Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-01-21
LITERARY MISCELLANY.
" For the National Era,
REcoLLEcrIoNs OF MYGRANDFATHERsH HOME
CHAP. L.
The Farm House.

The Farm House.
How dear to my heart are the scenes Of my child
When fond recollection presents them to view N
NV Grandfathers Home What thrill Of
delight that magic name always sends through
me. How plainly are all its varied Textures
daguerreotyped .apon my loving heart. Even
now, az | look back through the long vista Of
buried years, how wildly do all its cherished
scenes pass before my minds eye-the brown,
moss-b egrown farmhouse the niowing-heid,
with that mysterious field within, where my
little brothers lie buried the mllpond; the
walnut tree the great rock, and the cool
spring babbling from beneath IL; the green,
winding lawn,
The orchard, the meadow, the deep-tangled Wild
wood
And every loved spot which my infancy knew"
What would life be to us without these
glimpses Of the past? We owe most Of poetry
and romance in our nature to the credulity Of
childhood; and oh it is refreshing in real life
when the mists Of youthful fancy have left us,
to 90 with memory behind the veil, and be .
child once moro amidst those scenes whose
associations call up nought Of worldly selfish
ness
NY grandfather was a strange man, politely
called eccentric--in more vulgar parlance,
Ouu nOb Ouu NY utbuIU, Dub AIuuC 81 Wy iuICu
of circumstances Early thrown upon his own
resources strong, energetic, and determined,
middle life found him possessed of an ample
fortune, and practical economist OF time and
labor. Economy was my grandfather's lido
syncracy what would cost the least time and
labor, the silnlmum bonum Of everyday life.
From motives of economy, he placed his house
in the middle Of his farm, thus rendering every
part Of the latter more easily accessible. The
barn was to be the centre Of all agricultural
operations, and, as the cattle needed q warm
sunny place, Tiny grandfather was humane
man, it was built in front of his house. Tie
front door was for HOLIDAY use, 30 its bright
brass knocker adorned the back side Of the
mansion Standing on its lowly threshold, !
gaxed many childhoods hour away, watching
the green shadows on the surface Of the mill
pond Then, in childish delight, would listen
e the frogs, croaking their evening song, Or
the low tinkling of the cow-bell, as the herds
returned from their pasture. Delightful mo-
ments! they are gone with the irrevocable
past--but to me they are milestones in the
way behind me, monuments in the once land of
promise, craven over with home pictures, ro-
mances, and pleasant fancies-the day dreams
OF youth, looking back upon which, the heart
beats faster, the voice grows soft and the eyes
dim.
.That dear old farmhouse! How often
visit in fancy the kitchen, with its eleven doors
broad rafters, and unhewn beams; its huge
fireplace, its dressers, glittering with silver
bright pewter, and the gass-doored cupboard
beneath, always disclosing to curious ken a
most savory conglomeration Of edibles. The
The rush bottomed chairs, the round table in
the corner, the well thumbed almanac, the lit
tie shelf on which lay the dog.eared Bible;
81 ana tha h~aod ~,v,,,,,a1 hok ~, sts al ora
there-all there!
Why that great kitchen was lighted by only
two exceedingly diminutive windows, why its
darkness was rendered still more dim by the
coat Of Spanish brown on its ceiled walls,
leave to more practical economists than myself
to decide. Suffice it to say, that twilight still
paws early visita TO that old hall; few strag-
elins rays still illuminate at midday rus brown
walls Its eleven doors still turn on their rusty
hinges but the round table is gone the alma
mac and Bible are worm eaten and worn; the
bright pewter basins have disappeared, and no
longing eye ever beholds, through the dust
stained glass Of that little cupboard, the cheese
and gingerbread Of olden times So pass away
the things of this world!
Into the cellar my childish curiosity seldom
carried me; its precincts were surrendered to
hobgoblins and ghosts. The stone-paved
dairy was q modern invention and the "east
and vest rooms were too recent in finish to
inspire me with emotions Of either wonder or
awe But the great east chamber, with its
mysterious closet its chest Of oakcn drawers,
pine table, high. backed chairs, and low white
ourtained bedstead how often have / peeped
tremblingly through the key hole, If perchance
| might catch glimpse of its presiding genius
AT length, on some state occasion, the secret
was revealed, the charm dissolved, the strong
hold opened, and even little admitted into
the inmost recesses Of its mysterious closet. /
was envious> that day of my elder sister for
saw no reason why could not have taken the
second part of my grandmother's name and,
with u, goodly portion of the parti-colored
china and stores Of linen, which my sister in
herited for sporting the first The old-fash-
toned tiny tea sets have disappeared with
other appurtenances Of child plays; the linen
Is among the things that were-with them has
gone my envy for my sisters legacy. SO it is
in this Worthwhile the spirit dwclIs in clay,
we are OF earth, earthly. 10 childhood, the
sunniert hours Of life there are little heart.
burnings envyings and chickering's Time
flies; we no longer speak, and act like chill.
dren; but there come heavier and deeper
griefs 10 mar our maturer joys,
For weeks, after that triumphaI entry, might
have been seen the prints Of ten little toes on
the sAnded floor. They are gone now, and |
sm no longer young. The golden apple-tree
in the orchard still shakes off its yearly bur.
den the mill pond Is as dark and deep; the
woodland a. green as ever the walnut tree
has grown taller and broader tho narrow,
green lane yet winds down TO the pasture
land the frogs croak on the cow-bcll tinkles
still--but my grandfather's step viii no longer
be heard in the old brown kitchen, his axe in
the woodland, nor his voice in my grandfather's
home.