The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-11-09

I was always ADDING with Our Jack;' bu
her mother said she had a good cry owe
: them when she placed them on her ches
OF drawers in her bedroom. The farme
, whose orchardJack helped to rob, had sen
5 out his best wishes, and had received II
return basket Of curious shells, which, a
he said, made his parlor look as fine a
tive-pcnce.' More. letters and presents
from time to time, with orders for NOR,
money than his dear old mother knew how
tospend, and so seven years passed ava,
since he. first left home. Meantime, the
joiner's pretty daughter had rejected many
offers, and grown into the sweetest flowel
I of the village. Another June came on il
her chariot Of roses, and smell Of new
hay hung around the picturesque hamlet
which the carriers cart was entering two OF
three hours before sunset, witha beauti
/ ful parrot in an immense cage, fastened OF
the tilt Of bis vehicle, and long stuffed
sword-fsh that hung partly over the shaft.
horse, which, with the leader, was decor.
ated with bows Of blue ribbons All the
village was out to look at the parrot, the
sword-6sh, and the horses; and from the
hurrahs Of the carrier, and the waving oi
his hat, they knew that he had had his
lounce meaning that he was pretty tipsy.
And while lie shouted, voice from inside
the tilted cart kept calling on the horsesto
move 'larboard or starboard,' which they,
like very wise horses, paid no regard to-
With half the villagers behindand around,
the cart at last halted before the cottage
where Our Jacks mother resided and then
both the carrier and his passenger called
out Justify: Ship ahoy!' Then the dear
old woman came in her spectacles, think
ling he had brought her another letter; and
the pretty maiden came tripping from over
the way, ready TO read it to her; as she had
always done; when atall handsome sailor,
| as brown as horse chestnut, sprang with
a bound from the cart-shafts, and knock
| ing off her spectacles as he threw lis
hrawny arms round her, exclaimed: Dear
mother; while, in a tremulous voice, as
she raised her eyes to heaven, she uttered
the words: MY son, my dear son!' and all
the yllagerssaid: why, it's Our Jack!'
and the pretty maiden recrossed the road,
scarlet with bushes, and with new and
strange sensation beating about her heart.
She had never dreamed he could have
tgrown SO handsome; so bold, and so man
tly- looking: AS for Our Jack, he had not
even noticed her-he had no eyes, no ears,
no words for any one save his dear. old
mother. The 6rst interview over, there
WAS the carriers cart to unload; and many
a longmonth had elapsed since the old man
hadbrought such load, for it was half
filled with the presents brought by Our
Jack, who hal something for every body.
whose name he could remember-corai,
shells, curious seaweed, stuffed p birds and
fishes, skins, Indian ornaments, beside
more costly articles; for his ship had Ia
ken several prizes, and his own share of the
money amounted to a goodly sum, as he
had already risen to the rank Of mate.
Partly to ease his fine overfowing heart,
and hide the tears which would keep fall
ling, Our Jack wentout into the little gar
den to look at it once more. What num-
bers Of times had he recalled that old lilac
tree, with the bees murmuring amid its.
bloom in Spring; that rose-tree covered,
as he then saw it, with Summer roses; the
vine he had trained on the cottage wall,
and often wondered if it were hung with
purple grapes,in Autumn; the holly, from
which he had gathered crimson berries in
Winter--and which were all there, though
thrice the size since he left homel All,
how often had they appeared to his in
ward eye while keeping watch atsea! The
sun setting on the cottage-window; the dali
sy.coyered field beyond the garden-hedge;
the old thorn, with its moonlight-col
May blossoms, with the singing of the
birds in those golden mornings, had come
back upon his waking thoughts, and ming
led with his dreams when they lay basking
under matches on the African coast, or
riding through the swell of stormier seas.
And while these thoughts again passed
through his mind, bright eyes were watch
ing him from over the way, peeping out of
a corner Of the blind, half sly; half shy
her, heart as ready to ronnp as ever it was,
but its wild auttering reined back by maid
en- modesty; her merry laughter as ready to
leap outof her lipsas when, in his rough
play, he tore the frock from her shoulders,
but withheld by womanly seriousness.
which seemed to have deepened since his
return. And now Jacks mother joins him
in the garden and tells him all about her
how she attended heri long illness, and
was Ikea daughter to her., sitting up by.
night, and watching over her by, day; and
her eyes fll as she clasps his tar-stained
hand, adding: But for her, Jack, i should
have been layed beside your father in the
green churchyard. She has been like dear
daughter to me, as well as loving nurse,
/ have sent for her to come and take tea
with you; but she's turned so shy all at
once, that4 can't get her'to como over,'slg,i I.
g. Passing his hand across his s=eyes, while
a smile chases away the momentary sad
ness, OurJack says he'll try what he can
do to persuade her; and oyerthe Way!he-
goes carrying with him the shawl be had
brought for her mother, and the curious
pipe and real foreign tobacco for her father.
He staysa long time, and his dear mother
begins to grow fdgetyiin watching them
from the window AT last they come; he.
brings home his prize: arm-in-arm they
come! Happy Jacklhappy daidenll joy
Gus old motherI "a There was some officially
in gettinghe to come down stairs. the
motEer tried. and the father tried in vain,
and it was only through Jack coming to the
stair-foot,a at lastand sayinga Come. Mary.