The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-09-20

cIuded that to be stung by wasp was
upon the whole rather nice thing.
Under the shadow of large tree, re-
clining upon a mass of fragrant hay, we
were all gathered. That basket, whose
dimensions we had so ridiculed, had
proved none too large, its contents being
no more than sufficient for such keen
appetites. Thus with jest and story and
song the time passed by, till the fra
GRANGE, warmth and stiffness had their
effect, and we gradually sank into 81
/ Ience.
4 flushed and still was all nature around
us as we sat stepped in the golden fra
GRANGE of that long midsummer day.
Not bird twittered in the tree above
us, and not a leaf stirred. Sometimes
bee hummed lazily past. Far off in the
distance beyond the undulating fields
stretched belt of frs, whose gloomy
shades were softened by distance to
soft purple tint on which the eye loved
to rest; and still farther was a range Of
mountains whose azure beauty rose till
it mingled with the azure of the sky.
With eyes half closed, looked and
dreamed till forgot the place, the time,
and thought only of day long, long
ago when child slept upon the hay
and half heard the hum of bees in the
clOver-tOps, thedistant sound of sharp
eRing scythe, the chirp of cricket in
in the grass, when = faint rustic broke
up my train of thought, and raising my
eyes-there lay 'Rastus leaning on his
elbow and scribbling with his pencil on
q piece of paper. Occasionally he'd
stop, bite the tip of his pencil and cast
admiring glances at Eliza, who, leaning
back against the tree, was absorbed in a
greasy Ledger from the dinner basket.
| was suffering with curiosity to know
what 'Rastus was writing, but / would
not be the first to break the charmed si-
lence. OurhOstess had gone to the spring
with her husband, and Araminta, with
face upturned to the sky, was fast asleep.
The shadows were lengthening on the
grass, and the golden haze of the after
noon was deepening around us, when
our hostess returned.
~ believe you are all asleep" said
she. Hurry up, 'Rastus, be quick.
There's the milking, and all the chores
to do, besides supper to get, and here il
is almost night"
'Rastus sprang up hurriedly, put on
his hat, and thrust the piece of paper in
his pocket, as lie supposed, but it fell
on the grass, and l happened to pass
that way Immediately after, and though
a sense of honor on which pride my.
: self prompted me TO return it unopened
my curiosity was altogether too strong
for that, and 1 read:
tall the girls before my eyes
Give me Lie, OH, give me Lie;
, shes cherry lips, and coal black eyes,
And then. she makes such berry pies
] ON, lize-eyes-pies!
p, Ny hours are spent in longing sighs
- For one 80 fair, and yet 50 wise,
With rounded form, and 'witching eyes
: And when at work, you bet she flies
oh, 'Lize-wise-sighs!
could withstand the heart so wise.
n Tie rounded form, with soft dark eyes,
/ But can't resist such berry pies
Oh, Ltze-cyes-pies.
II ! thought the verses very pretty, bU
| showed them to Araminta, and sll
was greatly disgusted, and said 'all til
y affection n man was capable of was cor
neeted with something good to eat"
: l whispered, equality that, my dea
. and say some men,"
! 1t was our last day at the farm. O
e the morrow we must hasten back to tn
r city and take up again the thread of lii
just where we had lain it down. W
d had been all over the farm for regret
If ful goodbye look, and now, in ou
j favorite shelter, the porch, we watche
e for the last time the shadow deepenin
i'm the valley, turning slowly to tn
Il dusky gloom Of a summer night, as tn
twilight gradually came and wrappe
e all things in its absurdity. One of u
g sang low plaintive ditty of the Oldel
/ time, which harmonized well with tn
II place and the hour, and We still lingere
|. till the stars came out to take their plac
h as watchers over the broad creation
y while no sound broke the stiffness {
Il that summer night. :. j. r.
II PORTLAND, Aug. 10, 1872.