Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1859-06-09
gtIttte6 Cult.
[From the Atlantic Monthly.l
LOO LOO.
A FEW SCENES FROM A TRUE HISTORY.
SCENE I.

ALFRED NOBLE had grown up to manhood
among the rocks and hills of New England
village. A year spent in Mobile, employed in
the duties of a clerk, had not accustomed him
to the dull routine of commercial life. He
longed for the sound of brooks and the fresh
air of the hills 1t was, therefore, with great
pleasure that he received from his employer a
message to be conveyed to a gentleman who
lived in the pleasantest suburb Of the city. 1t
was one of those bright autumnal days when
the earth seems to rejoice consciously in the
light that gives her beauty.
Leaving behind him the business quarters of
the town. he passed through pleasant streets
bordered with trees, and almost Immediately
found himself amid scenes clothed with all the
freshness of the country. Handsome mansions
here and there dotted the landscape, with pret-
ty little parks, enclosing orange-treeS and mag
nOliaS surrounded with hedges of holly, in
whose foliage numerous little foraging birds
were busy in the sunshine. The young man
looked at these dwellings, with an eXile'S long
ing at his heart He imagined groups of pa
rents and children, brothers and sisters, under
those Sheltering roofs, all strangers to him, an
orphan, alone in the world The pcnsiveness
of his mood gradually gave place to more cheer
tui thoughts. Visions of prosperous business
and happy home rose before him, as he walk
ed briskly toward the hill south of the city
The intervals between the houses increased at
length, and he soon found himself in little
forest of pines. Emerging from this, he came
suddenly in sight of an elegant white villa, with
cOlonnaded portico and spacious vcrandaS. He
approached it by path through grove, the
IF III bioh boI int +,o
blance of Gothic arch, by the interlacng of
two trees, one with glossy evergreen leaves, the
other yellow with the tints of autumn Vines
had clambered to the top and hung in light
festoons from the branches The foliage, fut-
tering in a gentle breeze, caused successive rip.
pies Of sun fleckS, which chased each other
over trunks and boughs, and joined in way
ward dance with the sunshine.
Arrested by this unusual combination of
light and shade, color and form, the young man
stood still for few moments to gaze upon it.
he was thinking to himself that nothing could
ADD to the perfection of its beauty, when sud
dehiy there came dancing unde: the arch fig
nre That seemed like the fairy of those woods
spirit of the MOSES and vines. She was a
chlid' apparently five or six years DID, with
large brown eyes and profusion of dark hair
Her gypsy hat, ornamented with scarlet rib
hons and a garland of red holy-berries, had
fallen back on her shoulders, and her cheeks
were flushed with exercise A pretty little
dog was with her, leaping up eagerly for
cluster of holIy-berries which she playfully
shook above his head. She whirled swiftly
found and round the frisking animal her long
red ribbons flying on the breeze and then she
paused all aglow swaying herself back and forth,
In. IKE flower on its stem A flock of doves, as
attracted toward her, came swooping down
from the sky, revolving in graceful curves above
ayr head, their white breasts glistening in the
sunshine. The aerial movements of the child
were so full of life and JOY, she was so in har.
a,o1y a" win the golden day, the waving vines,
ana the circng doves that the whole scene
seemed like an allegro movement in music, and
- Sne ga a charming little melody floating through
:. Alfred stood like one enchanted. He feared
10 sP'eS or move, lest the fairy should vanish