The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-09-17
From the Western Rural.
Heroine of the Old House.
BY CARRIE e. w.

On a winding, dusty road, that leads by
pastures and woods md white frame
houses with bright verbenas in the
windows,hidden under oaks coveredswlth
ivy and mistleso@, in state of moldness
and decay, with gaping windows and
broken blinds, stands little old fallen
house Tie hlmley is fallen and the
door stands halt open as It was wont
when busy hands made the spinning
wheel fly and gray puseis curled in the
sunshine which poured in upon the
checkered carpet. In the rear, weedy and
useless now, little, garden place used to
TEEN with posatoes and cabbage. In
front there still remain the outline of a
playhouse. There are the broken bits of
china and piles of stone and pieces of
boards Alb, where are the little feet
that travelled over the dusty ROAD otter
the boards? Where the childish eyes
yet without tain! of distrust or sorrow
IN their depths, which peered through
screens and in old hoiows tor the bits of
earthenNare? Aud where are the little
hands, brown and p ump, dimpled ser
wants OF the eyes which gathered all these
treasures And where he little forms,
every one loved and cherif he'd by Him
who loved little children? And where
the kind and working hands that toiled
for them? The wind rushed through the
honeysuckle and in the empty house and
from the old deserted room comes back
the echo-where
Surely some heart remembers yon, old
house, where the owl and bat sport in
confidence; sure your picture is in some
ones eyes d your memory sacred to
some one OF the many bright.eycd little
ones who have slept beneath your roof
and supped at yonr board. All, the wind
h'DgR the door to with a hollow sound
and the ivy creeps closer ard the
echo comes back again from the eaved
gable roof,-Wbere are they
Well remember VI hen the old house
was not SO desoiate, though decay was
already coloring its old sides and creep
ing about it ike q coiling snake. One
Summer evening clearly remember, a
misty fog rolled up from the ground and
enveloped the woods, whose, outlines
was plainly described, spite the mist.
against sky flaming in red and gold
Inc blinds were not broken then and
a honey-Suckl trained By careful hands
concealed the window and the door was
open as 1t is now, but the mellow light
poured IN upon clean white floor,
polished till it shone like rabbits crown
A small table was spread with snowy
cloth and set for Two. A pretty, inviting
board IL was, the little caster gllstenine
between the white chine, the steamino
urn on :Le hearth near, the vase of pretty
wild howers,the ripe red strawberries and
golden CREAM the sponge cake, light and
tiakY. A few pictures hung on the wall
with evergreen frames. A woman was
seated by the window. Years have mass
ed since then, years bringing bitter pain
ana nara experience to me, but never
shall forget that figure. She sat in a
low rocking chair which cracked as it
moved, one of those old splint chairs thar
keep time to nursery rhymes and childish
prattle.
Her form was short, her dr,ss-I do no:
remember the material, but the flashing
hrellght and the twilight CLEANS gave it
q luster and beautyI have neverseen since
Her hair, silvery white, was drawn bao.
from the aged brow, the cheeks were
hollow aud salow, the eyes blue and
snalf and the hands brown and calloused
but with the honeysuckles laughing In
az hef' the dim twilight catered round
her. the firelidht throwing radiance into
her face which no other human being
mas ever worn, she was more than beau
liaL Dear dame Westerly, many deed
OF goodness and many blessing did you
shower upon mankind in your toiling,
hopeful life and as gaze upon your old
home | seem again to see you in vour
calm dignity.
a little way from the house was a
spring, singing to itself and the flowers
CInatAYlnu r.