The Republican journal., 1874-02-12

| SIlIuDDCl\.
There is always something slightly pa
thehc III these same scraggy lilacs and
floWering almonds, one SO often see strug-
CLING for life in the otherwise dreary waste
of farmers front yard Some women
once had heart to try and redeem within
her power the desolate barrenness of her
surroundings.
Poor Mrs. jackson set out that lilac
when she was young and hopeful, and
still expected something Of life before
Jacllsons harsh. narrow skinilmtedness
took all the heart out of her, and made
her the broken-spirited drudge, who work
ed on like a tread-mill horse till one day
she dropped into her grave, and there, let
us hope, found rest. Then jackson, find
ng housekeeper expensive sold out, and
went to live with his son out West, where
he could get twenty per cent for his
money on first mortgage--as much Of
heaven as his meagrc soul was capable of
approaching
And now another young couple were
coming here to try that difficult expert
ment we cali Lite, the experiment
whose success there are so many of
us would gladly try over again, with the
dear bought experience that comes of
failure Would Lance degenerate into 4
mere IL 1ney-makmg machine-a keep
what-you-g -get-and- get -what-you-can" sort
Of nun like Jackson? Would the light
and hope, and love fade out Of Laura i
| eyes in the years to come, leaving her an
other Mrs .Jackson2 Certainly, the as
sociations Of the new home We're not cal
culated to inspire very cheerful ideas of 4
farmers life.
Fortunately, Laura was one OF those
happy people who look out on life through
rose-coorcd spectaclcs. So she immedi-
atcly fell to seeing the bright side of the
jackson house. If secretly rather dis
mayed at the torloln aspect OF things yet
the native energy of her character rose up
| strong within her to meet the emergency.
Old Debbie, Mrs Bridges washer-woman
used to say, "Lauras all grit. Folks say
it don't take but II small skin to hold a
| deal of Spunk, and that's true Of Laura
any how" She possessed 4 latent resoIu-
ton, power of endurance hardly TO be
expected from her lrail, delicate appear
ance.
This doesn't look like u very suitable
place for you Laura" said Lance, as he
swung her lightly down to terra tirnla IN
his strong hands
''An original conundrum strikes me-
Lance Why are You and | unlike Alex
andcr the Great? Because he sighed for
other worlds to conquer, and we don't
need to- This will furnish scope for all
our energies at present. 1t does look d-
lapidated enough. However, | am thank
tul it stands upon a hill. like to view
the landscape Ger
by cutting away those torlorn hem
locks we shall get view OF the river and
mountains beyond, picturesque enough to
satisfy even YOU Its very pleasant here
in summer. little as YOU would think it
now"
Inside, the house was more dreary still.
| The papers looked all the more dingy and
faded from having been originally of
| gaudy and haunting designs and colors.
| Ochre-yellow being a durable color, not
often requiring renewal, every room but
| the parlor was painted that hue. The cell
| ingS resembled the works of the old mas
ters in that they We're very cracked and
| smoky. Straw papers, an old hat or two,
4 broken rush-bottomed chair, Uttered the
floors. The March wind howled round the
/ house, rattling the windows, and Wailing
down the chimneys, as if it We're Mrs.
jackson s ghost utterlng warnings OF dole
tul presage to her successor.
After Inspecting the whole premises,
and discussing their capabliltles-atter
Lance had shown Laura how he intended
to put q sink in the kitchen, with pumps
to bring hard and soft water directly into
it, instead Of her Juggling the former by
the pallinl from the well in the yard, and
catching the latter in tubs or however She
could, as Mrs Jackson had been obliged
to do. Jackson never having time to fuss
about women's nonsense after Laura
had confdentially assured Lance he was
'.the best old fellow in the world and
Lance had reciprocated in kind, only more
so, they returned to the front room, where,
seated in state on an old dry goods box,
they proceeded to engage in the pleasant
occupation of erecting aircastles.
Let not the youthful reader sneer at this
hero and heroine of mine as prosy, tire
turned on pumps, furnaces, and similar
mromatic topics. They, too, had been
through the era Of hope, despair, moon
light, ecstasy. rhapsody. Now there was
Il charm better than romance, in the words,
'.our house" ''we'll do thus and 50 :" it
signiticd so much to them of the future,
w ICii llltN NtIc lltN tI w NC stlt'. llC
happy home they were to share Besides,
hath not Solomon said there is a time fol
all things-a time for moonlight and Il
time for bread and butter, a time tor rap
lures. and time for furnaces?
This was how they came to talk of fur
naces: Lance said. ''IIow mouldy and
musty this smells ! wonder if Jackson
kept his cheese here. What's that Verse
you quote about
"You may break You may shatter IL" vase ii you
| WILL
But the scent Of the ROSES"
'.Barbarian = broke N Laura; to de
liberately desccrate Moore by such an ap-
plication Probably this was the best
parlor, and the sun was never permitted
to fairly shine into it more than once a
year. New paper, paint, and whltewash
and plenty OF air and sun Tor while, will
remedy it, | suspect But that reminds
me DO You suppose knipsic would be
able to bear it, if We should have fur
mace 1t makes a house SO much plcasan-
ter and more usablc.7
at certainly is Il great innovation. No
one in knipsic Farm has one. The idea
of Il farmers selling his wood and buying
coal will probably be u great shock to the
public; but after all. don't know whose
concern it is but ours
Aunt Polly Griggs-" mischieyously
suggested Laura.
"Aunt Polly Griggsmay hang her harp
on a willow-tree,' SO far as we are concern
ed. I'm glad you havn't the idea, Laura,
most women seem to have, that ones
house is altogether too good to be used by
the family, and must be kept most of the
time, in solemn state and gloom
Il believe" said Laura, Sin furnishing
Il house pleasantly and comfortably, but
not cxpcnslvely-nothing merely for show
Then take all the comfort you can out OF
it, expect to do wonders with that six
hundred dollars Aunt Dunlap left me, to
say nothing about that two hundred I've
laid up-profits of teaching the young
idea, etc
How delightful to marry an heress' y
observed Lance