The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1874-06-17

for by friends to take them home
stood Alice May-sweet Alice
Very beautiful and lorable was she,
with her winsome, childish face,
blue eyes. and soft, brown curls.-
She was delicate and fragile. You
might almost fancy her a little snow
child, or lost fairy babe
Nearly all the children had de-
parted, amid the joyful shouts and
jingling bells, but yet the sweet lit,
tie child alone, until a rich bovish
voice, startled her by saying:
No one goes your way, Alice. do
they?''
No, I guess not. Ben. she re-
piled. in her fine snow-bird like
tones.
"Well, the snow is too deep for
yoa to walk, so I guess will carry
YOU home
:Oh, no, I'm to- heavy to be CAL
ried so far," and she laughed so
low and sweetly.
:>Hcayy. no, you're just like this
tle-lown. or Il SNOW flake, Ally; |
could carry you to En- gland and
back again. without being at all IA
tigued:" and he tossed the little
girl in his aims.
"No, no, the boys will laugh at
you, Ben" and she struggled.
What DO I care? they may
laugh at Ben Bolt as much as they
like" and the brave boy drew him
self up proudly, and pushed the
chesnut curls from bis broad, fair
forehead; ::but I do not mean to
frighten you, Alice" he continued,
as he saw how the little girl trem-
bled.
So she put on her bonnet and
cloak, and he took her in his arms as
/ if she had been a bird, while the
little tiny thing nestled down on
his shoulder, as he went stumbling
through the snow, saying gay pleas
ant things, that made the shy little
girl laugh, and when, at length, he
opened her mothers cottage door
he stood Oh the floor, saying, ''Tbere
Mrs. May, I brought Alice home
lest she should get buried in snow
bank; she's such a weeny little
thing and before Mrs. May, coulc
thank him, he was out of sight.
But the winter began to Wane
and now then a soft, mild day
would come that lessened the pyra
mid and snow house materially
Such a pity" they said, and wish
Il winter would last always; bu
| +bero was o4c little wren-like voice
that pray q lot ''o'''S SIi0 '''''
birds.
The pyramid tull-c c0lso a0Hh' 'i'f
snow house grew thinueF anu 'iiln
ner, and the boys jested abb W. ~
being in q decline, till one day :
disappeared-faded away like SC
many of their childish hopes.
! The glad spring came with it.
larks and daisies, and one delight
ful day the children wenta Maylng
Kate Ashley was Queen, and
brilliant Queen she was too, bu
Ben Bolt gathered white v'olets
and braided them in the soft curl
of Alice. and told her she was sweet
er and dearer than a thousand Ma.
Queens like Kate. Child as sh'
was, his words made the sunshln
brighter, and lent enchantment tt
| the atmosphere of her existence.
! The long June day came, enclr
! cli,,g the green earth with coro
nal ., 'roses, and making it redolen
:.,, tune; and in the warn
,: r the children strolle(
n0ontids d no. <ss bill, and clusts,
~ '-10 wv 4 oyer their chill
ing together-tol> t,4,.,a eon,
dish hopes Of the s,.oon'e
lured by ambition; so. ..ar,o ,
of quiet country repose, .a,> =,
gay city life; but there W, .
whose eye kindled and young "a
flushed with enthusiasm, as he
spoke of the sparkling blue waters,
and the brave ships that breasted
them so gallantly:
Ben Bolt was going to sea. Cap
tain Shirley, as generous, whole
soul being as ever trod the deck,
was to take him under his protec.
ton the next five years. There
were exclamations Of surprise and
sorrow from the children; haunts
We're visited and revisited; they
sat down in the shade Of the old
sycamore, and listened to the musi-
cal murmur of the brook, and the
dreamy hum of "Appleton's mill j.