Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1852-08-25
A Beautiful sketch.

The Kniekerbocker, for July, says very ap.
propratcly that "many an over praised novel
in these latter days, does not possess half the
naturalness and true feeling Of this little
sketch -
Sarcastic people are wont to say that po.
cts dwell in garrets, and simple people believe
it. And Others neither sarcastic nor simple,
send them up aloft, among the rubbish, just
because they do not know what to do with them
down stairs, and among folks and SO they
consign them TO the grand receptacle ofdilap.
dated 'hasbeens,' and despised used to. be's, ;
the old garrett
The garret is to the other apartments Of the
homestead, what the adverb is to the peda-
gogue in parsing every thing they do not
know how to dispose Of is consigned to the
list Of adverbs. And it is for this precise rea.
son that we love garrets; because they do con-
tain the relics Of the old and the past--soven
irs of other and happier and simpler times.
They have come to build houses nova days
without garrets. lmpious innovation
You man of bronze and bearded like the
pard,' who would make people believe, if you
could that you neverwere "a toddin wee thng;'
that you never wore "a rifle dress or iingled a
fattle-box with infinite delight; that you never
had mother, and that she never became an
old woman, and wore caps and spectacles, and
maybe took snuff; go home once more, after
all these years of absence; all booted whisker-
ed, and six foot high as you are, and let us go
up the stairs together; in that old-fashioned
spacious garret, tha, extends from gable to ga
derived of a sash, through which steals dim
religious light upon museum Of tIings un-
namable, that once figured below stairs, but
were long since crowded out by the Vandal
hand of these modern times
The loose boards of the floor ratt le some what
as they used to do--doE't they?-when be-
meath your little pattering feet they cattered
aforetime; when of a rainy day, mother wea-
ried with many .tongued importantly granted
the Let us go up garret and play And playl
Precious little of play have you had since,
we'll warrant with your looks Of dignity and
your drcamings OF ambition.
Here we are now in ihe midst of the garret
The old barrel-shall we rummage it2 Old
files of hewspapers-dusty, yellow, little
tattered 'Ts the Columbian STAR How
familiar with the Letters or papers for father!
And these same Stars just damp from the
press, We're carried one by one from the fire
side. perused and preserved as they ought te
be. Stars Damp? All many sta, has Sc,
since then, and many a newly-tufted hear
grown dewy and damp with rain that fell moi
from the clouds.
Dive deeper into the barrel. There! A
bundle--up it comes, in a cloud Of dust. Old
Almanacs, thin-leaved ledgers of time, going
back to-let US see how: 1874, -lS3-, 1872
before ourtime lo0-, when our mothers were
children. And the day book-how blotten and
blurred with many records and many tearsl
There, you have hit your head against tha,
beam. Time was, when you ran to and fio
beneath 1t, but you are nearer to it now, by
more than the altitude of a copne.' That
beam is now strown with forgotten papers oil
seeds for next years sowing; distaf, with
some few shreds Of fax remaining is thrust In
crevice Of the rafters overhead; and tucked
away close under the caves is the little wheel
that used to stand by the FIRE in times long
gone. It's sweet, low song has ceased; and
perhaps-perhaps she drew those Aaxen threds
but never mind-you remember the line don't
your
| Her wheels at rest the matron charms no more.
Well, let that pass. Do you see that little
craft careened in that dark corner? 1t wa.
red once; it was the only casket in the house
once. and contained mothers jewels. The
old red CRADLE for all the world And yor
occupied it once great rs you are, it was youl
world once, and over it the only horizon yor
beheld, bent the heaven Of mothers eyes ,as
you rocked in that little barque Of love. on the
hither shore of time--fast by mothers love
to mothers heart.
| And there, attached to two rafters, are thu
fragments Of an untwisted rope. Do you re
member it, and what it was for. and who fas
tened it there? Twas 'the children's swing.
You are here. indeed, but where are Nelly apo
Charley3 There hangs his little cap by tha
window, and there the little red frock he usec
to wear. A crown is resting on his cherut
brow. and her robes are spotles in the better
land"
T 1t is related that, in communications from