M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-08-23


"No one goes your way, Alice, do
theyl" ,.94aJ "a
"No, guessnot, Ben," she replied,
in her line bird like tones. 'H. Il
"Let me carry you home" a
80, no, am too heavy to be carried
so tar;' and she laughed low and sweet.
ly.. -.i ~ 4lss- . 7
"Heavyl no, you're just like this
tie ,!dowR OF snowflake, Ally; | could
carry you to England and back again.,
without being at all fatigued;' and he
tossed the little girl in his arms. B a-
l"No, no; let me 60; the boys will
laugh at you, Benz" and she struggled.
.lNhstido leare9 They may yllangh
az Bea BoR as much as they like;"
and the brave boy drew himself up
proudly, and pushed the chestnut curls
from his broad, fair forehead; "but |
did not mean to irlghten you, Alice,'
he continued, as he saw how the little
girl trembIed.
So she put on her bonnet and cloak,
and Ben took her in his arms as if she
had been a bird, while the tiny little
thing nestled down on his shoulder, as
he went stumbling through the snow,
saying gay, pleasant things, that made
the shy little girl laugh; and when, at
length, he opened her mothers cottage
door, he stood her on the floor, saying:
"There, Mrs. May, | brought Alice
home, lest she should get buried in a
snow bank; she's such a weeny little
thing" and before Mrs. May could
thank him, he was out of sight. .
What brave, glorious snow storm
it was though. The boys built a great
snow house, dipping the chunks Of
snow in the waller to harden them, so
they might last logger; aud they rolled
large snow balls for a pyramid until it
was higher than the school>house.-
They worked brayeIy; but the bright.
est and pleasantest face among them
was Ben Bolts. Such rides as they
had down the hill, land, though the larg-
er boys and girls said Alice May was
too little and tilnid to join them, be-
cause she felt fearful sometimes, yet
Ben Bolt held her in his arms, and
away they went, merrily as any ofthe
rest.
But the winter began to wane, and
now and then soft day would come,
that iessened the pyramid and the snow
house materially. "Such pity d"
they said, and wished winter would
last always, but there was one little
wren-like voice that prayed Tor violetS
and blue birds.
The pyramid tumbled down, the
snow house grew thinner and thinner,
and the boys jested about its being in
decline, till one day it Disappeared
faded away, like so many OF their
childish hopes.
The glad spring came with its larks
and dasleS, and, one beautiful day, the
children went a Maying. Kate Ash
ley was queen, and brilliant queen
SHE was, 100. But Ben Bolt gathered
white violets, and braided them in the
soft curls of Alice, and told her she
was sweeter, dearer than thousand
May queens like Kate. Child as she
was his words made the sunshine
brighter, and lent enchantment to the
atmosphere oil her existence.
Then the long June days came, en-.
circling the green earth with a coronal
OF roses, and making itredoIent with
perfume; and, in the warn, noontide
hour, the children strolled to the loot
Of the hill, and, clustering together told
over their childish hopes o! the future.
Some were lured by ambition; some
dreamed Of quiet country repose; some
OF gay city lie ; but there was one
whose eye kindled, and whose face
flushed with enthusiasm, as he spoke
OF the sparkling blue waters, and the
brave ships that breasted them SO gal
IantIy.
| Ben Bolt was going to sea. Cap,
tain ShHley, generous whole>suuled
being as ever trod the deck, was to
take him under his protection for the
next five years. There were eXciama-
tionS nj surprise nom the children
old hauntS were visited, and revisited
they sat down in the shade of the old
sycamore, and listened to the musical
mumur OF the brook, and the dreamy
mum Of old "Appleton's mill;" ex-
changed keepsakes, and promised al
ways to remember the merry brave
hearted boy whose home would be the
wild blue ocean.
Alice May seldom joined them
She was so delicate and timid, and the
thought OF Ben's departure filled her
eyes with tears, so she would steal away
alone fearful OF the ridicule of her
harder companions.
But, one night, Ben came to Mrs.
Nays cottage 20 bid them goodbye
Alice stood by the window, watching
the stars-wUndering what made them
so dim--neyer thinking OF the tears
that dimmed her eyes-as Ben told
over his hopes so joyiully. She could
not part with him there, so she walked