Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-06-19
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'' LILIAS gDXY.
A HOME ST !0RY
BY VIRGINIA F. TOWNSEND.


June, some thirteen years ago. Tho
hills that rise all along the "Valley
Of tho Naugatuck," had folded the
green surplices Of summer over their
gray bosoms, and the blue river
gathered in between them, answering
back the serene smile Of the afternoon
sky, forming altogether one of those
grand country poems that Nature
loves so well to write out In Now En-
gland, .i.
A few rods from the eriver, ina green
opening among the hills, stood a small
one story cottage, almost wrapped up
in the honeysuckles andmorning-glo-
ries that grew oil around tho front and
reached up TO the low caves. And
somehow, the little cottage formed a
very charming rustic picture, set up
there In the green woods, overlooking
the river, with the white fcnces and
thick currant bushes running all ar
ound II.
A little distance from the house, and
Just to the left Of the main road, stood
q large cherry tree, its long, green
arms cut out very beautifully against
the sky and IL you had been saunt-
ering along the road on the afternoon
Of which I write, and, IL your eyes
had chanced TO light on that tree, you
would have turned about, and, steal
ing softly under the low branches,
have stood there, your soul luxuriat-
ing (if beauty Is to you luxury in
the vision revealed to you. pf t1
She was lying under the tree, one
little bare arm folded under her head,
and her soft check half turned to the
cool grass, that sweet child, with hard
ly the bloom Of eight summers on her
young, dreaming face. The long,
golden-brown lashes were dropped
over her blue eyes, and over her small
crimson lips the smiles wandered like
shifting light, betraying the dimples
hidden just In the smooth curving of
either check. Her bright hair lay
tangled about her face, and tho little
fingers that were braided in half-fin-
ished wreath of buttercups and white
clover blossoms, told their story as
plainly as the lips above them could
have done this. The child had been
in the woods gathering flowers, and
when she sat down under the cool
shadows of the cherry tree to weave
them into wreath, she had grown
weary and gone TO sleep with her
small fingers fastened over the long
stems. i,'tf .Ni,an9i'ti ~ 13iiae
But there were no travellers on the
main road that afternoon, so the child
slept on, with nobody 10 watch her,
unless IL was the sunshine that found
passage between the branches, and
dropped a golden baptismal upon the
childs forehead. At last, however, a
small dog bounded through the half
open gate of the little cottage, and
rushing to the little child, commenc-
ed licking her face and hands with
unmistakable demonstrations ofglad-
ness. pdtii ~ f'ii-i ipiay q
n"Why, Fido, what In the world
made me go 70 slecp?" The girl had
wakened now and after rubbing her
eyes she sat up. " You're dear old
fellow, to wake me up, any way" and
she threw her arms around the neck
Of the dog. W ysa rtiN 3 hat
The next moment q stone had drop
ped to the girls feet, and with a quick
sharp yell Of pain, Fido had sprung
up from her arms. W -iiaoI sH \
The girl was on her feet in a mo-
ment, looking off eagerly 10 the road,
whore, standing nearly opposite, she
saw the offender. He was o boy. hard
ly moro than two years her senior,
and those blue eyes Of hers had never
lighted on more wretched, destitute
looking object than the one before
her. His long, tangled hair had, ap-
parently, never enjoyed an acquaint-
ance with comb or brush; while the
ragged. rimless article set on one side
of his head, might, once, rejoice in the
cognomen of hat. His elbows both
protruded from thesleeves Of a thread
bare coat, and the pants that termina-
ted some three inches above his bare
feet, were patched with such q varie-
ty Of colors, il would have been diff
cult to determine their original col
or. afi is.irue aoas aninmei
The boys face was thin and pale,
and told a sorrowful tale Of want and
suffering. Yet there was something
in the large, dark eyes, that beamed
out bright and wild from between
those masses Of tangled hair, which
redeemed the expression Of the whole
face. There was so much courage and
earnestncss in them and though
they might fash with anger, you felt
they might melt with tenderness
too. lt ~ ai
"Oh, how could you, boy" said The
little girl, turning her soft eyes from
the boy TO the moaning dog. Don I
you see you have hurt FidoYv shH
Well, / do Mt care IL / have; I II
hurt him again, too, was the coarse
rejoinder, as the boy bent TO pick ur
another stone. srfr Ar.r
The little girl bounded across the
grass, and was by his side in mo
ment. mo, no. she said, laying hei
hand upon his arm, and lifting hel
sweet face, fun ofearnest entreaty, te
his, "You wont throw it, pleas.
do n't You do Mt know how much
love him I and grandma, too-oh
you wo Mt; will you 2" q s. -.
He looked In her face Q moment
very earnestly. Then softer ex
precision came into those wild eyes
and the next moment the stone rolled
down the hill, and was gathered into
tho deep heart Of tho river. bare 20
"Oh, thank you, thank youa grea'
many times, little boy" said the littl,
girl, with intuitivcgrac "Fido will
thank you too. Hush, Fido," for tn,
dog had limpsd to her side, and wal
surveying the boy, with an occasion
nj low 0rovvl which ind icnked. .anvth hinf