Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-12-31

| SSi tcu vi Hhc IL bTlRnJ dnRtl, uuu lie
applied himself vigorously to the exigencies OF
the case. lie reused the neighbors, procured
the attendance of medical man, and bestow-
ed on the afflicted family all the money he
had about him.
CANINE will not let them starve, :" he men,
tally observed us he proceeded to the farm
sad and thoughtful. lie found an execu-
tion on the premises. lie was ruined and
he knew it, but did not lament or bewail his
fortune On the contrary, he went to bed
and slept soundly. The catastrophe he had
witnessed had completely revolutionized his
morbid nature. In the course of the week
he arranged his affairs, paid his creditors in
full, and, alter giving up possession of the
farm to the landlord, found himself worth
aboutlffty pounds. With that in his pocket
he disappeared from the neighborhood, and
was never seen in it again. He babe adieu
to none, not even to Annie, for he was
ashamed of himself He did pause at the
bend Of the road that commanded view of
her home, and bredthed prayer for her
welfare and happiness. 1t was the sweetest.
hottest prayer he had uttered Siar he ind
kucltat his mothers feet.
His disappearance did not create much as
tonishment in the village, but to Annie it
was source of deep, heart-breakng grief.
Despite her keen judgment, she had hoped
woman ever does, even in the darkest hours
and now that he was gone, wthouta word
or token, the little flower that had hitherto
bloomed amid the winter of her disappoint-
ment, hung its head and withered away She
herself dropped, the roses fled from her
checks, and she took a melancholy pleasure
in visiting the spots where, side by side she
and Harvey had passed some of the delicious
spring hours of their young lives. During
one of these rambles, she came to a retired
place some distance from the village, where
they had often met to talk of the future, and
indulge in the poetry of courtship. 1t was
the margin of ii brook, beside which stood
an aged oak, in certain hollow Of which
they used to deposit their messages and love
tokens. Annie almost instinctively put her
hand into the cleft. Trembling, she drew
forth a letter, which she perused with a lut-
ter of delight, mingled with fearful sorrew.
1t rdn thus -
"DEAREsT ANNIE :-Grieve not for me.
am unworthy of you. | go away to render
myself worthy OF the past, as regards your
swe.t self, not with any view to the future.
How could L? My daily prayer shall be for
your happiness, and whether you wed anoth-
er or not shall be faithful. 1 hare been so,
and that is the only selt-consolation | carry
away with me. Ny intention is to redeem
my errors by honest industry, and not sink
under either regret or despair. | take with
me some of your own strong angelic spirit.
Farewell, God bless you, dearest Annie
F. II.
"P. S.-I need not say to you that Jenny
| Thompson's children are fatheress and moth
erless. know non what you meant by the
| pale face at the wicket gate. -
Wet and soiled as this missive was, Annie
plnpp1 If in her l,snm ne Sba ,napta1l,, ii
81 shall see Frank Harvey again.
The orphan children were provided for
Annie undertook the charge of the eldest, a
girl, and the other two were placed by the
influential ladies of the neighborhood, in q
school, where they could be reared and edu-
Gated until able to 60 forth into the world
Two years elapsed, during which Annie
became thin, and very staid in her demeanor
repulsed ali suitors at once and dec sively
still she was not unhappy, for tile little
flower had again raised its head and diffnsed
| a Fragrance throughout her soul. One day
letter arrived directed to herself. " hen
she had read it, she with heightened color
and a brighter eve handed it to her father
Tho old man perused it with visible satisfac-
ton, and to conceal some emotion, or posi-
bly, to correct what he deemed a weakness
he opened the old family Bible, and Will,
|
IN her chamber on her knees, with her fac,
buried in the snow-white coverld of her bed
Alter this, letters came more frequently, anc
at last regularly once week, and it was no
| ticable, tnat with each arrival the bloom OF
Annie's cheek increased, her step became
firmer, and her voice more cheerful. Sh
was even occasionally heard to hum snatche
of old BALLADS. Mr. Lee, to the surprise o
the whole village, undertook a long Journey
and was away for several weeks. The sur
prise deepened into astonshment when, upol
his return, he announced his intention o
disposing Of his property, and retiring 70
the remainder of his days, to another part O
England. His arrangements We're speedil,
completed, and father and daughter departe
amid the tears of many.
As the reader has anticipated, they ha'
gone to share in and augment the renovate
fortunes of Harvey, who, to use the oil
mans terse expression, had "regenerate
himself" Having offered his services to
distant relative in Yorkshire, they had beel
accepted, and his knowledge of moder
farming having proved so really excellent, i
the course of a few years, with his saving
and influential recommendations, he foun
little difficulty in obtaining farm for hiu
self in fact, his cult ivated intelligence
all matters relating to what is termed hig
farming had procured for him the substantii
favor of one of the most popular noblemc
and land owners in England. So situated, h
: did not scruple once more to offer his han
to Annie land it was accepted, her father vo
9 unteering liberal allowance of money.
Q We must pass over few years, and tr
duce our readers to the last scene in this lit
1 domestic drama which fell under our motto
:, Let them imagine tolerable-sized residenc
a with a ilower-g garden before it, fronting
k good road, and tanked by orchards. In Il
e rear there are kitchen-gardens, and beyol
y them large farm-yard, surrounded on thr
u sides by buildings, and in the distance, tiel
: stretching far and wide. At the front of t
c house stands the owner, talking to gent
k man on horseback. The latter waves
o courteous adieu, and the owner, a tall portl
e handsome Englishman, about the middle az
;, opens door in one of the orchard walls Al
J gazes within. Under tree sits viii
haired old man, laughing at the gambols
|, some rosy children playing on the grass, a
d not far from him sits a beautiful Engli
h woman, who looks much younger than S
lie really is Her figure, although full, is st
id perfect in its symmetry, and not "a line maj
is her bright beaming face. Her lips are ro'
es and her eyes sparkle with animation.
le her side stands a boy of some twelve ye,
s. old, who is attentively listening to a book I
ne is reading and the value of which she is
tempting to impress ON his youthful mind
an The lookeron, dwelling on this scene a'
ne it was The most precious painting in
II woodland SO it was to him-advanced.
,ir "Annie, dear. what do you think his 10
ev ship wants?" said he cheerfully, but wit
Il slight huskiness of tone the lady smiled
bv ignorance, and the speaker continued, "W
4 4 4
ist ne saiu ho "ouiu attehu our next har'
,ed give the farm a name"
NV That would not be very difficult, rcpl
err. the lady in rich accents. " Suppose we
me it Happy Land; " -uu, K
nd "No, replied the del i,ieek. % can
~ ~ ing his wif..'., l shall call it someth
'i, L t,onor OF a certain Lancashire witch. VIII