American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-07-05

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pan of new milk; and as playful as kitten,
too, was she, in spite of her quiet looks;
and the stately sElizabeth-Queen Bess
they call her-and ! question if Englands S
Queenhad haughtier carriage But, a.
part from those who were eagerly looking
tor friends to take them home stood Alice
May --sweet Alice. Very beautiful and
loveable was she with her winsome, clild-
ish face, blue eyes, and soft brown curls
She was SO delicate and fragile, YOU might
almost fancy her snow child or lostfapy
babe. q. '- I ~
Nearly all the children had departed.
amid the joyful shouts and juggling ofbells,
hut yet tie sweetlittle child stood alone,
until rich, boyish voice startled her by
saying: .@';1 rcsfasg
No one goes your way, Alice, do they?'
mo, l guess not, Ben;' she replied, in
her fine bird like tones. 9 -
Let me carry you. home.' 81. .ts
90 no, Fam too heavy to be carried SO
far and she laughed low and sweeily.
'Heavylno, you're just like thistle down
or snowflake, Ally; | could carry you to
England and back again, without being at
all taIigued;' and he tossed the little girl
in his arms. wa ~ >aT .~" e. -
No, no, let me go; the boys will laugh
lat you, Benz and she struggled. 4, .
What do / care? They may laugh at
/ Ben. Bolt 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 fright
en- you, Alice,' he continued, as he saw
4 how the little girl trembled. ~ .'.-.'r .
1 So, she put on her bonnet and cloak, and
Ben took her in his arms as it she had
been bird, while the tiny little thing
nestled down on his shoulder, as lie went
stumbling through the snow, saying gay,
| pleasant things, that made the shy little
| girl laugh; end when, at length, he opened
her mothers cottage door, he stood her on
the floor, saying: .'' y.
There, Mrs. May, / brought Alice
home, lest she should get buried in a snow
bank; she'ssuch weenv little thng;', and
before Mrs May could thank him, he wa:
out of sight.
What brave, glorious snow storm i
was though The boys built great snow
house, dipping the chunks, of snow in the
water, to harden them, so they might las
\ longer2and they rolled large snow ball,
for a pyramid until It was higher than tie
schoolhouse. They worked bravely; bu
the brightest face and pleasantcst face a
mong them was Ben Bolts Such ride.
as they had down the hill, and, though the
larger boys and girls said Alice May was
too little and cowardly to join them, be
cause she felt fearful sometimes, yet Bel
: Bolt held her in his arms, and away they
went, nnerrily rs any of the rest. y
But the winter began to wane, and now
and then soft day would come, that les
sened the pyramid and snow house mater
tally. Such piry,' they, said, and wish
ed winter would last always; bu: thert
was one little wren-like voice that prayed
for violets and blue birds. - -.
The pyramid tumbled down, the snow
house grew thinner and thinner, and tb,
boys Tested about its being in decline
till one day it disappeared-faded away
like SO many Of their childish hopes.
4 q, The glad spring came with its larks ant
daisies, and, one delightful day, the. chill
f dren went May ing. Kate Ashley wa
queen, and brilliant queen she was, too
f But Ben Bolt gathered white violets. ant
braided them in the soft curls of Alice, ,ant
told her she was sweeter, dearer than
, thousand May queens like Kate. Child a
she was, bis words made the sunshin,
brighter, and lent enchantment 10 the at
mosphere of her existence.
, Then the long June days came, encir
! cling the green earth with q coronal ofros
, es, aud making it redolent with perfume
and, in the warm .nooalide hour, the chill
dren strolled to the foot of the bill, and
, clustering together, told over their cldldisl
9 hopes of, the future. Some were lured b,
. 'ambilion, some dreamed Of quiet countr
/. reposes; some of gay city life; but ther
was one whose, eye kindied, and who's
/ young face flushed with enthusiasm, as b
: spoke of the sparkling blue waters, and III
brave ships that breasted them so gallant
Z Ely. ysrs9 ~ ha,r' -&,,s er. .os' ;,
|. Ben Bolt was going TO. sea. ,Captai
] Shisley, a generous, whole-souled bein
I as ever trod the deck, was. to take him un
: der his protection the next five years.
!. There were exclamations of surprise fror
4 the children; old haunts were visited an
revisited; they sat down in the shade (
i the old sycamore, and listened TO the mu
q sical murmur of the brook J; and the dream
!. hum of old "Appleton 9 MILL" exchange
|, keepsakes; and promised always 70 remem
Der the merry, brave hearted boy who's
d home would be the wild blue ocean.
n Alice May seldom joined them. Sll
i was SO delicate aud timid, and the though
!. of Ben's departure filed her eyes wit
|, tears, so she would steal away alone, feal
s full Of the ridicule Of her'hardier compar
,f lons .'r1'-sf'gpa ,1sg.a .aasg .g4s-- A. ~ ~
le But, one night, Ben came to Mrs. May
y cottage 10 bid them good bye. Alice stoc
re by the window, watching The stars--wol
4, dering what made them SO dim--ney'
!, thinking Of the tears that dimmed her ey'
Or las Ben told over his hopes so joyful
er tShe could not part with him there, 50 81
in walked through the little door yard, ar