Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-02-22


down in the clearing at the brookside. after
which the village was named, and there. for
. full hour we played .scaptive's base" among
the broad walnut and poplar stumps that stood
like watching sentinels In the vale.
The very next day we went out together on
the hills, with our baskets. and gathered whor-
tleberries and talked and played among the
rocks, and when we grew tired, she sat down
and told me of her mother-of how she used
to weep while she sat at her feet, and then
died in the cold night of consumption and a
broken heart, and that the Priest said she
went to Heaven to live with the Virgin An
gels. 4 have since thought thar perhaps her
mother was a Catholic, but of this am not
certain.
Neal put up tavern in Brookville, and the
settlers gathered there and drank. remem-
Der the first night there was noise and laugh
ing, fddling and dancing, and singing there,
and thought it must be something very nice.
but my mother told me it was very wicked
place, and that must never go there. of
ten wished my mother had never told me that,
for. nv Mamie was there, and she was my
dearest friend. - assai
Years passed as others had. and Mamie and
grew up; she was one of the loveliest crea-
lures of female beauty had ever seen. She
was as gentle as the whisperings of the white
winged zephyrs among the April flowers. and
as pure as the lilly that bent beneath the
summer breeze to the kiss of the rippling
waves of the meadow rill. and yet she was
reared among the wrecks of fathers fortune,
and had heard, time after time, the rude,
coarse Jest, and drunken ribaldry Of drunken
men, around the little bar her father kept.
Mamie was happily in possession of the vir-
tues which ennoble and beautify woman s
character She was kind and cheerful, nei-
ther wild nor melancholy, yet the lovely calm
of her countenance was tinged with q shade Of
sadness-motion, look. tone, deed, were gen.
tie as the spring time sunbeams glimmering
among the garden flowers. Mamie Neal was
the loved one in Brookville.
loved her when we were children playing
on copse and heath--on rock and dell and
now, that we were grown. 1 loved her with
all the passionate idolatry of my young man.
hood. Not a whisper of love had ever passed
our lips; and yet the secret was written in,
and fondly cherished by each hidden heart.
All! we were happy in the secret heart wor-
ship. We were often together, in the wild
mock where we had gathered berries when
children; along the brood where the waves
danced Ger their pebbly path that led to the
river; in the old woods where oak and pine
pointed their taper spires up to Heaven, We
rambled and dreamed and loved in silence.
with none but nature with US. Fer hours we
have sat on the brook brink, watching the
frisking fish gliding ike golden creatures
among the crystal waves. and the clear wave
lets Fastening away, and the mellow sunlight
trembling on the tree tops, and fading away
behind the hills, and all the time we felt that
LII l. I1x~
whispers-thus holy tie was weaving wool
and web into our life and hopes and destinies.
Old Neal became aware of our growing in
timacy. and became enraged. One evening,
when had gone to spend . few hours with
Mamie. at her home, Cat an inn as it was,
could no longer stay away,) the oldma came
to the little sitting room, whore we were, and
sternly ordered me away. arose, and tear
drop hung upon Nannie's eyelid. I took my
hat, and. as went out, the old man sung out
after me-s'hod carrier n
The old housekeeper fattened her ugly face
against the glass door between the two rooms,
and echoed the chorus-''hod carrierr'
The old shoemaker stopped hammering his
leather, as went out, and spoke low, and said
he would see me that evening.
The rabblc in the dram shop. through which
l.
taunt. and shouted it after me- Hod Car
rierr' The internal taunt yet rings in my
ears.
and told me Mamie loved me, and that we
should see each other clandestinely. Thanked
him, and through his interference Mamie and
met almost every day. and talked and loved.
And in this way we spent some of our hap
= L l. Al AZ
be ours in few short months, for when the
summer was past we were to be married.
Love with us now was reality, and In the
bliss, as together we watched the drifting oi
the white clouds riding on the blue ocean o.
the sky.
Our dreams were like the clouds. A cloud
was in the sky with storm in its bosom, too
but we saw it not. e
Christmas day we were tosbe married.
None knew it, however, except the old shoe
maker and Rob Lincoln. Rob was to convey
her to a neighboring house in his new sleigh
and ] was to meet him there with the yillag,
parson. Such was the arrangement
The day before Christmas the hills and hous
es we're white with snow. Brookville was al
life for the enjoyments of the season. Tha
morning two strangers appeared in our midst
Nons knew from whence they came. I me
them on the street early in the day. disli
ked thsir looks and turned aside. There wa
lurking look of sin lingering about the facs
Of the oldest-s heartless looking wretch
The younger appeared but little better.
An day long the rcvel increasea in ant
about Nealrs house. Once or twice ther,
came near beinga fight. Just after sundown
met Rob Lincoln runnino tov.rds he 'fstb
sr's house At full speed. I had no time to -
him single question. There was the wildes