Villanova Digital Library - The Youth's companion, v. XXXVIII, no. 19, Thursday, May 11, 1865.

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Full Title	The Youth's companion, v. XXXVIII, no. 19, Thursday, May 11, 1865.
Date Added	11 February 2020
Format	Journal
Language	English
Publish Date	1865-05-11
Publisher	Boston : Olmstead & Co.
Source	Dime Novel and Popular Literature
Alternate Title	The Black sheep.
Topic	Popular literature > Specimens. Story papers > Specimens. Children's periodicals, American.
About	More Details Permanent Link
Disclaimers	Disclaimer of Liability Disclaimer of Endorsement

OCR re sae OD ne 8 le ea te s \ aes | i { j , é / / NUMBER 19." B i \ OLMSTEAD.& CO., PUBLISHERS... DHE BLACK SHEEP. “Ba-a! ba-a! black sheep, . {Have you any wool ?” ie Some of our old colonial ancestors were silly enough to bring over from England: a heraldic bear, with a crown on its‘ head, and called it “The Family Coat of Arms.” . It, beame obsolete * with our independence, and we have never chosen another; were. we to do so, I am certain it would » be a Black Sheep. te . Wy vay state F I have no idea of sending you a ‘“‘wool-gather- ing,” but am going to’ tell you a simple story, to stir your patriotism, if it has gone to sleep. I have told you of the women of the Revolu- tion, who turned a picnic into a raising, when ‘their husbands, brothers and sons had gone to Aght the battles of freedom; and the story of lit- tle “‘Susa White and her Cosset,” which was laid on ‘the altar of her country};' but I have ‘never told you of our great-grandmother's pet. ‘The story is an heir-loom in the tamily, and we are proud of it. : t i . When the“clouds of war were gathering in the old colonial skies, there were men from Maine to Georgia whose hearts did not beat in unison, with the noble band of patriots who stood ready to achieve nationality. Some of these, with a true, manly spirit, spoke their sentiments openly, and retired from’ the country‘ before the bursting of| the storm.’ Others, whose interests were adverse to their principles, waited to watch and betray. New: England had its quota of both. Their names have never flowed sweetly in story or song, for which reason (it may be) a belief is springing j / up that the New England of Revolutionary days was a unit for freedom... ' - Among the Tories of that era—as the adherents of the mother government were called—was a thriving landholder, in a well known district of Connecticut. | He was not a native of the country, but in early life had forsaken England with a band * of: adventurous youth, to ‘try his fortunes in’ the New World. Successful beyond his anticipations even, he purchased broad acres, stocked them lib- erally, and retired to rural life. His wife was a New Englander, of the old Massachusetts stamp, but died before the colonists were called upon to take sides with the Old country or the New. She left a daughter namesake, an only child. “Mary Mather Russel promised to grow up as beautiful as her mother, as frank and intelligent, too. ‘Notwithstanding her father was never alto- gether popular among the residents of the neigh- borhood, his child, like her mother, was a general favorite. In the daughter of their nearest neigh- bor she found a playmate and a companion. Hit- tie Dimock was an only daughter, like herself, petted and half-spoiled. The two girls were in- separable. . ’ Farmer Dimock had four sons, and their sister Littie queened it over them as only daughters are privileged. The boys’ worshipped their sov- ereign, however, and submitted to most of her _ whims and caprices. They always affirmed that “Mary Russel helped her to put on airs, and that both were as proud as Lucifer.” ' -- It was for this same haughty pair that the farm- er’s boys gathered and stored away their wild forest nuts, and assorted the red-cheeked winter apples; for in the long evenings Mary and Hittie had their spinning and knitting matches. Some- times the other girls of the district joined them, and the large, square rooms were then ablaze with light, and buzzing and whirling with, industry. Mothers and grandmothers gazed with pride on the graceful spinners, while their own hands plied the busy cards which supplied them with rolls. Little boys and girls sat by, picking the tangled wool with their fingers, warming and preparing it for the sharp, wiry cards. It was the older boys > ho cracked the nuts, and filled the large-nosed pewter flagons with cider, and brought the apples they had laid up so carefully in autumo, What pleasant games of Sorfeit awaited them when the “work was done! 0, the winter evenings of the olden time were not bad, although 60, many of their hours were devoted to useful toil! : . From such peaceful ayocations the rural dwell- ers of New England were aroused by the passage of the ‘Boston Port Bill,” when the watch-word I i ia oa Sevier i be ds There was'no Jonger time for dalliance; every man and boy must awaken to duty. “It is by such ordeals the steel of manhood is most satisfactorily tested; and never was worthier stuff disclosed than among the yeomanry of “‘Ilis Majesty's Col- onies, in North America.” 0 0) 50800 1? But, as we have just remarked, there were men of diverse opinions all‘over the land. Farmer Russel was one of them, and from the first had ranged himself with the Royalists,’ The men, es- pecially the young men of the vicinity, were in- dignant, and stigmatized him as the ‘‘Old Tory,” and indulged in other epithets such as enthusias- tic young men are prone to give vent to. ' Farmer Dimock’s boys were among the foremust of these, and even went so far as to say if he betrayed their cause they would ‘ride him on a rail,” or “duck him in the millpond;” and that was long before the days of rail-carriages, or the popular- ity of hydropathy. . Such threats boded no good for the English landowner. - But an important rumor soon caused a lull in the angry tempest—the rumor that Farm- er, Russel had sold his estate, and was going to England. . Mothing more was to be said or done, until the report was verified or contradicted. Before many days the notice for a publie vendue was posted on every sign-board and shop door around the town. All of the stock and household stuff of neighbor Russel was advertised for sale on the premises. a rabbis Hittie Dimock looked grave and sorry, and would not allow her brothers to hurl any more epithets at their departing neighbor. From in- fancy, almost, his daughter had been her most intimate friend, and the thought of parting from her was very painful. They had spent much time together that winter and spring, and Hittie be- lieved her friend as warm a patriot as herself, One stormy winter day, when weatherbound at Mary’s, Farmer Russel's hired man had brought into the house a coal-black lamb,' which, he said, its mother had stamped upon, and nearly killed. He rubbed it and wrapped it in an old sheep-skin, while the girls gave it milk. | It was. the oddest- looking creature in the world.: No wonder the mother should disown it, and continue to do so, until the little black cosset came to know no friend but Mary... i ei cc tos It was @ hardy little thing, however, and grew fatter and throve better than many of the fairer and more fondly cherished of its kind. ‘ The girls of liberty rang like a clarion through the land. called it Dido, and made a great pet of the home- ly lamb. ° ‘ RL All the men far and near attended the vendue; for it was well known that the Russel stock and household stuff were the best in the country. Old grandmother Dimock petitioned for a stuffed rock- ing-chair which had belonged to the invalid wife; mother Dimock wanted a pair of elaborate china fruit’ dishes,’ and Ilittie the black cosset. ' Her brothers hooted at the idea, and declared they would as soon think of harboring a Tory., Then she appealed to her father, who said be would not like to have a black sheep in his flock. ‘So the question was settled. 9 of . That evening grandmother was delighted with her rocking-chair; Mrs. Dimock had her: new china to arrange on the buffet, and Ilittie was pre- sented with Mary's side-saddle—a beautiful, em- broidered affair, sent from England only the year before. She was pleased with it, but evidentl had not forgotten her morning request.7 . -. . “Who bought the cosset ?” she asked her father. “I don’t know as "twas put up. Nobody would take such a thing for a gift,” he replied. “IT guess it is going back to England, with the other black. sheep,” said her brother Jimmy. “The idea of our Hittie’s wanting such an ont- landish pet !” . a . It is possible that Hittie cared for her own way more than for the pet, and did not like to be de- Ried. 8 rictanedd Sees cone shy The Rassels were to take their departure from the colony early the next week. Mary had re- tained nothing, but. her own and. her mother's wardrobe; and, when those were carefully packed, went to spend the remaining days with Hittie Dimock, taking with her, as a parting gift, the black lamb. . : ay Now the ‘golden fleece” of , the Argonauts would not have.been one-half as acceptable to Ilittie as that grotesque-looking lamb; and she promised to protect it at all hazards. ‘ “Keep ‘Dido' to remember me,” Mary said; “and don’t allow ‘those bad brothers of yours to tease her and call her names.” 5...) 5... , These last words were spoken expressly for the ears of one of, those same brothers, supposed to be Mary's favorite. © 0) 0 “Til tell you what I'll do, now, Miss Mary,” said Willie Dimock; “TI tie the king's docu- ments around the critter’s neck, and make a colo- nial messenger of her.< 'A few of them best acts would be sure to make her welcome everywhere.” 1 The girls pouted; but. Willie was bound to have his say... The presence of majesty would not have checked him, ©; . . ee} SST Col. XX ao Vin, ve 22 SCHOOL STREET, BOSTON. s , ' . : . Mary and Hittie had a tearful. parting, and‘: promised to be good friends always, just as“ though nothing: had occurred to separate them. , “I have never told you,” Mary said, sobbing, ; “but my heart is all American. This is my moth- erland, and I would gladly remain and share her fate.” | Dee ee p et yews Willie heard the words and treasured them in bis heart. ., 9). . tn a Farmer, Russel was not the, only royalist who forsook the country in her hour of trial. Every sea port witnessed their departure by scores, and ‘ none regretted them; for the false who remained , hung like an incubus on the patriot cause. : Dido was no favorite with any person or thing © ort the farm but Hittie. ~ Willie tried to befriend” her; | but never was there a more mischievous ' creature in house or garden, and no inclosure . could keep her from going. when and where she pleased.. The highest stone wall or fence she, would leap with the agility of a dog; and many’ secret plans were made by the father and Jimmy to put ber out of the way. , But either the thought of Hittie’s displeasure or the memory of Mary: Russel was Dido's protection. Meantime events of startling importance were transpiring all over the land. ‘A Continental Congress -was convened at Philadelphia, and - agreed upon public declaration of rights, recom- ° ', | wending non-intercourse with the mother country » until the grievances of the colonies should be re- dressed.’ The Provincial Assembly of Massachu- ‘setts drew up a plan for the immediate defence of the. province, and enlisted an army of. twelve * thousand men to act in any emergency. . Not uatil April of the succeeding year did that emergency arise. Then the tidings of the battle of Lexington flew through the land, and there: was a general uprising for freedom. Troops from* the neighboring’ colonies went pouring ‘into Bos- ton, and the war of the Revolution was fairly in-, augurated, 0. a, 3 Farmer Dimock’s two eldest sons were among : the first volunteers from Connecticut. They were’ ~ sent away with words of encouragement and bless- - ing, while the hearts that loved them were well- , nigh breaking... Poor Willie never returned. He- perished, with many other brave New England outh, in that stormy march to Quebec, and was laid on the banks of the Kennebec. His father went and took his fallen son’s place in the ranks, ; leaving his two young boys with their mother and sister to perform the labor of the farm. Let those who now murmur at the few comforts they are called upon to forego in the maintenance of our government through its present hour of dark- ness and civil war, look back to the cost of its purchase, and blush for shame at the contrast! The women of the Revolution were fitted to be ; the wives of heroic men, When necessity urged, . the morning found them in the field, the evening at the spinning-wheel and loom, at work for the aged and little ones’ at home, as well as for, the suffering soldiers in the field. Noavomen of any. age deserve a brighter page in the world’s bistory.. than those of the American Revolution. Ilittie Dimock proved one of the model maidens of the times. From the moment she sent away with cheerful words her two. brothers and her young lover to the patriot army she rose to the, fall dignity and purpose of womanhood. Early and late she wrought, patiently and joyfully in ,|the midst of trial and discouragements, looking serenely to the end. In her zeal for the cause, and in ber many labors for the absent ones, she: never forgot her love for her childish playmate—’ Mary Russel; and her imagination often wandered. over the ocean to her distant home. , Only once since she left the colony had she heard from her, and that was soon after her arrival in England. What had befallen her since she vainly strove to conjecture. Did she remember and love them stil? Would she drop a tear if ever she heard of Willie's death? And would she ever return to America? were questions which found no certain answer in her heart. woe : , Mary's pet was still tenderly cared for, not- withstanding it was the most unruly creature in the world. Not another sheep on the place would eat from the same rack with Dido, who butted and beat them with her black head, as it to say,