Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-08-21
THE CHRONICLE
For the CHRONICLE.
MY CHILDHOOD,S HOME.

Yes, come and sit beside me,
And I'll tell you of my home,
When I. happy child like you,
Cared no where else to roam.
But you must very quiet be,
Nor speak OF games, now resting.
For thinking how OF childhood scenes
I'm in no mood for jesting.
A locust tree on one side the west door
The mate to Il on the other;
Just out Of their shade a lilac had stood
Since young bride was my mother.
A little beyond the rose bushes grew.
On one side the path to the orchard;
Whilea quaint flower bed on the other side
By my sister was carefully nurtured.
And then the orchard-Oh! rambOs were
The incest ever tasted;
And golden-pippins and harvest-sweets,
Would their sweets had longer lasted.
And Rhode Island greetings, and russets
with their round cheeks brown and
As sifin contempt of the paler hue
That graeed the Washington lady.
Sleepy peoples and sunfiowers bland
Ger the garden were widely scattered;
But whether on beet or lettuce bed
To them 1t little mattered.
For well they knew when weeds despoiled
Were left to wilt near the border,
They still would stand to grace the land,
disgrace the gardens order)
The house was old fashioned and ample
enough,
By locust and maple shaded;
And row Of cherry trees skirted the road
Which yearly with fruit were laded.
And likewise bordered the garden too,
While the a1, orchard Few $ ald number In9l
For the passer-by to plunder.
East Of the house the dairy house stood,
While still further east, just DER the yard
fence,
Down the hill side creek could be seen.
Twas there on the bank the peach trees
TIL winter-knled they perlshed;
Still year after year in memories dear
Their l1cious fruits were cherished.
Across the creek was the lowland or fats;
With hickories here and there dotted;
A pasture fine for sheep and kline;
Save a portion with wild grass knotted. |
Back from the house was placed the barn,
By barn-yard nigh surrounded;
There were stables built for bonny cows.
And scanolds Of hay abounded.
The sloping hillside lay beyond,
A spacious corndeld left hand;
While on the right, across the creek
Was the same continuous lowland.
A path sped north along the bank
To where were groves Of maple;
o glorious days In early spring
When sugar was the staple
And still the path sped farther on,
Right past a field of clover,
And past some woodland on the right,
And meadow land far over.
Mosquito creek ran through that mead.
And near did form an island,
Which oft TO gain I'd walk the fence,
Just DER which was the highland.
Oh, how priced the bIue-bells fair
And forget-me-nots all wild,
That grew upon the island "a there
When was but q Rchildi
And how priced the meadow too
With its lilies darkly golden, Z
I'd rescue from the mowers scythe
In times that now are oldeni
You have an outline, little one, :
or the home loved so well;
And you have listened earnestly
From locust tree to blue bell.
But Of the flowers in the woods,
The merry hillside gambols,
The many nuts we used TO ind
In TayWard autumn rambles. G
0f going after winter-greens.
Or climbing trees for cherries;
The bushes In the pasture lot, I
We used to search for berries. 4
Of hunting hens nests in the barn, 4
And playing '-hide III seek you,'f
And getting lilies from the pond,
And wsding In the brook too. (
)f dropping corn in little drills, {
OF sowing It all broad cast; q
And sailing boats upon the stream
With sails unfurled at half mast.
)f feeding chickens. some three score, n
And setting hens perplexing; =
u playing emigration too
And new recruits anneIing. 81
" gathering apples with grandpa,
Or raking meadow grasses; u
u sailing on our sleds downhin Ii
With other lads and lasses. q
" these and other pastimes rare, a
You scarce would know the meaning, II
he country is SO changed since then, N
To think Is most like dreaming. =,
MATTE n. B. l.
o. G