The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-01-05

whose tortuous descent of two mile,
must be traversed ere one could gair
the village; while from the west ant
south, one looked upon the sea from 6
height which almost made the gazel
giddy.
Roses and climbing plants adorned
the trellises beds of crimson verbenas
purple pansies, and snow white daisies
made the little garden redolent of per
fume.
BY the second summer so we'll domes.
ticated had the flowers become that
they fairly run wild and defied all
boundaries; purple pansies and golden
nasturtiums escaped by the under
ground passage they had found together
nodded boldly from the walk, and look
ed with disdain upon their meek sisters
who tamely submitted to be hemmed
In by borders of green box; and trail.
ing convolvulus ran perfectly lawless
Haunting their scentless blossoms before
you in the most unlocked for places
peeping through the garden palings,
clasping with their clinging tendrils
the stone doorstep, running races with
the jasmine, which quietly plodded on
toward the top of the porch-in fact,
setting all law and order in defiance in
a most rebellious manner, but also in a
way that would have done Johns heart
good to see,
But, alas John had been gone these
many days on voyage to the China
Sea, bearing with him, to keep his
heart warm, the memory of a sunny
face, which smiled goodbye with tear.
iul eyes one bright summer morning,
standing at the garden gate.
| Meanwhile, inside the cottage all
went on with che order, and neatness,
and regularity which rivaled that of
the clock on the mantel, which seemed
to take delight in ticking the minutes
and striking the hours, to such bust
ling, cheerful little mistress.
Little Hans, the poor, half-starved,
forlorn German boy, whom Robin had
| taken to milk the COW and hoe the
flower garden, and run of errands to
the village, grew bright and cheerful
under the influence of her smile while
his face, grown wider and fuller every
day, till it resembled nothing so much
as one of his own carefully tended sun
flowers, bore witness to her skill in
cooking.
Mother Danforth-a good sort of wo.
man in a melancholy way, who was
much given to frequent sighings and
complainings, whose most cheerful re
creation was funeral now and then,
and to walk up to Eagle Crag to inspect
after the time-honored fashions of
mothers in-law, the doings of its littl G
mistress-was fain 10 confess that even
to her critica! eye the househol d man
agement was perfect.
"EIer cookery is faultless, and every.
thing is ssumptuously neat, she acknowl-
| edged to her next-door neighbor, Mrs.
gray. "But she doesn't seem to pine
| after Johns a bit. But then, what else
| o'''l-' one e,roc. r-o.,, e,,ob a child .
Out of sight, out of mind!' 1 suppose
If John is pleased, ought to be. But
I'm sure it was never my way, when
Danforth was on voyage. Many's the
night have cried all night, and the
house was more like q funeral than any
thing else all the time he was gone"
Mrs. Gray, wise woman that she was,
carefully abstained from limiting that
this might be the reason for Johns
preference to merry, cheerful Robin
whose unfailing good spirits were to
him constant source of wonder and
| delight.
II thought she always seemed very
fond OF john" she conteuted hersel f
with saying, as Mrs. Daniorth rose to
take her leave
"Seemed!' echoed widow Danforth,
with her deepest sigh "let me tell you
Mrs. Gray, when you have lived in this
world as long as 1 have, you will find
that things are not by any means all
that they seem.
so the summers came and went in
fragrance and song to the little cottage
on the crag and the white ships sailed
stately and grand, or flew like frighten-
ed birds to their "haven under the hillr
and the Ocean Bird, commanded by
Captain John Danforth, touching now
at this port, now at that, sometimes
driven by prosperous gales, sometimes
buifeting adverse winds, set sail for
home.
And in the heart of the brave man.
who sometimes in shine, sometimes in
storm, always cheerfully and hopefully
paced her deck, there dwelt picture
OF face, which, whether bright with
piquant smiles or sad with April tears,
had always been eloquent with love for
him, and which was fairer and dearer
to his eyes than all the world beside.
Dream on honest Captain Danforth.
For you the joy and the brightness of
love are over-for you storm is gath
ering which will scatter your love
dreams as easily as the wind which
sweeps over the deck of the Ocean bird
scatters the foam that crests the wave
WhereOn she rides.
The Dutch clock ticks mprriy away,
surveying the neatness and cosiness of
the little room with face shining with
appreciation. The fire burns cheerily
in the Fireplace, the canary dozes sleep
lily on his perch, and the old cat purs
loudly in the corner. Meanwhile, the
little mistress, daintily attired in a
merino dress, with lace at the throat
and wrists, sits before thesparklng fl re
and gazes dreamily into it.
Her work lies idly upon her lap; the
ball of worsted has rolled, unnoticed,
upon the floor; so deeply is she i'm
mersed in her reverie that she heeds
not the fact that Hans has gone to sleep
in his chair in his usual fashion, and
sits with his round head bobbing up
and down like a Chinese mandarin in a
toy-shop. Without, the wind whistles
drearily, as only the November wind
knows how, and the moaning of the
surf upon the shore chants its monoton.
| OllS dir1a