The new era., 1860-03-29
Life in the Woods.
No.. 10.


Meantime, our cottage on the hill was
progressing slowly. hwas very small
affair. or would have appeared SO to
persons disinterested brit tothose con-
cerned, it was Of more Importance than
any seyen-hilled city that ever flourish
ed. 1t was delighted in, and gloried
over just the same as though il had been
a palace Of widest dimensions, and lof-
tiest pretensions nor did our satisfac-
tion or admiration abate one jot or title,
when we learned that some very indis-
criminste persons. beholding it Of an
evening looming up from the highest
point, had actually mistaken it for the
new moon +! Bright idea, wasn't i,
The difficulty was in getting ii shingI-
ed. for the weather came on right cold
just as though there was no house going
up on the hill at all. The cruel frost
glued the nails to the workman's fingers,
and how he ever succeeded in finishing
his job has always been a mystery
Then by dint of perseverance, and out
lay Of the needful, a barrel of lime was
brought from ST. Paul TO the scene OF
action. and coating of plaster put
scientifically upon the walls, and there
frozen spldly and sure. until warm
weather Then the wood work would
look so unseemly without paint. The
brushes. used hitherto for painting pie
lures in oil, would come to something
useful at last. 1t was the sixteenth Of
December that we moved from the log
house to the dininu,ive dom'cil on the
fluff. The day was extremely cold. 1t
was however very happy one, and
long g-to-be-remembered. We had no
headache this time, and everything went
on beautifully and in order We had
two rooms, the front one used for sitting
and sleeping room-the one back Of it
f,r kitchen. The whole was designed
tor an l. To some other h ,u sc that night
possibly arise in the future The pre-
vaiiiug colors cf the carpet were red
and green with the warm siennas the
window draperies were Of bright red !;
and the windows being so arranged as
to admit the sun during the whole day,
we seemed to be constantly in an at
mosphere Of warmth. even though mer-
curry might freeze without. In this sad
world, shall we not avail ourselves OF
all the illusions that can possibly lend
charms to the real, or give semblance
Of that which we would fain have
Lamartine says there is nothing COM
pletely beautiful, but what is ideal, -
and that" Illusion in all things is an
element of the beautiful, excepting 10
virtue and love-" We subscribe to this
fully at the same time averring that
that dear, cosy sitting room, picture
hung everlastingly upon memory's wall,
was not half SO much an illusion as a
blessed reality. .u..4 48s8. fg
4 We were not just married, reader.
the indissolubl, knot had been tied two
years but this was the first Of !" keep.
ing house," For long time it seemed
like child's play. Keeping house. ;
IN childhood was a fayorite occupation,
away in some corner of the garret, II
the backchamber. or in the " old yellow
room - and truly did our first life IL
4 Minnesota, seem but a repetition of the
long-ago, and return to those childish
diversions. a--
| We were invited to partake of .
. christmas supper at the house Of oul
good friend Mr.. R.. Among those
prcsent. we recollect was Mr.. B., :
lawyer from St. Paul, who had happen
ed along on business. He awakened
our interest from the fact that before oul
arrival in the country, we had read ar
obituary notice Of his young wife, 4