The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-11-23
NO. 4l2.


sage, or that in some way should learn some
thing that would be for my comfort
| watched him all down the lane and across
the road now stopping to cast stone at q
bird, and now to cut off some bunch of herbs
with dull stick, now TO catch a humble-bee
under his hat and now to dive at some wad-
ding goose, and pretend he was about to eat
her alive.
1t seemed that he would mover accomplish
his GRAND; but at last, by plunges, and dives.
and summersets, he made his way. and | saw
him disappear within the house
An age elapsed before he came forth and
when he did, he dalhed as before. / could not
remain in the chamber; and. wrapping a shawl
about ms shoulders, descended, and. to the
CONSERVATION of Martha, walked forth. 1t
seemed to me | could not do otherwise When
| came within call, he informed me that he
would have brought the thing to me, whatever
| it was | wanted in a minute.
| Little did he suspect what it was / wanted
| Have you it?' l asked; aud he gave il into
my hand, in silence. "What did they saw" |
asked in the hope of eliciting something.
Rose said she was coming to see YOU" he
answered.
And is that alp"
eyes, Mike has got an axe-a new one"
"What Of that?"
Nothing; only you seemed to want to know
things"
II do want to know what they were all
doing and saying
| "Well, Rose was n making supper biscuits
and wish ] had them all-they would be good
with cheese. Do You b'lieve as howt the moon
is made of cheese?"
"No, certainly not"
"Nor me; | wasn't never big enough fool
for to believe that; and wouldn't, if the school
master salt So
| SLOW did you happen to be so wise?"
| "Why, just cause knowed some chap would
contrive way for TO get it down, if it was made
of cheese"
| "But what more did you see or hear?"
| "One of Roses foots is lame; that is the
reason she hasn't been for to see You. She
sent her love. got great big piece of it in
my pocket"
| seemed likely to learn nothing which
cared to know by these roundabout questions !;
so asked him directly what Mr.. Richards said
| He didn't say nothing
speak?"
He didn't give it to me; it was Rose that
gave it to me-"
"And did YOU not sec him ?"
Yes, he was reading in book bat he didn't
say nothing"
Il know something more, though; he is
going for to 90 away
| "When and where?" and seized the boy
| by the hand, and compelled him to stand still
and answer, for he had been turning summer
sets, and amusing himself with other elegant
| capers, AZ we proceeded.
Il do know nothing more, Rose told me
| that" and twisting out of my hands, the boy
leaped the fence, and ran furiously out of sight
| For moment, | almost hoped | might never
see him again
at seems to me that you look worse, said
my father, as he joined me in the lane; have
you heard any bad news from Charley"
said, :" no father but am not quite strong
enough to walk yet and he assisted me to
the house, and back to my lonesome chamber.
] took up the letter with the design of burning
| it, but | could not perhaps ! would send it the
next day-and perhaps all would vet be well.
So laid the letter aside, and, throwing myself
on the bed, tried to weigh the probabilities for
and against the news | had heard.
The conclusion was, that 1t was not likely
| that Mr. Richards would leave home for months
| or even weeks, without first visiting me.
Then | arranged as evidence in favor of my
| cause, all the bright memories belonging to our
acquaintance.
Surely all was not delusion, and had been
loved, if not with the strength Of my own pas
sion, at least after some sort; so soothed a lit
tie the awful torment of fear.
| How strange that we cannot sec that which
we would not see. 4 week was gone, and
gradually ] had grown better, so they told me ;
and know that went out of my lonesome gar
ret, and wandered lstlessly here and there,
without so much interest as TO gather the few
and fading flowers ! saw. knew nothing more
of what was going forward at the house of my
neighbor than what Doke had told, and such
| differences as drew from observation.
Broken clouds were flying fast across the
| sky the moon was half full, and the wind went
and came in gustv flaws it was one of those
weird nights that make you look about you to
see if ghosts are walking. ! remember how
often started, as the black shadows Haunted
about my feet, from the swaying limbs fast los
ing their leaves. ! was seated on the low step
| of the porch, looking in the direction Of my
late home, and expecting every moment to see
| the beloved form, for which | mistoOk thou
| sand shadows.
In the near tree top, the old cock crew, and,
| away across the hills, others answered him, and
the watch dogs barked restessly. 1t was nine
o'clock. He will not come tonight, said
| perhaps tomorrow, or tomorrow night; but,
while | so unused, there came voices on the
wind, and the next moment Mr.. Richards
| before me- but not alone; Timothy accOmpani-
| ed him. His sautation kind-cordal in
| deed-but it was the kindness and cordially of
| a well-bred man, and not the tender interest of
a lover.
Timothy drew Hctiy, who was silly peering
out of the door, to his side, and amused her
with various nonsenscal talk. He was come,
he said specially to pay his respects to her, and
to induce her, if his poor eloquence would serve
so good a purpose, to accept him, when that
she should blossom into womanhood, as her
true and legal spouse. True, he would neither
be so young, nor so comely, nor so agile of limb.
lovers she might obtain nevertheless, he
played charmngly on the flute; he talked: not
elegantly, but still paSsably well and he was
willing then and there to obligate himself, be-
fore witnesses, to cherish her as the apple of his
eye; and, moreover, to furnish her with all
qualities of candy, To the extent of her desire.
lie thought it not unlikely that Doke would be
head butler of their establishment; and, if
they should conclude to take up their abode in
the country, "Shue Lodge" commended itself
to him as a name for their residence however,
that and other minor points should be settled
after their espousals, for, from his own observa-
ton, and from what he had conceived in his
own mind as to the sympathy-oneness, if he
might so speak-of most married pairs, he ap-
pretended no slightest jar in the Eden OF their
union.
Meantime, Mr.. Richards was thrown upon
his own resources for my entertainment.
Fluently he conversed of this and that-com-
monplaces, which he knew could not possibly
interest me-such as, which of the young ora
tors had won themselves most credit and what
lirtations he had been observant of, how smart
the schoolmaster appeared in his new dress,
and how generously our friend Timothy had
been treated by him-all of which he assumed
to be very funny.