The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1860-07-12
For the Journal .
Ilttl0 Jimmy.

flowers of fancy have expanded and bloomeu' %
tbe-beart.chetished idol Of the affections sccm'
like cooling breeze over the dreary pIain' uno
around which the memory ever lingeIs WIN
melancholy sciuation-melsncholy beceus'
its pleasures can be enjoyed BY us no more. IT.
this life everything is transcient; and although
we pass throush its many scenes Us II thry were
mere plays acted out for our own amusement
still there are some characters aud parts which
we cannot forget, over which we ponder nnd
dream In idle hours through life.
To.nieht my IN, mory is wandering over the
desert OF my past life. viewing "n oasis in 1t
which brings up thousand "reminiscences OF
times long since past, whose day dreams Of the
future have been dissol, ed by tho realities OF
life Shall tell you Of III
when was a mere boy, but fifteen years OF
age. | wandered from home TO do for myself
Coacealing my age as much as possible. and
making the most Of my limited uitainmonts,
soon procured school, and received che honor
able but undeserved title OF teacher.
The Arst day came, md with il oil the per
plexi,ies, cares aud trials which the first day
never fails to bring TO the uninitiaied teacher.
NV heart was sud the first evening, when told
my pupils they were dismissed aud prepared
10 90 to my boarding place, icr | was for the
first time wholly among strOngers, and entirely
depenjcn, upon my own resources.
The family with whom boarded had, many
years before, emigratcd from Scotland aud con
sisted Of tue parents and six children. The for
mer possessed many of those noble troi's OF
chnra cter pecular to the scottish people; the
gentleman combining that strict morality which
is so much their pr 10 with an oblgug pleas
antry, while his wife was true lady in the
broadcast sense of the term. OF the childrsn,
"IIttle Jimmy us he was called-the young
est, a boy OF nearly five years-was the favor
ite of all. Partly becase no was the young
est, partly because q smile of gladncss was al
most constantly playing upon his countonance,
throwing upon everything around him an air OF
cheorruuess, but mostly because a soul of light
and love dvclt ia that beautiful temple aud
glowed out ia every feature and action.
was never very fond Of children, but there
was something about this little boy so good, so
pure and at the same time 50 childllke, that it
soon won my heart, and in the absence OF the
many pleasures OF home and acquaintonccs,
hs became my best aud most intimate friend.
There was something in tho expression OF the
blue eye as ii brightly shone beneath The heavy,
overarching forehead that never ceased TO charm
me- Aud the yellow cutls with :he rosy cheek,
around which they clustered, and tho fair neck
over which they hung seemed more and more
beautiful the more | looked upon them.
Always when the weather was fair would lit.
tie Jimmy meet me as returned from the la
bors OF the school room, which made me Had
TO take him by the hand aud loose tho tolls of
the day in his innocent pratlle of "Pa, Ma, aud
going to school when he was big enough
In the long Autumn evenings | would often
take q book in one hand aud little Jimmy hand
in the other aud wander through the forest in
the shade of the overarching boughs OF beach
und ma pie. until We came to the stream wbch
ran by the school house, there seating myself
beneath the leafy canopy, when the bright green
leaves of the sugar tree mingled with the IuXu'
rant foliage of some old grapevine. | would
sit for hours listening to him talking and ask
ing questions about the leaves, the water, the
SINGING birds, and sometimes his mind would
seem to wander away from earth among the
angels, as he gazed upon tho aolting clouds,
when the setting sun threw over them II halo
of golden light which came floating through the
spaces between. Illuminating the tops of tho
forest and now and then creeping through open
ings till it reached the surhcs OF the stream,
which reflected the golden light till il looked
like dark sea spotted with golden islands
When tried to study and he had ceased talk
ing so as not TO interrupt me, my eyes have
voluntarily left my book aud watched him in
his innocent play until | wondered whut he
would be when man, aud tried to picture in
my imagination how happy this world would be
if all its inmates possessed his virtues fully n.
veloped by wisdom and totally unsullied by
vice.
When Autumn, with its long train OF pleas
ures. gave way TO winter, often dil little Jim
my beguile lsess hours, when the knowledge
of books had bscome tasteless. His pleasant
"good morning" aud kind cheerful good night"
always came TO my ear pleasing sound and in
spired in my mind desire to become purer and
better. Thus my hours of leisure Were spent
through that winter, which seemed TO pass bu,
too quickly away
Spring came, and with il my last day. Fate
dcCreed that should leave those who were now
warm friends to mo, aud the most pain ul part
ing was with little Jimmy, Never will | for.
get how fonlly he put his liuls arms oropad my
neck, his glossy hair touching my cheek, ani
MT. red the Inst "gOod bNe" that | should ryer