The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-08-28
Written for the North Iowa Times.
SOLFERINO AND BLACK.
BY WARD DERSON.

SliccS, oinuiisS pcuoSiaIiS, HeeA'i6 "pPiS-
girls, chilling newsboys and covering the
ground with one unvariegated sheet Of
white. Drifting down all sorts Of lanes and
by-ways, forming all manner Of fantastic
shapes, in and out fence corners, piling in
high ridges at street crossings, filling up
cellar ways or dropping silently down areas !;
making many face happy at the thoughts
of sleighrides that are to be, many an one
sorrowful for cold days and bleak, shelter
less nights to come; and creating as much
happiness and misery as it is possible for a
December snow storm to do.
Ten o'clock, P. NJ. by the City Hall, and
by the old eight day, in the Office of Gutter
nell, Slimp & Co., proprietors of the Her
aid. Paper made up and ready for the
press; compositors gone, pressman gone,
apprentice gone and gas turned off, except
In the editorial room, where your humble
servant, Mark Willis, is receiving instruc-
tons from the senior editor in regard to the
next days issue.
"Let me see," said Mr.. Guttcrnell, as he
put the finishing touch to "horrible trag-
edy," under city items and laid the quill
behind his ear. "Let me see, Willis,
you've been with us"
1.-TWO years next fortnight" said l.
"You've been cory faithful during that
time" Marked emphasis on very.
"rve tried to do my duty"
"And you have done your duty" said
he, pressing the nib of his pen on his thumb
nail to make the ink flow freely. "Yes,
Willis, you have done your duty and de-
serve better wages, and you shall have
them"
ventured to murmur my thanks. "No
thanks, sir; it is we that should be thank
full, for the paper has never looked better,
than since it has been in your hands |
think we may very safely venture to add
five hundred to your present salary" and
refreshing his pen from the inkstand, he
was soon busily engaged in mysterious
disappearance" while venturing my
thanks, donned my old dread-naught and
started for home with the most pleasant
feelings imaginable; whether caused by in
increase Of salary, or by the little woman
at Oak cottage, Cardigan place, it would be
difficult to determine.
You see, not to change the subject too
suddenly, the way became acquainted
with Mrs. Willis, (she was Miss Horlstone
then,) was this. In the spring Of '57, my
employer, one Of the heaviest book pub
fishers in the city, failed, and his employees
were left to their own resources. Having
never seen anything Of country life, and
not getting much to do, except subbing a
little now and then, went down into the
southern part Of the State, where relative
of mine resided, to try how ruralizing agreed
with me. found it, as an auctioneer
would say, first chop" My relative was
agreeable in his manners, an amateur sports
man, and his whole sporting paraphernalia
was at my disposal, whcrewith to pass: ::the
time. Nothing in the world more suited
my feelings than taking dog and gun, and
rambling through the grand old woods,
feasting my eyes on its wild beauties and
bringing down what game my random shots
CHANGED to hit; or laying along the grassy
slope Of the river with rod and line, entic-
ing
"The silver scaled ash, that softly swim,
Within the sweet brooks crystal stream,'
as old Isaac Walton very properly and
POLITICALLY has it. One day, while thus en-
ployed, became ennuied at my only toler.
able success, and reeling my line, stretch
ed myself beneath the shadow Of an old
linden to enjoy pleasant day dream, let
ting Ponto trouble the little birds that twit
tered cheerily in the adjacent underbrush
or lave his heated sides in the cool stream,
as best suited his fancy.
1t was just the day for reverie; the
sun shone not bit too brightly, the wind
was just strong enough to make itself
known, and swayed the branches of the
trees with lulling sound, that fell sooth-
ingly on the ear. Stretched at full length,
I laid beneath the shadow.of the linden
my thoughts running helter-skelter. Twas
mingling past scenes with the present, and
present scenes with the past; the sloping
bank, the old linden, the dog, the river and
the present scenery, in general, were fast
becoming mixed up with all the places in
the world had ever seen-in fact, I was
fast going to sleep, when was aroused by
the sound Of footsteps proceeding from the
coppico close at hand. Looking from
whence the sound proceeded for the person,
saw only the foot, and very neat little
one it was too,-a lady's foot, encased in
the smallest possible gaiter, yet plenty
large for the foot within,) with highly
arched instep, delicately tapering toe and
such light elastic tread, that it set my
heart humping loud enough to have
awakened the seven sleepers. Going from
me in transverse direction, after leaving
the coppice. I could not see the face, bu:
could the figure, and its elegant contour
told me that the possessor was as beautiful
of face as Of figure. So. thoroughly ava
kened and wishing l could carry for her,
the little basket swinging on her arm,
gathered my fishing tackle and whistlins
for Ponto sauntered slowly in the direction
she disappeared.
There was to be grand picnic on tn
following day, to which both my relativ
and myself were invited, and, as she mos
probably belonged in the village, I imagiu
ed she would be there, and then there wo'