Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-10-11
ne wreath Of 1Tallow.


An English picture OF the fifteenth
century; a village green, three-sided; /;
around the green, three rows Of uneven
cottages : in its midst, a pool where
ducks were taking an evening swim (;
beside the pool, a great shady oak with
q seat and a well beneath it. On the
rustic seat were two Old men, chatting
in old cracked voices, ut the we'll a giri
in red kirtle was drawing water. The
sun, bpgtnaing TO sink, threw flakes of
bright Ose- color on the girls head, the
ducks backs, the shiny side Of the oak
leaves. At one side OF the village rose
a soft hill dotted with Juniper bushes
and fTinged atop with oaksRnd Deecbes,
among which proud castle bid all bat
its topu Ost towers from the lower
world. On the other side stood church
on tTee-streWn, Prave-sOwn bank, Il
was a small church the chancef walls
were new and as yet unfinished; ; the
fresh clean stone wore a rosy flush in
the evening sunlight there was a hum
of voices around the building masOns
were packing up their tools and leaving
work for the night. Presently they
came, laughing and chattering, into
/ the village; some came to rest on the
! seat beneath the oak and hailed the
/ old men,
.eWell, gafer, how goes the world
with you ?"
/ one or two began to help the girl
]
/ walked together talking as far as the
well, parted there, and one went straight
/ to a cottage facing the church. At an
/ open window of that house a poor thin
! little face was looking out at the sweet
! country scene; a white face, sadly old
| vet sadly young, with hollow thought
/ ful eyes, and two hin hands to prop il
up. When the workman came TO thar
/ window which was nothing more than a
1 square hole with shntters) a smile came
/ over his hard countenance as he nod
ded his head cheerily 10 the owner OF
the pale face, who smiled back in bis
turn very swee5ly. Inside the cottage
one, could see that his face was as del
jcate as q girls, belonging to q boy,
perhaps fourteen years old, but crook
ed and stunted in growth, who was
half living. half kneelIng on q wooden
/ bench, with both elbows propped on
the window-siu. One could see this,
/ indeed, but family, on coming out OF
/ pure outdoor air, for chimtys were as
vet only luxuries for mOnasteries and
great mems houses; and the smoke
from the cottage fire, over which the
masou's wife was cooking the supper III
an iron pot, came Wreatbing and curl
ing about the room, all slow and grace
full and gray, before it found itsway Oui
at the window, or at the hole IN the roo
intended for its accommodation. The
workman set down his basket of tools
thus laid aside, not only the burden o
their weight, but also the burden of his
days labor. Then ne came up to the
J boy, and laid his hand tenderly on The
high, defOrmed shoulder.
> f'Well, Martini - he said. No more
for words were hard things to him; bu
the boy understood his father, and pu
up one hand to clasp the strong ruugl
one which lay on his neck. The tW,
hands made n great contrast, and weTt
, a little history in themselves. Fathe
and son looked out together at the green
the pool, the chattering people bu
Martins eyes rested most fOndly on tn
church.
"ROW happy you must be, father,
, he said, at last.
j "Do you hear what the lod says
wife ?''
' 'But are you not very happy ?' aske
| Martin, raising his look wOuderingly 1
= his fathers face.
7 Il don't know, boy one doesn't thin
: ! of such things as being happy when on
!, has to work for bread"
- 'But the happiness is that you can d
] such beautiful work fer bread, an
d serve the Lord, too, at the same time,
,e re Jlied Martin, eagerly.
Here the mother, who bad poure
from the pot on to a great wooden dis
, a piece of beef garnisHed with cabbage
l, and swimming in the broth which
: bad been boiled in, came up 10 her III
tie son, and, saying that supper wa
- ready, took him in her arms as easil
D as il ne had been still a baby, an
pr0pped him up on an oaken seitl,
% with black sneepskin, soft and thicl