The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-01-11
A ISECTEEsEs OF HOME.

/ flO2ts lack over me win shower OF emo
! tons and thoughts towards whose pre-
cious fall my heart opens itself greodily
Ikea thirsty flower. It is home among
the untains-humblo and homely--
but priceless in its wealth and associa-
tons. The waterfall sings again in my
earf, as it used to sing through the dreamy
mysterious nights. This rose at The gate
the patch Of tGa$y under tho window,
the ncighboring orchard, the Old elm: the
grand machinery Of storms and showers,
he little smthy under the hill that fla
ned with strange light through the
dull winter evenings, tie wood-piio at
the door, the ghoatIy white birches on
the hill, and the dim, blue haze upon the
retiring mountains-all these como back
10 me with an appeal which touc1ea my
heart and moistans my eyes. sit again
in the doorway at summer night-fall,
onting my bread and milk, looking eft
upon ths darksning landscape, and listen
ing to the shouts Of boys upon the hill
side, calling or driving homeward the re-
luctant herds. | watch again the devious
way Of tue dusty night-hawk along the
twilight sky, and listen to his measured
note, and the breezy boom that accotnpa-
MES his hoadlong plunge toward the
earth.
Even the old barn, crazy in every tim
Der, and gaping Mt every joint, has charms
for Inc. l try again in the breathlcss leap
from the great Loams into the bay. l
sit again on the threshold Of the widely
open doors-and watch the cattle whose
faces look half human to me, as they sun
themselves, and peacefully ruminate, while
drop by drop, the dis0olying snow upon
tbs roof drills holes through the wasting
drifts beneath the caves. The 3rst little
lambs Of the season toddlo by tho side Of
their dams, and utter their feeble blcat-
ings, while the flock nibbIe at the hay
rick, or a pair Of rival wethcrs try the
strength of their skull i'll al encounter,
half in earnest, half in play. The proud
old rooster crows upon his dunghill
throne, and some delighted member Of
his silly family leaves his nest, and tells
to her mates and to mo that there is an
other egg i'll the world. The old horse
wLinnies in his stall, and calls to me for
food. look up to the roof and think
Of last years swallows-soon to return
again--and catch glimpse of tho sngu
lar sky through the diamond shaped O.
pening that gave the ingress and egrsss.
How, | know not, and care not, but that
old barn is part of 'nyself-it has enfor-
ced into my life, and given me growth
and wealth.
But [ look into the house again, where
the life abidea which has appropriated
these things, and finds among them its
home. The hour Of evening has come,
the lamps are iightea and good man il
middle lifo-thOugh very old he seems
to me-takes down the well worn Bible
and reads chapter from its hallowed pa
gcs. 4 sweet woman sits Mt his sid,
with my sleepy head upon her knee, and
brothers and sisters are grouped rcver-
entity around. do not understand the
words, but have been told that they are
the words Of God, and believe it. The
long chapter ends, and We all knee down
| aud the good man prays. l fall asleep
with my head in the chair, and tho next
morning remember nothing Of the way
in which went to bed. After breakfast
| the Bible is taken down, and thegool man
prays again; and again and again, ia the
worship repeated through all the days OF
many golden years. The pleasant con-
verse Of the fire side, the simple songs
of homo, the words Of encouragement as
! | bend over my school tasks the kiss as
| lie down to rest, the patient bearing with
the freaks of my restless nature, the gen
Tie counsels mingled with rsproofs and
approvals, the sympathy that meets and
assuages every sorrow and sweetens eve
~ little success-all these return to me
amid the responsibilities at rest upon
me now, and I feel as if | had once lived
in heaven, and straying, had lost my
way.
Well, the good man grew old and wea-
ry, and fell asleep at last, with blessings
OH his lips for me. Some Of those who
called him father, lie side by side with
| i'm in tho same calm sleep. The others
afe scattered and dwell in new homes
and the old house and barn and orchard
have passed into the possession of stran-
GERS. who have learned, or are learning,
to look upon them as l do now. Lost,