True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-09-19
g&lecit laIle.
Sass from Godey's Magazine. N II
JUST DOW n THE ROAD
pY YIRaINIA !. TowNsENp.

}sss Aunt Hannah and I lived alone in our
little cottage, 1t was the qpaintest old 4
house, with green blinds and gray gables, \
the wild vine toiling upits,sides, with the
scarlet berries flashing like red stars among |
the dark green leaves. b
Then there were two chestnut trees that
stood all summer before the front door, !
like tall friars with green stoles folded over
their bosoms and on either sidesof the I
gravel walks, harebells and daHodils made
rufaing Of gold and purple down TO the
little wicket. y. ss e!e,s5
Oh, it was a happy homet mel l3ssitt.
here and close my eyes, and, looking down.
into the far land of my memory, lsee the,
quaint gables, the great trees, and the
golden ruf1ing, shining clear through the
light and darkness Of the years that lie be-
tween it and the present. 4,
Just down3the road I could seei it from
nv chamber-window was q red frame
house, With the moss Of half q century
growing thick on It's sloping roof The
Building was considerably dilapidated; !;
still, it had q COSY, old fashioned look Of. "a
summers morning, when the. sunshine
used to gid the caves, and plate with gold
the great weather-stained front door.
Mrs. Willard and Harry liyedin the red
house he was her only son, and she was
awidow They were very poor-all the
village knew this; but Mrs, Willard man
aged to obtain somewhat precarious live
lihood forherself and child by taking in
plain sewing; and as she sometimes fitted
Aunt Hsnlab's dresses and mine, and
Harry always came for and returned these,
became acquainted with him. H
Henry Willard was a strange boy BE
did not laugh and play as other boys Of
his age do; he was only two years older
than i /; and there was an air Of mingled
pride and timidity in his manner, shad-
ow on his young face, and a look Of mel.
ancholy. earnestness in his large dark eyes,
which arrested my attention, and awaken
cd my sympathy the first time that ! 4 ga saw
him. ,,,Il. WAX:
We were both naturally shy, and SO
Harry came and went many times with
the little bundles; and / sat in q. char BY
Aunt Hannah s, side, getting siirreptltlous
qlances at the pale, mournful face, and
wondering greatly why it was not like that
Of other boys, before the least oyertn,es
for acquaintance was made on either side
But Aunt Hannah, whose heart seemed
always oyerao@ing with kindness andsym
pathy for every human being, had taker
agreat fancy TO Harry Willard one day
Just as he was leaving, after having dis
charged the commission on which }hi'
mother had sent him, she suddenlysait
to me tAlice, you had better go outwitl
Harry, and make a bouquet for Mrs. Will
ard. Don't you like flowers, Harry y 4.
.!!Yes, ma ain, very much; !; thank YOU
rsplisdthe boy; and then his eyes wer
full 1of q strange, beautiful light as h
placed them full lon Aunt Hannah's. Il
So, We went into the garden together
and there we talked for the first time
while ! gathered mignonette and roses
and Harry held the flowers when j tie
the blue ribbon round the stems.
After this, our reserve wore gradual
away; and Harry became q frequent, q
ways q welcome, visitor at our house, w
would sitsfor hours under the great RES
less shadows Of the chestnut trees, Will
he would talk,to me in his strange, dream
way Of the stars, that seemed to- him lik
golden stairs on which the angels cam
down to earth; Of the strange music h
heart could hear in the wind, music th;
rose in the spring,time into a mighty j.
bilee; and it flowed over the fields, an
they grew green !; and the yiolsts oPene
their eyes, and made purple seams IN u
grass. In the summerS Harry said thi
music grew into a glorious psalm, fillin fillllitn
the forest and the woods and when sth
autumn came, it swelled into Q gran
stream, chat went rolling up the hills, an
along the Valleys; and there was nothlrr
like st but the lnoansof the great orga
boating through theSaislesof thei villas
church when the choir sang the doxolo'ge
And Harry gbroRa eyes would grow
large, and, kindle With such a strangeiig
as be talked Of these things and then
would stop suddenly apdS the old shade
and sadness would come into them, aud !
wouldtell me how he loved to read book
aud how there was a strange, hungryfet
ing at his heart for knowledge and hs
the hunger sometimes grew intoa tirethel
whichghe could not describe; and Ec
say, in d tone Of such touching, rollrpt y l't
pStbos, ,thatit always brought the tears
to my eyes to hear him But, Alice, "
soc, we are very poor, and ! cannot 60
school; and nobody knows how roe roe
sud nobody cares for me but mamma
Aud then would draw wfup close to Hi
~, and says "Don'ttalk 50; please, ~
~ for il makes me feel bad besides,