The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-06-24

a child, apparently five or six years old, with
large brown eyes, and profusion of dark
hair. Her gypsy hat, ornamented with scar
let ribbon and garland Of red holly berries,
had fallen back on her shoulders, and her
cheeks were flushed with exercise. A pretty
little white dog was with her, leaping up eag-
ery for cluster Of holly-berres which she
playfnlly shook above his head. She whirled
swiftly around and round the frisking animal,
her long red ribbons flying on the breeze, and
then she paused, all aglow, swaying herself
back and forth. like flower on its stem. A
flock Of doves, as if attracted toward her,
came swooping down from the sky, revolving
in graceful curves above her head, their white
breasts glistening in the sunshine. The aerial
movements of the child were so full of life and
JOY, she was SO in harmony with the golden
day, the waving vines, and the rirclinc doves,
that the whole scene seemed like an allegro
movement in music, and she charming little
melody floating ,hroughit all.
Alfred stood like one enchanted. He fear
cd to speak or move, lest the fairy should van
ish from mortal presence. SO the child and
the dog, equally unconscious Of witness,
continued their graceful gambols for several
minutes An older man might have inwarily
moralzed on the folly of the animal, aping hui
manity in in thus earnestly striving after
what would yield no nourishment when OBJ
tanned. But Alfred was too young and too
happy to moralize. The present moment was
all-sufficient for him, and stood still there in
its funess, nnconnected with past or future.-
This might have lasted long, had not the child
been attracted bv the dove-shadow, and look
ing up TO watch the flight of the birds, her
eyes encountered the young man. A whole
heart full of sunshine was in the smile with
which he greeted her. sBut with startled
look. she turned quickly and ran away, and
the dog, still fnll Of frol,c, went bounding by
her side. AsAlfrcd tried to pursue them, "a bough
knocked off his hat. Without stopping to re-
gain it, he sprang over holly-hedge, and
came in view of the veranda of a house. inst
in time to see the fairy and her dog disappear
behind trellis covered with The evergreen
foliage Of the Cherokee rose. Conscious of
the improprietv Of pursuing her farther. he
pansrd TO take breath. As he passed his hand
through his hair, tossed into masses by run
ming against the wind, he heard voice from
the veranda erclaim.-
"Whiiher So fast. Loo Loo? Come here,
Loo Loor
Glancing upward. he saw a petrician-look-
ing gentleman. in handsome lnorning-gown,
of Oriental fashion, and slippers richly en-
hroidnrcd. lie was reclned on a lounc e.,
with wreaths of smoke floating before him.;
hut seeing the stranger, he rose, and taking
'he amber-tnbed cigar from his mouth, he said
half laughing.-
"Yon seem TO be in hot haste, Sir. Pray,
what have vol been hun;ing?"
Alfred also langiiea. rs he replied
81 have been chasing charming little gill.
who won'd not be caught. Perhaps she was
your daughter, Sir?''
She is my daughter" rcioined the gentle
man. "A pretty little witch. is she not p
viii you walk in, Sir?"
Alfred thanked him. and said that he was in
search ofa Mr.. Dnncan, whose residence was
in that neighborhood.
( II am Mr.. Dnncan." "replied the patrician.
"Jack, go and fetch the gentleman's hat, and
bring cigars"
A negro obeyed his orders, and, after smok-
ing while on the veranda, the two gentlemen
walked round the grounds.
Once when they approached the house,
they heard the prattering Of little feet, and
Mr.. Dune an called out, with tones Of fond
ness
"Come here, Loo Loo! Come darling and
see the gentleman who has been running after
your'
But the shy little fairy ran all the faster,
and Alfred saw nothing hut the long red rib
bons of her gypsy hat, as they foated behind
her on the wind.
Declining polite Invitation to dine, he
walked back TO the city. The impression or
his mind had been so vivid, that, while he
walked, there rose ever before him vision of
that graceful arch with waving vines, the un-
'dulating flight of the silver-breasted doves,
and the airy motions of that beautiful child
How would his interest in the scene have
deepened, could some sibly have foretold to
him how closely the Fates had interviewer
the destinies of himself and that lovely little
one!
When he entered the counting-room, he
found his employer in close conversation with
Mr.. Grossman, a wealthy cotton broker
This man was but little more than thirty years
of age, but the predominance of animal pro-
pensi'ies was stamped upon his countenance
With more distinctness than is usual with SEN
sualists of twice his age. The oil Of a thou
sand hams seemed oozing through his pimpled
cheeks, his small gray eyes were set in his
head like the eyes Of pig; his mouth had the
expression of satyr; and his noes seemed
perpetually shifting the savory prophecy Of
food. When the clerk had delivered his mes
sage. he slapped him familiarly on the should
er, and sad,-
$50 you've been out to Duncan's, have you?
Pretty nest there at Pine Grove, and they say
he's got a rare bird in it; but he keeps her so
close, that Inever catch sight Of her. Pcr-
haps You got peep, eh? 20
81 saw very beautiful little child Of Mr..
Duncan's," replied Alfred, ''but did not see