Мхи старої садиби
Roger Malvin's Burial
Tobebrief,theworlddidnotgowellwithReubenBourne;and,thoughnottillmanyyearsafterhismarriage,hewasfinallyaruinedman,withbutoneremainingexpedientagainsttheevilfatethathadpursuedhim.Hewastothrowsunlightintosomedeeprecessoftheforest,andseeksubsistencefromthevirginbosomofthewilderness.
TheonlychildofReubenandDorcaswasason,nowarrivedattheageoffifteenyears,beautifulinyouth,andgivingpromiseofagloriousmanhood.Hewaspeculiarlyqualifiedfor,andalreadybegantoexcelin,thewildaccomplishmentsoffrontierlife.Hisfootwasfleet,hisaimtrue,hisapprehensionquick,hisheartgladandhigh;andallwhoanticipatedthereturnofIndianwarspokeofCyrusBourneasafutureleaderintheland.Theboywaslovedbyhisfatherwithadeepandsilentstrength,asifwhateverwasgoodandhappyinhisownnaturehadbeentransferredtohischild,carryinghisaffectionswithit.EvenDorcas,thoughlovingandbeloved,wasfarlessdeartohim;forReuben’ssecretthoughtsandinsulatedemotionshadgraduallymadehimaselfishman,andhecouldnolongerlovedeeplyexceptwherehesaworimaginedsomereflectionorlikenessofhisownmind.InCyrusherecognizedwhathehadhimselfbeeninotherdays;andatintervalsheseemedtopartakeoftheboy’sspirit,andtoberevivedwithafreshandhappylife.Reubenwasaccompaniedbyhissonintheexpedition,forthepurposeofselectingatractoflandandfellingandburningthetimber,whichnecessarilyprecededtheremovalofthehouseholdgods.
