. The wild plum-trees furnished
a rich harvest. She had only to shake the
slight and graceful shaft, and shower of ripe
fruit fell around her. She quickly filed her
basket; and then with her girlish love of
change, she returned to the house by another
way. By this little route through the thicket,
she observed late as it was in the season, a
profasion of wild raspberries, of unusual size
and richness. She stopped, in pleased sur
prise, to gather them, and heaped them up on
top of the plums, as many as the basked would
| hold
Delighted with these woodland treasures
such delicious addition to her frugal board
she returned to the cabin and began to pre-
pare their evening meal Resale had not su-
perintended her uncle's Virginia farm house
for two years, to no purpose She was skill
ful little cook. 1t was not much to prepare a
ns8l txlca asy tqF two psssQns oh besides her s
the elegance and luxury of her Southern home
she was ever gayer, gladder, happier, than
when preparing, with her own hands, this first
little supper in her log cabin. The meal was
soon ready. The damask table linen and the
delicate china that adorned the table, and the
fair girl that lowered around il, was about
to say, were somewhat out of keeping with the
house. But that would not have been true
for there was nothing mean poor, or squalid,
|
a wild, woodland air-there was as yet moth.
ing to offend the most aesthetic taste. The
arrangement of the table was complete--the
last things set upon it being the delicate pas
try and the cut glass bowl of raspberries, pow
dered with sugar But alas! there was no
cream or butter and this was Rosalie's sole
regret, rs she gave q pleased glance at the
whole effect and then went to each window
and put aside the muslin curtains, to let in the
evening breeze, and the green woodland pros-
rect As she turned from the window, she
was startled by thump upon the floor, and
an exclamation Of
"TAerei che sent you these And wonder
why you couldn't o. coined arter them your
self!'' And with astonishment Rosalie saw
standing in the room a large, far-complexon-
ed, middle-aged man, clothed in coarse blue
linen Jacket and trowscrs with walters
white apron tied before him. He had just
thumped upon the floor large basket, filled
with vegetables. He still held in his hand a tin
pail, with tin pan covered upon the top of it.
"Who arc you?" inquired she.
"Billy Here's the butter. Where am to
pour the milk? 2" said the man, lifting the
little pan that contained a pound print, and
displaying half gallon of milk in the pail.
Who sent these?n asked Rose, in sur
prise.
"She! Can't you empty the milk? Pve
got to carry the bucket back"
al am afraid there is some mistake said
Rose, hesitating. "Who did you say sent
you %
"Her, tell you. | can't stand here, CAB
bin all day"
aBut, my good friend, there is some error
these things were not sent to me-" persisted
Rosalie, looking longingly at the hard, sweet
smelling butter, with the milky dew rising on it.
With no more ado "Bliyn marched up to
the corner cupboard, seized a knife, passed it
under the print of butter, and deity turned the
print out Of the pan into plate next, he took
up the pail and poured the milk into pitcher,
finally he went back and seized his basket, and
seeing nothing to receive the vegetables, just
turned it upside down and shook them out up
on the foor-and potatoes, cucumbers, onions,
tomatoes ETC., rolled in every direction. And
Billy caught up his empty pan and pail and
pitched them into the basket, and hitched the
latter, with o jerk. upon his arm, and marched
out OF the door, exclaiming-
"Now, for the futur', mind, you must come
arter EN- every day, yourself-if they're worth
havin they're worth comm for, an Pye got
'nough to do for her, out trudgin' over here
every day for yom An told her want q.
goin' to do it, nuther," &c., &c, sc.
For long after Billy was out of eight in the
woods, Rosalie heard the retreating sound Of
his grumbling Full of wonder, Rosalie set
about to collect the fugitive potatoes, tomatoes
ETC. She put them under the lower shelf Of
her cupboard, and drew the short white cur.
taia before them; then she set the pitcher OF
rich milk and the plate Of fresh butter upon
the table, much pleased with the unexpected
luxury, but more pleased 10 anticipate the sur.
prise and pleasure Of Mark. And all beinp
ready she took her sewing, and sat in the door
20 watch for bis coming. She heard his foot.
step before she saw his form; and she closed
the door and ran up the woodland path q
Il .nnat h,,. And aocn their ruevvv v<,:c~. a.. 4