Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-11-10
SsI.tt.S Calf. :. +.
THE CROCK OF GOLD.
MARTIN rAReuHAR ruprER.
AUTHOR OF
"PRovzRBrAL PHILOSOPHY"

The Contrast.

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The Contrast.
Thus. full Of carking care, while h,
, pushed aside the proiiered consolation
Roger Acton walked abroad. There
was yet but glimmer Of faint light
) and the twittering Of birds told NOR,
assuringly ofmorning than any cheer
ful symptom on the sky: however. !
had pretty well ceased raining. tba
was one comfort. and as Roger. shoul
dering his spade. and with the day.
provision In n handkerchief. trudged
out upon his daily duty. those good
old thoughts Of thankfulness csne
upon his mind, and he forgot awhile
the dream had unstrung him. Turn.
ing for moment 10 look upon hlshoy.
el. and bless its inmates with prayer,
he half resolved 10 run back. and hear
n few more words. ifonly not 10 vex his
darling child: but there was no time
to spare; and then. rs he gazed upon
her desolate al'ode--so foul n caskei
for so fair jewel-his bitter thoughts
returned TO him again. and he strobe
away. repining.
| Acton's cottage was one OF those
doubtful domicils, whose only recon-
mendation II Is. that they are pictur-
esque in summer. At present we be-
hold reeking rotting mass OF black
thatch in n cherries swamp; but ms
the year wears on, those time-stained
walls. though still both damp and
mouldy, will be eluxuriantly overspread
with creeping plnais -honeysuckle,
woodbine. jessamine. and the over
blowing monthly rose. Many was the
touring artist II had charmed, and Suf-
folk-strcethad seen IL often: spectators
LOOKED upon the scene as an old famil-
lar friend. whose face they knew full
well. but whose name they had forgot
ten for the minute. Many were the
fair hands that had immortalized lis
beauties in their albums. and frequent
the notes Of admiration uttered by at-
tending swains: particularly II there
chanced TO be taken into the view a
feathery elm that now creaked over
head, and dripped on the thatch like
the dropping.well at Knaresborough,
and (in the near distance a large pond,
or rather lake. upon whose sedgy
banks, gay-not now, but soon about
TO be-with Towering reeds and bright
green willows. the pretty cottage stood,
In truth, IL man were but an hibern a.
ting animal. invisible as dormice in the
winter. and only TO be seen with sum-
mer swallows, Acton's cottage al
Hurstley might have been cantle cut
from the Elysian-felds. But there
arc certain other seasons in the year,
and human nature cannot long exist
on the merely picturesque in sum
mer."
Some fifty yards. or so, from th.
hither shore, we discern rough wood,
ed ait. Pike Island to wit, fam mou.
place for fish, and the grand render
vous for woodcocks; which, amongs,
other useful and ornamental purposes
serves to screen out the laborer's how
ell. at this the narrowest part Of the
lake. from IA view Of that fine old man.
sion on the opposite shore, the seat oI
Sir John Vincent, baronet Just o
aye, and the great landlord Of the
neighborhood. Toward this mansion
scarcely yet revealed in the cleal
grey eye Of morning. our humble hero
having made the long round of tn,
lake. is now fast trudging; and il may
merit word or two plain description
to fll up time and scene, till he get
nearer.
A smooth grassy eminence, richly
studded with park-like clumps Of trees
slopes up from the waters edge to-
Hurstley Hall; yonder goodly, if no
grand, Elizabethan structure, full o
mullioned windows. and traceries, ans
lozenges, and drops; and all this glo
ry crowned by many-gabled. high
peaked roof. A grove Of evergre en-
and American shrubs hides the lowe
windows from vulgarian gaze-for, i,
the neighborly feeling of our ancestor,
a public way leads close along the
front: while, behind tue house. and
inaccessible to eyes profane. are drawn
terraced gardens, beautifully kept, ant
blooming with perpetual succession
of the choicest flowers. The wood
aad shrubberies around, attempted
some half century back IN be spoil
by the meddlesome bad taste Of Cspa
bility Brown. have been somewhat to-
resolutely robbed of the formal ave
nues, clipped hedges, and other topia
rian adjuncts which comport so we
with the starch prudery Of things T.liz
abethan; but they are still replete vi; I
grotto, fountain, labyrinth, and a.
cove--a very paradise for the NOR,
court-bred rank of sylphs, and th'
gentler elves of Queen Titania.
However. we have less to do will
the gardens than. probably, the elve
have; and as Roger now, just at break
ing day. is approaching the window
somewhat too curiously for poo
mans manners, il may not be aInis
, five bear him company. He ha
4 pretty well recovered Of his fit Of dis
5 content. for morning air and exercis
can soon chase gloom away; SO h
I cheerily tramped along. thinking as h
went how that, after all, it is a mid
! ding happy world. and how that th
raindrops, now that it had cleared VI
. hung like diamonds on the laurell
when ofa sudden, as he turned CO
' ner near the house, there broke upo
his ear, at that quiet hour. such
= storm OF boisierous sounds--voices {
II loud with oaths and altercation-suC