New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-12
RAsHFuL BoOTs.


Booth" answered the child; 18th Mary
Cumru"
/ was Just eighteen, and, after having
taken nv degree in the time-hOnOred Uni
versity of Pennsylvania, was making a pc
destrian tour through the eastern counties
Of my native State. For several hours l
had been traversiDg a wild, wooded region
that the inhabitants called "the forest" and
which stretches for nearly thirty miles,
from the northeast to the southwest, back
to the Blue Ridge between Whitby and
Heidelberg. 1t was a primitive, picturesque
district, with small farms scattered through
the valleys, while the hills on either side
were densely clothed with the original
forest trees. There were so many little
lateral valleys, and so many crossroads,
that at last began to fear l had lost my
way.
Suddenly there rose before me, over the
crest of low hill, the chimney and roof Of
q time-wOrn, stone farmhouse. The fences
we're mOssgTOwn,. the woods around were
bushy and wild; lush grasses grew in the
meadows, and the whole air was fragrant
with the scent of water flowers that blOOmed
in the little brook near by. A scientific
agrieulturist would have turned from the
scene in disgust. But poet OF painter
would have been charmed by it. The tan
gled, luxuriant growth carried the magma
ton back for a century to the landscapes
that Fielding described and GanesbOrough
painted.
Crossing the field between me and the
house, and advancing in my direction, was
q little girl. She wore an old sun-bOnnet
and loose sack and carried an earthenware
pitcher in her hand; yet in spite of these
comparatively coarse accessories there was
a bright, intelligent look in her eyes and an
air almost of refinement in her face. OBJ
serving a stranger, she stopped shyly, with
her finger in her mouth. 1t was then / adj
dressed her.
We soon managed to get quite well &C.
quainted Whitby, she told me, was Just
over the mountain, not more than an hours
walk She lived with her maternal uncle,
who owned the farmhouse, which had been
her grandfather's and her great-grand-
fathers before. Papa was minister" she
said. eve lived in the city till he and
mamma died"
was about to walk on, when she asked
me slyly if ! wouldn't like drink of milk.
She was going to the spring house, she
added. / assented most gladly, and she
tripped gaily before me, fitting along like
free, happy bird.
Have you ever, my dear reader, seen a
real Old-fashioned Pennsylvania spring
hOuse-a One-stOried, one-rOomed stone edi-
fee, built over a natural spring, generally
shaded by weeping willow or some an
eient forest tree, and hOOred with brick and
BtOnel NY little hostess, kneeling down,
dipped some milk up from pan that foated
in the ever-runniDg stream which made the
circuit of the spring-hOuse inside. Never,
before Or since, have had draught so de-
icious.
Afterward / sat down on the low, turfy
bank outside, and chatted with my little
friend.
aDo you know" said she, artlessly, ~
H5Iro ao51rtfrr- hatfar rhop Toun Won bnor
the birds at daybreak; you can hunt for
wild flowers. Oh such violets, and blue
bells, and quaker ladies we have here"
"And buttercups, too, hope"
Eyes, yes, buttercups. Do you know
how to tell if you like butter ?" she asked,
Don't Il You hold the butteroup to
She clasped her hands, and laughing
said
"HOw do you know that ~
"Oh, / know more than you think" /
answered eOolly, but feeling young mans
pride, nevertheless, in her admiration.
''Can you tell me, for instance, what is
this ?"
had been, as my habit was, pOking with
my stick into the turf, and now / had
losened heavy, rusty-lOoking bit Of stone
that rolled at my feet.
'NO," she said, with some contempt; II
don't care for dirty rocks; care for flow
ers and trees"
But this dirty bit OF rock" answered,
sis hematItic ORE" quite willing to show off
my geological knowledge, and forgetting
that she would be wholly ignorant of the
matter. "lf there's a vein of it on your
nncle's farm it will make his fortune. |
shouldn't wonder if there was" | added.
''This ore is always found in Just such To-
caIities, where the trapdylzes," and waved
fal- in hn IF Fl,s
knife-edged hills that rose in front, break
through the saudstOnes. Why, it's as good
as a gold mine, nv dear"
"A gold mine !" Her eyes were bigger
than ever now.
Eyes, as good as a gold mine. If the
farm was mine, I'd sink shafts at once. Is
your uncle at home n
mo. He has gone to Whitby"
''Well, then, mind You tell him when
he comes home tonight. 1t will do no
harm, at any rate" As ! spoke l rose
She looked down and put her finger to
her mouth again. At last with shy blush
she said:
"WOuld you mind writing it down the
big word, ] mean.n
"Oh the name of the ore. Certainly
not" l said, laughing l tore leaf from
my memorandum book as / spoke, and
wrote the word as she requested.
''DO you often come this way y she asked,
bashfully, as / offered my hand and said
goodbye.
II was never here before, little one, and
don't know that l shall ever come again"
Her face fell.
''But l should like to come. will try
next summer" / added
Sic frightened up again.
"Oh, do come" she cried "DO you know
/ like you-eyer so much Z"
When / reached the turn OF the wood, at
the top of the hill above, stopped to look
hack. NY little acquaintance stood just
where / had left her, gazing wistfuily after
me. took off my hat she cuTtesled, and
then plunged into the forest.
Thai night, at Whitby, 1 had occasion for
my pancii-case, thin, golden one, with my
name engraved on it. / could not find it
.anvwhere. "Where have / left itp had
ante forgotten that | had used 1t in the
springho1se, and might have dropped 1t
never returned to the old farmhouse
The next winter went abroad, for had a
competent fortune, and wished to finish at
a German university AtterWard became
an attache, and subsequently traveled eX-
eessiyely. Ten years In Europe had only
made me love the institutions OF my conE-
sry the more. But before returned to
1aerica went to Rome on a farewell visit.
/, T8 me, as to many others, that wonderful
atty was the one eitV Of the world. to which