Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-04-07

The early morning breeze from off
tie hill-tops came loaded with the
beath of forest-howers birds car
old merrily from groves of shady
tres; the insect world broke forth
none great universal hum of hap
piless the little river rippled cheer
Ny passed the wooded island and
then the sun came gently over the
mountains, heralded by gorgeous
rays of rainbow quality, slipping. the
dew-drops from myriad buds. and
blossoms. The household of the
planter had just begun to stir; dogs
shook their shaggy, drowsy heads,
and negroes rubbed their heavy
eyes, and, in their Oriental apathy,
groaned that the night had fled
The earliest sunny rays of morning
light that stole through lattice door
anu window found Florence still
asleep little more light, a little
more warmth, little more warbling
Of the birdie without, and the sleep
m's eyes were opened. Was 1t a
vision of the night, still lowering
about her, that she saw i-It was
her husband, indeed, and with their
newborn infant in his arms He
LAID it gently by her side, and bend
ing softly over her, as though she
HIll had slept, and he had feared to
take her, kissed her a score of times,
I3lled her darling wife, and wished
lrr and all beneath that roof a hap
Ir long New Year. Blessed wife
II seemed as though a new world
llld opened before her with fresh
Existence. And when he took her
band in his, and asked her to for
give him all the past, to look only
10 the future, rich in each others
owe, Florence could not speak but
tears of happiness, more eloquent
than words, told all She had to tell.
Tha, was busy busting day for
all tie household. As usual upon
the first day Of The year in that is
laud, the slaves crowded in after the
morDing-mea with their simple gifts
OF fruit and flowers, or cakes. Pom
egranates, oranges, lines, citrons
bananas, pine apples, jambos, and
many other tropical fruits, came
pouring in. as though all the corners
cf the earth had been robbed for the
occasion. II some fairy, reversing
the story OF Cinderella, instead of
transforming fruit into carriages had
converted all the vehicles of the
island into fruit, there could hardly
have been greater abundance than
was hcaped in the planters ample
yeranda on that morning.
Every one perceived how changed
was the manner and tone of the mas
iei; and many were astonished To
see how le worked at something
that was evidently in preparation. -
lNhder various t,'v,o">ssv, b.. ---.....---I
tdespatch the children upon errands
a day long. then the dinner hour
cme, and then evening, and then
tey were told TO prepare for the
J lew-year's fele. As the whole fam
il walked down the avenue of ban
mas and rosc-apples toward the
tdge, one long exclamation of won
DER and delight burst from The chill
Gems lips. Pretty Gesloons of bright
geen leaves and flowers of many
olors dropped across their path from
tee to Tree al intervals hung, swing
ing in mid air, small cocoa-nut Ian
tGns; further on, at each end of the
bidge, was an arch Of evergreens and
fruit while midway between them
stood the very altar that Rose had the
evening before wished to see placed
there; and, stranger still, upon It's
summit lay burning, like some sacri-
fetal monster, the identical canoe,
the detesiable canoe, that had so Of
ten robbed them of their dear papa
Wonders seemed never ending up
on that evening. Well might the
children feel aSlonshed at all they
saw, and ask inwardly If it were not
"A dream. Why, there was the lill!e
mound on which Rose and Edward
had stood the previous night, decked
and ornan ented as they had pictur-
ed in their play Some wizard OF
The woods had transformed the SIM
pie spot 10 festive throne. While,
stranger still, there was the identical
bower by lis side that Rose had con-
jured in her mind, full Of all sorts of
refreshments, boiling over with wine
and cakes And there, too, were
the horn-players and the blind old
negro barber. And as the party APP
preached from the bridge, surveying
oil this work OF fairy land, The brass
snd slringed music welcomed them
With such voluntary, as quite took
away the children's breath.
Ii would need some time to relate
ne-half of what occurred on that
loyful evening; but | may venture
10 tell how happily everything passed
III: how old Pierre was made a free
man how the goat was decorated
by Roses hand with new garland
Of ribbons and flowers and how, in
The very midst of some intricate
piece of dancing, Brutus insisted on
Joining in the amusemenls, tripping
up many vigorous dancer by the
,orce of his horns, and utterly per
picking and bewildering every kind Of
fgore that was attempted.
The last Of the guests had dIsap-
peared, the little island Was once
more quiet, and again the moon