Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-02-07
5flistrlIan&Ous.
An Old Time Picture.

Wherever railroad has made it, way, the
old fashioned village inn disappears. 1t flies
before the coming engine like wild flower at
the touch Of the plough share.
The picture of New York village inn has
become historic-a thing of the past. 1t and
the stage coach we're lovely in their lives. and
in death they will not be divided.
What New York country boy-boy twenty
wears ago does not remember that inn
cannot shut his eyes aud see it now, as it
stood rambling structure, with Iow-browed
s.oop " and welI-worn step, and the traces
Of time and storm upon its battered gables?-
\ Here was the bar-room here the great fire
MACE with its huge old knOb-andrCuS, in the
. id fashioned winter, bearing a pyramid of
NJ re while around it the rush-bottoned chairs
ym drawn u" in great circle And where
bssod Bouifacc, who capGn lined" shut
n fed ar,uud in his slippers and stirred the
glowing logs with a great shovel. till they
mred again Aud where is the old village
#9ure that sat there in the corner, and nightly
Il Nyed the nation " from war, peStilenCe and
1miue y where the village gossip that re-
aiIed to the crowd Of idle listeners the
small scandle of the day The walls are
covered with old handbilS all that remains
Of one is fragment about Cardlng machine,
while the top of the bill "wherc the wool
olght 10 be-" went away in Whit, as it
lighted somebody's pipe, while ia lieu thereof
" COnsabis's .SuL,' done with poor pen and
pale ink, is attached to the wall with four
sections of an unfortunate wafer. Here an
impossible horse is getting away from an iu-
describable man there an old placard of
Caravan hangs in tatterS, a green parrot
having allighted on a blue elephant, and
rampant lion having thrust bis nose into the
pocket of a stage drivers coat that hangs
from q wooden pin, but grandcst of all is the
pc'Ure of the stage coach labelled the " En-
HI gprSe" that is drawn by four spanking
erses, with three legs or so apiece, is plung-
yiirectIy into a thunder cloud, while John
Rosrs and family" stand aside to see the
'rd 60 by
Here is bunk, StrOwn with buffalo robes,
trough coat, the advertising half of an old
newspaper, q whip with an Alexandrine lash,
end village loafer and there, in that dim
corner is cage with wooden bars pointed
81 the tops, and q narrow shelf beneath,
through which, aforetime, little green tum-
oIers and round black bottles came and went,
@ The weather was cold or hot, or wet and
dfy, or the wind blew from the north, or
H there was great calm" Then there was
me dog, huge shaggy and old, old as long ago
"We can remember, cid before that, forever
asleep under the bunk, or forever lying with
as nose between his paws in the open door.
II IS summer, and summer noon. The big
Yellow watch hangs motionlesS, the black
smiths hammer intermits, a man lies asleep on
0c Org goods box and the merchant stands
NIl 10 the door A thirsty dog is tapping
wafer at The trough by the pump, and drOnc
@@!lng bis prayers on its edge. The bar
.Uon Is silent, all but the heavy breath of the
ssoHng master and dog, and the drowsy hum of
aS. The fireplace is green with asparagus,
wi wi Inc winter is over and gone. Family in
,ue distant is sound-it is bee iu the gar
I'u-ShrlIIer, clearer-it is a shout Louder,
~uuer, nearer, it is the horn of the coming
'tsase Now it winds up and down among
.us notes like bugle, abrupt and emphatic,
'Ou Ihen with dying fall
lae landlord arouses himself, the dog is
Ae Toe postmaster comes out upon the
TS the tailor looks out Of the window
us rattle of wheels is distinguished, the jing
D DS VI ooIts and the crack of the long whip
,o''5 n""l Tue bill, over the bridge here it comes,
,..uuS 10 with flourish, and the four-in-hand
nS is brought up before the door with an en-
ssi rrssS That makes the old coach rock and
'',pg Itg ike ship in swell.
n.s ooor is thrown open, and one woman in
1SGG ES'.1 caIaSh emerges the depleted mailbag
ana uIIed mI out from beneath the drivers feet
'us leaders aud wheel horses already are