The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-12-04

energy, had been two hours astir-over the
TIN coifee-pot cloudy fragrance was lowering
and the smart theologian was busy between
neefsteak and customers, eating as he talked,
and carrying his huge coffse-cup in his hand
as he moved from stall to table.
The black horse was neighing and stamping
al the door, cutting circles around the post to
winch his bride was attached, and, by all melhs
ne knew how to use, indicating, as clearly as a
horse could indicate, his readiness to show his
young master how nimbly he could move.
Come, Charley" said Ethan, filling a cup
for his apprentice. "He that would thrive must
rise at five; and here is the old black, waiting
to have his legs limbered." And as Charley
seated himself at the table, he proceeded to
unfold plan of operations which would detain
him from home several days.
Two or three jockeys came up and eyed Mr..
BoHman's black horse admiringly, specializing
as to what careful grooming would add to his real
value, and depreciating him to one another as
they did so. The noble creature, as if aware
Of the dishonesty, SHE'D away from each fellow
that would have mounted him, causing ventu-
rer after venturer to hop about nimbly, with
one foot in the stirrup and one in the snow.
When Charley came out, however, and gave
him pat or two on the neck, he was quite sub
mssive, and, having suffered himself to be
mounted, moved showily down the street at a
sideways canter, curving his fine neck till his
head touched his broad breast as he went.
David will be nettled, thought Charley, when
he finds have gone for week. and left him
to enjoy his joke alone and, striving to pull
his gay horse into straightforward move
ment, he turned his face toward Wardelrs. and
with good deal of surprise and some appre-
hension saw door and shutter still fast barred :;
no smoke, no sign of life, was visible. He
tried to think David was but indulging the
sleepy disposition he had found it too hard to
overcome; but it was only trying to think, and
not really thinking, after all.
AS he passed the turnpike, he noticed
young woman, walking very fast quite regard
less of the snow.drifts in her way, her form
wrapped in shawl-or, rather, the shawl that
should have wrapped her form, blowing loose in
the wind, and the veil that should have covered
her face streaming carelessly aside There was
something not all unfamiliar in form or feature.
which caused the young man to look, and look
again; and as he looked, she turned down the
street, never Stacking her pace nor moving her
head to one side or the other, till she reached
the grocery store of David Wardell, the door
of which she appeared to be shaking and push.
ing against, as Charley's horse csntered side
ways out of sight. Charley thought it might
be the sister OF David, come in search of him,
for there was something in her quick step and
streaming drapery, indicative of fright and
fear; but the more plausible grew the sugges-
ton, the more he tried to reason it away. and
to persuade himself there were no serious
grounds of apprehension. Persons of all de-
scriptions were in the habit of visiting War
dell's grocery; and why might not young
woman go there early in the morning, and walk
fast, if the nimbe air recommended it? And if
the morning were windy, as it was, why should
not veil and shawl blow abou. in disorder ?
Why, the occurrences were the most natural
things in the world he was foolish for giving
himself a troubled thought about Wardell or
the young woman, who doubtless knew her
own affairs. But there is an instinct under
reason that will sometimes make itself heard,
though We silence it with arguments never 80
much and as Charley rode forward, he turned
back to look, often and often, long after the
spire Of the meeting-ho was hidden from
him by intervening woods and hills. But for
the fear of displeasing Ethan Boffman, he
would have turned and rode back he tried to
frame some excuse but Imagination was not
prolific, and, in truth, he could muster no shadow
of an apology for returning.
New scenes produce new sensations; and
the old adage, "out of sight, out of mind"
admit, some of us; and as Charley rode for.
ward into the open country, old associations
and feelings were revived, new ones produced. 4.
and the chain of thought and fear that con-
nected him with David Wardell was presently
quite broken off.
Now he passed some farmhouse, where the
smoke curled thick and lively above the roof,
indicative of the great comfortable fire below;
and where the farmer stopped at the door with
his armfull of wood, curiously observant of
the stranger, and where the young woman neg
lected for moment her morning work, won
dering who could be riding that way, and where
he was going-and now he rode through some
great gloomy woods, and thought how wisely
the trees had shaken away their fruits, and
thrown down their green coats, for long
wrestle with the storm-and without framing
any positive course of action, he began to see
his way more clearly through the half vaga-
bond troops among whom he was lettering,
into the ranks of honest and energetic man.
hood.
Poor youth / am afraid he little knew
himself, and that he would have proven too
weak for the temptations that must have met
him, but for the whirlwind that swept them
aside.
But now, while the crisp, sparkling air braces
him up, and the crow of fowl and tinkle of
sheep bell stir anew the pure fountain that has
lately shrunk away down in his heart, while
he suspects not that he has brought from that
miserable cellar where the knife grinder Law
pillowed on his sheepskin, the contagion of
a fearful disease, we will leave him to the res
pite and the impulse of good resolutions, and
go back to the night when he and his more
thoughtless companion set out On their daring
adventure.
How, under different circumstances, the
same night may stretch itself through ages of
agony, or contract to little time of delight
Bright burned the fire in the cottage home
of Charity, and bright in her imagination
burned the future. David was going to do so
well and hundred little plans she made of
the help and strength she would give him. We
need not trace them out now-their only use
being to beguile the tediousness of an hour
She would not allow herself to pause from her /
working and her dreaming, to listen for the
footsteps of her brother, though he had prom /
ised to come home so early, but kept working
and dreaming on till it was time, and after .
time, and after that again.
The bells, which at first made merry music
almost all the time, came through the deepen
ing silence less and less often, and the wind, .
which in the early evening rustled briskly by,
began to moan and wall out its dark prophecies
as night deepened, and the fires of imagination
burned down with the fires ON the hearth.
Twelve o'clock struck, and still those littles,
fingers worked nervously on, not knowing what
they did, and ever and again she crossed the
room, and looked from the window into the l
dark, seeing only the dark. The half hour:
came, and the work was folded away, the EN-.
bers laid together, and q new watch begun. i
How long and lonesome the next hour was II
How long and agonized the next, and how al
most insulferable the torments that came after
that Every moment crushed like q mouns