Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-08-24

I au1 tho cloek licked lower q ~ eorne,
oud NE Ore died down to glow, like q
old heart that 10 oeishes chilled nor deed
and gfandaothss sang. TO bs sure, Il
wouldn't do for the paslor and tho con
cert room now s-dsys but then 10 waa
the old kitchen and the old fashioned
grandmother, and the old ballad, 10 TIE
desr old times, and We can hardly Gee to
wTite for the memory OF them, though
it 10 hands breadth to the sunset.
Well, she sang. Her voice was feeble
and wavering, like fountain just ready
to fall, but then how sweet toned twas;
and il became deeper and stronger but
Il couldn't grow sweetef. What 'sjoy 70
grief' 1t vas to cit there around the fire
oil OF 10, except Jane, that clssped .
prayer to her bosom, and hsr thoughts
We saw, when the hall door wss opened
. moment by the wind but then We
were not afraid, for wssn't il her old
smile che wore Y-to cit there around the
IRE, and weep over the woes Of the
Babes in the Woods !" No lay down side
BY eide in the great solemn shadows
snd bow strangely & lad We felt wheE the
sogels took them out Of the night into
day everlasting.
We may think what va will Of Il now.
bat the song and the story heard around
the kitchen Ere have CO lored the thoughts
and lives OF most of Us have given Gus
the germs Of whatever poetry blesses our
hearts whatever memory blooms in our
yesterdays. Attribute Whatever We may
to the school and sohoolmsster, the rsys
which make that litser's day We call life
radiate from the God swept circle OF the
hearth stone.
Then she sings an old lullaby she
sang to mother-hsr mother sang to her;
but she does not sing it through, end fal
tiers ere tits done. She rests her head |
upon her hands, end it 10 silent in the |
oil kitchen. Something glitters down |
between her fingers and the freight, and
It looks like rain in the soft sunshine
The old grandmother is thinking when
she first heard the song, and Of the voice
that sung it; when light haired and
light hearted girl she hung around that
mothers chair, nor saw the shadows OF
The years to come, o! the days thatare
no more What spell can We weave to
bring them back again /? What words
Jan we unsay, what deeds undo, to set
pack, just this once, the ancient clock of
lime?
So all our little hands were forever
'lipglng to her garments, and staying
IS it from dying, for long ago she had
lone living for herself, and lived alone
q u.s. But the old kitchen wants q pre-.
encc to-day. and the rush bottomed
hair is tenantlcss.
How sho used to welcome US when we
zero grown, and came back once moro to
be homestead.
We thought We were men and women,
ut were children there. The old fash.
Oned grandmother was blind 10 the eyes,
ut she saw with her heart, 40 she always
i'd. We threw our long shadows
trough the open door, and che felt
hem as they fell over her form, o nd she
boxed dimly up snd saw tall shapes in
no doorway, and she says, Edward l
now, and Lucy's voioo can hear, but
hose is that other It must be Jones'
for she had almost forgotten the fol-
cd hands. 'Ch. no, not Jane, for che
u me see-she is waiting for me, isn't
he p and the old grandmother wander.
d and wept. ;
ut is another daughter, grandmother,
nat Edward has brought" says some /
nc, for your blessing
Has she blue eyes, my son? Put her
and in mine. for che is my latest born,
he child of my old age. Shall l sing
on song children?' Her hand is in c
er pocket as of old she is idly fumbling
Or toy, welcome gift to the children
1at have como again.
One OF us, men as wo thought We were
J weeping she hears the half.suppress
ob she Gays, as she extends her feeble
and, 'Here, my poor child, rest upon
our grandmother's shoulder; she will
rotect you from all harm. Come chill.
rem, sit around the fire again. Shall |
ng you song, or tell you . story
tr the fire, for it is cold the nights
re growing COLDER"
The clock in the corner struck nine,
lie bed time Of those old days. The
ING Of life was indeed sung, the story
I'D, it was bedtime at last. Good
lght to thee, grandmother. The OLD
grandmother was no more,
nd We miss her forever. But we will
Of up tablet in the midst Of the mem
~, in the midst Of the heart, and write
q it only this:
SACRED TO THE MEMORY
GRANDMOTHER.
GOD BLESS HER FOREVER.