Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-02-07

that ran PARKING across the green Hl0duOhs
Before the front window strutted pea
cock, with his tail spread to the sunshine,
like a great oriental fan studded with
gems. The creature seemed to have a /
coquettish consciousness cf its beauty ; !
for he would open it proudly then lower
IL slowly, slowly, 50 that the sunbeams
irradiated the prismatic hues as they fell, |
and made them look like q dripping shower |
Of sapphires and emeralds. | had always |
before seen the bird carry his plamage in
trail Of glory behind him and this new
exhibition Of the gorgeous tints outspread
and shimmering in the sunshine so de-
lighted me that clapred E1y hands and
shouted. Could sparkling brooks and the
radiance Of peacocks' feathers fill me with
such gladness now | am still childish
in my love Of all forms Of beauty, but not
with the running-over joyousness of youth
The dinner was plain and old-fashioned,
| like all else around US but everything
was delicious The flavor of the butter
was as delicate and sweet as the fragrance
Of new hay, and It's hue was golden with
out the modern aid Of coloring matter.
| The bread was such as could only be made
by skilltul cook from grain which the
sunshine has filled with saccEarine. /
never recall that wholesome repast without
being reminded Of Milton's Allegro
/ Where Corydon and Thyrsi, met
/ Are al their savory dinner set,
/ Which the ueat-hauded Phyllis dresses
In our case, the j." neat-handed Phyllis "
was Gerusha, sole daughter of Adam
Howe, aided BY faithful house friend
near seventy years Old, who had serve ed in
the family all her days, and was still as
indispensable 10 the house as the house
was to her. Miss Howe seemed ike one
who had never been young and gay Her
manner had somewhat of Puritanical
Iprimness, and she looked as if she took
life very seriously. But her father said
+" Gerusha is As good a, gold + and her
sober face was an index of q thoroughly
honest and guilele=s character. She and
her father and brothers treated us more
Hike welcome friends, than like travellers
stopping at a tavern. Ii reminded me Of
Dr. Johuson's remark that the best home
a man can have Is "a good inn. | felt
sorry to leave, and looked back lovingly
upon the patriarchaL ola dwelling standing
in the midst Of fertile fields encircled by
three hundred acres of woodland
never saw the old place again. ear,
afterward, Gcrusha made me a visit. Her
father was dead. and I knew she had
i. troubles though She tried 10 hide them
A shadow had long been coming over the
} sunshine Of her home the shadow which
has cnveloped 80 many homes in utter
darkness. Travellers who storpcd there tC
2 rest their teams were accustomed to cal
for strong drink and the brother on
whom She depended 90 sustain the reputa
tlon Of the old establishment. paid the
. penalty which 90 many tavern n-keepers hav,
I paid for their familiarity with the accurseC
. thing. Everything about him degencrateC
s from its ancient thrittiness, and began Y
: wear shabby and disconsolate aspect
: Gerusha died debts accumulated and
finally tho primitive old homestead witt
r its fair acres of pasture and woodland
passed into the hands Of strangers
Loncfsliow has immortalized it as = Tn
' Wavsidc Inn " but it is an inn no longer
Indeed. all the cosy country tayerns nav
y vanished from this land, as completely a
the once hospitable abbeys have disaV
= pcarcd from Europe The splendid gIar
v Of modern hotels cclipsc- their memory
t but in them we should seek in vain 70
+ anv such snug corner for comfort as thu
p homcly and home-ijkc old room. 70 whlc
the lilac bushes waited their fragrance an
the brook sang Its song Of freshness
III hotels
' THrrl f- 0. course. aecH. t.l.-- Hf f., Ht-..
,,out headache .ua t,se. ana ua'n- iH rhe ,He-'
it but the plain, healthy food of the olo
fashioned New England tdveru- cannot
T 0 Ils Z .rlts'- aa