The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-04-13

hours alone and Edward departed.
How much interest is given to the
ruin of a temple, castle, or fertilization,
by having story Of suffering, legend
of love, or tale of heroism, connected
with the memory of the crumbling fab
RIGS ! Even rugged mountain or mar
row lake, if associated with the history
Of human feelings and passions, bee omos
more attractive to the cultivated mind !
than the resorts of fashion But of this |
romantic kind of interest, the wild and
beautiful, places of our own land are
nearly destitute. Imp ovement does
not pause in its career to preserve a rel |
ic of the olden times and industry la |
bors to convert everything into source
of immediate profit. This course of
proceeding is doubtless most convenient, !
but it may be questioned whether it be
the most patriotic The love Of coun
try is a species of pride, compounded of
lofty and sacred recolections of the
worth and achievements of our ances-
tors, and that vanity which is fostered
by knowing the importance which other
nations attach to our history and tradi-
tons Probably, Scott's " Lady Of the
Lake imparts more national pride to a
Scotsman than he feels in contemplating
the railroad from Edinburgh to London.
This pride, created by the productions
of genius, is perfectly compatible with
our republican habits and institutions.
Indeed, nothing would more contribute
to deepen and perpetuatc the love of
liberty and our country, than wcll-tOld
legends of our ancestors. Their piety,
ardor, suferings, constancy and courage,
and ultimate success, would form themes
lofty, tender, or romantic, and yet diff
fering materially in character from the
adventures of European romance Our
fictions, if well narrated, would now ex-
cite more intense interest than the feats
of knights or the fortunes of princes be-
cause the deeds Of American daring
were performed by man either to defend
or perpetuate principles, rights, and pos
sessions, which the enlightened and libe-
raj of every country feel to be more in
terestine and important, and, compared
with which, the wild deeds of chvalry
and the exploits of the crusaders appear
disgusting or preposterous, criminal or
trivial
This little sketch, however, does not
petend to be even sample of what may
be wished, and, indeed, expected from
the gifted spirits of our land 1t is on
ly the record of conjugal and maternal
love, the same in all ages, and in every
nation.
The house of Edward Abbot stood on
the western bank of the Merrimack
nearly mile from the present town of
Concord, then called Rumford Ed
ward was the first who had vcnturcd to
reside at such a distance from the gar
rison or fortified houses, and he had thus
obtained the reputation of remarkable
courage, Of which he was quite as proud
as dashing blade of these polished
days would be in accepting challenge
to duel.
His wife, too, participated in his tri-
umph, and wish to spare him mortif-
cation was powerful motive to inspire
her with resolution to overcome her own
fears and allow him to depart, when,
from the presentiment she felt that dam
ger was nigh. she would. by the super
stition of the times, have been justified in
OBTAINING. or at least in accompanying
him. But she saw him depart without
tears, watched him from the small win
dow till he entered the forest, and then
betook herself to her household con-
Germs. Yet she could not forbear going
frequently TO the door, and sometimes
she would go forth and gaze all round
their little domain. and then watch the
progress Of the sun, with an expression
would instantly have revealed tho agi-
tation and anxiety her heart was suffer
ing
Everything abroad was in perfect qui-
etness. There was scarce breath of
air perceptble, and the water of the
Merrimack flowed without a ripple.
The calm July sky looked a deeper and
more heavenly blue, seen as it was by
Rebecca, from a spot crcumscribed By
tall trees now clothed with such full
ness of foliage as made the forest look
dark and almost impenetrable, Close
around the house the cleared land was
planted with corn and vegetables, and
field Of wheat, in front of the dwelling
stretched in unbroken green to the riy-
er's brink.
There was not sound to be heard
save the chirping of robin, that had
built her nest on chestnut which stood
close to the southeast corner of the
house, the only tree suffered to grow
within the enclosure of Edward. The
young birds were fully fedged, and un-
der the guidance of the parents, were a.
bout quitting their nest Rebecca
watched their movements, the old birds
now encouraging, now seeming to chide
their timid offspring, till finally they
reached the woods and all disappeared
Slight as the circumstance was, it
touched Rebocca with a sense of her
loneliness. Even the birds have left
me-" said she to herself, and pressing
her boy closer to her bosom, she burst
into tears
Rebecea might well be excused these
tears and feelings, for, though wife and
mother, she was hardly seventeen. And
then Rebecca possessed an advantage
that, in the eyes of young gentlemen,
cancels all feminine weakness-she was
very beautiful. A lady now displaying
similar charms would, for her face, be
entitled to the epithets of divine, angel
} ic, Grecian, Madonna, while the grace
fulness of her figure would be well un-
, dertood by all, travelled or untravelled,
q 20 Al l.. NJ