The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-04-15

Well, that is right said he. laughing
heartily at the .jeH dc mot New | will
walk down and see how many fish the
youngsters have taken, and when | returr,
you will all be sufficiently rested to take a
stroll round this charming place" And
stopping few minutes to admire Thorn
tons pretty mats he proceeded to the
creek.
"It is indeed charming place =" said
Mrs. Meredith, surveying the lovely land.
scape before them, land hope we may
have the happiness of again meeting in il
without the absence of ono of the loved
ones who make our party now
al know You laugh at presentments, -
observed Mrs. Seton, "but il appears to
me as if should never again see this place;
or if | ever should, it will be at distant
period
"lsu are nervous aud low-spirited this
morning. Isabel, dear" replied her friend.
" But here come Florence and Mary bound
ing along, and the boys with their fish.
They will soon chase away your blues"
Dear mamma, only think, Howell has
caught three dozen of fish, and Henry only
seventeeu!" cried Florence.
Yes; but, Florence, you forget how
much better Howell's fishing-tackle was
said Mary Aylmcr.
Mrs Sefton smiled, and said
And how many have you and Florence
taken2"
Mary does not like fishing, mamma, so
she and Henry went TO gather flowers, and
| had to help Howell fix his line"
The mothers exchanged meaning glance;
when Mrs. Meredith, observing the color
Il Il
gaily:
"Well, here comes Colonel Seton, the
boys, and Mr.. Meredith. llo has Joined
them, SEQ /; 30 now for our exploring OK
pcdition, girls. That wood yonder looks
cool and inviting, and, if it be not enchant-
ed | should like TO penetrate littlo into
its rcccsses."
"0h!" exclaimed Florence, "if it only
were enchanted 1T it only wero, that
rouM be so 9eiighTm! Do you remember.
dear Miss Manvers the enchanted wood in
TaSsos Jerusalem through which poor
Rinaldo had to fight his way? How wish
the wood yondcr was like it,"
"llow can you wish anything so horri-
bic, Florence ?" said Mary Aymor.
1--WE intend invading that wood, Colonel"
observed Mrs. Meredith as tho gentlemen
satyrs."
" Bravely resolved on" ho replied. But
| fear we will lead far moro dangerous
nymphs into it than any we will find there. "
" Nous rerroRS," said she.
And Howell, having given the fish to
Thornton's care, who was to remain and
have dinner ready on their roturn-that is,
to spread the white tablo-cloth on the tenn
tnl, W. al, i,r
the occasion, and to empty and arrange the
contents of the large basket on it-thcy
were soon on their way to the wood.
Come, Nestor," said Howell, as he was
going, TO large Newfoundland dog. who
had stayed quietly by Thornton all the
morning come sir you shall go with us
and catch some squirrels And Ncstor,
wagging his tail ran after his Young mas ter
The entrance to the wood was clear from
brush or underwood but after they had
advanced some way, thick growth of it
rendered it difficult TO proceed. They had
gone but short distance, when the report
of firearms alarmed the ladies'. The Colonel
and Mr.. Meredith shouted loudly, observ-
ing, There is no cause for fear, as it is
only some hunter after game" Howell
said: " The report sounded more like that
of pistol than rifle But, whichever
it was, it was not repeated.
The elders OF the party, with Miss Man
vers, seated themselves under the spread
ing branches of a large oak, while the
younger ones rambed through the wood
picking berries; and while they were do
ing SO, permit me, gentle reader, to give a
short history Of Helen Manvers.
She was the daughter of an eminent ar
tist of New York, who had indorsed large
amount for a friend who failed, and Manvers
WAS ruined. A small annuity of few hum
dred dollars, settled by relative on his
wife, was all that was left to them. At the
time, his health was declining, and grief
ard disappointment soon hurried him to
the grave. His wife, ali aniable but deli
cate woman, did not long survive his loss,
and Helen, at the age of seventeen, was left
an orphan, tcithOW money, and, as a matter
of course, without friends. There were
many, it is true, who affected to pity her,
and to deplore the extravaganza and want
of prudence, as thoy termed it, in her pa
rents; and those were persons who had
always been treated with the greatest hos
pitalty and kindness Ivy her family. Mrs.
Meredith and Helens mother had been dear
friends and schoolmates when girls, and
that lady no sooner heard of her situation
than she Immediately wrote to her to come
and make her house her home. Mr.. Mere
dth himself came on to Now York to bring
her. She was talented and very lovely;
her father had spared neither pains nor
money in her education. After her arrival
at the valley, she had become much at
tached to Florence Seton, then in her
eighth year; and hearing Mrs. Seton say
they were trying to procure a goyerness
for her, proposed to take the charge on her
self, which was gladly accepted. Mrs. Mer-
edith was very 10th to have her adopted
daughter thus taken from her, and, were it
not that the two families were in daily com
she would scarcely have con-
sentcd to the arrangement. Helen had now
entered her twsnty.third year. She had
been six years at Seton Hill, during which
time q young merchant of New York, Mr..
Newton Leslie, paid several visits to Mr..
Meredith who had been a partner in bust
ness with mis- father, and had seen Miss
Manvers and closely studied her character,
and had become devotedly attached to her.
As both families intended to remain during
the winter in New York, they had houses
taken in the same street, within few doors
of each other and Helen, who was to ac-
them, was TO be married from the
house of Mr.. Meredith, as soon as was con-
venient after their arrival. Mr.. Leslie was
expected daily, to conduct his future bride
to New York, IN company with her friends,
to, whom, after this DEPRESSION, we will
now return.
MARY! Florence HOWELL" cried Hen.
ry, from close thicket, in which he was
almost concealed. Come, do come, and
see what myrads Of fine, large blackberries
are here
Howell approached, with Florence and
Mary on each arm, and small basket,
which he held in his hand, nearly filled
with berries, while Nestor kept bounding
and frisxing round them.