The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-08-31
for tbe Dome GireIe,
Mrs. Walkers Betsey.
By MRS. H. /. BosTwIcK.

Lis now nearly ten years since became
summer fixture in the little village of Cliff
spring, as a teacher in its largest public
school. The village itself was devoid of the
smallest pretension to beauty. natural or ar
chitecturaI. being the sudden upgrotvth of
prosperous speculation, aid at that time re
joicing in its newness Of factory chimneys. and
curiousiy. 6lagreed depots. But all its SUR
roandipgs were romantic and lovely in the ex-
treme. Skir'ing one side, was winding riv
er. bordsred with beautiful willows and on
the other high hill, thickly wooded, and in
many placesscraggy and precipilous. These
woods, in spring and summer, we're full of
flowers and wild vines; and clear. cold stream,
that had It's birth in a cavernons recess among
the lodges. dashed over the rocks, and after
many wonderful bends and pIungesg found its
way to the river Az the foot of the hill
would the railroad Track, at some points near
ly filing the space between the brook and the
rocks; at Others, almost overhung by the lat
ter. Some of the most delightful walks ev-
er knew were IN this vicinity, and here the
.
weather for q Saturdays ramble.
II was upon one Of these summer ramhles
thatI first made the acquaintance of Mrs
Walkers Betsey. Not that her rnenviable
name and reputation had been concealed from
my KNOWLEDGE heretofore. for almost from my
FIRST Introduction to that place a stream Of OBJ.
loquy touching that unlucky personage, bad
been poured in my ears, till her name seemed
synonym for everything evil 1t was the
one subject upon which churches, and sewing
societies, and neighborhood cliqnes, were moi
divided; upon which gossips were harmonious
and quiet people garrnlous. But as she wa
not member of my class, and indeed a yer.
irregular attendant of any class, she had new
er personally fallen under my observation.
sI e gathered that her parents had but latel,
come TO live in Clifspring, that they we're botl
ignorant and vicious, and that the girl, VIII
after ALL was.onIy Mrs. Walkers BY forme
marriage, was an arrant compound of mis-
chief and malice "a sort of goblin sprite-
with such procliviiies to disabolism, as ha,
In school, her reputation was worst Of al
Was green pumpkin fonnd in The Primo
pals hat. or an ink bottle upset in the waite
bucket,-did teacher, upon putting on he
bonnet, find a nest of young mice suddenl
E dropping over her neck and shoulders, he
shawl extra bordered with burdocks, be
gloves filed with some illscented weed, or he
India .rnbbess. cunninely nailed to. the foo
half hundred javenile tongues were read
10 proclaim Mrs. Walkers Betsey as the nj
doubted delinquent; and this, despite the ia,
that very few of these misdemeauors we're e
er proved upon her, But whether proved I
moi, she accepted their sponsorship all Il
same. and laughed at, or deied her accusel
as her mood might be-. That the girl was
character in her way, shrewd and sensib
though wholly npcultured.a was well satisf
from all ] heard; that she was sly. stubbo
and.malicious IbeIieved, Il am ashamed to ss
upon very Insufficient evidence. q .5as q & s
& msWhere can nv parasolhave gomez ! 81
as school closed one suItry July day, and
looked from the window of the ante.rco
shrinking from an unsheltered walk in t
fierce heat. was sure had not carried
from horne in the morning, and supposed
had been left in the school house over mig
& The girls Of my class constituted themsei,
committee of search and inquiry. but to
& purpose. The article was not in the house
8 yard; and then my committee changed the
selves into jury. and, without a dissent
voice, pronodnced Mrs. Walkers Betsey eui
of 'cribbing my poor little sunshade. S
had been seen loitering in the ante ROOM q
afterward running away in great haste 7
charge seemed reasonable enough, but as
could not learn thai Bstsey had ever been c
victed of theft, though continually susp,
Z ed. requested the girls 10 keep the ma
81 quiet for q few days at least, to which
willingly consented. ssa
That evening had promised to conduct
class to a plaza in the oods, where on the
previous had found some beautiful sp
mems of Phlox on which we were to call
# tanics in requisition When the sun was
in the west. we set FORTH walking nearly
whole distance in the shadow of the hill
& We climbed the ridge, rested moment,
then started in search of the splendid pl
! of purple blossoms had accidentally fouu
i taking a short cut over the bill to the b.
of friend was to visit. ''tss