The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-12-15
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BEN BOLT AND SWEET ALICE.


BEN BOLT AND SWEET ALICE
"ob, don't you remember sweet Alice, Ben Bolt2
| Sweet Alice, whose hair was 30 brown,
Who blushed with delight when you gave her smile
| And trembled with fear at your frown.
"In the old church-yard in the valley, Ben Bolt,
In corner obscure and alone,
They have fitted slab Of the granite so gray,
And Alice lies under the stone."
"Don't you remember z" Are those thre
magic words-a key wherewith we may un
lock the fioodgates of the heart, and send th'
sweet waters of the past over the plains ant
down the hills of that fair land known il
our heart experiences as by.gone Ever
so. There rise before our visions of time
when the bright, deep eyes of the young
spring gazed slyly upon US from beneath the
ermihd mantle of winter-when the blue
yiolets stole their first tint from the azure
sky above-when cowslips of sunny May
and the golden hearted buttercups first jew
elled the slender blades of grass; and the
hawthorn grew white with its blossoms
when we roamed the woods the whole OF
that long, warm, loveable June holiday, wea.
wing garlands, and listening to the concert
of BIRDS in that dark, mistleto wreath, oaken
forest. There was one in years agone that
prayed, "Lord, keep my memory green;' and
the clnging tendrjls of our hearts goes back
ever yearningIy to this prayer.
But green and fresh as the poets prayer
had the heart of Ben Bolt been kept. From
his early boyhood to the hour he sat by his
old friend, and listened TO the song of by.
gone days. Not through glass. darkly,
did he review those scenes of the boy heart
TO others of childhood.
There was little old red schoolhouse
with its dusty windows, and desk that had
been nicked many time trying pen knives
its tall stern looking teacher, whose stern
voice caused the younger ones to tremblei
its rows OF boys and girls with their heads
bent attentively downward to their books
aud states, the wild winter winds sang and
whistled without, and some few childish
hearts tried to find words for its mournfu
notes. They were too young and happy t.
know that it carried desolaton and heart
ache in its wall, yet did they learn it in altel
years. .a
Then there came a few light, round snow
balls, so tiny that it must have been the spor
OF the snow spirits, in their eldrich fevels
changing by and by to feathery fakes thai
danced about ever gaily. How the chill
dren's eyes grew bright, as they looked a
one another, and thought of the merry rides
down hill, and the snow balling that woult
make the playground ring again. The las
lessons were said, books and states put aside
and in the place of silence reigned gay, glat
voices Kate Ashley sh"ok her pretty ring
lets, and laughed as she gave jamie Marvin
that bit of curl he had teased SO long for
because she knew that jamie had the pref
tiest sled in the whole school. All, a bit o
coquette was the same gleeiul rompin!
Kate. And there was Sophie Dale, looking
as demure as kitten walking from a pan o
new milk; and playful as kitten, too. wa
she, in spite of her quiet looks; and tn
stately Elizabeth Bess they calle
her--and question if Englands queen hal
laughter carriage. But apart from thes
who were eagerly looking for friends to tax
them home, stood Alice May--sweet Alice
Very beautiful and loveable was she, witt
her winsome, childish face, blue eyes, an
soft brown curls. She was SO delicate an
fragile, you might almost imagine her
snow child, or lost fairy babe
Nearly all the children had departed, ami
the joyful shouts and jingling bells, and "
the little child stood alone, until rich, boy
ish voice startled her, saying
'No one goes your way, Alice,d does there
mo, guess not, Benz she replied, in he
fine, bird. like tones.
Let me carry you home
/ sOh, no, I'm too heavy to be carried
faf;' and she laughed low and sweetly.
! Heavy! no, you're just like thistle dow
or snow fake. Aily:. | could carEs you
!. England and back again without being ct a
fatigusd;' and he tossed the little girl In b
arms
II mo, no; let me 60; the bo5s will laug
1t You, BEN; and she struggled.
!, What DO cares They may laugh
d tBen Bolt as they like;' and the bsase bc
drew back The chesaut curls from bis broa
fair forehead, and drew himself up proud!
J b.bnt Ibid not mean 70 ftighten yous ALICE
|, [hs eontiasd, ~ he sswi how the little q
Z stffembled, sq