National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-12-08
In the Attic.

IL Is an intensely melancholy day III
rain, the doleful winter rain, that falls upl
the roof and surees iitfully against the wi
dow has in II no undertone Of hope apl pre-
mise such as laughs out from the guSh
Springtime showers no resurrection of towe
or leaf no upspringing OF the bright-blade
grass no breath of carly wildwood fragrance
no chirp OF bird II is rain with M
voice. voice telling Of the brown, wthers
fields OF dim, misty forest aislcs strewn will
the tarnshed gold of dead leaves of forsakel
birds nests; of all the flowers even ti
hardy golden-rod, clinging bravely to south
side hedges dead, at last. and wither
ing hack into the mould from which the,
sprang.
The sound of the rain comes plainly to thi
little room under tbs roof, where the window
look out upon the fade ields and the hill
rising miStily into the dark grey clouds
With glass, which generally use II
watching for the pleasing vision of the persoi
who brings letters and papers from the dis
ttnt Postofiicc, ! look idly out to the hills
terrace of rock, where in the summers that
are gone, have passed many royal hour. is
thus suddenly brought near | see the whit,
trunks OF overhanging birchcs, the broad
shelf Of rock, and even tina niche where kept
my work-basket, But vague. fnnereal
shadow is over all the leaness birches are
= In the tiynlns, ,;,J l.. n
were long since pelted to death and there are
lifeless grasses and cold gusts of rain and seet
where was once the eoldenness and aroma OF
bright June days
It's, IN truth, poignantly sad day The
briet afternoon is more than half spent, and
the room has already taken on sombre tnge
of evening, Sometimes cheerful sound
from the household below comes family to my
ear, but ii is only ono little shaft OF sun light
athwart my rainv-day thoughts and it is shut
ont with the shutting of the hall door
fetch certain box. seldom touched, and
sit down with it on my knee, reverently rails
ing the lid little Japan trunk with pad
lock upon it such an article AS burglar
would make off with in great glee and o.
what would be his chagrin on forcing it open !
You would not smile at least you would not
smile deri'ively, seeing the odd variety of
tuings have In this box. presume all of
us have a collection of like Daturc slowed
away somewhere among the goods Of this
mementoes - valuable only 10
the owner"
And this is what see Letters-of course
Letters rather yellow. greatly misspelled, and
breathing of those early, early DAYS, when
the greatest sorIow Of iife was rainy day,
and its tragedy hiprng, Letters, not so
yellow, tied with dainty ribbons and sweet
With immortal musk an first love. Letters
with Joyous news Letters blotted
With tears.
Bunches of withered and hardly distinguish
BILE flowers some from bridal wreath, some
rom the cold, unmindful clasp of dead hands |
sweet only with the memories which they |
xhale
little old fashioned dress which my
mother convincingly affirms | wore when |
hree years old. Timothy Titcomb-who |
uess, has his repnlngs as we'll as the rest of
=, says, whoever wishes he were young again
ad better never have lived at ALL Still |
an help regarding this little garment rather
'istfully
This gourd hard as adamant, and sce Hoped
fantastic manner, is the precious goblet
lat once hung in an old farm house kitchen.
$ l take it in my hand, dreams arise from it
dreams of " affiuence, love and olden time,
hen afiluence meant health and happy in
ustIy, and love was principle, and life ran
n as purely and calmly as the valley stream
y which this rude cup grew.
1t is a great stride in life from that rustic
eakcr to this little blue mitten. Its tint is
ute fresh. 1t has lain here but six years
IS mate was lost one day during a merry
eighride; and ! took the careless little
and in mine and kept it warm. But there
.le Il day when no clasp, however warm
I'd loving could bring any warmth into that
,or little hand
Here, too, are curls of hair short sunny
ID lken-clinging caressingly to my fingers,
if they still had something of the sweet
I'd loving life which once warmed them
There are many more things in the box.
now, but the misty twilight has so deepened,
ID the mist in my eyes has so gathered and ,
thrred | can ser notbiI hut yarirated and +,
apeless things and feel the night darken {
= and closing about the world.
MIcNoxpTTP