The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-01-28

Ia hl.ct ave-. with loag Iaohoo, Il
. rs nsI md iasr almost black md |,
REQ cn'e H. wore ! crimsoa plaia jeekst
ea.ly' f,,,l t,ousers, batsoasd q; ri :
WIN W.. ns ,h;stI;oo. and liked to ak qusg.
n .u. y a.s ACCOMPANIED BY small black
y W. 7. !. LONG y hile now since he dis
-. - sss.,sd. have ! very pleasant house
= ! much company. Ny guests say,
ssh Il is pleasant 10 be here. Every
.h;ng has such an orderly, put-avay look
ae,h;nc about |undertoot--no dirt"
D.. INV ewes are aching for the sight Of
DS;,.l;,o: and cut paper on the floor; Of
.nnhiaa down card. houses; Of wooden
shesn and cattle; of popguns. bows and
s.rors vb;ns. tops, go-carts, blocks and
..nmna,v wan, to see crumbles on the
oornaf and mast spilte n the kitchen table |
vant TO see the chairs and the tables
turned the wrong way about. want 70
see candy making and oorn'popping, aoe
to find iack-knivss and hsh-hooks among
nv muslins. Yet these things used to
fret me once. They say, "How quiet
YOU are here! Ali one here may settle
his brains, and be at peace" But my
ears are aching for the pattering Of little
feet, for hearty shout, q sbrill whistle, q
CAV ira Ia la; for the crack Of little whips;
Tor the noise Of drums. 6fes and tin trum-
pets. Yet these things made me nervouo
once.
They say, ssAh! you have leisure
nothing to disturb you. What heaps o.
sewing you have time for!" But long
to be disturbed. / want to be asked fol
bi. of string OF an old newspaper; for I
cent to buy slate-pencii or peanuts.
want to be coaxed Tor piece of new clotl
for ibis and mainsails. and then to hen
the same. | want to make little flag
and bags to hold marbles. l want to b
followed by little feet all over the house
teased for bit of dough for little cake
or to bake q pie in 3 saucer. Yet thes
things used to fdget me once. They say
"Ahl you are not tied at home. How de
lighlful to be always at liberty for concerts
lectures and parties! No confinement "a
you.' But / want confinement. wan
to listen to the school bell mornings,
give the last hasty wash and brush, an
then to watch from the window nimbl
feet bounding away to school. | wan
frequent rents to mend, and to replac
lost buttons. I want to obliterate mud
stains, molasses stains and paints Of q
colors / want to be sitting by the littl
crib of evenings. when weary little fe,
are al rest, and prattling voices are husl
ed. that mothers may sing their lullaby
and tell over the oft-repeated storie
They don't know their happiness thel
those mothers; / don't All these thin,
called confinement once.
A msnly.fgure stands before me no,
He is taller than l, has thick whisker
wears 4 frock coat, bosomcd shirt and
cravat. He has Just come from colleg
He brings Latin and Greek in his count
nance, and busts of the old philosophe
for the sitting room. He calls me motht
but am rather unwilling to own him.
AYERS that he is my boy and says that
can prove it. He brings his little boat
show the red stripe on the sail (it W
the end of the piece) and the name on Il
s.ern was Lucy Lowe, little girl of o
neighbor, who because of her leng cul
and pretty round face was the chosen
vorite of my boy. The ourls were lol
since cut off aAd she has grown to ia
handsome girl. How his face reddens
he shows me the name on the boat ! Oh
Isee 1t all as plain as if it were written
book My little boy is lost and my
ono soon will De. Oh, wish he were
tired little boy in long white night gov
lying in hi, crib, with me sitting by, hol
ing bis hand in mine, pushing back Il
curls from his forehead. watching his ey
lids droop and listening to bis deep breat
ing.
If | only had my little boy again, he
patient l would be How much won
bear and how little would fret and scol
| can never have him back again: b
there are still many mothers who have n
yet lost theD little boys. wonder
they know THY are living their very be
days; that now b the time to really eDj,
their children think if had be-
more to my little boy, might now
more to my grown up one.-[ Home Ma
azine.
The presfdamess gna,vv