Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-01-02
miscellaneous.
ALICE WOOD.
A TALE FOR THE NEW YEAR,

winds of the common by the little wood on
the right II was early in December, and the
first snowfall had covered the roof and the
small front yard with thin white frosting,
that gave the whole colder, gloomior aspect
than ever.
The wind was battling up and down the
commons the moon large, clear and cold,
was topling over the distant mountains, and
glittering on the snow that covered the roof
Of the reddish-brown house on the night of
which write.
If you could put aside the breadth of white
muslin which covers the solitary window on
the east side of the house, you could see at
one glance all its occupants.
They are but two, and they sit together by
the fire of dritwood, which anoPs and oreoldes
noisily up the great lips of the chimney, and
| fills the whole room with ruddy, wine-hke
Glow. Deepening and softening the old corners,
and giving the few chairs, the large bureau,
and the narrow table quaint picturesqueness
of outline and position which in broad daylight
you would never dream of their possessing.
/ But the twain who sit by the fire !: You sec
at once they are mother and daughter; for the
delicate casting of the younger face, the large,
blue, shadowy eyes, like lakes sleeping under
mountain mists, the sweet, half-sad mouth,
are but second edition, improved and inten-
sifed, it may be, of what the elder one must
have been But this latter face it would have
made your heart ache to look on it, it was so
thin, and pale, and sorrowiul. You felt it
could not be long above the grave mold, and
that the heart beneath it must have a history
written with tears.
So it had. Mrs Wood was the daughter
of proud family, and a rich one, but in her
youth she had loved the son of her fathers
gardener 1t was not very strange, for they
had grown up together. and passed half their
time among the flowers and trees of the large,
old garden of the girls home.
Alice was motherless. and she entered her
girlhOod with her strong solf-will developed
and tostered by the father and brother who
petted and spoiled her. But one nighta scene
occurred in the drawing-room of the gray old
mansion which changed the hearts of all three,
and separated them forever. Aice's father
had learned that day of her engagement to
his gardner's son.
IF you ever speak to Harold Wood again.
SAID the ora man, nr1e1y and bitterly. "vou
shall go out from yonder door, no longer
child of mine
"Tll knock him down for his audacity, the
dog, if he ever dares 90 cross my path again,
mutterod her fiery brother, his dark eyes flash
ing their defiance into his sisters white face,
as she stood speechless and seemingly frozen
into a statue by the mantle.
They we're the first harsh words bor father
and brother had ever spoken to her they were
the last The next day she was gone, and a
week later the village paper published the mar
rage of Alice Mclcn and Harold Wood. If
they had dealt gently and kindly with her; if
they had told her it would well-nigh break
their hearts to give up thus the Joy and the
| brightness of their homo, she would not IN
| pride and bitterness, have done this snlnS'
Dut Alice had the proud viii of the Mellens'
She went .outi, with her husband. Her name
was never spoken at home. Her father and
brother knew not whether she were among
the living or the dead.
"Alce. darling said the mother, breaking
the long silence that had fallen upon the two,
lit is very late; had we not better take our
suppcr;"
II do not feel hun ~ this evening, dear
mamma" the girl answered, in quick, half
embarrassed manner, turning her face from
the fre-shine But | will get some toast
and tea for you"
The lady shook her head sadly 81 could
not cat it, dear, if you did | spoke only for
yourself Come and sit down here, Alice,
and she moved out the stool on which her feet
had rested.
Alice flung herself down on it, and the moth
er drew the bright head into her lap, and
smoothed with her thin fingers the soft rich
hair very tenderly, and looked with mournful,
yearning fondness into the sweet face.
at is very like the one the glass used to
show me, twenty years ago, in the old cham
Der that looked out on the muberry-trees,'
she said, half-dreamily, as though her eyes,
turned inward, were looking at it now.
dow large, and thick, and red there are no
such roses in the woods of all New England
Alice, wish you would gather some of them
for me. Papa had the vines brought from It.
ally"
Mamma mammal don't look at me so.
What are you saying" Alices face was
blanched with terror as she shook her moth
er's arm
Mrs. Wood recovered herself Don't be
frightened, dear" she said II am so weak
my mind wanders sometimes. But it has
come back TO the present now. How long is
it since we sold the loungo,"
Two weeks yesterday the daughter whs-
pered these words.
Two weeks yesterday, and it was only five
dollars at the first; ! see now, dear child,
why you weren't hungry this evening. The
money has all gone :"
Alice bowed her head in her hands, and
the tears streamed through her fingers.
Her mother put her thin, cold arms round
the dropping neck Don't cry, my little girl "
she said 60 to the upper drawer, and bring
me the little yellow box in one corner"
And Alice brought it, and leaned over her
mother while she removed the cover; for
though she had seen the face inside very Of
ten. it was one that never grew old to her.
ut looks just as ! remembered him." she
murmured, as her mother held up the minia-
ture in a broad wave Of the fire-light.
1t was that of midde-aged gentleman f;
and the manly face, with its dark hazel eyes,
and the smile lurking about the corners of the
large, generous mouth, would have won your
regard at once.
A look of beautiful, womanly tenderness
. outshone from Mrs. Woods pale face as she
bent over the miniature. 1--WE should never
have been here if he had lived, Alice. o, new
or wife had more tender husband, never
child more loving fl ther 1t was bright
; home that left for his sake, and while he liv-
ed never regretted it, But it may be was
hasty and self-willed May be- if had wait
ed longer, my tears and prayers would have
softened somewhat their proud hearts"