American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-08-20
a Gooo storm.
THE OLD MAN OF THE WoOD.
By sYLvANUs COBB, JR.

lage. Yet there were those who said
she was tar from being handsome or
engaging.
Mrs. Longpurse, who had three very
plain, but very marriageable daughters
OF uncertain age, solemnly declared
that Nellie, was an uneducated and
pretending Miss.
And the widow acknowledgements,
whose only daughter had host of low
ers, gave it as her fixed opinion that
poor Nellie was very ordinary girl :;
while Mrs. Verypious who spoke SO
much in meeting, had been heard to
whisper in a sort of borrowing way,
that young Miss Clark wasn't any bet.
ter than she ought.to be.
Nellie knew all this, but she laughed
as bllthely as ever and seemed not to
lose particle of her joy.
Perhaps, however, Nellie had heard
what some other people had said. For
instance, there was the good old wild
ow Meekly, who had been laid up with
the rheumatism for many years. She
said that Nellie's presence had done
her more good than all the medicine
in the world.
And then Mrs. Thankful, whose lit
tie boy had such bad hip complaint
that he could not walk, often said with
tears in his eyes, that Nellie was an
angel.
How could her poor lame boy have
gone to school all winter if Nellie had
not dragged him on her sled? Yos-
Nellie knew all this, too, and while the
cold words of culumny were wholly
shut out, the warm sunshine of love
earned, penetrated to her soul.
But Nellie Clark was poor in world
ly goods. Her father had been dead
many years, and she and her mother
lived all alone in the dark cot, by the
edge of the wood, supporting them
selves by such honest labor as thew
could obtain.
or course such girl as Nellie must
have had lovers, though she had not
many for she was only eighteen, and
had had not been old enoug Oh to think
of such thing as love a great while
But there were only two whose atten-
tion she could like. The first was Au-
gustus Waxford, and the second Ro-
land Gibson. They were born in the
town, though they moved in different
spheres now. Waxford had studied
law, and just commenced practice in
his native villarge, while Gibson had
learned the joiners trade and could on
ly work at building houses.
Nomehow Nellie fancied Mr.. Way
ford most. His manners were so pleas
ing and his conversation so entertain
ing and then he was handsome, and al.
ways looked so neat and prim. And
we will not say that Nellie Clark, in
her pure innocence, did not sometimes
fancy that it would be more agreeable
and fashionable to be a lawyers wife
than the wife of mechanic.
But be that as it may, she finally
preferred Augustus, and was forced to
tell Roland that he must love her on
ly as an old playmate and friend (;
and when Roland had gone away from
tho cot, and she saw him leaning a
I gainst the old gate post in the moon
light, and knew that he was sobbing,
she went into her bedroom and wept
an hour.
Away in the deep wood, half mile
from Nelly's dwelling there was o lit.
tie old hut, in which there lived lit.
tie old man, whose name was Aaron
Perry. He had lived there q dozen
years, and all that the people knew a.
bout him that he was very poorly, went
meanly clad, and seemed to have no
friends.
He came to the village sometimes to
sell the berries which he had pickle
and once in while he bought little
tea and sugar.
lie was a curious looking man, be.
ing over eighty years of age; small
and bent; with long white hair and
beard, hanging low upon his back and
breast; and always walking with long
stout staff. He was known as the Old
Man of tho wood, and many people
who knew him very well, knew him by
no other name. Where he came from
was mystery, as ho would never give
any information on the subject.
One day Nellie thought to herself.
that she had not seen the old man pass
her cot for some time, and she won
dered why it could be. He had to 90
by there on bis way out from the wood