The home journal. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn.) 1857-1857, 1857-02-27
Oftentimes however was our attention

the little, round three legged candle. stand
IN the corner, for Cousin Charley was
studying Latin and Grandfather was his
teacher nights, for we We're far from
school. 1t was then we first heard OF the
wooden horse with its band of armed men
by which "Troja ruit"--it was then we
sympathized with the brave Eneas and
his devoted followers, admired the saga.
city Of LAGOON when he said, "Timso
Danaos, ct dona ferentes," and shudder.
ed with honor at his own and his chill
dren's horrible death.
With wondering eyes, devouring ears
and parted lips we saw, as he read the
story, the immense serpents coming from
Tenedos, with their scaly backs in tortu.
Gus folds. their heads raised high above
the reave and their forked tongues vibrat.
ing in their blood.s peckled mouths. We
almost heard the imploring shrieks Of
the sons Of the priest Of Neptune, as they
struggled with the crushing folds of the
monsters, and saw the eager step, but
de'pairing look Of the poor father as he
fastened to their hopeless rescue.
We burned with indignation against
the false Simon, saw with Eneas the
ghost Of Crensa. and like him, in many
circumstances, "Steterunt comae ct vox
taucidus haesit." Little thought we, mer.
ry ones then, that we too should wander
at future day over classic soil and gath.
er for ourselves the m any treasures hidden
beneath its surface.
But o. those pleasant evenings! De.
licious hours were they. Bed. time came
all too soon, and sometimes, so did morn.
ing too, for
Early to bed and early to rise,
Will make man healthy wealthy and wise,
was the governing maxim Of that house,
AMI if not sooner, Emma and must, at
least, be up to eat our break fasts. But
rise as early as we might, we always found
the milking done and the morning meal
upon the table:
That over, what scattering! Char.
ley always went with the workmen to tho
fields, for though he could not chop down
trees, he could pick up chips, cut and
pile bush, and burn it too, If his hand
was not strong enough to hold the plough,
it could collect the cobble stones in heal s,
and if he could not SOW the grain and
plant the corn, he could drop the latter
in hills, and ma Ike scare.crows to frighten
the thieving crows and black. birds from
both. Many bright day in the early
Spring, when the dropping blossoms of
the orchard boughs silently flung their
gauze'like covering over the green Earth's
breast, once moro under the suns rays,
newly pulsing with fresher life and Wig.
or, would we, too, with each basket on
her arm, steal away with cousin Charley
to the field and drop with him the yellow
kernels in the places prepared for them,
ever and anon saying as we carefully
counted the seven grains, for each new
hill,
One for the black.bird, one for the crow,
Two for the cut.worm, and tn rec to grow,
We had an interest in that crop, for
our wee,bit hands had helped to plant it,
and how anxious were we for the first D
pearance Of the tender blades above the
ground, and how proud when the ripenea
ears hung dropping and waiting to be
gathered.
But when the haying time came, then
was Cousin Charley Of more Importance
than any where else, for there he could
do almost as much work as man. d..
ring the harvesting he could do little but
carry food and drink for the workmen
and run Of other errands. He could not
reap, he could not bind, not we'll at least;
he could only carry the sheavcs and
place them in the shocks; but in the hay.
field, he could pitch and toss, tum and
shake the new'mown grass, to say moth.
ing Of the playwork of raking after the
load. Why, even Emma and | could do
that, and often, too, for the pure fun Of
the thing, joined the hay makers, raking,
turning, shaking as busy as any of them,
and as the browning delight Of the whole,
riding up to the barn on the load, dex.
terOusly dropping our heads as it passed
through the wids.aung doors.