The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-05-10
From the Literary Companion.
BEN BOLT AND SWEET ALICE
BY AMANDA NJ. DOUGLAS.

o1 A4udNOh us OoOuAAS'
s.oh, dun't you remember sweet Alice. Ben Bolt!
Sweet Alice, whose hair was brown
Who blnshed with delight when you gave her
: smile,
And trembled with fear at your irown!
In the old church-yard in the valley, Ben Bolt,
In a corner secluded and lone,
They have fitted slab of the granite 90 grey.
Aud sweet Alice lies under the stone.
1T. D. ENGLISH.
Don't you remember? Are those three
magic words-a key wherewith to unlock
the flood-gates of the heart, and send the
sweet waters of the past over the plains
and down the hills OF that fair land, known
in our past experience as by-gone? Even
so. There rises before US visions Of
s.sno whom thu bright deep eyes of young
Spring gazed shyly at us from beneath the
remined mantle of Winter-when the blue
violets stole their first tint from the bluer
sky above; when the cowslips Of sunny
May. and the golden-hearted butter-cups
first jeweled the slender blades Of grass,
and the hawthorn grew white with its
blossoms; when we roamed the woods the
whole Of that long, lovable June holiday,
weaving garlands and listening to the con-
cert OF birds in that dark mistletoe. ath-
ed oaken forest. There was one in years
gone by that prayed "Lord keep my mem.
ory green," and the clinging tendrils of
our hearts 60 ever back yearningly to this
prayer.
But green and fresh as the poets pray.
er had the heart OF Ben Bolt been kept
from his early boyhood to the hour he sat
by his old friend, and listened to the song
of bygone days. Not "through a glass,
darkly," did he review those scenes of the
past, but it was the going back Of the boy
heart to other hearts of childhood.
There was the little red school house,
with its dusty windows, and desks that
had been nicked many time, trying pen.
knives; its tall, stern looking teacher,
whose heavy voice caused the young ones
to tremble; its rows Of boys and girls, with
their heads bent attentively downward to
their books and states. The wild winter
wind sang and whistled without, and
though some few childish hearts tried to
find words for its mournful notes, they
were too young and happy to know that i,
carried desolation and heart.ache in it's
wall; yet did they learn it in after days.
i, Then there came few light snow. balls,
so tiny that it must have been the sport ol
the storm spirits in their eldrich revels-
changing by and by TO feathery flakes that
danced about ever SO gay. How the Gill.
dren's eyes grew bright as they looked al
one another, and thought Of the merry
rides down hill, and the snow-balling tina,
would make the play ground ring again!
The last lesson was said, books and states
put aside, and in place Of the silence
reigned gay and glad voices. Kate Ash.
ley shook back her jetty ringlets, ,and laugh.
ed through her sparkling eyes. as she gave
Jamie Marvin that bit OF q curl that he had
teased her for so long. because she knew
jamie had the prettiest sled in the whole
school. All, . bit of coquette was the
same gleeful, romping Kate; and there
was Sophia Dale, looking as demure as
kitten walking from pan Of milk, and a.
playful as kitten too, was she in spite
her quiet looks; and the stately Elizabeth
Queen Bess they called her, and ques
ton il England's Queen had haughtiel
carriage-but apart from those who were
eagerly looking for friends to take then
was Alice May-sweet Alice. Very beau
tifIl and lovable was she, with her win
some, childish face. blue eyes and sof
brown curls. She was so delicate and fra
gile, you might also fancy her little snow
child or lost fairy babe.
Nearly all the children had departed
amid all the shouts and jingling OF bells
but yet the sweet child stood alone, until 9
rich boyish voice startled her by saying:
! "No one goes your way, Alice, dc
they?"
"No, l guess not Ben" she replied, in
her. fine, bird like tone.
"Well, the snow is too deep Tor you to
walk, so guess I'll carry you home.''
] "Oh, no, I'm too heavy 10 be- carried 60