Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-12-17

For young Mabel
30 dreary broke the winter days,
And dreary fell the Winter nights
when, one by one the neighborng lights
"went out, and human sounds grew still,
And all the phantom-peoped dark
Closed round her hearth Are's dying spark"
1.-THE school boys jeered her as they passed,
- And when she sought the house Of prayer
Her mothers curse pursued her there.
"And still DER many neighboring door
She the horse shoes curved charm,
To guard against the mothers harm"
When "ihe pleasant harvest-time" came |
Mabel went up 10 a husking al the house of
neighbor, Essex Harden.
1.-THE broadest lands in all the town,
Tue skill to guide, the power to awe,
Were Hardens; and his word was law"
Even here, however, the poor girl is not
safe from cruel taunts and jeers. Sho sits
apart under the hay-mow's shadow
"But cruel eyes have found her out
And cruel lips repeat her name,
And taunt her with her mothers shame.
''she answered not with railing words
But drew her apronto'er her face,
Aid, sobbng, ghded from the place."
AT the door she met Esek, who "felt that
mute appeal of tears and sternly chided
the huskers for their insults TO his guest:
"'she ia indeed her mother child;
But Gods sweet pity ministers
Unto no whittier soul than hers.
"'Let Goody Martin rest in peace;
never knew her harm fly,
And witch or not God knows-not l.
"T know who swore her life away;
And as God lives, I'd not condemn
An Indian dog on word Of theirs"
Mabel goes back 10 her desola.e home,
through "the nameless terrors ofthe wood"
her shadow pursuing her like ghost:
"How dreary seemed the silent house7
Wide in the moonbeam's CHASTITY glare
Its windows haa q dead mans starei
'And like quaint and spectral hand
The tremulous shadow Of = birch
Reached out and touched the doors low porch.
"She strove to drown her sense OF wrong
{. And in her old and simple way,
To teach her bitter heart to pray.
"Poor child the payer begun in faith,
Grew to q low Departing cry
OF utter misery: Let me die
"'o God have mercy en- Thy child,
Whose faith In Thee grows weak and small,
And take me ere 1 lose 1t all!
"a shadow on the moonlight FELL
And murmurng wind and wave became
voice whose burden was her name"
Esek Harden, from whose house of feast
ing she had just come, driven by cruel
taunts, had sought her out. He tells her
his love, promises that any who scott at her
will have also to scoff at him. leads her
back 10 the merry-makers, and in their
presence proclaims her his chosen wife.
With such happy turn of affairs 1t is not
strange that
30, pleasantly the harvest-moon,
Between the shadow Of the mowa,
Looked on them through the great elm-boughs.
son Mabel's curs OF golden hair,
On Rsek's shaggy strength 1t fell;
And the wind whispered, 1t IL wellP"
These extracts are sufficient 10 indicate
the character of the poem and to show The
reader that it has the true Whittier flavor.
The engravings which illustrate the text
are upward of fifty in number, and all OF
them are very excellent. Without excep-
tion they commend themselves TO the re-
fined and cultivated taste for their dainti-
ness and delicacy of conception, as well as
for the grace and high artistic merit which
marks their execution. The artists, Miss
Hallock, A. r. Ward and Thos. Moran,
have in nearly every instance shown very
just and sympathetic appreciation of the
words and spirit of the poem. The whole
makes a volume of 70 pages, elegantly
printed and bound and every way desirable
for for an elegant present.
The most desirable and attractive book
for young folks which has lately come to
our notice is Mrs. A. NJ. Diaz's Story Book
for The Children, just issued by os9ood &
Co. There are sixteen of the stories, all of
them bright and fresh, and they are accom-
panied by twenty-four apt and charming
illustrations. The book will be Of lasting
pleasure and benefit to any boy or girl who
is fortunate enough to possess it.
Equally valuable and pleasing for chill
dren of a larger growth is J. T. Trow
bridges "THE Young SURVEYOR" which
is published by the same house. This is
Mr.. Trowbrdge's latest story for the boys,
and is conceded TO be one of his best. The
volume is handsomely illustrated.
The same publishers have just issued n
new volume by Bret Harte, entitled Tales
of the Ar0onauts. 1t comprises eight of
Mr.. Harte's most recent stories and sketch
es and nearly all of them are in their pop
ular authors best vein.
Messrs. Osgood aud Co. have found their
entered on tho publication of a series of
still smaller books called the Vest Pocket
Series, the type of which is clear and legi-
BILE, while the size is such that they can be
conveniently carried in a vest pocket of
proper dimensions. or the four volumes
already issued, one gives us the whole of
EVangeli1le, with four illustrations ; anoth-
or SaoW Bound, with eleven illustrations
the third PolOer, Wealth, illusions, and the
fourth Culture, Behavior, beauty, essays by
Ralph Waldo Emerson. The binding is
strong aud tasteful, and the price is only
so cents each.
All these books are for sale by Cheney &
Clapp.
From Lorlng of Boston we have vol
ume each in Horatlo Alger, Jr.'s BRAVE
AND BOLD aud LUCK AND PLUCK series.
The first OF these is entitled Jacks Ward
aud the second Herbert Curriers' Legacy.
Like the preceding volumes they are lively
In style. hralthful in tone, and will delight
the boys.
RUNEIHaTH BLOCKADE, or US Seeret
.yerUfee Adventures is the title of largeAnd