Year: 1873

|


in profusion over his neck and his blue
eyes grew brighter and deeper as they
fixed upon you, wearing an earnestness
seldom seen in an eye Of that color.
His skin was a perfect blending of the
lily and the rose-no painter ever con-
ceived of a fairer. His form was admir-
ably developed, muscular and strong,
and yet 1.-THE and graceful. Every ex-
preston of his face, every movement of
his body was study for an artist. Each
change of dress, each fantastic arrange
ment Of himself in his sports, seemed the
most fitting and becoming thing. We
never saw, and never expect to see again,
so exquisite a picture as he made. indoors
or out in one mood or another.


His language was not common. His
ear seemed to reject all harsh and inap-
propriate words, and he never hesitated
for the right expression peculiar it
might be but having always fitness
and grace. He had great taste for
mechanics, and knowledge of construc-
| ton of things. Even the details of a
steamboat seemed familiar to him, any
popularity in the craft which passed by
was noticed, and inquired about imme-
diately. Ifthe answer did not sufficient
ly meet the inquiry, he would be apt to
say, "You do not tell me the proof about
it--you do not show it all to me-" The
keenness, acuteness, and readiness of his
mind in any direction which it turned,
we're very unusual. Nothing escaped
him, and TO everything which interested
him be lent new charm by his shrewd,
and original way of viewing it. Yet
he was not prematurely old or intrusive,
or painfully precocious, but entirely
natural. He would play out of doors
half the day, dancing, frolicking, as glee-
full as any young creature could be. His
happiness was SO radient that it carried
you along with it in contagious sympa-
thy. He took it for granted, and never
in vain, that you reveled in the clear,
rushing water, the flowers, the birds.
and every living thing just as he did !;
and in return he followed and loved his
friend with an electric choice and devo-
ton which won them TO his favor.
When anything crossed his wishes, he
did not express it in the fretful and pet
ulant way, so disagreeable in many
children, but he would expostulate with
you, why, l am not happy. Don't
| you know that does not make me hap
py?" He was not, however, without
| firmness, and a great power of indigna-
ton on rare occasions.


One of the pictures of memory, never
to be forgotten, was the grand delight
of Pickle when his father could snatch a
half hour, and caper through the house
or out of doors, with the child riding
astride of his shoulders. His long hair
fell over his neck, or was tossed care
lessly about by the exercise, his cheeks
we're frightened by the most exquisite
color, while his laughing eyes sparkled
with JOY, as be leaned his head, and he
touched his kind fathers colorless face,
or stroked his hair saying:


You are beautiful. a darling father.
Your hair is so soft you are SO nice


'Ah, Pickle, we belong to the most
prosperous mutual admiration society,
we do Mr.. Greeley would sometimes
say, and then go off with his loving bur-
den, half reciting, half grooming one of
Barry Cornwell's songs or other, the
rythn.ic melody of which pleased him
and his boy. Perhaps he could not
sing note of music correctly, or repeat
poetry artistically; but these favorite
pieces of his never seemed half so charm
ing as when the two moved around in
this way to the measure of the poet
The man and the boy were strangely
alike, and unlike.


One fragrant spring day Mr.. and Mrs.
Greeley, with Pickle and friend, went
over TO Greenwood cemetery to select a
family lot there The boy was all ami
nation, and every object on the way
seemed to minister TO his enjoyment.
When Greenwood was reached, the
the grounds were looked over, Pickle
leading off, and darting here and there,
as something attracted him, when his
eyes fell upon sunny spot where he
said he would build pretty little white
house. 1t was very open, and some
spring flowers grew there in great abun-
dance, particularly the houstonia, of
which he made lunches, and offered to
his friends asking, (Which do you like
best y More eyes (the bluest ones) or
the other?"


1t was decided that this lot should be
taken. How little did any one think
that the bright, rosy, active little figure,
running about so joyously, would in one
short year be the first to lie down in the
soft green bedl A year later, Margaret