Daily national era., 1854-07-13
LITERARY MISCELLANY.
For the National Era.
\ OIL [ wv Q 0 D .
BY ALICE CAREY.
CHAP. I-concluded.

y. mats right, SdSS-boxes rcplou tho "loo" /,
trot along, but mind you don't tear the house
down, for want you to come again ana yisit
Lucretia--come OF evenings and bring your
brother
nWe answered, we should be very glad to
visit her of evenings with our brother upon
which she inquired il we had not some new
neghbors, quite incidentally, as it appeared
ave had new neighbors, we replied; where
upon she asked what kind Of family they seem
cd to be, and especially if we had noticed amy
women folks
"We didn't know much about the new fam
lily, but we had seen women folks going in and
out.
asWell' said tho widow : | don't believe
they are connected with the owner Of the white
house, for they say he is a widower, and has
one child that il sckly, and one of the women
is likely nurse, and one girl lfor where
we lived all hired women were called girls j
and, she added, j expect either of them would
be glad to inyeigle him, if they could
We did not know about the probabilities
whether our new neighbor was likely to be
'inveigled or not--and, after a moments si-
lence, tho widow exclaimed, compassionateIy,
Poor Henry Richards
I" Henry Richards was the name Of the new
proprietor Of the white house, as she informed
old he was--and when we said we didn't
know how old he was, she asked if we had not
been near enough to guess at his age We
had not been so near as to warrant guess
but the widow in absence of all evidence, was
inclined to believe the strange gentleman could
not be younger than she, for she said, mcst
men got pretty well along in years before they
acquired much property, and they said Mr..
Richards was rich. Who they were, we did
not learn---nor did we in any way try to in
validate the conclusion about his age, as it ap-
peared 80 satisfactory to herself After inquir-
ing whether such of the women as we had
seen appeared smart and inviting like or the
contrary, she calculated again, Poor MIR.
Richards and added, how lonesome he must
be;' and repeating the hope that we would
visit Lncretia that afternoon, and afterward
visit her Of evenings, with our brother she
caught mp the branch of thorn tree which
lay at the roadside and affected to drive us to-
ward her house.
Naturally, we looked back after we had
proceeded little way, and, to our surprise,
there stood the widow on the top Of the house
block, shading ber eyes with her hand, and
gazing in the direction Of the white house.
"Doke mounted on pair of stills, which
elevated him ten feet in the air, and now and
giant who was come out OF the woods to devour
us alive. Occasionally he slipt down, and,
running up the trunk Of some sapling uttered
dolorous cries.
"lt was a gloomy winter day, yet we found
Lucretia sitting in the door yard, on the sunny
side of the house, and singing to herself, and
piecing capes of red and yellow leaves. |
have in my mind q picture of her, just as she
sat on the ground, her feet drawn partly be-
meath her, and her auburn hair blowing about
her bare mock and shoulders She was pleas
ed that we had come, and with artless grace
entertained US with such simple means as the
house aforded-nuts and apples, and bright
wood fire. She was pretty, but exceedingly
simpleminded and ignorant. She had read
one or two "story books" as she said, and her
modest blue eyes opened wide with wonder,
when ! repeated to her the story of Romeo
and Juliet. She had never heard Of Shaks-
peare, and thought il a very funny name
"Doke made himself agreeable by examin-
ing drawers and cupboards, ascending the
ladder to the garret, and stufing his pockets
with whatever he could find that was eatable
"Lucretia was delighted with his feeding
capacities, and said, in her childish simplicity,
she believed he could eat nearly as much as
her mothers COW.
Never was daughter more unlike mother
gentle, loving and dependent; whereas her
parent was rude, garrulous, and prepared for
any and all exigencies Our visit was a pleas
ant one, and We afterward repeated it Of
evenings in company with our brother, es Mrs.
Wilkinson had requested.
"The woods were quite dark when we set
out for home, for the sky was one leaden mas,
except low in the west where some cold white
streaks fingered behind the sunset The ground
was frozen hard, and slowly the snow-hakes
drlfted down upon us as we walked. Doke
for the most part, walked before us on his
stilts, asserting that he was starved, and must
hasten homo to get supper. We followed
briskly and soon saw the old homestead, look
ing lonesome and dark As wc passed under
the cherry tree in the corner Of the door-yard
the black rooster cackled unnaturally, and
futtering his wings, shook shower Of snow
in our faces; but this did not startlc us 30
much as the strange Object VIC perceived 10
the shadow OF the house. II appeared like a
man jumping smartly up and down, as though
his footing were too hot for him. | am not
naturally timid, but confess my pulses quick
ened and ! besltatcd, till saw my father
coming from the evening work at the barn
He stopped 70 chop wood at the door, when
emboldened wr went forward SO, child
you are afraid, are you?' called q well-known
voice. knew you were afraid after sunset,
and was just coming to see after you
For shame, Charley said, what are
you hopping up and down there for7
!. didn'f suppose you would comprehend
i little one he answered; q am exercising for
my health
Pshsw y exclaimed for | was indignant,
Why don't you help father to chop wood for
exercised
"'lt would not bring the same muscles into
play child he replied, and then told me | had
best 60 in the house, for IL was getting dark.
and might chance TO see cat or q dog. or
some other frightful object passed him
without reply, and, as did 60 saw that he was
jumping over rope which was fastened to
two stakes at the distance Of yard or more
from tho ground II was ludicrous TO see, and
could not help thinking Charley great
fool
eff IL was desolate out Of doors; we found