The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-12-12
"EATEEAE! "NA,EREAN 80
Ana Old MANS Story.
BY VIRGINIA +. TOWNSEND.
8 Nathan! Nathan !

BY VIRGINIA f. TOWNSEND.
/ Nathan Nathan!
Sixty years ago. this very day, the yolce-th
soft, tender, thrilling voice Of my mother cam
across the wide pasture lot and into the fel
where had been busy all day gathering up corr
stalks and making bonfres, which, as l was jus
outside my fourteenth birthday l enjoyed Xix
any frolic. l looked up, and there stood m
mother, in her checked apron und snowy Shol
gown, shading her eyes with her hands; an
although l am an old, old man now, and tn
brown curls which futtered thickly about m
/ forehead then, are few struggling locks, whit
as fresh snow on the tops Of the mountains ,sti
that picture of my mother standing at the lC
bars, hangs itself over threescore years, and shine
down brightly into my memory now; and tn
voice comes down through its long path fgree
summers and white winters, without losing on
/ tone or infection, and stirs my heart yet wit
it's motherly sweetness Nathan Nathan =
had just laid Lighted branch at the foot {
huge pyramid Of brushwood and cornstalks
when my mothers voice came through the Still
ness and spicy fragrance Of the May afternoon
and / stopped a moment to see the mass ignite
! and then hurried across the pasture lot opposit
our house-our old. ample, yellow farmhouse
whose foundations had been laid by my grand
father before the Revolution.
what is to pay, mother?' asked as pant
eed up to her, for her face was full of annoy
anee.
The minister's comet She paused mo
ment after making this announcement, so tina
it might have due weight and impressivenes
with me, and then went OH never was S
hustered in all my born days. Your father
three miles off at the Rye Neck, pullin' stumps
snd Jerusha started off right after dinner,t to hell
Thankful Turner get ready for her quiltin' to
m orr0w.
It seems there was some mistake in the mes
sage he sent to your father, and Mr.. Willett
was to come Thursday instead ofnext Tuesda
as we expected. l haven't had my front roon
curtains done up, and l had dreadful poor ucl
with my last bakin'; (Miss Morgans emptin
was to my mind little turned y and rail,
felt as though l should like to have the foo
open and swallow me up, when / went to til
door, and there stood the sprucest looking young
man I've sot my eyes on for many day; ant
says he, with Jest the winnin est smile, Doe
Deacon Cummings reside here, ma'am 2 Ye
sir but he's out now, wcnderin' who it coul
be. But he soon satisfied me, for he answered
& It's Mr. Willetts, the new minister, ma m
What did you do then, mother p l said, il
deeply sympathetic frame OF mind, for wa
the only son Of a New England deacon, and
had been educated with all that reverence an
awe ofthe clerical profession which was SO deep
ly ingrained into the social and religious life c
our Puritan ancestors.
was dreadfutly taken down, bat asked hin
to walk in, and showed him up stairs to til
spare chamber. put on the yalauce last wee
and sanded the floor fresh this very morning
then started straight fer you, and it won't Dc
for me to stand here talkin' another mint
Wal, mother, what IS it you want of me
Jist wish the parson had kept away until mex
Thursday, and not come round bothering us
.jist the wrong time, l continued, angriIy strip
ping tall mullen stalk Of its broad leaves, for
in no way relished the idea of being called from
making bontires to wait on ministers.
Hush, my son your father wouldn't like t.
hear you talk in that way Of having a ministe
under our roof" But l had an intuition tina
my mothers honest sentiments respecting tn
parsons advent fully concurred with my owl
And now, Nathan, want you to be as spr
as lark and catch chicken and kill it, an
I'm in hopes to have it picked and biIin' afor
the parson leaves the room; then you mus
tackle up Major and go over to the Four Coz
nerS to Miss farmers, and bring Jerushy HON
indouble quick time. 1t won't do 70 wa
another mint talking. Now, Nathan, don's IL
the grass grow under your feet
| My mother started for the house, and l 70
the barn-yard, with no very amiable emotion
towards the parson and as [ could not vent III
Indignation on that individual himself, l maj
aged to make a small dog which ran across m
| path, the innocent victim of my wrath by str
! king him with stone, which sent him mpin
and yelling away.
+ The chicken was soon decapitated, and by III
time l had harnessed Major l was in bette
frame of mind, and brisk ride of half an hot
brought me to the red farmhouse facing two {
/ the four roads which had christened the left win
| of the old struggling town Of Greenfed. Stream
of laughter poured III silvery currents throup
the open chamber windows, aud seemed like
sweet tune set to that jubilant May afternoon
/ for she stood arrayed in garments fairer tina
Solomon in all his glory garments whic
/ the marvellous loom OF sunshine and the earl
rains had woven for her and embroidered IL
robe with dandeions, seemed it with sweet vii
yiolets and overshot it with white clover.
was a boy then, and the aesthetic elemer
had had but lille stimulant or cultivation in I'll
cool, brisk, practical life amid which my DO,
hood blossomed; but felt the voice and lai
guage of that May afternoon and the silver,
careless laughter of the girls in the chambt
overhead, filled my heart like chime of bells,s
l refined up and tied my horse to the old post
front of the Widow Strong's dwelling.
L struck the brass knocker, and Jerusha pI
her head out of the window and in all the tow
OF Greenfield no sweete- face could have bee
seen than that of my sister Jerusha Cumming
as it framed itself in the old brown window G.
sing that spring afternoon.
Nathan Cummings, I'd like to know what
the world brought you over here?' exclaimed n
sister, in tone where surprise and apprehe
sion struggled together, for it was evident thi
she feared a summons home, and was alarme
lestsoma untoward event had made it necessar
Let me come up stairs and I'll tell you f
The merriment in the front chamber had slim
lated my boyish curiosity.
Wei, hurry up them and was not slow
opeylns this injunction, although I knew vel
tidngs.
There were some half dozen girls scattered
ABOUT the great, old fashioned chamber, in Il
centre OF which stood the quilt, enclosed in Il
long frames; and on one side of the sheet
"hlte and pink patchwork stood Jerusha, bs
OF cha!h IN one hand and a cord in the othe
Win winch implements she and the bride ele
were bestowing border of shell pattern aroul
the margin OF the quilt, while two others wor
ing IN the corner scallops-and Mrs Strong,
little, dumpy, keen-eyed woman, was stonir
ralsIus, with the assistance of two others
I1anktul's young friends
Ny hrst glance took in all these things, viii
.ncIe was general cessation Of fingers al
tohgues' and every eye was bent on meas l
Hyered my errand,
JeFuShy, Parson Willetts has Just come
our house, and mothers /, On , ,-f,I STOW -