Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-11-17

ing told her had heard tnat tne Darn oi the
gentleman whose corn we were husking had
been burned about week before, she asked
me if ! would not like to 60 out and see the
spot where it had stood; for she loved to look
at such scenes in the moonlight. !, of course,
willingly assented; for had begun to tire OF
the noise: and this was the very favor should
have asked if / had dared. We left the crowd
and armin-arm we passed through the orchard
and down lonely pathway, at the farther end
of which we had been told we would find the
"remains" we were seeking. Just as / fancied
was making myself agreeable to her, and we
were both becoming interested in each others
conversation, our further progress was arrested
by the smirched and blackened walls of the
old barn looming up before us, directly across
our path. Kind reader were you ever annoyed
by the impertinent entrance Of third person,
Just at that particular moment in which, of all
others, you would most dislike such an inter
ruption? If so, you can form some idea of my
feelings, when saw all that was left of that old
barn, the very object that we were hunting,
and the very object of all others / could have
wished miles away The mind is ever fertile
in expedient; the walk had fatigued us both,
and we must rest ere we could think Of return
ing. We found comfortable seat upon the
fragments Of a broken wall.
thought only Of desolation and misery, of a city
nation blotted out from the annals of the world.
How different are the feelings of different per-
sons sat upon the ruins Of that famous barn,
and thought only of the fair creature at my
side, and Of my own happiness in being there
with her. A long time we sat there in that
beautiful moonlight, until, in spite of my thick
heavy "old Bay State" which I had wrapped
about her, began to fear she would take cold
from too long exposure to the chilly night air.
We retraced our steps towards the gay party
we had left; and 0, that walk, the memory of
it haunts me yet. The same shawl covered
both our shoulders, but the same arm was not
in the same place as when we trod that path
but short time before.
When we reached the merry huskers, gave
her again to her friends, and went with friend
of mine in search Of new wonders. An indis-
tinct vision Of cider still foated before our
minds, and we were anxious to see if there was
any to be found about the premises. In our
peregrinations we came across several barrels
Of ripe, mellow apples, slowed away in gran
ary. We helped ourselves to these very liber-
ally, and still continued our search for we had
found the apples, and concluded the "Juice !"
could not be very far of.
did find many an amusing incident, which has
since caused us many hearty laugh One, in
particular, remember as..being illustrative Of
two of the most prominent characteristics of a
Yankee, viz: curiosity and love of money.
When our patience was well nigh exhausted,
and the "striped pig" still undiscovered, we
found ourselves by accident near to promising
specimen of New England growth and manu-
facture," in the person of boy, to judge from
his appearance, of about dozen years of age.
To him we applied for information, if he knew
where the cider was kept? He said he did not !;
and asked us if we were hunting for it. We
told him we were. He said he "didn't live about
here, but jist come over to see the husking~
We told him we would give him "bt'' if he
| would find the cider for us. / can see yet II
my minds eye the knowing look, a regular IN
you don't sell me, I amt so green as you Hinh
Ibe" which passed over his countenance at tha
moment, and the tone too in which he asked "a
bit of ,chatr' We explained to him the mean
ing Of the term, that "bit' was dime; ten
cent piece. His expression changed instantly
to one of intense anxiety. Such a sum of mo-
ney was fortune in his eyes, and visions OF
whole acres of gingerbread and bushels Of pea
nuts came up before his excited imagination.
He was silent for moment; fact different
from what might have been expected in a boy
of his age, yet perfectly in keeping with the
cool, calculating, knife-swapping, money.mak-
ing spirit of the country in which he lives;
when he burst out in "Du tell, wiH yon though
gire me a hull ten-cent piecea Let's see it. !"
We replied in the affirmative, and showed
him the coin. The silver glistened in the moon
light, but it was dull and lustreless in compari-
son with the brightness Of the boys eyes, as he
pazed upon the money and thought it was so
soon to be his own. He gave it last, long,
lingering, parting look and started. l have
often heard of person running so rapidly that
one might play marble on his horizontal coat
tail; but never saw an illustration Of it until
that night; Think, as he left us, the "narratiue"
of that boys monkeyjacket would have fully
answered for that purpose. We did not see
anything more of him for nearly an hour, when
he came back. looking sorrowful and disap-
pointed, and said almost with tears in his eyes,
his voice tremulous with emotion at the thought
Of not getting the money, "Uacre amt no CIDER;
then haint got none" We gave him the money
for his trouble he was satisfied and we had
the sweet consciousness, in thinking over the
affairs Of that night, that we had made one
being the happier by our presence, and we were
content.
About eleven o'clock, party Of us, tired of
the sport, left the corn-heap, and went into an
omnibus standing at some little distance, to
while away on hour until supper, which the
cravings Of exhausted nature told us we much
needed; for the long rough ride of dozen
miles, and the labor we had since performed,
had given us all ravenous appetites. The time
was passed pleasantly in telling stories, in sing
ing songs, and in conversation until midnight,
when we were summoned to the repast call
which we all instantly obeyed. The rapid
manner in which chicken, pig and beef disap-
peared from that festive board, to satisfy vora-
cious hunger, would have delighted the soul of
a gourmand. Byron has said that woman
never looks so uninteresting as when she is
eating; but could he have seen the baked beans
and victuals devoured that night by youth,
beauty and loveliness, he would never have
written that sentiment; or if already written it
would be
"A line which dying he would wish to blot"
The sight would have made him in love with
the voracity of hungry woman.
About one o'clock, the corn being all husked,
and the supper being oil eaten, our party re
turned to their seats in the omnibus, and while