Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1867-07-10
THE OLD MILL.
A VILLAGE ROMANCE OF THE 0LDEN TINE


There never were such cosy hooks for
the wild flowers, such silvery streams for
the sporting trout, such pretty children,
and such nice old ladies with white caps
and silver spectacles, as in the charming
village Of Elfsdale One of the most ro-
mantle things in the place is an old mill
It's ponderous wheel, over which the spark
ling water used to play SO prettily, is
silent now, and the bright stream that
once sang so merrily as it whirled along,
flows placidly onward. The old mill it
self has long been deserted, and its stone
steps covered with moss. but there is
story attached to the old building which
lends it an additional interest in the eyes
of all sto-y-loving people.
Many years ago an old miller lived at
the mill. He was a silent man, and as
he seldom had pleasant word for any
one, and was besides bent and wrinkled,
he was not generally sought after by old
or young. But the miller possessed one
thing which found favor in the eyes of
many of the youth of the village, and that
Was a beautiful daughter Surely most
beautiful daughter, as all the young men
knew very well. she had eyes as black
as sloes, and such fair, white arms that
half score of idle fellows used to hang
about the mill on washing day, to catch
but Que glimpse of their polished white
ness.
There could scarcely have been two
beings more unlike than this father and
daughter If the old man was silent, the
young girl sang blithely to the hum Of
the spinning wheel. If the father spoke
to no one, the daughter chatted gaily with
the bluff farmers that came to get their
corn ground, or smiled encouragingly
on some amorous swain that dallied by
her kitchen door, bashfully chewing bit
of wild grape vine. 1t was no wonder
then that all young men in the village
were in love with the maid of the mill.
But no one in this wide world can
please everybody. IF the young men fol-
lowed the form Of the young maiden with
loving eyes as she tripped through the
village, the old women peered malicious
ly at her through their half closed shut
ters, and called her forward wench and
an ill-mannered rattle box. IF the young
fellows praised her dark eyes, the old wo-
men talked Of her ''ugly nose," or ridi-
culed her "boisterous mirth"
So many months passed by, and strange
reports began to be afoat concerning the
maid of the mill. 1t was declared by
some Of the village gossips, that when
passing the mill on dark evenings they
heard the miller's daughter singing weird
and fearful ditties to herself in the dark
ness, and that sparks were seen to fly
from her fingers as she sat on the old
stone steps. 1t is true that one old dame,
who was more Venturesome than the rest,
and had approached the maiden more
closely, affirmed that she was only hum
ming "Giles Scoggings," and stroking her
black cats soft fur the wrong way, but
no one believed her, of course
About this time young stranger came
into the village. He was school teach
ca, he said, and soon the little red school
house beneath four tall maple trees, which
had been SO long closed, was swarming
with laughing children, for every one
was pleased with the strangers appear
ance He was tall and handsome, with
dark blue eyes and light curling hair, and
had smile and merry word ready for
every one. 1t is true he paid but little
attention to the children in school hours
and very often left them to cut aud carve
tie old desks and benches, while he pick
ed flowers to pieces, as the boys said, OF
poured over heavily bound books. Al
recess, too, while the boys were robbing
some farmers orchard, their teacher
would be gathering flowers and moses
near the old mill and talking to the mil
ler's daughter, as she sat sewing on the
steps, with her favori e cat, black as hel
own raven hair, purring by her side. 1t
was soon remarked by all that the miller's
daughter was not so much alone as for
merly, aud that wherever she went the
handsome stranger accompanied her. Blu
this seemed to increase the jealousl y, no
only of the young men. but also that o