The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1862-01-09
9 prtttp Story.
SUSA WHITES COSSET.

SUSA WHITES COSSET.
Whoever visits aye antient towne"
OF Windham, Connecticut, will not fail
to observe, just on the outskirts of the
village, on the road leading northward
q dark, decaying wooden house, stand.
ing on weedy, neglected garden. A
stone walled lane, guarded, not shaded,
by giant sycamore, opens to the south .
ern entrance of the old mansion, known
to all dwellers round as the "White
Parsonage House."
More Than hundred years has that
house been standing, gathering moss
an mou'd from the elements. More
than hundred years since those black
enod walls were bright and new, and
the hoary sycamore was young tree,
planted by the youthful hands of the
young minister and his bride, the
lovely Mary Dyer.
But the bride and the bridegroom.
with their sons and daughters, all pass.
ed away 10 their time, leaving, as they
departed one by one, darker shadows in
their familiar places, and deeper ST.
lence upon their dwelling. / can Just
remember when the last of these. an
aged woman clothed in black, was seen
ut evening walking in the garden before
the house where great golden sun. flow.
ers, and cup-roses, African marigolds
and princess feathers flowers beloved
and cherished by the old black serving.
woman Crousa-were all that remained
OF the blossoms her mother had loved
and planted. That same old woman in
black was bright.eyed, fair.haired,
sunny-hearted little maiden once: the
pet of the parsons household, the pride
OF his parish; named for her great.
great grandmother who came over in
he May Flower. Not of the lonely old
woman, the last of her family, am / 90.
ing to write now, but of little Susa
White, whom my grandmother used to
tell me about sometimes, when asked
her for story.
Early In the spring of l774, farm.
er living in the eastern section of the
town of Windham, carried into his
house one cold, stormy morning, a
young lamb whose dam had perished in
the storm. The poor little thing was
chilled and almost dead lie laid il
on the hearth, and his wife wrapped it
carefully in warm flannel blanket
W hen it gave signs of life, she put into
Its mouth some warmed milk, and rub
bed 1t tenderly, until it licked her
hands, and blate in answer to her ca.
resses.
"What can do with it7" she asked
her husband, when be came to dinner,
lis a nice lamb, as white as snow; but
With the prospect just now before us, |
hant have much time to raise cossets;
or when the Sons of Liberty are call
ID to the field the women will have to
aise the bread"
That's sartin fact, Amy" replied
be husband, "and the time is at hundl [ |
ouldn't bear to leave the little critter
o die, though I'll tell you what we
Iill do with it, wifel There's the min
ster's little gal, who comes out here
ometimes, and who seems to have
reat liking for pets; we'll just keep it
few days till it gets strong and lively,
nd then carry it to her. She'll like it,
know"
Farmer Carey was not at all mistaken
this conjecture. The bright eyes of
uso White were brighter than ever the
forming when the new pet was carried
the parsonage. It's coat, she declar-
d, was softer than silk and whittier than
now. She would take the very best
are of it, aud keep it until il was n
ID sheep. Her father, who was con-
,lted about name, advised her to
I've the lamb no fancy name, but to
all II Nebuchadnezzar, because some
ly it would have to cat grass like the
ID King of Babylon. Susa thought it
lther hard name, but said that Neb-
or Neb would do very we'll.
So that afternoon when the parson
as fast asleep in his study, she put
reath of starry dandelions around the |
ossets neck, and sent Kate, the little ,
'rvant girl, to call some Of the neigh.
oring children. She then led il to
he great wooden trough which stood {
inning over beside the we'll, and dip {
ing her band into this singular fount. I
i'd, in tones as grave as the Sunday
mes of her father, :
This lambs name shall be Nebby." {
the same time spriukling his white, 1
ooly head. Neb was not at all pleas. q
with the ceremony; for he shook off Z
e cold drops, and stamped his feet at |
s young mistress, to the great amuse. t
ent Of the children, particularly of
tie Kate, who said: Z
"White woody didn't like being 'tiyed i
y better than darkey."
Neb grew famously, and soon become /
great a pet, almost, in the village as b
. mistress. Susa Whites lamb was i
ivileged to go any where he pleased $
billing either grass or flowers, as best I
tied his taste. 4
That was one Of the pleasantest
rings Of Susa Whites life, though
ason of sore perplexity and dark ness v
the older and wiser in heart. From Fl
nth to south there was a Auttering of a
ngs for freedom. Act after act of Cd. a
cssion had aroused the incipient ma h
IN to trial Of its strength. The
nerIcan army was not then organized,
t association was the order of the
y, and tho watchword ofall was Lib. n,
sy." Enough had been heard Of the II