The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-05-30
Who Lives There and Who Yonder

Pralrle Home, Mich, May l9th, 1861.
Who Lives There and Who Yonder2
Whoever has travelled through an un-
accustomedregion, can remember cer-
tain curiosity that possessed him, to
know the story of the dwellers here
and there. And he can remember, too,
that those in whom he felt the most in
terest, where not the occupants of the
best houses. The bold, staring, square
building, window-pierccd and observa-
tory crowned, that stood up stiff and
stark by the roadside, did not shape an
90 for him, though its material was
hewn stone or marble. He cared moth
ing about those that went and came
over its thresholds. But sometimes a
cottage of home, twinkling through
the clustering vines and green trees, a
bit of low -browed New England 'stoop'
before the door, well-sweep defined
against the sky above the humble roof
ridge, marking the spot with an accute
accent, will linger in the memory, with
an interrogation point standing sentry,
long after the little picture has faded
from the sight.
And if one thinks about it, he will
discover that it is not the new. dwell
lings that please him most; that of the
two, the old log house, with its mossy
roof and chinked gray walls, window
less and squirrel haunted, standing like
an empty chrysalis amid the clustering
cherry trees. and the later dwelling
stepped bravely out in front, and very
grand in paints and proportions, he
loves the old nest best. Something
human attaches to the log cabin that
does not belong to the wooden castle /;
we like to fancy when willing hands
rolled up its walls; when pine and red
cedar made censer of the swallow
built chimney, and loaded the air with
perfume when the bit of dimity that
once adorned the light and delight of
the house, curtained the one little win
dow SO neatly; the little window that
frightened by the evening fire, shone
like glad face, with snow-white hair
, parted evenly, and flowing down eacri
: side. We like to sit in the red twilight,
i and hear them tell what they will do
in the golden by-and-by talking cheer
lily of the better days, while the father
smoothes an ax-helve with which he
means to do battle, and the mother
r turns the potatoes handily out from
r their snug bed under the forestick, and
brushes their dusty jackets with a wing.
The trundle- -bed-the big beds brood
of one-has ventured part way out
from its daily hiding, and little breath.
ing bundle upon it is as near heaven as
E children eUer get without dying. The
f boys are busy making "a figure four in
the corner; the clock that winds with
4 a string. ticks off the minutes of that
n day of small things the cricket claps
n its glossy hands in the warm crevice
of the hearth for joy; smoked plenty
e hangsin flitches along the roomy jambs
the red light glitters on rifle at resi-
i upon its wooden hooks over the fire
d place; on an old-fashioned tin lantern
d made to pepper the darkness with can
e delight; and pewter platters and
r white plates careened upon distant
), shelf brighten up now and then like
g so many eyes in astonishment; the song
r of the tea-kettle swung from the tor
r most hook, fills the silence like speech.
u Envy has not wrankled, possession ha:
not eloyed, pride has not embittered
they have been joyful since, but then
as some one says, but Joy is an uncer
tain guest, always on tip-toe and ready
Ia
but peace was in the hovel peace tha
flowed like river peace, that had few
words ;peace, that abides always.
1t is the huts and cabins 'and gray
old houses that have been lived in long
h that have been died often, and wherein
1e 'e children were born long enough ago t.
d have 'children's children rise up ant
;, call them blessed that have such sto
e ries to tell as prove, more conclusively
IS than the learned talk of Naturalists
y that Eve was the mother of us ALL
he The Railroad is great assimilator
it shakes people up together as in
dice box, and trituration frees then
from many of their peculiarities. Blu
: not from all. That man, over there
o. who has built his house just in the rea
N of his barnyard about whose door
9r like armorial bearings are hops couch
ant and hogs rampant; who has SUI
n rounded himself with cornfeld, an,
at left his harrow turned up in the fenc
ID corner, all it's teeth displayed like
&c &c hungry sharks, advertises himself iron
$ down on the Wabash quite as plain
e. E. ly as if he had borne makers mari
q on his forehead, thus: 'Hoosier.' Yo
will find the bones of the old 'prairi
&c &c schooner he came in, woman babie
e. and all, if you look, while the yelloN
cur clipped as to his ears and tail, tha
walked between the hind wheels an
: just beneath the manger slung up as
tern like ships boat. has had, lik
of other dogs, 'his day. and sleeps ther
e. in the Indian Summer sun this minute
tattered yellow rug. :.