Year: 1876

Artist himself. At my feet was littl


pool Of stagnent water on which some
white geese and ducks were iraternizing


while brood Of half grown turkeys, will


their melancholy "Qult-quat," were ma


king up q foraging party for an excursion


after grasshoppers across the farm.


But the road, with its wheel track OF


either side, and its broad streak of greer


in the middle, stretched on beyond the


farm house and the barns, and soon lost


sight of them as / descended the Other


side of the hill. 1t was more lovely here


if such thing were possible; because,


with the same view, and with the same


house standing in the distance, l also
found a silence beneath the blue sky OF
noon that was delightful. On one side of
the fallen stone well thcket of blackber-
rles had grown over heap of ruins,
which marked the site of the first church
or meeting house ever erected in the
town. On the other, and across the road,
lay little graveyard, slOping quietly


down to the road and river below. The


gate had rusted from its hinges and lay


upon the ground, half-hidden by the long
grass that was growing over it.


The tomb had not been in use for many


a year; and as | peepcd through the


crack of the door, | saw something lying


on the floor, which | knew was not ing


more nor less than tho fragments Of the


bier on which coffins had once been borne


out, but which, just then, was pleased


to magnify into the bones of skeleton.


The tender blue of an American summers


day was in the sky, and the sun shone


down brightly and hotly. Nothing SEEM


ed to stir save the grasshoppor who leap


ed and chirped among the gravcs-a kind


of Old Mortality among the insect tribe.


followed the path still farther. And


now, for the first time, it began to wind


beside onc of those bright leapng brooks,


peculiar to America, and to New England


most of all. I sauntered along, looking
for minnows in the sunlight, and wishing
had nothing more to do thln to spend
cxistance in the same way, when laugh,
most clear and musical, made me start


and look up.


The road had wound around, so that
the lonely grave yard upon the hill was
shut out from my sight. In its place
beheld before me long avenue, or rather
grove, Of maple trees, clothing the base
and summit Of another hill, far higher
The sparkling brook, with a last gush Of
music, leaped into the sunlit rccesses of
this forest, and was lost to my sight. But,
on my right hand, stood little birds nest
of white-washed cottage, surrounded on
all sides by field of waving oats now
nearly breast high. A narrow fOotpath
led from the rustic gate, up to the cottage
door, and at a well, close by the house,
stood a young girl, apparently fishing
with line for something in the water
while dark eyed and very beautiful lady
stood on the step looking at her. A fat
brown-and-white dog, with broad feet
which turned out ludicrously-as if in no
other way could they support the weight
of his body-sat on the greensword in
front of the gate, blinking sleepily at the
sunshine and the flies. When he at last
saw me, he put up his head and gave a
terrible howl, as If he felt deeply insuted
by my approach-a sound which alarmed
his young mistress, so that she dropped
the line, she held, and started back from
the well in dismay. | then saw that she
had long auburn curls, and that her face
was full of that exquisite life and light
and bloom, which youth and sunny
heart can shed upon the most irregular
features. There was nothing for me but
to make my excuses for my intrusion as
well as l could; So after pacifying the
dog, opened the boarded gate, and walk
ed up to her IT was Lucy whom I thus
met, for the first time.


1t is strange how soon perfectly nat
ura and simple manners sets one at ease
/ had always been called and had always
thought myself the shyest of men; yet. in
five minutes l was talking with the little
fairy as freely as if l had known her all
my life. l had been introduced to Aunt
Susan, who evidently regarded her young ,
niece as the apple of her eye. I


| Had been reconcied to Tiger who, /
after much entreaty on the part of his {
mistress condeccnded to hold out his fat {
paw for me to shake, showing his teeth |
all the while, as if he would like q
to bite me, if she only was not there; and S
had found the way to her heart by sue
ceeding, after long ond patient effort, in |
rescuing from the well the line and pail t
with which she had been trying to draw {
water before arrived. Then, seeing that |
looked heated and tired, she insisted t
upon my coming into the cottage to have :
some Oh Aunt currant wine Wnlle l rest e
ed. was only too glad to see her abode, t
md followed without any hesitation. h


/ must owl that have tasted better and c
,weeter wine than that which had been b
spelling for two months in the damp cell a
ar at Gan-Eden; but should have taken J.
lrsenic cheerlully, if her small hands had a
mixed the draught | had seen her once v
'r twice before in the park at Woodstock; s
lad asked her name, and heard it, casual t
y; md had afterwards heard that her a
lunt had taken this place to please her, s
I'D that they were living entirely by o
themselves in their romantic solitude, c
With the exception of the old family serv- S