Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-02-24
AN OLD TIME PICTURE.

wild flower at the touch Of the.plough-
share.
Such a picture as We have here Of
New York village inn will soon become
thing Of the past 1t and the
stage coach were lovely in heir lives,
and in death they Will not be divided.
What New York country boy--boy
twenty years ago does no, remember
that inn; cannot shug bis eyes and see
it now, as it stood rambling structure, /
with low-browed stoop" and a we'll
worn step, aud the traces Of Time and /
Stern upon its battered gables. Here
was the bar-room; here the great fire
place, with It's huge old knob-headed and I.
irons, in the old-fashioned winter, bear
ing pyramid Of fre, while around il the
rush-bottomed chairs were drawn up in
a great circle. And where is the phleg
matte old Bonface, that "with good capon
lined" shuiIled round in his slippers, and
stirred the glowing logs with the great
shovel, till they roared again? Ard
where is the old village squire that sat
there in the corner, and nightly saved
the nation " from war, pestileRce, and
tamine;" where the village gossip that
retailed to the group of listeners, the
small scandal of the day? The walls are
covered with old handbills; all that re-
mains Of one is fragment about a card
ing machine, while the top Of the bill
where the wool ought TO be-" went
away in Whit, as it lighted somebody's
pipe; while in lieu thereof 81 CoasiaJis's
Sale" done with poor pen and pale ink,
is attached to the wall with four sections
of an unfortunate wafer. Here an i'm
passible horse is getting away from az
lindescribable man; there, an old placard
of caravan" hangs in tatters, green
parrot having alighted on a blue ele-
phant, and rampant lion having thrust
his nose into the pocket Of stage drivers
coat that hangs from wooden pin; but
grandest Of all is the picture Of a stage
coach labelled the Enterprise" that
drawn by four spanking horses with
three legs or 50 apiece, is plunging di-
rectly into a thunder cloud, while John
Rogers and family" stand aside to see the
world 90 BY.
Here is bunk, strown with buffalo
robe, rough coat, the advertising halt
Of an old newspaper, whip with an Al
exandrine lash, and village loafer and
there, in that dim corner. is a cage, with
wooden bars pointed at the top, and q
little opening and narrow shelf beneath
through which, sforetiBr, little green
tumbers and round black bottles came
and went, as the weather was cold or hot
or wet or dry, or the wind blew from the
North, or there was a great calm. ~
Then there was the dog. huge, shaggy
and old, old as long ago as we can re
member, old before that, forever asleeT
under the bunk, or forever lying viii
his nose between his paws in the oper
? door,
Il is summer, and a summer noon
The big yellow watch hangs motiouless
the blacksmith's hammer intermit<, a mar
lies asleep on the dry goods box, and thf
merchant stands stih in the door. 4
thirsty dog is tapping water at the trougl
b by the pump, and dove Is saying pray
8 ers on its edge. The bar-room IS silent
- all but the heavy breath Of DOING masie
and dog, and the drowsy bum Of flies
# The Fireplace is green with Asparagus
j, for the winter is over and gone. Faint
!. ly IN the distance Is a sound; ii l. be
in the garden. ShriIler. clrarer; it Is
shout. Louder, longer, nearer, !, is ID
n horn ofthe coming stagel How IL wind
Up aud down among the notes like
bugle, abrupt and emphatic, and then vit
"dying faIi.
. The landlord arouses himself. the do
y il awake. the postmaster e8mes cat ufsa
l. the steps, the ostier sannters lazily iroi
ie lie old roofny shed. ihe tailor looks o.
Is at the window Ths rattle ol nlaeeis
n distinguished, ihe jiagiing Of bolis AZ
D. the crack Of the lgag whip. Do~n 81
O. Ihll, over the bridge, hers i eomes, fouBs
3 to with flourish, ard tie fsur-ia-haa
= are brought up before tie door ~iih a
emphasis flsM makes tie % coach rol
ard swing bke a sisip 10 q swell.
Il Tie door Is thrown opea, and OF
e woman iu . grren esla.I emeFges. &
* |deplled mailbag Is shirlsd oBi from b
ir ueash The drivers feet. ard glis l~a9s
rs and wheel-isorses already afe meeting Il
relief as they defie oat fram the sts
The Ieaders gay with lAsssla and 81
ls bFisht plated riags
Ia s All vipf,t ! the cry, the riit,a,