Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-08-02
FIRE ON THE HEARTH.

n homestead without a par of old folks
Time doting chroniclers' seated con
tentedly in the chimney cornq, would hard
ly be homestead at all. Ifthey arc in the
picture it is complete.
There you may find them, lay in and day
out, in all sorts of weathc, steadfast to
their places and to one anothr When the
caves drip, in the middle Of tic winter fore
moons, the old man with thebead of silver
abandons his post and the LIST Saturday S
newspaper, to make the accusomcd tour of
the kitchen offices, the sheds or the barn,
lingering by the way to throw lown a hand
full of grain for the pinched pOltFy. With
what minuteness he is cautioned by Grand
mother not to 90 out insuficieHly clad; and
with what single hearted py she welcom-
ed him when he comes ba& to her ogain
lie would hardly get a warner reception if
he was just come home frOma polar expe-
dltlon. And as soon as he has nestled down
snugly in his cushioned chm once more,
and dealt out on the glowing irestick few
vigorous raps with the t0ngs,hc will launch
forth into such valuable details Of the keen
air out Of doors, suggesting Arctic rcmin-
iscences which no listener cqlld very well
call in question,--as will fad the white
haired couple topic Of earntt talk till din
ner is brought on the table
The children invariably cdnc home from
school, in the Wintry aftcrnods to find the
placid PAIR seated III the saIc accustomed
spot:-the strip of sunshine tying pale and
sleeplly across the floor, the lray cat cuTled
before the fire in the nest IF her eraless
dreams, and the little spritos that are 'pcg-
ged knotty cntrails" of the ok logs singing
the droWsy hours away. Willie would have
made the picture immortal Down along
the snowy roads the wind. are wrestling
with travellers, pulling and tlaring at hats,
and cloaks, and mcagrc r5bes;-but no
winds are to be felt in this nom tranquil
haven; here all days are hacyon days, and
no atmosphere is breathed but that Of peace
and heaven. In the old mans cheeks the
rich mettlc is as fresh, to appearance, as it
ever was; the features betray no look of be-
ing pinchcd with the cold; no SHOWS can get
III to benumb his attcnuated fingers.
They two constitute sort Of family tri-
bunal and a highly useful arrangement it
is, IN crowded domestic congress. They
are always to be found on the judicial bench,
ready to give audience. Many are the tough
little problems that arc brought to them for
their wise solution. They pass upon cases
In which the intetcsts of the turbulent
younglngs are involved, with a promptness
which challenges the disputants' wonder;
and If Grandma only said thus and so, there
is no use in hunting for higher authority
she Is conceded to be the "era Of the law
Or Grandpa promises to mend the broken
sled; and never was sled Of boy repaired
with greater deXterousncss and ingenuity.
From early morning until nightfall he ram
bles about the house on short excursions,
filed full and thoroughly warmed with the
dear home feeling. And when one pair Of
dimmed eyes became yet DINNER, and at
last fades entirely from the earth, h,-and one
i5hed corner TO be seen there no more Tor
cycr-what vacancy in the heart of the
household then Looking up from her
forenoon occupation, Grandmother throws
her eyes from sheer force of habit, into the
opposite corner, but the chair stands empty
over there, and great tear trcmbles on her
check as she adjusts her needle in the knit
ting sheath she wears. The fire is not so
hot that it can warm her chilled heart any
longer She listens to the wintry winds
that are blowing without, and thinks ofthat
single grave, freshly rounded under the
pines U0mCSpUR.