New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-03-05

THROUGH THE SNOW.
Mrs. Tubbs-ffty, fat and frosty, dressed IN
black satin and fowery cap comes from her
ing Betty her cook into the study of DR.. Tubbs,
her husband, who, up later than his amiable
spouse, breakfasts leisurey, and reads bis letters
grimly, on this snowy Christmas morning. ne u
though his coat is supertine and his waistcoat
large: MI. u,.,...u
into a chair /" TO make the fellow small suet-
dumpng.no pnms or eurrants IN H. n gh I fa b
con, Dr. Tubbs; the ham.like lean | keep for the
parlor for if ushers will stop during the holidays
where they amt wanted, they must take the con
sequences 49,, ru,,h, -,
pously, and at the same time winking terribly 6or
he has visional defect which always keeps his
eyelids moying). tYour remark is most judicious:
Indeed. If the truth be spoken, even TINS prudential
arrangement will be unnecessary; for l think OF
giving Gray notice at once, and getting rid OF him
this very morning. For -for-for-this getting-on
rapid system of his will never do. If it continues
Mrs. Tnbbs, we shall soon cease to be master and
mistress Of Goshen House; for here's letter from
the Baeys' father, praising his boys rapid pro
gress in arithmetic. Here another from Wiggett's
uncle, to say that Toms general advance is excel
lent; and to crown all. here's third letter, from
the Rev. Dr. Pike, canon Of Diddlebury Cathedral
to say that his grandsons progress in the classics
is remarkable, you'll remember, my dear, thai
there are four of these lads y and that they have
learnt as much Greek and Latin in the half as q
some schools they would have done in three years
Mind this, my dear! Now of course boys getting
along on this way will soon leave. Instead of hav
ing six years out of 'em apiece, two will bt
enough under such a forcing plan. There wer,
the Fieldings, too; why did they leave? Why
that they could draw trees well when they SHOULD
have been still in lines and cubes. I've told GRAY
of all this, times and often; but, but" adds DR.
Tubbs, with pathetic dignity, "he minds me nc
more than those boys who call me odd Winker.
BE talks about moral honesty and trash Of thai
sort instead of paying attention to my behests. Sc
as this is the case-and it don't do to let boys ed
ucation get on like steam-engine-I'n dismiss
him, and-and-this very morning. True, must
give some equivalent, as our arrangement was q
months notice on either side, and gratis board
and lodging during the winter vacation. But bet.
ter lost pound than this evil should make further
head"
lows board. Why it wants yet five weeks to the
end of the vacation, and this-say at ten shiIings
week-will be two pounds ten. Go and do it at
once, DR.. Tubbs, whilst dress for church. And
spared the nonsense Of good-byes.' On my way
up stairs, doctor, ! shall countermand the suet
dumplingn
Not without some little hesitation when his wife's
eye is on him-for his conscience, scared as it is
points how base his conduct is to one like Robert
Gray--Dr. Tubbs draws certain sovereigns and
shllings from his private drawer and goes forth to
the school-room, where, by most economical
scrap of fire, sits the gentlemanly usher His slip
pered feet are on the hob, little pocket Eschylus
in his hand, short pipe in his mouth; behind him
lies the wide, high schooroom, beyond that the
bare windows and the snowy Yorkshire landscape
of wooded heights and barren moors.
Faugh! smoke - smelling like tavern!' are
DIR. Tubbs' Introductory words; and then, taking
distant chair, he proceedsto business. 1t is soon
efected-as most base things are--and to his inf
mite but secret chagrin; for he expected demur
and entreaty. His usher's manner expresses a
sense of relief and release. True, were the pom
pous pedagogue reader of human hearts, he
might have detected one vibration of desolate de-
SPAR cross the clear, bright, manly eye when the
first words of dismissal came; but it is gone like
an electric flash, and he sees nothing before him
but the serenity Of self-relant manhood. Hurry
ing over his grnff adieu, pocketng his receipt and
basely obliyious of all Grays noble efforts to in
crease his school, which, when he came year
and shallow pedagogue makes his exit, to go to
church a hollow conventionalist, not sincere
Worshipper.
Resolute and brief as young men are, Gray
gathers up his few books from off the school-room
shelves, hastens up stairs packs his portmanteau,
and directs it to the nearest railway station puts
the rest of his things in a knapsack; and then
going down stairs he scatters a few shillings
amongst the servants, visits the old yard dog in
his kennel, gives one look around the playground
where he has passed SO many sad and weary
hours, and then goes his way, his knapsack on
his shoulder, good oaken stick in his. hand.
There are some worthy souls to speak to in this
primitive Yorkshire village-the parish-clerk the
brisk step towards the moors, which lie SO high
and far away: they must be crossed to reach tile
railway by which he intended to go.
Turning by-and-by out of the more beaten high
way, he proceeds down q lane with high banks and
hedge-rows on either side. 1t lies deep in snow,
though traversed by recent wheels, and wind away
presently towards woodland and river scenery OF
exquisite beauty-though wreathed in snow and
crisped by FROST Here is a cottage, old-fashioned
and substantial, exquisite garden around it, and
clothed with glowing pyracanthus. The berries
are massed IN coronals; the leaves lie around in
beds of richest green. But the windows--at least
towards the lane-are shuttered no one seems
keeping Christmas within.
But as Robert Gray leans upon the paling look
ing towards little window that now is bowery
with scarlet and green-in summer with the my
Rad WaXen trumpets of the yellow lasmne-a man
plods by and touches his hat.
g Ii yer wanting Mr.. Watson, sir" he says,
tyou won't find him at home to-day. Him and the
missis be gone to see their youngest son. Old Tab
the maids minding the house; but she's upstairs
dressing dussay noW.n
We'll, Mr.. Watson deserves holiday. Gone for
long?n
s.No; reckon they'll be home tomorrow. Miss
Mariana, the daughter, amt wi EN- She's gone
to Master Felding's, across the moors to keen
lite there-a sort o. cousin to tn missis.n
So saying, Hodge again touches his hat, and pro-
ceeds.
When the honest fellow is out of sight, Gray
opens the gate gently and steals in. Then from
the aforementioned bowery window he cuts a
spray of pyracanthus with his pocket-knife, and
coming forth again, hurries away like one guilty
of serious SIM When he is far out of sight of the
cottage, on his path again to the highway he looks
at it long and tenderly and then opening his KNAPP
sack, lays it within. This shall 60 with him far and
far away =; it grew about her bowery window-she
whom he has met once or twice in country homes
she whom he has spoken to a few times-she
whom he has looked upon and loved
Like a man who has accomplished mission, he
now walks steadily onward, regains the highway,
and begins the ascent to the moors-to the lower
ones, which die at the base of the higher and
remote. Deeper became the snow, wilder the scene,
neither man nor bird nor beast giving life to the
whitened waste. By-and-by he comes to few
graveyard, where the dead sleep eternally amidst
the great hush of nature; he must pause moment,
for here lies a poor school-boy who died of cold
and fever. Gray nursed him, Gray loved him,
Gray cannot turn away-perhaps foreyer--Without
saying farewell to the insentent dust.
As he DIVORCES to the gate of entrance into this
lone battle-ground, a middle-aged gentleman comes
towards it., from the rear of the small matched
ehuch and striving to undo the latch, cannot; his
graveyard by some other path. For days, posi-
bly,, there has been no passer in Be this as itmay
the gentlemen cannot make egress. Gray hurries
| forward, and from his side undoes the latch.
"Thank you,' says the gentleman, raising his
| hat "a courtesy is always pleasant, even on q
| lonely Yorkshire moor. l thank you-a happy
Christmas good day. He is a handsome