Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-03-23
The Well in the Rock.
Iconeludsal

Seth Ro7I Is Pet 9OWh MS me 'oSA "
his straw hat, I'D wiped his forenesd with hi'
blue and white co. ton handkerehiei. IL was
warm iay, although 4. was wearing towards .he
middle Of October, and me farmer hao Osen
hard at work for the last tn. &C hOule' nv
strip of salt hay in some lo,N Hlea1oS iahG
about quarter of mile east of tie hali5 ,, Ieu
house where old 'Gineral WoOlcoOt's .uIsl,
as the nelghbors called her, resided. h Aao
a coarse, hard pbysiognony large, stalWa- =
rugged, frame, beetling eye brows, with dark
gloomy looking grey eyes, and bis iron-grey
locks hung over his forehead. brown and wrin-
kled with hard labor, for Seth Rogers had not
yet passed the prime Of his manhood. He was
a stern, lonely man, and the neighbOrs said his
heart was as hard as his face All bis near rel
atives were dead, and there was no heart OF
man, or woman, or child in the world which
beat with one throb of love or pity for Seth
Rogers. He was a EidoRer, and ehildless, for
he had laid bis wife, in her youth, in the village
grave yard, and be lived in the great brown
house by the creek, with only his hired men
and his old hOusekeeper-a man whose creed
and whose Gospel were worldly gain--Whose
only ambition was to add to his broad lands,
man without fear Of God or love to humanity
Yet the old neighbors shook their heads and
was pleasant little boy, and that he had a
praying mother and one little sister with the
face Of an angel. They could still remember
the clusters OF her shining curls that waved in
the winds ike the golden rod in September,
and her eyes deep and blue as the skies IN
which midnight stars are set. There were
few old women in West Farms who stiH grew
warm and eloquent when they spoke of the
WOndrous beauty of the sweet child Mary Rog-
ers, and they said her brother, who was four
years her senior, had cared for her With ten
derness, and watched over her with pride and
love which were like those Of mother over
her first born. But MaFy's beauty had never
blossomed into Womanhood, One time, score
and half of years ago, company of Indians
had made descent on the little village OF Yves
Farms, seated at the foot Of the hills. Tremb'
ling women had clustered together, with hash
ed breaths and hsggard faces, in the cottages
and at last company of the bravest men haC
gathered together, shouldered their arms, anC
gone out, in the name of the God Of battles, Z
fight for their wives, their children and then
homes. Jedediah WoolcOot led this httl'
company of brave men, and earned thereby th'
title Of General They soon succeeded In rout
ing the Indians, who had stationed themselve
at the northern part Of the village, and tn
white men lost but two Of their number, Bu
that night Mary Rogers took her death cold
for the child, hearing the war cry Of the In
diaRs, which started her from her sound slum-
bers, had sprung suddenly out Of bed, rushed
out doors in her night dress, and remained TO
nearly an hour crOuched down on the damp
I grass, under the apple tree, conTulsed with ter
ror In less than six months afterwards Mary
beauty lay under the summer grass, and he
broken-hearted mother followed her a Gttl
later So, with all his money, the neighbor
affirmed Seth Rogers had hard time of it, 70
it was a terrible thing 90 have all Of ones kit
and kin cut of from them. -
Seth, Seth Rogers, I want to have few min
utes talk with you
The farmer started, and looked round il
amazement, as he saw old Mrs. Woolcoot hob
bling slowly towards him just as he was putin
bis handkerchief in his hat
4 see you from my back door, . mowin, an
knew you was good deal interested in whs
I'd got to say, 50 concluded to get owe
though it was quite walE, as old folks limb
amt as spFy as young uns.'
NO, ther amt, that's fact responded SetI
for want Of something better to say and the
be remembered his claim on Isaac Wooicoot
cottage, and concluded the old woman ha
come 70 confer about that, and the muscles {
his hard face settled down into iron rigidity.
There was an oak tree very near The oil
woman dropped down under this, and laid he
crutch at her feet. Seth Rogers stood iittl
way of, silent and gloomy, his arms folded o.
his broad breast. .
Seth commenced the old woman, I cam
across sOmethin' yesterday morning, in my ga
ret that belonged to MAry--dear iittl
Mary!'
An, those words must have been rod whic
smOte the granite rock, for the mans fac
changed suddenly, and there was eager curios
ity in his tones. ~
.WhatEas it, Mas WooleOot3
Wont you set down here under the tre'
and TIl-tell you, for Pm anoid woman, and
tuckersme out TO talk SO lOust'
He sat down on the grass, under the COZ
shade ofthe oak tree, close to the ole womal
/ 1t cut me up; Seth, dre'funy, comm acroi
that ar. Jest sot down and cried Akaa litt
baby, for it just brought back The time whel
MarT's little golden head used to 60 diddln
and dancin' longside Of my Temperance
that trust in the Lord, is in heaven this Bile
sed day-to the school house where the fol
roads meet. Was there ever pootier creetI
lUOh VIII bAAa+s AAIC AuAA
! ples. and the smiles cotehin' apart the lips an
kindlin' the eyes, and pair of cheeks that
rose in the medders wasn't 70 be mentioned
the side of Seth Rogers mouth, that rigi
mouth was working almost fearfully, and quic
changes hurried over his face, telling how Il
.lold Eoman's words were Emiting the rock
; And It's brought right back to me the Ia
time I ever sot eyes on her, Seth. du
know as ever told you, but it won't hurt 20
TO larn how much store she sOt by you. Yc
know there was a singin' school sot up in th
meetin' house for the first time that winter, al
the Young folks had been the night sfore, al
Mary had ran over. to talk with TemPeran'
.. about the boys and gals. / Was bitin doug
! nuts that afternoon, and Mary Wes mighty toI
.. on 'em, SO sot the pan on the table, tell
. the gals to help themselves; and Mary stoo
! there e crunchin EN- down, and bobbin h
bright head round ike butterfly among Glow
and laughin out-O, cant you hear that laug
J noW--somethin Like bird and somethin like
brook tumbin and singin over the stoness
q can hear i granny, / can hearp cried Il
: man IN sharp, panied voice, while his brea!
heaEed and the tears oozed slowly oat Of Set
} Rogers ewes and stood still in the channels
( NJ cheeks. All, the old woman had smitti
: the roek-the well had been foundi
} .Well lust as / sssayin', Seth Tempe
|. a1ce was a-tslhn' what boys looked the be
q and which uns fancied most, when turn
{ right round: Now Mary. sez /, it's your tur
. Which Of them boys you goin, 70 take to
AEry's face flushed right uPs and sheJest sPo
out in her quick way: I'm goin' 70 take % 2
: brother Seth, Miss TYooIcoot There amt
l boy there that's half a. serumptuous ana hsr
some as he is to my mind; and know b
( eoin' to make wonderful smart mani and
= never could love another man so well as
\ my brother Seth,' And you ought to ha
heard how proud and tsndsriike she said tht
Words-'My brother Seth
= Did she say thsm-did she say them abe
mei' cried the man, in voice which was d