The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1854-02-24
zEBuLoN SANDS
ny ALICE CAREY.
CiIPTER I.

CHPTER |.
"A capital fellow everybody said,
when speaking of Deb. for no one ever
called him Zrbulon-not even his broth
cr- and sisters; if yon called him Deb
ulon, he would have laughed in your
face. Poor fellow can see him
now in fancy. Just as used to see him
about the old farm house. where I was
going to school-always busy and nj.
ways cheerful. doing some good thing
or other, and laughing and whistling as
he did so. Let me describe him rs |
remember him, when he was perhaps
sixteen, and ] quite a little girl. He
was not handsome. but no one thought
whether he were OF not. so good-humor-
ed and genial was the expression of his
countenance. lie was a little below the
ordinary height, and stout rather than
graceiul.yet he was always perfectly self
possessed, and so never awkward. His
hair hung in curls of soft brown. aloug
n low white forehead, and pair of ha-
gel ewes twinklrd with laughter beneath.
His fncc was full, with fresh glow of
health breaking through the tan. for he
was a farmers boy, and used TO expo
sure and hard work but noiwiihstand-
ing this, his hands and fee, were deli
cately moulded and beautiful.
Al an early age he was fond of all
manly exercises, and while still child
would brave the severest cold with the
forlilude of soldier. Many time
have | seen him chopping wood in the
mid-winior, without coat or hat, aud
standing L-s~ Issp ;', the snuu his
hair tossing in the north wind. and his
cheeks ruddy as the air and exercise
could make them. lie was never too
busy to see me when ! passed or TO
whistle me a good morning. if were
near enough to hear il, and had often a
pleasant word or two beside. Aud
never forgot to look at him children
are more fond of attentions Than is apt
to be imagined, aud |, perhaps, had the
weakness IN even an unusual degree.
Commonly he was chopping ai the wood
pile, but not always; sometime, I would
see him driving the oxen towards the
woods, seated on the cart-side, hs great
dog Watcher. sitting beside him, he
would not see me, and straighiwav the
distance before me would seem 10 length
en-, and the winter wind 10 have keen
en edge. Sometimes he was about the
barn, feeding the horses and cattle, and
remember seeing him on a distant hill.
dispensing bundles of oats TO the sheep;
he saw me. however, far as he was
away aud waved bundle of the grain
in n friendly recognition.
Everybody in the neighhorhood knew
Zeb, and had a kind word TO say when
they met him, for men and women, boys
and girls, were alike fond Of his good
brain be never walked with an irrr-
sistihle step. or raped at the proudcst
door with misg.ying heart. or doubted
Of the cordial reception which awaited
him. wherever he might 90. But his
confidence in the world VIA, greater Than
it, goodness warranted he did not re-
cogui>c the weakness that i, in humani-
iy, nor the weakness thai was IN him
self. till too late When he was httle
boy he said often. | will never be sick
i will never die--I will GO out in the
wood. and sing. Aud this was his .pirr
till he grew into manhood.
Deb had an only sisicr-Ruih. or
Rulhy. a. he always called her. AM the
two children lived in the old farm house.
with a father, a querulou, gray headed
man who had long forgotten he wa. ev-
er young. lie did not perhap. mean
90 be n hard master. nevertheless he
was 80 sometimes. .e doth brred a
habit in man, and Mr. Sands. | sup
pose. became accustomed by little and
liiile, TO the murh. to the al. hi. sou did
for him, 80 that at la.i bic expectations
ia regard 10 hin could scarcely BE-
equsled. Sometime, Zeb would come
in at night weary and dusy Snh the
day's hard work. and, for bi. faiher'-
comfort and perhaps ioF the hol,e Of q
liliic praisc. tell over shat be- had donr.
hos he hal fallen and ehopp.-j 10 fire.
wood the most Stubborn Tree in The ~
esi, Or. i might b.. had plgvvd more
Fround ihan h. had expected aud 10
had unyokri The oxen before the SAN
light Sa. quite gonr. Bot never va.
De- rrioiced by one word Of congraiula-
lion. II De- had frli-i tree. why
there ss' anoihrr kno,iy hing close by
--rDald hc nai lasy ssi that dosn ino|
II b. bad f,lDsri more ihan another
H"aid have dfn- b. onalj have i..as 81.
ou yri 81 sa boar-ib-rc va, lighi
eBCosA. Ils va. disoosrz.il.. b-I