The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-05-02
FrTNNy BUT GOOD.


luxuriant; while on each side OF TN
graveled walk that led from the iron
b. portico TO the door yard gate grew cius
ters of pinks, sweet-williams and lark
spurs. The house was painted white
and very green Observation-Disclosures
fashioned, to be sure, but c"zy, home
, like and tasty withal.
About the hour Of six on Monday
morning, in the month of May, a nm,
looking lad of II walked slowly up e
,, the path which i, d from the old orchard
to the house. He was dressed IN loose
trowsers of bottle-green jeans, jacket
of the same. heavy boots and well-woru
hat His face was strikingly handsome,
being fair. healthful, intelligent and
BRIGHT. though now il wore an inde.
scribable. family visible shade, as OF
innocent perplcxity OF possible glei
The mistress Of the cottage was at
this time in the kitchen prep ring Tor
the weeks washing. She VAS middle
aged. stoutly bullt, healthy matron,
sandy-haircd and slightly ireckled, blue
eyed, and quick in her movements.
Usually smiling and
ful to see how strongly she now struRRl-
ed to master the emotions Of sadness
that constantly arose IN her b' som like
spectcrs that would not be driven away.
A bright-eyed Poldru-haired maiden
of 16 was in the breakfast room, wash
| ing the morning dishes and singing C
casional snatches from a mouruful ditty.
1t was sad indeed 20 see a cloud Of re-
! gret and half-suppressed anguish in that
fair young face, and dimming the earnest
1 sparkle If those unusually perry eyes.
Mr.. Coulter, the head of the family,
! owner of the cottage and its lands, stood
! near the center of the sitting rom guZ-
ing fixedly and sadly at the picture of a
| sweet child holding a white kitten IN it's
lap, which hung on the wall over against
the broad fireplace. A look Of sorrow
betrayed itself even in the dark, stern
visage of the man. Occasionally he
drew his grizzly mustache into his
mouth aud bit IL iercely Evidently he
was chatting under giief.
The cottage windows we're wide open,
as is the Western custom in fine weather,
and the fragrance of the spicewood and
sassafras hoated in on tle flood tide Of
pleasant air, while from the great locust
down by the yard fence fell the twitter-
ing prelude TO the finche's song. A
white line of fog above the river was
plainly visible from the west windows,
and through the heeoy veil hocks Of
teal and wood ducks cut swiftly in their
downward sweep to thewater. Agolden
flicker sang and hammered on the gate
post the while he eyed a sparrow-hawk
that wheeled aud screamed high over
head.
The lad entered the kitchen and said
to his mother, in voice full of tender
ness, though hardly audible:
"Ma, where's pap ?"
"In the front room, Billy" replied
the matron, solemnly.
Passing into the breakfast room,
Billy. y.looked at his sister, and fash OF
sympthetic sorrow played back and forth
from the eyes of one of those 10 the
other then he went straight into the
sittlng-room, and handed something TO
Mr.. Coulter.
The man looked at hia boy proudly,
sternly, sorrowfully. The lad looked
into his fathers face sadly, exultingly.
heroically. 1t was living tableau no
artist could reproduce.
"Billy," said the father, gravely, Il
took your mother and sister to church
yesterday"
Eyes, sir"
"And left you TO see TO the things"
eyes, sir" replied the boy, gazing
out through the window at the flicker as
it hitched down the gate post and finally
dropped into the grass with a shrill
chirp.
"And you didn't water the pigs2"
5000! Oh, sir GeeroOdy Oh,
me Laway, laway me !"
The slender action of an apple tree
rose and fell in the hand of Mr.. Coulter;
and up from the jacket of the lad, like
incense from an altar. rose cloud Of
dus', mingled with the nap OF jeans.
Down in the young clover of the meadow
the lark and sparrows sang cheerily, the
gnats and flies danced up and down in
the sunshine, the fresh, soft leaves OF
the vines rustled, and all was merry in
Iced.
Billv's eyes turned mp toward the face
of his father in appealing agony but
still with sharp hiss the switch cut the
air, falling steadily ana mercilesely on
his shoulders. And along the green
banks of the river the willows shook
their shiny fingers at the lifting fog, and
the voices of childr' n going to school
5mote the sweet May wind.
"Oh, pap, I'll not forget the pigs no
nore"
aspect you won't neither"
The wind, by a sudden puff, lifted in
20 the room a shower of white blossom
petals from a sweet apple tree, letting
hem fall gracefully upon the patch
work carpet, the while n plowman
plaintivcly in a distant field.
"Outch Crackeel Oh, pap, papr'
"Shut your mouth r L" split you 10
he back bone"
How many delightful places in the
woods bow many cool spots beside the
river, would have been more
pleasant to Billy than the place he then
"Oh me oh me !" yelled the lad
Still the dust rose and danced in the
lanting jet of sunlight that feel across
he room, and the hens out ut the barn
ackled and sang for JOY over new eggs
aid in choice places.
At one time during the falling OF the
cd the girl quit washing, and, thrusting
Ter head into the kitchen, said, in a sub
lued tone:
"NIy land, amt Bill gittin' an awful
,ne?"
you're mighty right" replied the
mother, solemnly
Along toward the last Mr.. Coulter
iptoed at every stroke. The switch
ctually screamed through the air as it
ell. Billy danced.
"Now, 20, sir, cried the man, toss
ng the frizzled stump of a gad out at
he window, $50 now; and, next time,
,ou water them pigs"
And, while the finch poured out a
ataract of melody from the locust, he
gent.-Poor boy that was terribl
hrashing; and, 10 make il worse, it had
,een promised TO him the evening be-
ore, SO that he had been dreAding it
nd shiveriug over il all night. Now,
8 he walked Though the breakfast
Dom, his sister looked at him in a com
way, but, on passing through
he kitchen, he could not catch the eye
f his mother.
Finally he stood in the fee, open air,
n front of the saddle closets. II was
ust then speclled rooster, on the barn
ard fence. Topped his wings and crow
d vociftrously A turkey-cock was
trutting upon the grass by the old
herry tree.
Billy opened the door OF the closets.
UA bov's will ia the winds will and