Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

gust, and perhaps contempt, you each of their children a half-penmay feel after marriage.' I will ny or penny, or more if they can not shrink from the proof; it is afford it, every Sunday morning, your heart, and not your figure I to put into the plate. And they love.' 'In eight days,' said the do this, that their children may lady, 'you shall be satisfied.'-learn betimes to think of the hard They prepared for the marriage, condition of the poor, frail, blind and, notwithstanding the refusal people, and how right it is for us of the generous young man to ac-to help them in their distress. I cept a million in bank bills, she have told you these things, besettled all her property upon him. cause if you did not know them, 'If you have not courage enough you would not be so well able to to suffer,' said she, for your com- understand a story which I once panion, I shall at least, be con- heard told in Scotland. Long ago soled by the reflection, that I have there was a good worthy clergyenriched him whom I love, and he man in that country, called Mr. will perhaps, drop a tear to my Bell: he was very charitable and memory. Returning from the kind, and all the poor people loved altar, she threw herself on her him exceedingly. One Saturday knees before her spouse, and an old schoolfellow whom Mr. Bell placed her hand upon her mask. had not seen for many years, came What a situation for the husband! to visit him. Mr. Bell was very His heart palpitated-his face glad to see his schoolfellow, and turned pale-the mask fell-he be- invited him to stay there for a held an angel of beauty! She then few days; and he agreed to do so. exclaimed affectionately, You And Mrs. Bell prepared the best have not deserved deformity-you bed-room in the house for this genmerit the love of beauty! The tleman whose name was Major happy couple left Paris the next Lindsay; the major had ridden a day for Livonia, where the great long journey, so he retired into the property of the lady was situated. bed-room to change his dress before dinner; and this took up some time. He was about an hour in the bed-room by himself. They then dined, and after dinner Mr. Bell asked for the children, and they were brought into the parlor. The major was much pleased with the children, for they were quiet.

LITTLE WILLIE BELL.

IN Scotland, at every church door, there is a stool and a broad pewter plate upon it, and every one that goes to church, is expected to put something into the plate There were three of as he passes it, for the poor of the parish. Gentlemen and ladies put them, all girls, Jane, Mary, and in shillings and half-crowns, and Susan. But Jane was a good deal more if they be very rich; but older than the others. The maworking men and their wives, and jor took Susan on his knee, and any one that is not very poor in-kissed her, and then he looked deed, would be ashamed to go by round, and said to Mrs. Bell, the plate without putting in a These are fine little girls, but penny or a half-penny, to help the where is the pretty boy that came old frail people, and the blind and into my room while I was dressthe lame, who are not able to work ing!' These are all the children and win money for themselves. It we have, major,' said Mrs. Bell. the custom of good ladies and gentlemen in that country to give

[ocr errors]

I wonder who it could be, then,' said the major: 'I was sitting by

He

my bedside, when I saw a little, thin white hand put through the round hole that is in the door; and it lifted the latch gently, and a very little boy, with long brown curled hair, but rather pale and sickly in his appearance came in. He did not look at me, but walked across the room very softly as if he feared he disturbed me; and he went into the room beyond mine, and I saw no more of him.' The lady, when she heard this, put her handkerchief to her face, and went out of the room with her ohildren. The major was sorry to see Mrs. Bell discomposed, but could not understand the reason of it, until Mr. Bell told him. I do not know (said he) who this little boy could be; but about a year ago we lost our only son, and what you said brought back my poor little Willie to his mother's mind; for he had a pale complexion, and his hair was very fine, and hung in pretty curls over his neck. He was a beautiful child.' These two old friends remained silent for a little while, and then talked of other matters. The major told Mr. Bell about the wars in America, where he had been for many years with his regiment: and Mr. Bell told the major what had happened to other of their schoolfellows, while he was so far away from Scotland. Mrs. Bell was in good spirits again, when the gentlemen went to tea; and they were all very gay and happy the rest of the evening. Next morning, after breakfast, the major took Mr. Bell aside into the garden and said 'This is a very odd thing: this morning I awoke very early, and presently the same little, thin white hand appeared opening the latch of the door. The paie boy, with the long curled hair came in just as before, and walked through the room into the closet. I was surprised, and got up and entered began to ring, and then he gave

the closet after him. He was on his knees, scratching, as if he wanted to lift up one of the boards of the floor. I went close to him and was just going to touch his shoulder, when suddenly, I can't tell how, he contrived to disappear; and I found myself alone in the closet. After a little, I began to examine the board he had been scratching: I found it loose, and lifted it, and here is a sixpence I saw lying on the ground below it.' Mr Bell looked very grave when he heard this. took the sixpence from the major, and seemed to be vexed with the story. While he was thinking how it could be, the children came running out of the house: Mr Bell called to them, and, shewing them the sixpence, said, 'Come, my dears, can any of you tell me any thing of this? here is a sixpence, which the major has found under a loose board in the floor of the little closet that is beyond his bedroom.' Mary and little Susan shook their heads, and said nothing; but Jane, the eldest, blushed; and her papa saw she knew something that she did not like to tell. "Čome, Jane,' said he, 'speak the truth; and I shall forgive you, whatever you have done.' 'Indeed, papa,' said Jane, 'it was not I that put the sixpence there.' 'Then who put it there?' said Mr Bell. And then the tears came running over Jane's cheeks, and she said, 'Oh, papa, I think it was poor Willie: the Sunday before he died, you gave him a sixpence to put into the plate, and he had a halfpenny of his own, and he put the halfpenny into the plate, and kept the sixpence; but Willie did not tell me where he hid it.' Mr Bell shook his head; and the major saw that the tears were standing in his eyes. He said nothing for some time; but at last the church bell

the sixpence to Jane, and bade her put it into the plate the same morning. Major Lindsay stayed some days at Mr Bell's; but neither he nor any body else ever saw any thing more of the little pale boy.'

[ocr errors]

Lon. Lit. Gaz.

FOR THE BOWER OF TASTE.

REMINISCENCES OF A

YANKEE.

my studies in order to do so. I could not bear the thoughts of taking her from a home of luxury to one of poverty; she seemed to me like a creation of romance and poetry! too etherial for the dull realities of life, or the every day concerns of attending to a family. (Oh! woman, inexplicable woman!) But I was in love, and although I had her promise to be mine at some future period, yet I found Every thing by turns but nothing long.' suspense almost equal to despair; WHEN I was about twenty years the parting hour at length came, old (during a college vacation) it with all its sighs, adieus, last words was my fate to fall most desper- and pathetic speeches, and all our ately in love with a beautiful lit- consolation was a mutual promise tle girl of sixteen, who was the of a constant correspondence.— very spirit of whim, frolic or sen- For the first six months her letters timent, as occasion might require. bore that stamp of enthusiasm and She danced like a sylph, played passion which had so charmed me the piano to admiration, and read in her character, and to these I Moore and Byron with the pathos replied with all the ardor of affecand expression of an improvisa- tion; but I soon perceived that trice, suffice it to say that I was her letters were less frequent, and over 'head and ears in love.' I her style more formal than it used at length obtained her consent to to be, and with the jealous eye of address her parents on the subject; love, I remarked that the word this was a most delectable task, friendship, was scored apparently for a beardless boy, and I com- for my particular observation. I menced it with all the quakings of experienced some misgivings of an ague fit; beginning exactly the heart, but I was determined to where I should have left off. I first await with patience my emanciproposed myself as the husband of pation from those walls (that now Eliza, and then intimating the wore all the gloom of a prison,) fervor of our mutual attachment and then hasten on the wings of and ended with rather a confused love (as we say) to claim my plan of my future prospects. The charmer; I resolved boldly to state mother laughed-the father frown- my views with regard to my fued, and told me to go and finish ture profession, and my confimy studies, and get well estab-dence of success if blest with the lished in some profession that bade fair to support a family, and then perhaps he would talk to me! Gods! what an icesickle was this to my heart-I could have annihilated him on the spot! Sometimes I had thoughts of proposing to her a clandestine union, a Gretna Green excursion, but I was too poor to live without applying myself to some profession, and therefore knew the necessity of finishing

object of my choice. With a mind composed by this laudable resolution, I lounged forth to a Soda room to read the papers, and partake of my favorite beverage; on unfolding a Gazette, what pen can describe my horror! what pencil pourtray the anguish I must have exhibited on learning that my sweet sentimental Eliza,-(She who was too etherial for the dull realities of life,') was married to

Mr. Bonnell, a plodding shop keeper in the village where she resides, whom I now remembered as a good sort of a man of about forty, with duck legs, and red hair! Ye Gods! what a transformation! from the sweets of sentiment, music, and poetry, to the more refined sweets of a Grocery shop. But I did not swear, neither did I pace the room with the stride of a colossus, or enact the heroics; I sat silently for half an hour as if I was spell bound to the Gazette which I still held in my hand, and mechanically perused the whole paper without being conscious of the meaning of anything, but the article that first astonished my senses. The stoicism (if I may be allowed the word) with which I returned to my old quarters was at first affected as a shield to save me from the ridicule of some, and the condolence of others, but it soon became real. Jurisprudence took the place of poetry, and logic of love, and the well thumbed pages of Moore and Byron were exchanged for those of Blackstone and Coke.

Last summer, having occasion, (as we yankees say) to travel, I determined once more to visit the scene of my former happiness; yes, I even resolved to call on Mrs. Bonnell, not that the least spark of affection prompted me to do so, but I felt a curiosity to see the lady in her new sphere of existence; new, I say, for I was hardly aware of the changes that time might effect in the course of five years. After having breakfasted at the village Inn, I strolled across the Green, and tapped at the door of a pretty white house with a honey-suckle. over the porch-a cluster of tall sun-flowers graced the 'Door-yard' which was perfectly clean, and ornamented on either side with an oval grass spot; in short there was an air of plebian comfort everywhere, which I knew not how to reconcile with the refined taste of the fair inmate; my knock was answered by a bare footed cowboy, who said, 'please sir, walk into the best room and I will call marm, she's "p stairs getting Simon to sleep' I walked in, and Time, who has rolled five years had hardly time to summon my over my head since that memora-presence of mind for what I bie epoch of my life, finds me at thought might be a sentimental this instant, snugly seated in my meeting, when lo! marm' made little office, situated in a pleasant her appearance, not the agile country village about fifty miles syiph who tripped to the measure from the residence of my former of Love's young dream' but a fat Dulcinea; here I enjoy the pleas-rosy matron, with one chubby ures of good society,' good health curly-headed boy hiding his face and the calm quiet of single bless-in her neck, and another clinging edness.' Ladies, do not be alarm-to her dress screaming for bread ed! I am not invulnerable to the and butter; what a contrast! She shafts of Cupid, although I shall fixed er blue eyes upon me, (the most carefully observe the charac-eyes were the same but their ter of her who points his arrows, former expression was gone!) she before I confess the wound. A advanced and gave me her hand burnt child dreads the fire;' now with an air that shewed that I was this is the first thing like a senti-not forgotton--but how was I rement, that I have committed since membered? I had been shocked at I revelled in the bower of my her inconstancy, I was now parasweet-Mrs Bonnell-(what alyzed with the coldness with which name to be associated with love she adverted to our former acquaintance. It was evident that 22

and poetry!)

VOL. I.

the expanded ocean and the sky --the captain perceived a distant sail-a sight that is always welcome at sea, and which, amidst the vast solitudes of the Atlantic, may be compared to the meeting of pilgrims in the desert. This discovery attracted the attention of all on board, and, after the captain had gratified his curiosity, he politely offered his glass to the

the charm which had once bound much prized by the sailors for his us together was indeed broken! all dexterous tricks, embarked on the but the simple recollection of hav-homeward voyage, and among ing seen me at her father's house other passengers, carried a lady seemed to be effaced from her who had a child that was only a mind; never did I behold so com- few weeks old. When the weather piete a metamorphose! She was permitted, the lady took regular still handsome, but with the excep- exercise on the deck, sometimes tion of her fine hair and the form with her infant charge in her arms. of her features, not one trace was One beautiful afternoon, when the left of my once beautiful Eliza. vessel was ploughing the watery We sat at an open window, I point- waste, with clusters of sea fowl ed to a grove through which we disporting in her wake, the sun had often rambled in our hours of ooking forth in all his majesty, happiness; that, cried I, impres- and next to himself illuminating sively, is still unchanged; yes-re-the two sublimest objects in nature plied she, it is very green! but last summer the trees began to change early on account of the drought! Heavens! what a reply-I could scarcely believe that she was in earnest; she then began chatting about her husband and children, told me teething was a critica time with them, called to the maid in no gentie accents, to set the table and make haste with the tea, and said she was sorry Mr.ady, that she might obtain a clear Bonnell was not in, he was gone to view of an object which the naked town-meeting; thank fortune,- eye was unable to distinguish from thought I, for preserving me from the fleecy clouds that every where this interview. I arose to take fringing the horizon's verge. At my leave, when, with something this time Mrs B. had the babe in of courteous civility, she requested her arms, but being aware that it me to stay to tea, after which she could not harm itself by rolling, would accompany me to her fath- she wrapt her shawl about the er's if I wished to call on him; but ittle innocent, and placed it on a no! I bad already enough of this sofa on which she had been sitting. visit, without wishing to extend it Captain C. assisted her to steady to the rest of the family whos the glass, but scarcely had she reminiscences might be as vivid as applied her eye to the instrument, her's were, so making a hasty when the helmsman exclaimed, in apology for not accepting her invi- a tone that indicated the deepest tation, I kissed the little Bonnells, emotion-'Good God! see what one of whom slapped my face in re- the mischievous monkey has done! turn and bidding adieu to their in- A mother's fears are easily excitteresting mother, was soon out of ed, and the reader may judge of the sight of this barbarous Paradise.ady's feelings, when, on turning Here endeth the story of my love. round, she beheld the animal in the act of transporting her beA STRANGE STORY. `oved child to the very top of the In the year 1818, a ship, having mast. And here it may be neces on board a large monkey, who was I sary to explain that the monkey

Y. Z.

« PreviousContinue »