The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-01-13
OUR SATURDAY NIGHT.
The Lights in the Windows!

The Lights in the Windows!
Across the street!
How the carriages rush by this
cold night. their wheels calling
jarring echoes from the frost filed
pavements. Ills very cold with
out. People are hurrying home
ward to rest. for the work Of the
week is finished Across the
street! See the bright lights from
hundreds and hundreds of win
dows. Somebody lives there.
Somebody has lit these lights.
Somebody is across there, waiting
the coming of Somebody, as wiif
wait week after week, while time
shall last, Somebody.
"Please hand our field glass;"
Now We can see quite plainly.
Over there is a window. The cur
tains are drawn-all within is hid
den. We see the glimmer Of a
light. Forms moving to and fro.
There is another window. Adjust
the glass. Now we see clearly.
We see clear across over the noisy
street, with its shadows fitting by
in the dim lamplight below us.
But the window! Pendant from
the ceiling is chandelier. How
plainly We can sec with the glass
pointed in the right direction
There is beautiful room. Lead
ing from it-from o parlor, is a
door, so far open that we can see
q room beyond, also lighted-wjth
other forms moving therein.
| The light in the window lis
bright. Now thero comes to the
window lady. She is beautifully
dressed. She puts her face to the
glass and looks out, this way, into
and down the shadowy street to
see if some one she is waiting for
is not coming. Now to her side
comes little child-now. another.
They, too, press their little faces
to the panes, to look also. They
go away-!o the other side Of the
room--through the door to a
supper room. Now comes on old
gentleman TO the window. 11e
looks out. He steps back, and we
see him reading from a great vol
ume, and, as it seems, explaining
to some one, of its content.
They are working, waiting for
somebody. We look into the shad-
owy street. Horses speed along.
Men hasten by. Women walk
hurriedly. Children almost run,
in haste to reach some home where
is light in the window. We look
again into that room. Hold the
glass stea.ly--look close. There
is beauty there. Carpets Of va
rious colors. Pictures on the walls.
Articles so different from those
,, seen on the street. Sofa chairs in
Which those who wish can rest
The faces in there do not seem &C
wrinkled and SO careworn as are
those on tho street. How happy
somebody soon will be. All! q
carriage nsars the door-the mar.
, row door by the window: Slower
and still slower. 1t stops. A mar
nlights. The carriage rolls awal
--its driver anxious to reach tn,
window lighted for him. The mar
who alighted hastens up tho steps
!, He puts his hand to the door.
: latch. We see start inside. The
old man looks up from his book
The woman smiles and turns 4
the door Children come troop
ing in. THERE'S q grccting--een-
d tie kisses, one after another. Smile,
& upon every face. How plainly v,
SEQ through the window. The ms,
who just entered has thrown OF
has outer garments He shrug
his shoulders at the welcom,
}. change from the world TO hom
e where now he can rest. He smile
81 upon those who surround him
They cluster around and point ou,
seemingly, new attractions in th
room, added since he left in til
morning. 1t seems so mrsn NOR
y pleasant in there than out in til
10 cold, dirty, noisy street, where q
Eh one really cares for ano.her, ths
- We do not wonder the man hasten
~ cd to reach his home, guided b
er the light in the window. Hi
ii home! He helped make it. Thos
" who are there arrived before hin
They laugh and chat. Now Ii
door to the inner room il throw
open. We see q table and mol
light! There is supper, = feas
- . banquet.
sr = = =. =
ed
Now we see the party again
tho front-room-the parlor. IT
woman is caring for her childer
and for q poor creature who seen
weak and sickly. The old gentl
man is reading the great volum