Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-01-24

We remember it clearly. as We do that Of
/ the barbarous, lsrge-fgured papering,
whose scrolls and garlands wheel about
from eide TO side over a shaded ground
work OF blue. By the chimney side, tall
| steel tongs fash ont lustrousIy bright, and
the rims of the picture frames glesm in
/ the darkness. In the narrow, bevel-edged
mirror are reflected the. towering astral
lamps aud the family Bible, resting In
state upon the double top Of the card
table beneath. There is also 3 great
mahogany dinner table, heavy and polish
ed, with folded leaves so broad that they
almost hide its carved claw-feet The
mantle is long and high, and above It hang
squares of silk embroidery where the
crimson petals of the roses aud the purple
lips Of the psnsies are bisnched 10 one
sameness Of yeliowish white There, too,
appears a small silhouette, upon which our
great grandfather profile is preserved,
cut in solid blackDess, with the sharp
contour Of his nose and the curling ends
Of MS Wig standing forth as If outlined By
Paul Renowka, and serving 70 portray
our respected ancestor ss > cadaveroUs
negro Of the blsckest dye. 4 stitched
sampler 0n the opposite wall marshsls il
row the names Of al! our aunts and uncles
as If they were rehearsing for the family
tombstone. and our mothers name in pale
silk is signed a, the foot. I6" That
she could ever nave been sixteen seemed
not more wonderful to our childish fancy
than that, in the very face Of the mari
golds and pinks. the cows and the farm
house around her, she should have wiiiful-
y fashioned such impossible flowers, ami
mails and dwellings as those which meander
around its border. A couple Of peacock
feathers are stuck above this genealogical
record, and the same ornaments serve to
beautify the one remaining picture Of the
room. This represents q tall, white tablet
with the inscription " To the memory of
visible across the top. At the side leans
3 composed female 10 black attire, holding
to ner right eye one corner Of a volumin-
Gus handkerchief while the other trails TO
the ground at her feet. The weeping will
low, arching close above her head, does not
touch her with one of It's leaves. and all
its branches grow in 4 singular manner
either TO the right or left. and in parallel
lines. Bus however faulty these objects
IA ZIe q peal a. wtAAe VI arb tAeF are
beyond criticism as the products Of beloved
fingers, and are enshrined IN o thousand
sweet associations. The smooth. speok less
carpet, the wrought, faded footstools. the
highbscked chairs, the antique tables sud
the ornsmented walls. make the whole
room seem to us q cherished picture which
70 modern touches could improve Il is a
realm sacred 10 family weddings, Thanks
giving dinners and forma. gatherings and
is never prolaned by more familiar merri-
ment.
Ia the sitting room. on the other side OF
the hail, the furniture IS of more recent
make, and the CHEEKY sunlig ight pouring in
70 it falls upon pots OF bergamot. house
leeks and tea roses on q little stand. Re
the arm chairs have feather cushions, and
backs Of wooden rods 50 straight and high
that they defy chIguoDs aud pan,ers 10
6ud comfort within them. Ga the walls
re may behold lac simiie Of the Declar-
alton Of Independence, with al the speci- F..
mems Of chirograPhy that figure beneath
il, from John Hancock : dashius curves to
Stephen Hopkins quavering lines aud
beside II, perhaps, a map Of the United
States, depicting the country west Of the
Mississippi as a blank unexp.ored waste
la the smaller, less frequeuted rooms.
there are rows Of glass tumbers set upon
toe window sashes, flied, as We surmise, /.
with luscious jeilies, each With its cap Of.
white paper tightly drawn, and no hint of
leathery mould crink.ing upon the ,u7tace /.
within The pantry door is half open, and (
there, upon the lower shelves, We behold /.
the stone Jars that eusdrine zrsnimother's I
preserves. rich. purple-hearted damsons |
strings OF tart barberries. and neat little /
crab apples on their slender stems There.
toe, are the pickles, such pickles as only !
grandmother makes great maug0es. that (
show when cut open, imprisoned stores Of /
tiny onions, baby cucImber7. al.spice, mus /.
tard seed and horse radish, sIl served up /.
within the puppy rind Of melon. aud /
picked crisp and hard.
IN .he kitchen the wide open fireplace I
holds now 3 patent cooking stove, which /
projects gIumly from its empty recess, but 7
we can recall the time when great back I
logs dozed there ia fervid serenity, while /
smaller sticks broke and cracked before 4
them, and nigh over the flames q line .
Of pots and kettles swung from the crane
Ju AAE AUnE Drle t41thes - Ff@e n 4t4l Ett !
in those days to sit near the chimney. be- !
fore the candles we're lighted. and see :he /
shine Of the great FIRE playing over the /
FURNISHED tops Of the andirons. and con /
yertihg the tin pans standing Ia the oppo-
site dresser into so many flashing suns /
And what glowing cave Of unapproach- I
able heat seemed the brick oven beside il, /
on those Saturday mornings when. with |
its fierce breath siDgeing our cheeks, we
watched long shoyeis bringing out the live
Goals that were bedded within and then /
tenderiy consigning 70 its swept floor a !
freight of bean pots. loaves Of brown bread, !
pan dowdies and mince and pumpkin pies !
Such . grand baking festival ia the brick |
oven takes place there now once a year. !
when grandmother makes ready the Thanks |
giving feast for her returning family. But
no lack Of eatables was ever known IN her
capacious pantry, for the first essential 20 /
human happiness in the old New England
mansion Is that there should &c AZ all
hours plenty to eat and to drink.
A Few Thoughts on 0verwOrk.
Among the most blessed consultations
10 US in this vale Of tears is