Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1867-12-20
old Folks at Home.

A homestead without pair of Old
Folls-"rinie's doting chroniclers'-
seated contentedly In the chimney
corner, would hardly be u homestead
at all, If they are In the picture 1t IL
complete. M "
There you may find them day In and
day out, in all sorts of weather, stead.
fast to their places and to one another
When the caves drip. I'm the middle oI
the winter forenoon, the old man with
the head of silver ahandpns his post aud
the last Saturdays newspaper, to make
the accustomed tour of the kitchen
offices, and Sheds, or the barn, lingcr.
ling by the way To throw down a hand
ful of grain for the pinched poultry -
With what Ininuteness he Is cautioned
by GRANDMOTHER not 10 go ont INSULT
ciently clad; and with what single
hearted joy she Welcomes him when he
comes back to her again! He would
hardly get u warmer reception The was
just cope home from a genuine polar
expedition. And as soon as he has hes.
tied down siiugly in his cushioned
chair once more, and dealt out on the
glowing forestick few vigorous raps
with the tongs, he will launch forth
into such valuable details of the Keen
~
inisences which no listener could very
we'll call in question---as will lind tn,
white haired old couple topic of earnest
talk till dinner In brought on to the tn
bile. ~ aE -
The children invariably come home
from school, in the wintry afternoons
To find the placid pair seated In that
same accustomed spot; the strip oi
sunshine lying pale and sleepless across
the floor. the gray cat curled before tile
fire In the nest of her endless dreams
and the little sprites that are "pegged
in the knotted enlrallsn of the oak logs
singing the irow~y hours away. VIII
kie would have ma,le the picture i'm
mortal. Down along the snowy roads
the winds are wrestling with travellers
pulling and tearing at hats, and cloats,
and meagre robes but no winds are
To be felt IN this rooms tranquil haven
here all days are haltyon days, aud no
atmosphere IL breathed but that oi
peace and heaven. In tile old man :
cheeks the rich mottle is as fresh. "a
appearances, as IL ever was the features
betray no look of being pinched with
the cold; no snnws can get into benumb
his attenuated iingers.
They two constitute q sort of family
tribur raj and Il highly useful arrange.
ment it is. iu a crowded domestic con.
gress. They are always to be found on
the judicial benclt ready to give audi.
enee. Many are the tough litlle prub-
lens that are brought To them Tor theil
solution. They pass upon Eases In
which the Interests OF the turbulent
younglmgs are involved with promp.
ness which challenges the disputants
wonder; and Vi Grandma only said thus
aud SO, there is no use in hunting foI
higher aGtiiority is conceded to be
the ''end of law'i Or Grandpa prom
ises TO mend the broken sled and new.
or WAS sled of boy repaired with create!
dexterousness and ingenuity, From
early morning until nightfall he ram
bles about the house on short excursion
flied full and thoroughly warmed with
the dear home feeling. And when one
pair of dinmed eyes become yet dimIn-
err and at last fades entirely from tile
hearth --and one stopped form is car.
ried forth from its cherished corner tu
be seen there 40 more fofever-whal
vaeaney'in the heart of the household
then Looking up rom her forenoon
occupation, Grandmother throws hel
eyes. from sheer iufce of hnbit, into the
opposite corner but the chair stands
empty over there. ulid great tear trem-
hies on her cheek as she adjusts her
lneetle in the knittiug-sheatn she
wears. The fire Is not so hot that il can
warm her chilled heart any longer. She
listens TO the wintry winds that are
blowing witltout--and thinks OF that
single grave, freshly rounded under the
pines.