The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-03-18
Leaving the Homestead.
BY MISS BEADRtEY.

step lightly. for | lovc II still:
And think what counties. harvest >leaves
Have passed within that scented door.
10 gladden. eyes that are no morc-T r. READ.
"Thcrc's no help for it. Ruth
Couldn't We sell the horse and carr;anc
and all the cows but old Whitley, and manage
to keep the farm
'All the stock npon the farm would no,
pay half the mortgage. I've been trving for
SIX wears TO cancel il, but have not even
pad the enormous interest. I'm sorry for
yonr sake and the chilClrcn's, Ruth. but we
must give it up
DO rot think of mo. N,;h,n 7 coulJ
bless God tor poverty if allowed to share il
with on: and dearly as love the old farm
vonr presence wou,l make the mcanc,t cn. !
palace lis oMlv thonrht> Of Alice and liar
~ that brings these foolish tears TO nv ewes
Irannot bear to crar.o their vorrr spirits l.v
""nilnln" them to The narrow brick pave
ncn:> o.. Boston. Don't Won t,nk We can ..5
tam work here, Were Ike chi!lfcn can have
fresh a.: =
Nothing that viii paw. Ru.h. Crosby and
Ill! have offered me four hundred dollars
per year to write for them and think VII,
Tie -trIrtc>t "ronon.y we can live: then if
please them. they Will increase ny salary.
4! Nv soon must We Leave =
The day Of redemption is tomorrow, anl
It!ink we ha'l better 20 a: ONE.
Ever. l'"!t sud vixen Nathan Granger
mo-; .;acc'l h i.,rm that lie never could r.
'lrcln il: iit '.ceai>c everyday <1! - tl.7'
li'i ~: make !cayc-iakin. anv ca>:,.r.
\"iA,n'- f,hcr hal taken Ills firm nor"
'h1H half ce.it,;rr before twas Wild piece
# uoo!.a"l ih.l-ani cutting down ih.
>;u'l, Oh ninr> AMI graceful naples L.l
converted ,lr ri..i, >al INTO ...c,ow ticlIs
liz hand hal reared the comfortable farm
house. planted the oil orrhar!. un'lcr HI.
shadow of those trees Na,han's children r,.:-
tolel in Tie loaG summer DAYS.
The sweet -hriar that loakrd lovingly into
his own bedroom win,iow-aia> Nathan
knew tui! wei whose hanl hal trained il.
and thoug,.S ot hi; gentle mother would come.
now. adding another lror 10 his ovcr.iown.
heart.
Eut Nathan wa> Il man. and tears Ill br
come manly i!-Il::y: ;, when an unilIrn
drop c>.'a:'r'! from the '.ccp sen beneath hi>
lids. his rou@h l.an! hastily hru>lcl i: aside.
and carc'c>>lv w'.i>Iiin. an cid haf-rcmrm-
hcrcd tame. he >trolc ever the soil which
stranger + ct wouIl hereafter press.
Nathan was early abr'al: hal seen the
soft rays %. tie Indian summer sun ,ior it was
late in O,'ohvi) lid the stricken leaves of
the maple "rovc. when A!i,c. his eldest child
came forth 10 Summon him to breakfast: not
with her usual JOYOUS bound. for last nigh.
she hcar', trom her mothers lips the story of
their poverty. and She knew that this day was
;hcir last upo:, The farm.
Nathan seated himself At t!I,. breakfast t,-
!lc scarcely daring to look at the sad .;.rc of
Ruth. h> own w:.c. whose bri Li.t smile Eall
iiuminrd the old homestead tor twelve Gears
1t Ind stretched forth loving arms of well
come to the t:mid bride: by its broad kitchen
hearth She had rral!cd the nrsiling> whom
God had loaned them And She couii not
leave the homestead any easier because two
OF these nc,tiin.> had to.,lcd their tiny wi.ie-
IN heaven. and TIE little white stone tlla;
marked tLcir short graves she could see from
the kitchen window. under the shade o. an
old arplc-trcc. No: these little graves wcr,
ONLY another co.d binding Huih'S heart tc
the homestead tirm: but she chokcd la,,
the bitter tears for She would not incr, a.,
Nathal'S agony bv exposing her own. His
in. from the table. she clidcd quietly about
packing. .ivin. directions, stopping now and
then to sooth the bOistcrous grief of littl,
Harry.
She told him Of the beautiful city where
they were going to find new homc-thc fin,
siuhtS and sounds, which would be all new &c
him-and finally pursuadcd him to 90 with
Alice for one more look at the orchard. maple
grove, brook and pond. not forgetting to
bring her icc lioquct of sweet fern and ar.-
tumn leaves, for Ociobcr's frost had killed
the flowers
The longest day will have an end and so
did this last day at the farm. The large box
cs were all packed, standing in the yard to
be taken away at early dawn; and now Ruth
would 60 with Nathan TO the barn, to carcss
once more the favori:c white COW, and pat
the neck OF the old horse that had borne her
/ so gently on his back. She bent over the
old wclI-curb and touched her lips to the oak
en- bucket. knclt by the little .rass-covcrcd
moands under the appe-tree and last OF all
seated herself upon the broad stone step OF
the kitchen door.
1t seemed to Ruth, as she gazed a: the IA
miliar landscape, in the light ofthis still DC
tober sunset. that angels were busy transform
ing each loved object into something better
and purcr, gliding it with the holy radiance
of their own bright wings.
| Nor single drop from the deep fountain
fell over her pale checks but Nathan knew
there was fearful gathering Of the bitter