The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-08-29

nurrcd, nor worried, nor lazy, nor
capable OF complaint. She sat
reading in her corner Of the bright
red plush sofa, as if she had passed
her youth there, and might stay
there through her declining years.
But, about ten minutes before the
train was due at BushGeld, she shut
her book, put it in her satchcl, be-
gan to collect her bundles, and at
length, looking across Il great roll
which she held in her arms, said to
Flora:
81 am going to Bushfcld to set
my house in order. If you will
stay with me until you c'n go back
to town, you can be made as com
Portable as you would be, perhaps,
if out ON a picnic that lasted over
night. My house has been shut up
all winter, and | have NJ servant
with me-"
Miss IIarlcm-thcrc is no reason
why her name should be concealed
had 50 much Of the good Samarl-
tam in her face as she spoke, that
Flora could not help thanking her
for helping her out Of the ditch, as
il were, the lady seemed pleased to
be taken at her word.
"Thcrc is nobody to expect me, "
she said, as they stood ON the plat
form at the depot for moment,
while she twisted her veil around
her hat and looked down the lane
like road which ran on and on, cv-
identity toward the dwclling-placcs
scattered alcng the hillside, $50 we
may as well 90 at once,
Flora could not have dropped in
to Il grccncr world or one more still,
for the stiffness was not broken by
the singing Of the birds, which filled
the budding trees and made vocal
the wayaidc fences.
When, laden like two pcddlcrs,
they had gone about mile, induIg-
ing now and then in a bit Of speech,
Miss Harlem suddenly turned into
u still narrower lane, and rounding
a curve in the road, they bcheld a
small, old house half hidden by the
great apple trees which, bmshins in
aged beauty, surrounded it.
" Here we are, all in the month OF
May" said the guide. " Wait a
minute until ! let the daylight in."
So she unlocked the door, went
in, unfastcncd the tight wooden
shutters, and stepped quickly about
with Il song in her heart, which
now and then presented itself at the
door Of her mouth. She was cvi-
GENTLY at home.
While Miss Flora stood i'll the
rustic porch, looking across the
green grass to the lonely, winding
road, she felt how much she had
vet to learn of real solitude. | wish
| could disclose to you that old
place, though you are here for quite
another purpose; and, indeed, what
words could give you the snbdncd
and wondcrous coloring of that
August twilight-thc wide cxpanse
of that glorious sky, gorgeous even
with its dying hucs-the sound o'
the long swaying branches, as they
scarcely moved in the zcphyrou
air-thc dense shadows in the grass
the chirp of the little disobedicnI
1 birds that would sit up late ant
talk?
In less than an hour the water wa
boiling in the tca-kcttle, and they
were seated at Il little tea-table in I
square room, which suggested to Mis-
Flora that possibly she might be ii
the house Of one of Barnum'S cOllcc
tors or manufacturers. Every mi
mute thing that could move OF
, wings seemed to have flown in thcr
to be impalcd. There was no on'
Of buftcrllicS-no end of minor i'll
sccts, and wilderness of birds
Glass cages protected all these spec
linens. The room was library
but the books were the works OF IA
turc. There was no furniture be
, sides, except the table at which the!
sat, and the chaiis which supported
them. Dividing the six cage
of stuffed birds and other preserve,
creatures, were three windows ano
two doors. and through these win
dows, between the gnarlcd branchc
of those blooming applc-trccs--oh
, my good reader, would that you anc
| might see what Miss flora'5 eye
bcheld!
, "Thc like of this will never hap
r pen to me again; | will enjoy it t.
= the full extent" Miss Flor
! thought, reminding herself i'll goo'
! time that she was a philosopher.
t Her hostess perhaps OWNED he
thoughts. "Shall you be afraid t,
J., spend the night in this old house ?
she asked, 81 am ancient being
r there's no denying it, but | am N
/ witch Thrsn ihinrs Won see arOunl