Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-07-13
Across The Way.

1t is not an attractive looking building,
but rather the opposite. 1t STANDS on one Of
the busine streets of Nashville, the two low
er stories being occupied as business houses,
real estate and land offices. 1t is the upper
story, and tue family which occupy one or
mora rooms thereof, which attracted my
attention. They are evidently German,
and learn incidentally that the old gentle
man cobbles shoes for a liVing-though
what in the world one would want to climb
two long flights of stairs in order TO get
pair of boots or shoes mended, when he
can have the work done much nearer terra
.fr7nd, is beyond my ken. Nevertheless,
our German cObler must have his customers,
as l sometimes hear, through the open
window Of my room opposite, the regular
tap Of hammer, and also catch occasional
glimpses of cheerful, stoop-shouldered,
spare-bUilt man, with shoemaker's apron
on, and of course no one ever wears shoe
makers apron except for service.
In front of this house is long, wide YER
anda, and on this veranda l count six
ty-five varieties of flowers and plants, cigar
boxes and discarded fruit and eyster cans,
Going duty IS flower pots, while back of
this long lire, see other plants and flowers
in great variety.
Twenty times day, or more, sweet
faced girl about ten years of age, comes out
on this versnda and passes up and down
amid this beautiful eoli-esion of natures
jewels, gently arranging them with skillful
and loving fngers. Frequently she is
accompanied by an old lady, evidently her
grandmOther, whose t5in gray hairs are
parted smoothly back over her WriDkled
forehead. Ore wasted and trembling hand
rests upon the shoulder of the little girl,
who points out 10 her the budding beauties
of her floral pets, and the face of the old
lady li.hts up with pleasure as she looks up
On the flowers and listens to the animated
conversation Of her little granddaughter.
Sometimes stout, hearty looking little boy
is seen upon the veranda with the girl, and
then the talk is very lively indeed, as they
discuss the attractions and merits Of the
various flowers, and comment upon the ad-
vancement each is making. Ihave concluded
long ago, that this boy is the girls brother;
that he is employed in some distant part of
the city, and is able to be at home but
small part of the time. This conclusion is
reached the more readily, as be seldom fails
to appear on the veranda on Sunday.
On pleasant evenings the little girl comes
out with some work or book in her hand,
and takes seat on low stool so complete
ly surrounded by her treasures that l can
only see her head and face.
l have taken a great interest in these
neighbors "across the way" and indulge in
a great many speculations concerning them.
I wonder if these children have any friends
to tske charge of them in case their grand
parents should be suddenly called to "psss
over the river"-an event which, owing to
their extreme age, might occur at any time.
1 wonder how long the four have occupied
their present quarters, and how long they
were in making their splendid and valuable
floral collectio0-for it has certainly been a
work of time. l speculate concerning the
future life and surroundings of those chill
dren, and sincerely hope and trust that as
much of happiness as falls to the lot of man.
kind msy be theirs. PASTE.