Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-08-06
nRs. WALKERS BErsEY.

amer s-fxture'' in the little village of Cliff
ing: as teacher in its largest public school.
Hbs Village itself was devoid of the smallest
L-o,snsion to beauty, natural or architectural; ;
Ling the sudden npgro,cth of prosperous spec
,S.ti5n. aud at that time rejoicing in its new
rs<. factory chimneys and curiously ilagreed
Irots But all its surroundings were rom an tic
.,5 lovely in the extreme. Skirting one side
w.s winding river, bordsred with beautiful
willows, and on the other high hill. thickly
rggied, and in many places craggy and precip-
itu. These woods, in spring and summer,
we're full Offlowers and wild vines; and clear,
oil stream. that had its birth in . cayernous
,scsss among the ledges, dashed over the rocks,
md after many wonderful bends and plunges,
f,gpd its way to the river At the foot of the
Iii wound the railroad track; at some points,
nearly filing the space between the brook and
n. rocks; at others, almost overhung by the
latter. Some of the most delightful walks /
ever knew were in this vi,inity, and here the
whole school would often resort in the warm
weather for Saturdays ramble. -
|, was upon one of these summer rambles
that first made the Acquaintance of Mrs
walkers Betsy. Not that her unenviable
name and reputation had been concealed from
NV knoEledg &c heretofore, for almost from my
s1stiutroductiOn to that place, a stream of OBJ
Ioouy. touching that unluckly parsonage, had
bssn poured in my ears, till her name seemed
4 synonym for every thing evil. IL was the tone
,uhiect upon which churches, and sewing socie-
lies, and neighborhOod cliques, were now di-
riiei upon which gossips we're harmonious,
and quiet people garrulous. But as she was
-yota membe Of my class, and, indeed, q very
regular attendant of any class, she had never
personally fallen under my observation.
gathered that her parents had but lately
come to liyein Clif-spriDg, that they weIe Doth
ignorant and vicious, and that the girl. who,
sfter all, was only Mrs. Walkers by former
marriage. was an arrant compound of mischief
and mslice-a sort of goblin sprite, with such
rrpelivities to diabolism as had never been
known since the era of witchcraft.
In school, her reputation was worst of all
Wss green pumpkin found in the principals $
hat. or an ink bottle upset in the water bucket;
did a teacher. upon putting on her bonnet find
d nSst Cf young mice suddenly dropping over
Ger neck and shoulders, her shawl extra bor-
aersd with burdocks, her gloves filled with
s5me ill-seented weed, or her India rubbers
canningly nailed to the foor-half hundred
juvenile tongues were ready to proclaim Mrs
walkers Betsy as the undoubted delinquent:
and this, despite the fact that very few Of these
mis1emeanors were ever proved upon her But
whether proven or not, she accepted their
sponsorship all the same, and laughed mt or
dsfet her accusers, as her mood might be-
1ba. the girl was character in her way,
shsewd and sensible, though wholly uncultured,
was we'll satisfied from all heard; that she
was sly, stubborn, and malicious / believed. I
an ashamed to say, upon very insufficient evil
dence.
" Where c1H my parasol have gonei' said:
. school closed one sultry July day, and l
lNokel from the window of the ante-room.
shrinking from an unsheltered walk in the
fierce heat. was sure | had not carried il
ir1m home IN the morning and supposed it had
been left in the school house over night The
--a-l= a r-alal 81 a.
Elttee Of search and inquiry, but to no purpose
The article was not in the house or yard; and
then my committee changed themselves into a
JaTy, and, without desenting voice prOnOun-
eed Mrs Walkers Betsy guilty of ''cribbing'
my poor little sunshsde. She had been seen
hiierns in the ante room, and afterwards run
Hlns away in great haste. The charge seemed
reasonable enough, but US l could not learn
That Betsy had ever been convicted of a theft
though continually suspected, requested the
girls TO keep the matter quiet for afew days at
IesSt to which they unwiilingly consented
IAat evening had promised TO conduct my
'.aSs to place In the woods, where On the day
E-cyIous had found some beautiful specimens
u phlnx- on which we were to call bo;anics i'm
rsquiSition- When The sun was low in the
sest, We set forth, walking nearly the whole
distance IN the shadow Of the hill. We climbed
The ridge, rested a momeni, and then started
II search Of the splendid patch of purple bios
s.ms had accidentally found in taking short
cut over the hill to the house of a friend was
70 Ovisit
Stop, Miss Burke" came in suppressed
tones from half my little troop, as emerging
IRON q thieket, we came in sight of a queer
o"ject, perched upon o little mound, among
dead stick and leaves. 1t was a diminutive
ehhd who, Ja-iging from her face, and not her
Le might be eleven or twelve years of age
Il Lttle, brown, weird face il was, with keen
eyeShgatening out from mas Of stringy black
.alr' that wandered distractedly from the con-
haement Of an old comb
There's Mrs Walker Betsy, do declare"
snFpered Matty Holmes. "She often goes
nome from school this way and now she is
playing truant. She'll get a whipping, if her
mother finds ii OUT
-dts& Burke" interposed another, in an
energetic whisper, see what she hss in her
han1 looked, and there, 10 be sure, was
:ly lost pGrssol
IhsTe nor, didn't we say so ?" Don't
e ,ooS guhty "Impudent baggage" were
tAe low Calculations Of nv indignspt vigilance
committee; but in truth the pi9I's apnearancs
vas uhconcerned and innocent enough. She
sNaylng herself about, opening and shut
ing the wonderful instrument, holding IL be
'Netn her eyes and the light to ascertsin the
9lHm'y OF the silk, and sticking a pin in the han
O''. 70 ,ry lt were ivory, or painted wood
Sn Npou neI, anu see her ScampeT''
-, 'ae most benevolent suggestion whispered
-. | said, II" wish to speak with her
aiohe hrst All OF you stay here out Of sight,
S.I l WI return presently" They fell back
"''SftIshei, aud eOntented thems elves with
Peepln; and listening, while [ advanced to-
Wsrd the f9riorn child, determined 10 win her
:onnde ace so far as to persuade her of INV
rTiendtT intentions toward her before referring
70 the wrong she had done me She started q
li'ile as approached, thrust the parasol he
and her, and then pleasantly made room for
he on the little hillock where she sat
- Wen, ;his is a nice lounge - / said dron-
ping down beside her; . just large epouob r.
'w1. and softer than any tets-a-tst, in NJ
rraham ParlOr. Now, little girl, I sho,iJ
Ike to know your name, y for thought il hest
'':eign Ignorance of her anteeeients.
Bets - was the ready reply. 20
Betsy WHAT ..s r.. = ..LL.stgF
Bets Walker, mother says, but say Ar
Ghli That was my fathers name. 'Tsint No
at renee, though. It's Bets, any way
Well Betsy, what do you suppose made
'h,s httle mound we are sitting upon 9'' |
">Ne,i, mere to gain time.
1 never hesrd, . she answered, looking ur
cArl"usly in my face. Maybe q rock got
SS'ered up and grOwed over, ever so far down
-d4y DC "A IRlan q buried up there ii---