The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-08-10
NO. 397.

1
ell the whitewsshed wall and ceiling glowed
again. In the two corners of the room far.
thest from the IRE were two beds piled high with
blankets and quilts Of Mrs. Wi!kinson's own
! meking and soft with feathers Of her own
! picking. bureau, table, Iooking-glass, and
chairs, together with some strips Of carpet,
completed the parlor furniture of the room.
The kitchen portion, or that next the FIRE, ives
adorned with churn and pals, teakettle, coffee
pct, flour-barrel, etc. The floor was without
carpet, and secured exceedingly white Bags
OF dried apples and peaches, pumpkin and
beans, hung on pegs near the fire, and on the
shelves of the open cupboards gEstened the
pewter and delf-ware, for Mrs. Wilkinson was
as good housekeeper es she believed herself
to be. The customary suit of mourning
black hung beside the bureau, together with
the widows best shoes and cap. Everything
was scrupulously neat, and the hams which
garnished the jamb, and the pots OF preserves
on the shelves, indicated thrifty poverty at
least
,sThe widow seemed delighted to see US, and
! exertcd her collcqnial powers to entertainer
! stitching busily all the while, and asserting.
tnat she could do twice as nuch when SIC had
visitere
very freely sbe canvassed the affairs of the
neighbors, not sparing Martha, who she said
1 knew, but it seemed to her MIR. Halstead
might have married nearer home and Jared
just as well. True, every one would not have
brought into his family pretty little boy like
Doke, nor q bag Of money to boast OF. but
some folks had straight mouths and souls in
their bodies, and could cook meals Of victuals
when man was hungry. OF course, ehe
didn't mean herself-she had never taken of
her black, and never would, not 10 marry the
best man In tho universe. Nothing disguised
her 20 much as TO see the open Vaccinations
OF some persons she knew of 10 inveigle some
men she knew of and she would say It to the
face Of Mr. R. or of Miss p, as soon as she
would cay it to anybody.
"'Don's mother said Lucretia, now and
then, by way of restraining her garrulity lit
tie; but she would not be restrained, and gave
us the result Of all her observations and sus-
p'cions with freedom really amusing.
"She was q free woman, and lived in free
J country, and she would 60 to the house Of Mr.
R. in spite of the beautiful Miss p, for Mr. R.
J had said he should be glad to have her come
whenever she had leisure or inclination.
"Luoretia brought from the cupboard shelf
two ears Of oorD, one red and the other white,
and, Smelling of Como grains, We amused our
selves with the games Of Odd and Even the
Twelve Men of Maurice and the like. Char
ley glanced at me now and then, in token of
bs keen appreciation of the broad drolleries of
the widow, but nevertheless the games seemed
to entertain him ss had never known them
to entertain him ill then, and Lucretia's smile
was swester, and her voice lower and softer,
thought than previously. When the rooster
on the bough at tho door crew, fer Lime o'clock,
the widow said she would just clap on the tea
kettle, that we might have q little sup Of
something warm to keep eff tho cold as we
went home; for that she once knew @ woman,
that she had daughter, that she went out
into the night and caught her death Of Gold.
In vain we tried to diEsuado her from Civ
ing herself useless trouble.
Now just mind your own business she re-
piled TO OR entreaties, I'll have supper in the
crack Of cows thumb . and, indeed, it seem.
cd scarcely five minutes till Tie bright tin tea
! pot was smoking cn to table, and the kToi!od
ham, and peach preserves, and freeh,bakod
sweet cakes,' we're ell in readiness and then
with what hearty cordiality che urged us to
cat; but, indeed, think, we required little
urging, for to our juvenile appctites her excel
| lent yiands sufficiently commended themselves.
Joss and laughter enlivened the table; absence
of all restraint, and the CONSCIOUSNESS OF being
welcome, made nae, for the time, quito happy:
Charley too, was sharing my pleasure, and all
was obtained with 80 little effort.
81 did not scorn Luoreiia that night because
| Of her simple mind and manners, but said
rather, who Of US gil is much wiser What
would it avail her to struggle against manifest
destiny, or why should fhe embitter the little
she possesses By useless eDdeaycr to obtain that
which is beyond her reach p
"Is was nearly midnight when Charley and
! set out for home, and so pleasant walk We
had not taken together for long while, in
| spite Of the intense cold and the darkness
| Many times after this during the winter, we
repeated our visit to tie widow Wilkinson's.
Sometimes Lucretia called ct our house for
a little while, a. she went from place to place
with the work which her mother had done
and as saw her more she wen upon my leve
30 quiet and incffensive was she always Char
ley grew more cheerful, and occasionally join
ed in The farm work, and ! sunk into sort OF
bitter reconciliation. In my walks to the pest
Office, | now and then met DR.. Roberts, and
sometimes he walked with me to the gate of
home and though cur acquaintance did not
| progress toward intimacy, | felt that these
casual meetings were pleasure to hlm--a
| much greater one than to me. Now and then
Mr.. Richards crossed from his farm to ours,
and conversed for an hour with my father
about agricultural matters, but he seldom, came
to the house, whore, indeed, he had little cause
to believe there was any attraction for him, and
confined his visits to the orchard and the barn.
We exchanged salutatioDs rometimes but
when could conveniently, preferred to avoid
| him. So the winter wore toward the March.
only father gathered new courage as the
spring drew near, and removed the suspended
laborS with an energy which for a long time
had not been habitusl to him. He believed
brighter day was coming for Us, he said, and
Charley was grown such q comfort, such an
assistance to him. Very often Of evenings he
was COMO from home, but thought little more
| of his whereabouts than Doke who usually
suggested that he was in search of something
good to eat---nos that was 30 much absorbed
in my own affairs, ! was only indifferent to
| everything.
"Ono bright sunshiry Sabbath morning,
early in March, bent my steps TO the woods,
for there was not much I could do to vary the |
monotony Of my life. What long days those |
of my own thoughts, for they moved in little |
circle, tired of the scene which had surveyed |
from childhood, tired Of hoping when hope |
seemed idle, seated myself on q NOISY log IN !
the sunsbine, and, throwing down my bonnet |
on the grass at my feet, surrendered myself TO |
whatever chance thought presented itself Now |
indolentiy watching the great brown humble |
bee a. he lowered and hummed about some |
yellow dandelion-now the blue bird twittering |
in the tree--now the snail rocking lasily It's |
white shell 10 the sunshine, and now following |
across the hills tho aeps going churehward-
old men leading children, young girls wearing |
their prettest gowns. and picus mothers with
babies in their erIns.
presently was attracted by voices near
me, and looking round, sew, g short distance
away, Charley and Lucretia gathering early
flowers; they did not Observe rae, and passed
deeper into the Woo6s breskirc tha siIay,ca