| | 1 | Author: | Cary
Alice
1820-1871 | Add | | | Title: | Clovernook, or, Recollections of our neighborhood in
the West  | | | | Published: | 2002 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | University of Virginia Library, Early American Fiction, 1789-1875 | UVA-LIB-EarlyAmFict1789-1875 | | | | Description: | Change is the order of nature; the old makes way for the
new; over the perished growth of the last year brighten the blossoms
of this. What changes are to be counted, even in a little
noiseless life like mine! How many graves have grown green;
how many locks have grown gray; how many, lately young,
and strong in hope and courage, are faltering and fainting; how
many hands that reached eagerly for the roses are drawn back
bleeding and full of thorns; and, saddest of all, how many
hearts are broken! I remember when I had no sad memory,
when I first made room in my bosom for the consciousness of
death. How—like striking out from a wilderness of dew-wet
blossoms where the shimmer of the light is lovely as the wings
of a thousand bees, into an open plain where the clear day
strips things to their natural truth—we go from young visions
to the realities of life! “Dearest Annie,—I am sitting in a pleasant little room in
the Academy; for, you must know, I am become a student.
Before me is a table, covered with books, papers, and manuscripts,
finished and unfinished. The fire is burning brightly in
the grate, and I am content—almost happy. But to whom am
I indebted for all this happiness? Ah, Annie! that little package
you gave me at parting! How shall I ever repay you?
I will not trouble you now by relating my hard experience for
two months after leaving you; for, during that time, I did not
unseal the package, which I looked at daily, wondering what it
could contain, and pleasing myself with various conjectures.
At last, one night, I opened it, and, to my joy and sorrow, discovered
its contents to be what only the most adverse fortune
could have compelled me to avail myself of. But, with a
sense of humiliation, I did make use of your self-sacrificing
generosity. Dear Annie! what do I not owe to you? I still
keep the envelope; and, when I return, I intend to bring you
the precise amount, as a bridal present, which you have so
kindly, so considerately bestowed on me. Close application,
this session, will enable me to teach for a part of the time; so
that hereafter I shall be able to rely on myself. I have some
glorious plans for the future, but none, Annie, disconnected
with you. Every exertion that is made, shall be with reference
to the future that must be ours. And do you think of me
often? or ever? Ah, I will not wrong you by the inquiry!
I know you do. Well, hope on. Time, faith, and energy, will
do for us every thing. And is Mary the same merry-hearted
girl? I hope so. For my sake, tell her she must love you
very kindly. And Samuel—does he miss me, or ever speak
of me? He will find some memento, I think, that may serve
to remind him of me, in that cabinet of curiosities, the cider-mill.
As for Mr. Joseph Heaton, I have no doubt but that he
has `kept out of jail.' Forgive me, Annie, that there are persons
whose wrongs I can not quite forget. I was greatly edified
last Sabbath by a discourse on forgiveness. The clergyman,
young and handsome—Mary, I think, would have fallen in love
with him—spoke with an earnestness indicating a conviction of
the truth of his doctrine, which was, that we are no where in
the Scriptures required to forgive our enemies. Even Christ,
he said, only prayed for his enemies, inasmuch as they were
ignorant: `Forgive them, for they know not what they do.'
This idea was curious, and to me new; and I suffered my mind
to be relieved, without inquiring very deeply into the theology.
Forgive this little episode. I did not intend it, but know that I
shall not feel myself bound to forgive you in this world or the
next, if you forget to love me. It is night—late—and I must
close—not to save candles, Annie, but that some sleep is necessary.
I shall perhaps dream of you.” Dear Sir: In compliance with a resolution of the Board of Trustees of
the Lancaster School Society, of this city, we have examined, with as much
care as the time allowed would permit us to bestow, the series of Grammatic
Readers (Nos. I., II., and III.), of Mr. Edward Hazen; and, from
such examination, are enabled to say, that the series is well adapted to attain
the object Mr. Hazen has had in view in its preparation, viz.: that of
enabling the scholar to understand the English language while learning to
read it. Dear Sir: We have briefly examined Hazen's Grammatic Readers
(Nos. I. and II.), which you kindly presented to us, and believe that they
are well calculated for the object which the author has in view. There can
be no doubt that children will learn more rapidly a correct pronunciation
of words, arranged according to this system, than they will in many of the
books which we have in our schools. And there can be no reason why the
first principles of grammar may not be taught at the same time that the
scholar is learning to read. In short, we think the work worthy of the notice
of the friends of popular education. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
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