The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-08-24

[ took up my hat, and strolled away
to have look at the farm. By-and-by,
l got over the orchard wall, and crossed
the brook. and the high road, and went
out into the grove behind the house,
whose farthest trees were growing on the
hill which looked so blue and distant from
my chant .r window. It was an old IA
vorlte place Of mine. A broad wagon
track led through the woods, out to q
clearing on the other side, where was q
little sheet of water, called Fairy's look
inc Glass, and beautiful view Of lovely
country, with the stepped green hills "
ing down in the distance, wrapped in a
soft heecy mantle Of cloud and haze. |
could think of nothing when I stood there,
on q sunshiny day, bat the long gaze of
Bunyan's Pilgrim through the shepherds
glass at the beautiful city toward which
he was journeying. And it seemed
sometimes rs il could wander 'over the
hills and far away and lose myself in
one of the fair valleys at the foot Of those
hills, and be content never to come out
and face the weary world any more.
walked slowly through the woods,
with the sunshine falling through the
green leaves of the young beeches in
chequered radiance on my path, drawing
in long breaths of fresh air, and feeling a
tingling in my veins and glow at my
heart, as if the blood were flowing nowly
there, until | came to the little circular
grove of pines and hemlocks that led out
upon Fairy's Looking-glass. Something
stirred as pierced my way through the
branches, and l heard low growl.
A girl half sitting, half lying in the
sunshine beside the little lake, throwing
pebbles into the water, and watching the
rippes that spread and widened to the
other shore. A great black Newfound-
land dog was standing between me and
her, showing Formidable row of strong
white teeth, and looking me threatening
ly in the face. She started, and looked
sharply round, and saw me standing in
the little grove with the dog between us.
She bursted out laughing.
felt that was cutting rather ride
ulous figure but put a bold face upon
the matter, and asked coolly.
Are you Alice Kent?'
People call rne So.
Then l suppose l may call you cousin,
for am Frank Anterior?
cousin Frank! We bave been ex-
pecting YOU this week. When did you
come?
just now.'
She made room for me beside her. We
talked long about our family, our mutual
friends, and the old homestead of the
Athertons, which she had seen, though |
had not. She told me about the house,
and our cousins who were then living
there, and | sat listening, looking now and
then at her, as she sat with the sunshine
falling round her, and the great dog ly-
ING at her feet, wondered almost as my
aunt had done, if this was indeed the
| Alice Kent of whom | had heard so much.
She was dressed plainly, very plainly, in
kind Of gray material, that fell around
her in light, soft folds. A knot of plain ,
blue ribbon fastened her linen collar, and
gypsy hat, lying beside her, was trimm-
ed with the same color. Her watch
chain, like thread of gold, and q dia-
mond ring, were the only ornaments she
wore. Yet had never seen dress [
liked so well. She was too tall, should
have said, had she been any one else; for
when we were standing, her head was al
most on level with mine,) and slender,
and quick and agile in all her moments.
Her brown hair was soft and pretty, but
she wore it carelessly pushed away from
her forehead; net arranged with that
nicely I should have expected in a city
belle. Her features were irregular, full Of
life and spirit, but decidedly plain; her
complexion fair, her mouth rather large,
frank and smiling; her eyebrows arched, las
if they were asking questions; and her
eyes large, and of a soft, dark gray, very
pleasant to look into, very dazzling too, as
afterwards found to my cost. Those
eyes were the only beauty she possessed,
and she uncopsciously made the most of
them. Had she been Carmelite nun, she
would have talked with them; she could
not have helped it. When they laughed
it seemed their normal state-the bright
beaming glance they gave; but, when
they darkened suddenly and grew softer
and deeper, and looked up into the face
of any unfortunate wight with an expires
sion peculiar to themselves, heaven help
him,