Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1864-01-14

Snowy muslin curtains were parted
wide, at the low windows, that locke,
even smaller, from the thick wall O
the building. A wing-also of log,
was attached TO the part alread,
described, for kitchen. A log barn
and two or three other outbuildings
constituted the group.
The heavy forest trees had bee,
removed from, perhaps, fifteen acres
and this clearing" was divided, by
rail fence, into a wheat field, corn
field, potatoe-feld and little plat bt
merry brook, known as the mead
ow. A little garden, paled in will
riven strips, completed the Improve
ments," if VIC except few SLENDER
fruit trees, that struggled above thei,
short-lived neighbors in the corn-field
as yet guiltless of fruit or even bios
SONS.
And in the dwelling lived Mrs. Law
ton and her two sons, one of whom
was at the village to meet his broth
er, who was hourly expected with hi.
bride, from one Of the Eastern States
Five O'Clock |" said Mrs. Lawton
as the clock on the mantle struck the
hour. The stage comes in at four
and they will soon be here. Did yo,
put water in the pitcher in their room
Jenny?"
"Yes, ma'am. Please 60 in ant
see how nice it looks !" and she step
ped to the door of little room, one Q
two. partitioned off from the living
room of the family.
Mrs. Lawton arose and followed her
smiling at the eager movements of the
girl, who acted as help in the little
household. She was the daughter oI
one of their neighbors, and was treat
ed more as child than a servant
The room was small, very small but
it contained a snowy robed bed, Q
wash-stand, toilet-table-of home
manufacture, as was the wash-stand
and two chintz-covered chairs. The
wall was hung with newspapers, bu,
SO nicely fitted, margin to margin
that the eye delighted to rest upon it
A strip OF soft colored carpet was
tackled down, just before the bed, Will,
on the toilettabIe, and before the lit
tie glass, was a tiny china pitcher fillet
with roses and pinks. Jenny looked
at the flowers, and then at Mrs. Law
ton, with a degree Of pride, not to be
understood by one who has access
to such treasures all the summer.
Why. Jenny Where did you get
those roses ?"
Iran home and got them while
you was sleeping, after dinner. ]
thought, maybe, she had roses a,
home, and these would make bel
room seem more home-like. l picket
all there was on the bush. 1t has on
ly been out two years and it came
near dying the first year. hope sh,
won't be homesick, like poor Mrs
Cooper was, and fret herself to death.
Mrs. Lawton's heart sank, for &
moment, as she asked herself, wha
if she should be homesick But no
she would make her SO happy that she
could not be. She had known her
when blessed by a mothers love, and
now, she would be one to her, in act
as well as name and thus musing
she smoothed the rounded bed, stoop
ed and gathered a straw from the
white floor, and then, setting one o
the chairs by the only window, SO that
its occupant could look out upon the
waving grain, said /:
Thank you Jenny; your roses
will be appreciated by the bride, wher
she knows how scarce they are. Ant
now, you may lay out the table"
The table was soon spread I; and 9
tempting table it was, when all was
ready. The cloth was q miracle of pu
rity and glossiness the plain whit,
ware, well chosen and well kept the
cutlery, neat and polished and the
silver. although but little, multiplied
itself by its own brightness. Nor were
the edibles lacking in quality or ar
rangement. Cold fowls, Of almondlik,
BROWNIES bread, white and feath
cry in it's lightness'; butter. a perfec
golden hemisphere pickles. crisp
not grecn-Mrs. Lawton was afraid o
green pickles the cake, as no on,
but Edwards mother could make it
and kept in countenancc by dish o
sweetmeats, made OF maple sugar an,
wild plums. And last, but not leas
was plate of wild honey, glistenin.
in its cells.
When all was completed, Mrs. Law
ton sat down on the little porch t.
await the arrival while Jenny, still
more eager, went to tho little gate
and peered over it to catch tho frs
appearance Of the team Of oxen, tba
was to convey them home.
At last her watching was reward
ed and with the glad cry, "They arr
coming" she yielded her place to Mrs
Lawton, whose impatience outstrip
ped the slow brutes, and passin,
through the gate, she hurried dow
the road to meet them, and was sool
clasping in her arms the tired wifi
and daughter.
IL could not wait any longer 70
you, my children" she said, az If hal
ashamed of her childish eagerness
Those oxen are so slow, Edward 1 y
"Yes, mother, and if Lucy prefer
to do SO, We will try and reach hom
before them," and passing one arr
around her, and giving tho other I
his mother, they walked the short di.
tance to the dwelling.
1t was just such Q welcome as Lu
cy had yearned for and as she ente
ed the neat, humble dwelling. she fel
no regrets, and only wished her aun
could know how pleasant it SCENE
/ TO her.