The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-02-05

Into the deep, and bring up slime sud mud
And ooze, too, from the bottom, the lead doth,
With its creased understratuln."
Memory would, indeed, be fsithless to her
trust if had forgotten thee, Lille Grey
although many long years have passed since
first we met-and the hand of Time has
twined threads Of slve: amid the woof oI
my once dark hair. But it is not SO. re-
member thee as on the radiant morn, when
the earth was clad in the gladness Of spring
when the flowers were arraved in all the
beauty of their brth-right, and filled the
air with their breath of perfume-when the
birds sang songs Of joy and of praise, as
they trembled upon the swaying, .eafy
boughs-when the brook danced gaily on,
kissing It's verdure clad banks, as it swept on
oceanward-wh the hum of the ever-toiI-
ing bee fell upon the ear-when the wind
was soft as the breath Of sleeping ir fancy,
and but toyed with tree and flower as its
unseen wings bore it noiselessly along
when hill and valley, forest and prairie
alike. were ablaze with the peerless color
! ings of the pencil Of Nature, and thou, a
fit, fairy-hkc queen for such scene and
such time first fitted before my vision. -
Aye, all are well remembered, green spot
in the arid waste Of life.
Blackstone has been thrown for a time
Z dSluC, tue tuslN UidCk- -ielleTSu iOTe iOTpOl-
ten, the technica!ities Of the musty law ig-
nored, and on the smooth grassy sod, in the
bend of the swift rolling river don't you re-
member it well) were gathered as gay a
group Of men and maidens as ever threaded
the mazy dance. y lovely, sun-it afternoon It
was; aud shaded by the leaf crowned ma
pies, that entw!ned above Us, every heart
was given to happiness. Then, when all
vas hI!arity and mirth, when CupiC vas bu-
sy with his bow, uniliing fast his quiver,
and making targets Of hearts that should
ever own his power-was forming chains Of
flowers, beautiful set strong enough to bind
two hearts for ayc-when bright eyes were
forging shackles that Death alone could Sc
yer, Lille Gray, you came among u.s.
lime, the DESTROYER, has failed 10 ctiacc one
single lineament then stamped upon my
heart aud as thou then was, peerless in thy
, beauty and matchless in thy innocence and
loveincss, do / rem -mbcr and would paint
, thee now.
Sixteen summers had kissed her checks,
and If the rosy God Of owe had even touch
ed he. il was but to leave dinP'e there
Long, DARK auourn hair, hung in many an
airy curl from beneath the gypsy that sat
auutj'y upon her small but eXquisitely PRO
porlionea head. Dark lashes, long and silk
ell, shaded eyes of ocean hue, new dancing
as it were with very excess Of joy, aAd now
dro9ping'v cast down a. if the 'plumrnet
Of agony had already found the depths Of
I at young heart. Her form, clad in snowy
vuStUre. YVES gstife, bu, true in its every
proportion, a the Cindcr.lia-like shipper aud
fajrv-like glove we'll attested. A Low,
sweet brow was hers dain;ily chise.ieo
nose. and small mouth that at every smile
revealed the wealth o: pear. within. Guilt
less Of ornament, save the snowy T0se-oucs
that cllttcred amid ser sAluiu. curls, and
rose and t.! with every pGisat.on u her SIN
less heart, she appeared twhcre ali were
beautifully the soft sun i.gtt = mme.eI
through the trees and was reflected back
from her shining trcss-S, one too br slt
and beautiful Tor this mundane sphere.
Such, Lille Grey, was the picture daguer-
rcotyped upon my neart in tlat wc!'-rcmem-
berra long ago; and age. and trial and sui-
ferinr, have not dilE:ned its iustre. or rob
bed It cf one single line Of its pristine beau
ty, But Lille Grey?
/ Curiostv-the Joundiess curio ity Of q
small country village, with its fund Of eos-
sip and It's countless tca-drrkiags, had 10 be
satisfied, and busy rumor soon brought to
me the information that she was the ouly
daughter Of a recently deceased clergyman
. lIAl IA! lol u'si Y iIsIi-A III Va
small town some miles distauD and that she
was an artist Wei, indeed, had she chosen
a spot for the exercise of her talent; for a
more beautiful scene, | ween. lies not within
the boundary Of the Empire state.
This much | learned the morning after
oar picnic, and it would be vain for Inc &c
DENY, that other thoughts than those IN the
open volume before me were oft filling Dy
brain, cjecting, without notice, all that shoe
have been safely carnered there. How little
Z thought at that time that the threads el
our l;ves-Fatc with her twirling diStaft
should spin until they were twisted into one
But what had an unhedged lawyer like
myself to do with beauty Often | reac
myself very severe lecture for letting my
thoughts wander; but it was AL in vain, fol
sandwiched between duh pleadings acoul8
appear rosy lips, si,ken curis and the vari
Gus appurtenauces of beauty Well, the
. days passed on, and althou- h ! still read anC
dreamed, | had as yet nevlr spoken word
to the fair Lille Grey, who's name and fame
was upon every ones lips. \ fortunate cir
cumstance Tor ua!ortunate, which was II :.
rendered her well acquainted with the poor
plodder after legal hoaors.
Tired cut, brain wearied with preparation
for the coming session, | threw my books
and papers aside, and with fishing line
| wandered away from the hum of business tC
the banks of the beautiful river, and strove
TO lure the scaly roamers therein from theil
native element. Half dreamingIy, | sat up
on a rock that juttcd out from the midst o.
the dense fol age into the swift running
stream, and watched the tiny foam crested
waves, as they danced joyousty on, building
perchance, airy castles that could never havs
! t,l.
! creating brain.
How long | sat thus musing, how long my
Undated hook hung idly in the deep waters
may never know. But the sun was cast
ing its shadows westward, and | was wan
dering in 4 mind created elysium, when
was recalled again to the realities of earth
by loud Shrek that rang above my head
thrilling upon every nerve, and stopping
alike breath, and heart pulsation for time
In an instant was on my feet and saw,
great heavens! the slight form of Lille
Grey, suspended from the fsarfully high cliff
above me, and clinging to Il slender shrut
that found scanty root upon the verge above
her. Fearful as was her nosition--despc
rate as knew her chance Of escape to be
yet l was strangely calm! To reach hel
from above | knew it was useless to attempt
Ito save her from below, impossi bic !
What was to be done? No time was there
for calm reflection, and as second elanc,
assured ,ne that her feet rested, though bu
slightly, upon the rock beneath her, calico
on her to be calm. Calm? As well nigh
: have advised one just sinking in the EN-
brace of water tend te be calm; and We: i
, was evident that my voice somewhat reas
i surea her. Like lightning every chance o
escape flashed through my mind. But ont
alone seemed to offer the least hope, an(
quickly revolving it over, l shouted
Jump, Miss Grey, jump for your life
/ 1t is your eny chance of oscape-ysur onl.
! hope"
t \ moment that young. brave girl gaze
e upon the waters beneath. clinging still Tn