Smyrna times., 1855-04-18
Criminal ArtleIe,
Written for the Smyrna Times.
RAG NJ E NTS.
BY WINNIE G. HOWARD.

Golden tresses, wreathed in one,
AS the braided streamlets run
Standing with reluctant feet,
Where the brook and river meet!
Womanhood and childhood fleet
o, thou child of many prayers
Life hath quicksands-life hath snares
Care and age come unawares!
Long .fellOw.
SHE is the veriest romp ever saw. Now, ]
suppose must qualify that little, for some
prim, fussy persons think ga romp" the most |
wicked thing in the world, and she, dear child, |
scarce knows what wickedness is. This sweet
cousin of mine is one of those froicsome beings
that are very seldom still-there is beauty in
her restlessness that must excuse her to all
she is here, there and verywhere-teaslng,
laughing, singing, all at one time, and never
was mortal so loved and petted. Kathleen
she was named after a great-grandmother who
has bequeathed her snug little property-is
Just sixteen now, some girls at her age are as
sober and old-womansh as though they were
forty or fifty, think it ridiculous to paddle bare
foot in the stream for wild-howers, or stOop to
tussle on the floor with kitty, but our Katy is
as playful and acts as naturally as the kitten
herself-and may the day be far distant when
she will be too polished to laugh heartily at the
gamboIs of the SNOWFALL. Everybody calls
her Katy, for everybody thinks her name ought
to be Eva or Grace, or some other fancy name i:
anything but Kathleen but have partiality
for the old name and venture to call her by it
sometimes, to the utter horror of her romGAtic
brothers and schoolgirl friends. Katy is the
Youngest of eight children, two of whom are
married and with all she is the pet and play
thing; never were three great brothers prouder
of a sister-and there is often great contention,
while Katy must decide at last, who shall take
her out among her friends-and her verdict
generally is, "Oh, love you all alike-you
must all come ~ She is a very sunbeam il
that old house, creeping into all its corners
warming the hearts of all its inmates, and shed
ding light on all around. Every evening hel
old father ia kes her on his knee and calls he
his {" pet lamb" while Katy strokes his wrin
kled face and presses her blooming cheek
against his withered ones, while her bright curl
mingle with his thin grey locks. All, Katy
the joy of that old home. From morning til
night she carols sweet songs:
"Oh, were a bird | would sing all the day"
rings out frequently from the lips. Deo
Katy she does not know perhaps that she is tn
brightest bird that ever trilled note.
Katy is Just sxteen-a little, airy figure tn,
seems to fit about on wings-eyes of clea
bright blue, peepiug out roguishly from loni
golden lashes-long, soft curls, shining lii
gold in the sunlight, and rosy mouth that sa!
the funniest things imaginable. But, with a
her gaety, Katy can be very thoughtful, ve
careful of others. Her sister, a year and
half older, is her especial care. Sweet Edl
is fading away in her early, beautiful girlho
already her willing feet have begun to tre
the dark valley of shadows-but though sha
(the shade of chastening sorrow) rests on h
pale brow, her eyes are illumined with an u
earthly radiance; they remind me of those ey
which Moore describes in one of his poems
:" Some eyes there are as holy,
They seem but given, they seem but give
AS shining beacons solely
To point to Heaven"
Edith is very beautitul--only year ago {
enioyed perfect health-not gay like Katy,
the hers is " a meek and quiet spirit" which in
sight of God is of great price, but she v
IN very happy Alas how soon her stream
his life btcame troubled-one who had won
liar Young heart dled-died far away from he
heir and his Edith--and then her sun OF Joy set
Is ever! Sweet, suffering Edith, | would
ing, thee loving tribute, but who can describe
ney worth No tears ever dim her large, {
'ver brown. eyes; but they are fixed with an vi
one, terabIe longing on Heaven, where her treas
be, ;s-sbe seems to commune with the 81
one world, for often pure radiance spreads
her face, and halo seems to rest on her
brown hair, while her pale lips move inaudl
:,, She is passing away stainless to the land
'"e' "Where the weary are at rest F"
P" And KATY, with a sweet tenderness, do'
- - touching in one so frolicsome, ministers to
m brings her the purest flowers she can hnd'
in a low, mellow voice, SO different from
ieeu usual Joyous, springing tones, sings her s'
7 the "'1~' JOy .,.b;oh sho il bas,er
''i'' while Edith, soothed as by the presence o
1T is ahgei 'N"0'' ii .h..
cable dressings 0A - -. - - -.
= ao- before her.
I have never seen Katy weep bitterly
'"'o :, ~ onee--that was when her pet bird died, an
n whole day she was inconsolable; but the
- - day brought her another, and in seeking
name for it, poor Bobby was forgotten.
oe when feel sad and troubled, the very sou
mar. her little feet patterng on the stairs make
: feel glad, for she 50 lovingly twines her