Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-08-09
Ernn the Massachnselts Life Rnat.
The Poor Widows Nav Basket.

The farmers life Is a great mOn0t0ny-so the
Young men think whose lot it is to labor in the fields.
1t is the pow and the hoe the scythe and the sickle
day in and day out, through the spring, summer and
autumn; an then, when the year comes round, it is
Just the same thing over again, the plow and the
hoe, the seythe and the sickle. Dull Dull Dull
Oh this everlasting saenessl must get out OF it,
somehow. When the sun rises we must be up and
when he goes down, our chores are but half DONE
This however, might be endured, were it not for
the dull monotony which makes the tardy gaited
hours Imp so fedi0USig array IL is drag, drag,
drag The long burrows are turned. the long rows
hoed for the most part in solemn silence; and if,
perchance, a word is spoken, it Is the cOmmonest,
gesf word in the language; and so, We tug
away and staFve not for want Of beef and pork and
butter and cheese but for lack Of excitement. 10
be sure the fields are green IN their season. but
they are alike green every day. And the birds
sing; but they always sing the same tane The
gay BoboIink, the yeliest of them all, wouldn't
vary note on any account. He always begins IN
the same way, and closes with the same flourish.
The birds sing well enough but we have got all
their songs by heart.
So the youngsters complain in the midst of their
toll. They live ON the delightful antcipations Of
that happy day. when they will look back upon
their minority gone forever. And If that day
seems far distant, they feed their hopes on an a-
preaching holiday, or get up some little steam, IN
view of those laboring days. when the whole neigh
borhOOd meet together to repair their highways;
for at such time, some new faces may be seen,
some new things may be said or done, the repeat
ing of which may shorten the tedious length Of q
hot summers afternoon.
One of these days, last referred to, has arrived,
and the whole district is astir-the old men, the
middle aged, the young men and the boys, are ali
upon the road, with their OK teams and Horseteams
and ploughs and all other necessary implements for
mending the ways The surveyor, man Clothed
II el.,w fhaxra
to work those who came to work; and to shirk-
those who came to shirk. This man has story ("
tell which the boys had better not hear; and thar
man Joke to crack which had been better lett IN
cracked 1t were WELL if while the highways are
being mended by ploughs and shoyels, the way oil
life which is opening before the young men and
bows is not marred BY i'll advised speeches anu
worse than unproftable conversation. Set watch
upon thy tongue old man; for the young are watch
ing thee; and an unguarded speech of thine may
tester and burn in the mind of that boy to tae last
day of his life 1t viii spring up within HIM, long
after he hoped it was forever forgotten 1t will
come to life long after he thought It was dead ard
buried.
But something better than this is going forward
something that may be thought OF and told OF.
hereafter, without blush. Listen, and will tell
YOU what it is ave are all here, men and boys,
said Mr. Luther, "tO work on the highways, and
we might as well be thinking of something besides
the mere drudgery of shoyeling gravel There Is
widow Brown who lives in the house over yonder-
she has rather a hard time of it, all alone IN her
widow-hood. l move that we throw in nine-penee
a piece and get up May Basket for her. Why
not dollar apiece" said Mr. Freeloye, and send her
a basket of provisions which would do her heart
good? l dare say the poor woman has been short
of some of the necessaries during the past winter
rather guess her -four barrel has sometimes been
so low that she couldn't have made "a little cake
r ba ba1 a1ODU ssWpH -
replied Mr. Luther dollar apiece would be some
thing handsome to be sure; but j am not quite up
to that; the smaller sum, if all unite viii make
pretty May Basket, and dare say the old lady
will be very thankful for it." MIR. Wood, who had
lust come up in time to hear the proposition, and
Mr. Freelove's remark about the dollar subscrp-
tion replied Il like the idea of the dollar apiece
mighty well and | am willing to hand it over, il
vou Mr.. FreelOve, will do the same Il have not
said" Mr.. FreelOve replied that would give
dollar if YOU would; but that would give that sum
if Mr. Luther would do the same; and | will stand
to it." Mr.. Luther perceived that three dollars
might be secured by his accepting the challenge
and he was not the man to back out in so good a
cause Ills a bargain" he exclaimed, "dOwn with
the dust" In this way three dollars were raised,
and in smaller contributions, about as much more
A committee was then appointed to purchase the
necessary articles and attend TO their delivery IN
the evening The flour and the sugar and tea and
various Otner ct ct'teraS, Mltu
proprate note were accordingly got in readiness,
m due time 1t has been said that the old lady
lived by herself; and, very likely, she would be
friphtened by knock at her door, at nine o'clock
in the evening" To get round this difficulty, one
of the ladies in the neighborhOod, all Of whom,
were greatly interested III the Widows May Bas-
ket engaged to go and spend the night with her.
The good woman would take it kindly, OF course,
that any of her neighbOrs should be so thoughtful
of her situation, as to come and cheer up her lone
Iiness Every thing arranged. ut nine Oei0ek,
when a careful football was heard by the listening
ear of the yisiter. about the door OF the widows
4 cottage. Soon, rap was heard, and the noiS' OF
| hasty feet retiring. "What does this mean, sald
! the widow who was alb Jut retiring 10 rest, What
| does this mean! l am frightened "Never mind,
said the visitor, 81 will 60 to the door. dare
! saw there is nobody there, that wants to hurt US
Sc saving she opened the door slowly, and pulling
/ in q Quarter Of Flour, exclaimed. why, MIS-
| Brown! What have you got here;' 81 am sure
don't know she replied, at the same time resto..
ring to its place. her dress cap, which she had mo-
ment before removed from her head" 1t feels ike
-four 1 haven't ordered any to be sent here to
night; and if / had, don't think anybody would
have paid much regard to my orders. ut is hour,
sure enough said the visitor, laughing. 1T is
/ meant for May basket, L reckon" And pet
ty May basket it is the widow replied. Il could
not ask for better. 1t smells sweetcr to me than
the richest b0quet they could nave lould.
Before they had done chatting over tins aeeePti-
bic present, another rap was heard. r..
.'What! again. exclaimed the widow, ny, 1el II
not so much frightened as was, Mrs seeker; tlO'
that was her visitor name.) On opening the "o'i'
they discovered large jug on the steP, t.u,o.,
"Ahr' said Mrs. Seeker, %another May OasAe''
And what can this be! Ol' IL g., Il.
"No said Mrs .51s Sso% "n5 'n APPLYING @ IN the mcs
;nS;nnstipr manner her nasal organ to the orltce,
,,ni # Is Something sweeter and better than Oh"
..oil is good repisd Ms. Seeker, "in its place.
81 know that" answered widow, "bHt | can
oat along without OIL but 1 can't make the gridde
eaLes without little mOlasses. New, Mrs Seeker,
should like to know where these things came
from? You must know something about it, (unleSp
the Lord rained them right down from heaven upon
my door step,) and you must tell me"
.Why should know, Mrs. Brown. / guess tne
! Lord sent them, ANYHOW