Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1858-05-14
Interesting Gale.
THE OLD MAN OF THE WOOD.
BY sYLvANus COBB, JR.

You should have known Nellie Clark
She was one of the prettiest, sweetest,
and most loving girls in the whole vii
lage. Yet there were those who said she
was very far from being handsome or en-
gaging. Mrs. Longpurse, who had three
very plain but very marriageable daugh-
tiers, of uncertain age, solemnly declared
that Nellie was a plain, uneducated, pre-
tending miss. Aud the widow of Red
and Whitepaint, whose only daughter
had lost host of lovers, gave it as her
fixed opinion that poor Nellie was a Gerry
ordinary girl; while Mrs Veripious,
who spoke SO much in meeting, had been
heard to whisper, in sort of sorrowing
way, that young Miss Clark wasn't any
better than she ought to be. Nellie
knew all this, but she laughed as blithe-
ly as ever, and seemed not to lose a par
ticle Of her joy.
Perhaps, however, Nellie had heard
Whit some other people had said. For
instance: there was the widow Meekly,
who had been laid up with the rheuma-
ties for many years. She said that Mel
lie 5 presence had done her more coed
than all the medicine in the world. And
then Mrs. Thankful, whose little boy had
such bad hip complaint that he could
not walk, often said, with tears in her
eyes, that Nellie was an angel. How
could her poor lame boy have gone to
school all winter if Nellie hadn't dragged
him on her sled 4? Yes--Nellie knew all
this, too; and while the cold winds Of
calumny we're shut wholly out, the warm
sunshine of the love earned penetrated to
her soul.
But Nellie Clark was poor in worldly
goods. Her father had been dead many
years, and she and her widowed mother
lived all alone in the dark cot, by the
edge of the wood, supporting themselves
by such honest labor as they could OBJ
tain.
Of course, such a girl as Nellie must
have had lovers, though she had not
many; for she was only eighteen, and
had not been old enough to think Of such
love great while. But there were only
two whose attentions she could like. The
first was Augustus Waxford, and the
second was Roland Gibson. They were
born in the town, though they moved in
different spheres now. Waxford had
studied law, and just commenced prac-
tice in his native village, while ellison
had learned the joiners trade and could
only work at building houses.
Somehow Nellie fancied Waxford most.
His manners were 50 pleasing, and his
conversation so entertaining; and then
he was handsome, and always looked SO
neat and prim. And We will not saw
that Nellie Clark, in her pure innocence
did not sometimes fancy that 'twould be
moro agreeable and fashionable to be a
lawyers wife than the wife of a mere
mechanic. But, be that as it NAV, she
finally preferred Augustus Waxford, and
was forced 10 tell Roland that be must
love her only as an old playmate and a
friend; and when Roland had gone away
from the cot, and she saw him leaning
against the old gate post in the moon
light, and knew that he was sobbine, she
went into her bedroom and wept an
hour.
Away in the deep wood, half a mile
from Ncllie's dwelling, there was little
old hut, in which lived little old man.
whose name was Aaron Perry. lie had
lived there a dozen years, and all that
people knew about him was that he lived
very poorly; went meanly clad, and
seemed to have no friends. He came to
the village sometimes to sell the berries
which he had picked, and once in a while
he bought little tea and sugar. lie
was curious-looking man, being over
eighty years of age; small and bent
with long, white hair and beard, hanging
low upon his back and breast; and al
ways walking with long, stout staff -
He was known as the Old Man of the
Wood, and many people who knew him
well, knew him by no other name -
Where he came from was u mystery, as
he would never give any information
upon the subject.
Ono dav Nellie thouoht ia hprec1f that .