The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-08-05
The Fountain Far Down. q.

down the paper over whose damp columns
his eyes had been travelling for the previous
half hour.
"You see, cousin Nelly" continued Ned,
getting up and pacing the long old fash
ioned purlor with quick. nervous strides,
" it's all sheer nonsense to talk about these
doors 10 every human heart. It sounds
very pretty and pathetic in a story, I'll ad-
nit +; and SO do great many other things
which reason and actual experience entirely
repudiate. There are hearts-alas that
their names should be legion--where far
away up there is no door to be opened,
and 'far away down. no deeps to be faith.
omed. Now don't, cousin Nelly, level sach
another rebukiDg glance at me from those
brown eyes, for have just thought of case
illustrative of my theory. Don't you re-
member Miss Stebbins, the old maid, who
lived at the foot Of the hill, and how
picked rose for you one morning which
had climed over the fence into the road
Faugh l shall never forget the tones of the
virago's voice, or the scowl Of the forehead
as she sailed out of the front door aud shook
her hand at me. ..s
"a woman who could refuse half wither-
ed flower to little child, wonder that ro.
ses could blossom on her soil At the 'smi.
ting of the rod no waters could flow out of
such granite heart In the moral desert
of such a character, no fertilizing stream
can make its way"
! did not answer cousin Ntd's earnest ell.
oquent tones, for just then there was low
rap of visitors at the parlor door but have
always thought there was good angel in
the room while he was speaking and looking
down, down. very for down in her heart, he
saw fountain there, rank weeds grew all
around it, the seal Of years was on its lip,
and the dust of time deep on the seal but
the angel smiled as it floated upward. and
murmured, 81 shall return and remove the
seal and the waters will fow." ..
Stern and grim sat Miss Stebbins at her
work, one summer afternoon. The golden
sunshine slept and danced 10 it's play.place
in the corner, and broke into broad laugh
along the ceiling, and q single beam bolder
than the rest, crept to the hem Of Miss Steb.
bins gown, and looked up with timd, Low.
ing smile in her face, such as no human be.
ing ever wore when looking there.
Poor Miss Stebbins those stern, harsh
features only daguerreotyped too faithfully
! the desolate, arid heart beneath them !; and
that heart with its dry fountain, was a true
type OF her life, with The only flower of hu.
man affection which had bossomed many
years before, along its bleak, barren high.
way. s...ra. ...
She never seemed to love any body but
her brother William, who was favorite
with every body but he went to sea, and
had never been heard of since. Sally had
always been stray sheep among the fami'
Iy; but dark hours and at last death, came
upon all the rest, and so the homestead fell
into her hands. Such was the brief verbal
history of Miss Stebbins' life, which re-
ceived from Aunt Mary, who closed it there
in rigid adherence to her favorite maxim
never to speak evil OF her ncighbors.
But, that summer afternoon, there came
the patter OF chldren's feet along the walk
which led to Miss Stebbins' front door; and
at the same moment, the angel with COLDER
edged wings came down from its blue sky
home into Miss Stebbins' parlor.
She raised her head and saw them, two
cary looking little children, with golden
hair and blue eyes, standing hand in hand
under the little portico, and then that old
termagant scowl darkened her forehead. she
asked with sharp, disagreeable note in he
voice, like the raw breath in the north cas-
wind:
"Well ! should like to know what yor
want standing here 90 .-..-
"Please ma a'am," said the boy, in a timid
entreating voice. which ought 10 have foune
it's way straight into any heart, "ittIe sste
and feel very tired, for we have walked
long way. Will you let us sit dowl
on the step and rest ourselves a littl'
while I"
"No, / can't have children loafng round
my premises" said Miss Stebbins with th
same vinegar shurpness Of tone which ha
char racterized her proceeding reply. More
over the sight Of any Of the miniature spec
linens Of her race seemed always fated t
arouse her belligerent propensities. so, jus
take yourselves off; and the quicker the bel
ter twill be for you.'
"Dont stay any longer, Willie. | an
afraid" whispered the little girl, with
tremor rippling through her voice, as sh
pulled significantly at her brothers. Goa
sleeve.
| "Willie Willie That was your broth
er's name !; don't you remember!" the ar
gel bent down and whispered very softly j
the harsh woman's ear; and all the time hi
J hand was gliding down in her heart, search
ing for the hidden fountain. ..'You mus
, have been abou. that little girls age whe
, lyou and he used TO GO trudging down int
the meadows to fnd sweet flag root. An
you used to keep tight hold Of his hand, jui
as she does. Oh! how tired you used to geI
Don't you remember the old brown house
r where nobody lived but starving rats an
t swarms Of wasps, who made their nesi