Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1855-12-18

how the little girl trembled.
So he put on her bonnet and cloak. and Ben
took her in his arms as if she had been bird
while the tiny little thing nestlet; down en- his
shoulder, he went stumbling through the
snow, saying gay, pleasant things, that made
the shy little thing laugh and when, at length.
he opened her mothers cottage door, he placed
her the floor, saying:
" There, Mrs May, brought Alice home. lest
she should get buried in a snow bank, she such
a weeny thing" and before Mrs Nav could
thank him he away out of sight
What brave and glorious snow storm it was
though.
The boys built great snow house, dipping
| the great chunks of snow into water to harden
them, they rolled large snow balls for a pyr-
amid, until it was higher than the school-house
They worked hravely, but the brightest and
| pleasantest face among them was Ben Bolts
Such rides as they had down the hill and tho
the larger boys and girls said Alice MAY was
too little and timid to join them, because she
was fearful betimes, yet Ben Bolt took her in his
arms and away they went as merily as the rest
But the winter began to wane, and now and
then soft day would come, and lessen the snow
house and pyramid materially. "Such u pity.'
they said, and wished winter would last always
! but there one little wren-ike voice that
prayed for violets and blue-birds
The pyramid tumbled down, the snow-bouse
| grew thinner, and the boys jested about its be-
ing on the decline, till one day it Disappeared
/ faded away, like many of their childish
hopes.
The glad spring came with its larks and dais-
les, and one day the children went a Maying-
Kate Ashley was queen, and brilliant queen
she was too. But Ben Bolt gathered white yio-
lets and braided them in the soft curls of Alice
and told her that she was sweeter, dearer than
thousand May Queens like Kate. Child as
she was. his words made the sunshine brighter,
and lent enchantnent to the atmosphere Of her
very existence.
Then the long June days came encircIing the
green earth with her coronet of roses. and max
ing 1t rcdolent with perfume In the warm
noontide hour the children strolled to the foot
of the hill, and clustering together told over
their childish hopes of the future Some were
lured by ambition some dreamed Of quiet coun-
try rePose; some Of gay city life; but there was
one whose eye kindled, and whose face flushed
with enthusiasm, he spoke of the sparkling
blue waters, and the brave ships that breasted
| them gallantly.
Ben Bolt was going to sea. Captain ShiseIv,
/ a generous, whoie-souled being as ever trod the
deck was to take him under his protection for
! the next five years. There We're exclamations
of surprise from tie children; old haunts were
visited and revisited they sat down in the
shade of the old sycamore, and listened to- the
musical murlnnr of the brock, and TIE musical
hum Of e Old Appleton's NIL" exchanged keep
sakes aud promised always to remember the
merry, brave-hearted boy whose home was to be
the wild blue ocean.
Alice May did not join them. She was deli
cate and timid, and the thought of Ben's depart
urc filled her eyes with tears; 50 she would steal
away alone, fearful of the ridicuIe of her harder
! companions
But one night Ben came, to Mrs. Mays to bid
Alice goodbye Alice stood by the window
watching the stars, wondering what made them
50 dinl-never thinking of the tears that dimmed
her own eyes-as Ben told over his hopes so ioy-
fully. She could not part with him there so
she walked through TIE little yard and stood
beside the gate, looking like a crowned angel
In the yellow moonlight; and when he told her
over and over again how large she would be on
his return that he would not dare call her lit
tie Alice then. As he looked back Iingeringly
she laid soft brown curl in his hand, saving:
:" / have kept it for you this long, long time
Ben; ever since the day you brought me home
through the snow-do you remember
He did remember; and with one passionate
burst of grief he pressed the little girl to his
BOSOM and the brave boy sobbed the farewell
he could find no words for
But five years are not always a lifetime
True it was to the quiet, thoughtful Charlie
Allen, whose large dark eyes had stolen bril-
iency from bis books: and the laughing little
Bell Archer-both were laid to sleep in the old
church, yard where the night stars shone over
the graves. Others went to seek fortune in
the gay world, and some grew into miniature
men and women by their own sweet hresides;
but Alice May was still child. Yet she a
little taller and her slight form more gracefully
developed; but there was the same angel look
ing through her eyes as had watched there in
olden days. She stayed at home now, to assist
her mother in sewing, their chief support but
she was the same shy, sweet Alice that Ben
Bolt had carried through the snow.
Ben Bolt had came back How strange that
five years should have passed so quickly and
stranger still that this tall handsome sailor sho'd
be Ben Bolt. Kate Ashley was not thinking of
sweet Sabbath day rest the chime of the
church bell floated through the village there
she stood before the mirror arranging her shin
ing curls, and fastening her dainty bonnet, with
lis white ribbons and dropping blue bells, think
if she could not faeinate Ben with her sparkling
eyes it would be delightful to have his chief at
tention during his stay.
He thought she did not>ook very beautiful,
as he sat, before service. looking on the olden
faces but there was a fairer one than hers, he
fancied as he saw the sweet face Of Alice Nav,
with the half closed eyes, and the long golden
edged lashes, shadowing the pale check. He
carried in his bosom curl like the one nesting
so softly by her temple and It talisrnan,
keeping him from the enchantment Of other