The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-09-27
SHE Is GONE.

Just opposite our house-stop a min
ute there is music in these two last words
let. us say them again. How sweet
they sound-onee more-there is a great
hill opposite where we are sitting, repeat
ing those two words, and here they come
back again. Echo is over there in the
deep shade of the trees, in the valley,
and he says, our house. Well, just op-
posite our house there is an alley or court
leading away up somewhere behind the
houses, wher there are other houses, en-
ant houses, holes for human beings to
suffocate in. We have never been up
.khere, but we know that those who live
by labor and have to labor to live, are
up there; for often of an evening we
see one Of the tenants come home with
his dray, and be unhitches his horse by
the pump outside and then he turns
round and says come, and walks up the
little court, with his faithful servant at
his heels, and for a long time we won
sdered if they both lodged IN the same
house, o. if not, where did he lodge the
horse /? So we went over n day as he
was going up, and peeped into the court,
and there we saw the man open a little
side door into which, after shedding off
his harness-for there was not room
enough for any thing but his body-the
horse crowded himself, and then the
man opened another little door over his
head; no the other extreme-and there
In a little cuddy hole, wal some hay, for
which he whinnied his gratitude. Then
the man went up to his own cuddy hole,
whore, under the bed, he had a bag of
oats; we knew it was under the bed,
for we saw the dust on his knees where
he had knelt down to I'll the little meas
,ure, for which he got more whinnied
thanks from a good servant, a faithful
friend, and grateful animal, though it
was a dumb beast.
So day after day, for months and
years we have seen the same man and
same horse-latterly the horse walks as
though getting to feel his age and hard
work, and the man looks care-worn and
tired of long toll that brings him nothing
but a lodging in that same hot oven,
near where he boxes up his horse to
sweat and stew all night-bringing him
only a small loaf of bread-they are
very small now q days, for his whole
family. Yes, it brings him something
else-did bring him something else
every night when he came home, it
brought q little girl about ten years old,
with the prettiest soft red hair-we
have no great fondness for red hair gen.
orally, but this was pretty-bounding
like a fawn down the court and up on
the dray just before it got to the pump,
where it had to stop; it could not go by,
for the old horse had stopped there so
long he could not go beyond that certain
fixed stopping place, It was a short ride,
sbut a merry one twas childhoods hap
Ply hour.
Our man was an early riser, up and
away often before we had dressed, but
early as it was, the red curls were there,
and she would bound up on the dray and
cling to one she loved for one more kiss,
and perchance to ride to the next corner,
and then back at a double quick step to
the door step of the house next to Sour
alley to catch q last look, and send a
last kiss upon the magnetic telegraph of
of a waving hand, with a "good bye, pa
pa" as he went round the corner and
away to his work down town. Often for
two hours before sun down she would sit
upon that door stone, watching that
same corner for the expected one, for
fsometimes he came at an early hour ;
and then she ran to meet him with more
Joy in her eye, and more In his than all
that ever was felt by one who never
heard the sweet sound of cob there
comes papa"
Sometimes she had company ; a tall,
graceful, neat woman, with a pale face
and a frail person, who stood by her
looking In the same direction. 1t was a
good place, too, in the shade of some
dark green trees, whittier she could come
out of that cul de sac ola court, where
she breathed hot air all day, and eorbo-
mic acid gas all night, to get a little
.nuf of the evening breeze coming NJ
rom the lower bay. That breeze is
blessed Uncertainties of the New Yorl
poor, which they should enjoy, but are
cheated cut of by every M who builds
their houses.
One evening we noticed that u lit
tie girl of the ally over the way was not
alone In her usual seat upon the door
step. In her lap lay a little sister, very
young small, and pale as her mothers
own sweet face. Every pleasant evening
for months, that little girl brought /" the
baby down the court, out into the oper
street to feel the soft air of the sei
breeze. She could not run to meet
papa, but her eyes went round the cor
ner in sharp chances, and she tried t
direct baby's the same way as she sail
athere comes papa" So, as she could
not run to meet him, as soon as he turn
ed old Dobbin about toward the pumI
before he stopped to unhiteh, be jumped
of and came and stepped down and kiss