The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-04-04
Willie Watson.

Willie Watson.
Once upon time, cannot just say when
but it was years on years ago, there lived neal
a pleasant village in England, a nice, kind tenn
pered, elderly woman, whom the neighbors
called "dear old dame Watson" She was not
rich, this worthy dame, but she would never
allow herself to be called poor, for as she had a
comfortable home, and was industrious and
healthy, she never felt want She was a very
neat seamstress and so dligent and obliging
that she never lacked employment. Dame
Watson was widow and childless, but she had
living with her two orphan children of her
youngest son. William Watson was long the
comfort of her widowhocd, but when he grew
to be man he chose the hard and dangerous
life of sailor. After a while there came a
long wartime, and there was fighting on sea
as well as on land, and at last poor William
was killed in battle between two great ships.
Then he was let down into the deep sea, to
where the water is always still and cear-where
the drifting silver sand covered him like grave
mound-where the long sea-weed waved over
him like grass, and bright MOSES and beauti-
full shells shone around him like flowers. When
the news of the brave sailors death reached
his home, his mother, who had seen good deal
OF trouble and learned to submit to Gods will,
bowed her head and prayed, and soon the good
Lord gave her strength, so that she wiped away
her tears, and went about her daily duties,
but Williams young wife was i'll, and weak
and could not bear her grief, but pined away
and died. leaving little daughter and baby
son to the care of their grandmother. The
children were great charge to the good woman
you may depend-but still they comforted her,
and made the cottage SO cheerful so she never
fretted about the trouble. Kitty Watson was a
BRIGHT intelligent, good tempered little CIR, and
so rosy, fat, and funny that nobody could look
at her without smiling. Kitty was handy and
industrious and for all her merry frolicksome
ways, was great help to her grandmamma, in
the cottage and garden.
Willie grew to be fine, handsome, hearty
child, full of play and laughter and chatter,
and was the pet and darling ofthe neighborhood.
The cottage garden was very small, but with
care and industry dame Watson was able to
raise in it not on y vegetables enough for her
own usc but few choice salads, peas, and
cauliAowers, which she disposed of to the rec
tor of the parish, whose learned old gardener
could not grow anything SO fine, though he
boasted that he once gardened for real lord.
| At dame Watson used to carry these to
the rectory in hand basket, but at last she hit
upon plan for saving herself time and trouble.
She had house-dog that was the petted play
fellow of little Willie, and which she treated
kindly for the chld's sake, though she had no
love for dogs in general, and Bran's laziness
and voracious appetite tried her very much.
Now she resolved to make him useful, so she
had little cart and HARNESS made, and taught
him to draw the basket of vegetables from the
cottage to the rectory, with Kitty for driver
or leader. Bran was strong though he was not
very largc-he was good and intelligent, and
always did the best he knew how. The widow
said that though the dog grew thin and had
pretty much given up frolicking, she knew he
must be happier in his conscience for earning
his living, but perhaps Bran had his own private
opinion on this matter.
One morning little master Willie insisted on
riding over to the rectory on top Of the load OF
vegetables. There he sat grand as lord -four
ishing his whip, over poor Bran, who pulled and
painted along and thought his lot was a. very
hard one indeed, almost too much for patient
dog nature to bear. And so it was, for the
baskets were uncommonly heavy-Willie was
fat and Kitty too full of frolic to think Of help
ing, even by pushing when they were going
up HILL But how Willie enjoyed his ride, sell
fish, thoughtless little fellow! He laughed and
shouted and threw his arms about, and bounced
up and down, and kicked with delight.
The next morning when they were getting
ready to send the basket over to the rectory
Bran's harness was found to be so gnawed and
torn that it could not be used. The widow said
the rats had been at it-but Bran, naughty
dog, knew better. The good dame had a new
one made, but when she went to put it on to
Bran he gave dreadful howl and ran away as
fast as he could. After a day or two he came
back bringing a huge mastiff, which he intro
duced to his new mistress as better cart-horse
than himself The widow was so much
amused at this cunning trick that she made use
of the stray mastf and let Bran 60 back into
his former lazy habits.
cannot tell you any more about Willie's
childhood. He was always good boy at
home and dilligcnt scholar at school, so every
body liked and respected him. When he grew
to be young man the good rector got him a
situation in London counting house. There
he always remembered his grandmamma' S
teachings, and was prudent and honest, SO he
chant and was kni GIFTED by the king. He mar
rleu Deautllul lstuy anu tley Hau chlluitH-
some half a dozen, I believe, and l have heard
that they were all handsome and clever and
good Kitty Watson never married, but she
always had pleasant home with her brother.
AT last sir William for that was his title
now, bought the estate on which his grand
mammals cottage Stood and built a fine house
on it, He would not have the cottage torn
down. but kept it carefully for the poor old
DANES sake, thought she had gone to heaven
ten years, or more.
The first time that sir William and his family
drove over to the rectory in their grand yellow
bodied coach, with big wigged coachman on
the box and two foomen in smart liveries he said.
DO you remember, Kitty, my first ride over
this road, on the little dog cart? Oh, never,
have I enjoyed a ride half as much as that |
never shall have such another, for ! never can
be little Willie again.
On THE STooL OF REPENTANcE.-The editor
of the New York Democrat, after quoting the
Louisville Journal and the Richmond Exam
iner, upon the Indebtedness of politicians to the