Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-08-17

1t haunts me still, though many year has fed,
Like wild melody
"Joy had waved DER thee his sun-woven wing,
And dmpled thy cheek with the roses Of spring."
Mas. 0sGooD.
Our village sweet Beechdale-nestled so
lovingly among the hills, with its simple
frame cottages almost buried beneath the TO
liage of blossoming locusts, and dark green
linden trees, and the neat little porches
wreathed with clustering lilacs and honey
suckle
what CLEAN of sunshine comes back through
the weary waste of years gone by, as we once
more gaze upon it-what an oasis it seems
amidst the desert-places Of our path
But you should once see it in reality-you
should pass some of life's happiest hours in its
sweet seclusion, apart from the bustling world,
and then you would learn to love it as we do,
and not worder at our enthusiastic admira-
ton.
What sloping hills, what beautiful scenery,
and what a lovely stream OF limpid water
and wooded knolls, or rolled peacefully
through verdant meadows. All, there was
everything there to give variety, and to add
to its interest and better still, we were new
er wanting in warm and living hearts to com
plete the enjoyment of our little Eden.
But the brightest, and best, and the happi-
est spirit there, was Cora Lyle. Our Cora
was there ever village pet beloved as she
was. Her presence was like ray of Joyous
sunshine wherever she went-for no one, who
had once gazed into her laughing eyes-so
large and blue, would think Of passing her
without a nod and a pleasant smile. How
could they help it I Darling Cora.
We all went to the village school, in those
days, and though we were ever loving friends,
there was considerable rivalry among the
boys, as to who should be the escort of our
little pet, when we proceeded up the road
that led TO the white schoolhouse-who should
be the favored chaperon to lift her safely
across the rsts and mre, and carry her books;
or, when at school, sharpen her slate pencils,
and help her do tedious sums. But she be-
slowed her sunny smiles, alike on all, and
one glance from her roguish eyes was suffi-
cent compensation for the most disappointed
gallant And so passed away our childhood
-ah, how quickly What would we not
give to live over again those sunny years.
How many wild frolics we had in that pleas
ant village, and Cora the life of all. Did we
90 on an excursion to gather nuts or flowers,
sweet Cora must necessarily be one Of the
happy party and while roaming through the
woods and fields, the great, broad brimmed,
straw hat of one of the boys was often set
Iauntly upon the pretty head of Cora and
then, with those fair curls of sunny brown
floating around her saucy face, she would
laughngly pelt US with nuts, as our merry
laughter rang out among the hills.
Happy hours Even now their joyous knell
comes back, and WATTS an exquisite feeling to
the heart, though long, long years have fled.
Cora Lyle's parents were not wealthy, but
there was not dwelling in Beechdale where
she was not welcome visitor; and especially
was she the favorite companion of Ella Ben
son, the daughter Of our wealthy village mer-
chant, whose handsome residence was stua-
ted Just at the end of BeechdaIe. Here Cora
passed great part Of her time, and as Miss
Benson had been educated at distant semi
nary, she was, of course, very accomplished,
and undertook TO instruct her pet, whom she
found very ready pupil, and delighted in
music and drawing especially
Thus passed away the girlhood of our Cora
beloved by all, and shedding radiance on
the life-paths of all around her. She was
now seventeen, and the fairest, sweetest
creature in the world. But in her heart she
was still child, and wild as ever, although
Verging from girlhood into womanhood; and
we who were SO intimate with her, hardly no
ticed the change.
Darling Cora Lyle