The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-08-26
BACK WINDOWS.

April II, 1S-.-In utter ennui and des-
peration have at last begun diary
Did l ever believe that could descend
to such missish expedient? But no one
knows what he is capable of until he tries
and the times that try mems souls de-
velop strange and unsupported resources.
Is this one Of the aforesaid times ?'
Well, all things considered, I should
rather say it is. Here am l, Philip Leigh,
an utter stranger in the city, just about
launching on a commercial! career under
the most favorable auspices, eager-heart-
ed as a boy when first he leaves his
fathers field" and all the rest of it, That
is what l was two weeks ago, and the
first clause still holds good. What am l
now? A bundle of aches, a thing Of
nerves and sensibilities. Bah! what is
manhood worth if a slip on bit of orange
peel, a twist of the knee, can reduce one
to such pititul level?
sophie soul. Would that you always ruled
this immortal frame! Unluckily, you
don't. Human nature is weak, given to
repinings. and much haunted by black
specters of gloom and ennui. What de-
lenses have against their too frequent in
cursions: Plenty of pens and paper? GER
tainly, but to what use? 1have no friends
to whom l care to pour out my woes
which is lucky for the friends. Books?
my library is certainly limited. Ibid not
come here to lead bookish life, and be-
You'd Bible, Shakespeare, and enc or
two other volumes my shelves are bare.
Women never seem at loss to dispose
of their time. What do they do, l Won
der? Sew, 1 suppose; but, alas! that
panacea is denied me. Oh, my mother
and my reverend grandmother, why did
you let me 90 out into the world thus un-
provided for:
Well, if l am to write a diary some
thing must be written; that is clear.
Shall feel my mental pulse and record
its variations with tender solicitude?
Hardly, think, for have a strong con-
viction that that way madness lies,' and
what am specially beginning this diary
for is to avoid morbid inspections and i'm
aginings.
What then: to journey round my room
after the fashion of Lemaistre? Genius
might extract something from the aspect
of bachelors room, in the three pair
back" of New York boarding house, but
l confess that it is quite beyond my ablli-
ties. 1t is all new and prim. have had
no time to fit myself to my nook, nor my
nook to me.
Well, then, outside. Outside there are
with that wrong -side-out look peculiar to
the backs of city houses. The fronts are
brown stone, know. Are the characters
of the inhabitants as different in the front
and rear, l wonders Have they all back
doors, where the mean little higgling vices
come and go, while the lordly virtues stalk
grandly up and down the front steps
How much could one learn of ones neigh
bOrs' characters from these same literal
ack-doors, l wonder?
The house opposite looks rather more
attractive, or less repulsive, than the rest
The scrap of grass-plot is fresh and
green, and the borders are brown with the
rich tinge of newly-raked mold. Two
children are skirmishing about the yard
with the futile bowls to which boys of a
tender age are so marvelously addicted.
"Etta!" calls one of them in shrill
squeal.
A girls head appears at the window
above.
my fish has come unburied" plant.
ingly walls the infant, who has been close
ly examining spot of ground out of my
range Of sight.
Eta laughs.
"Bury it over again, then" she calls
in one Of those sweet, low-pitched voice:
which, be they raised never SO high, dc
not jar upon the nerves.
She fingers moment, looking down a
the child. Where is my opera-glass
Yes, as thought, pretty face, a very
pretty face, fair and soft, with Pickering
rose-bloom on the rounded cheeks, anG
cloudy golden hair, waving rather low
above dark, straight brows. The eyes arr
dark too, think, and the mouth is firm
and yet tenders little naughty, perhaps
but the smile brings out tiny dimple a
each corner, and shows such white. ever
teeth that you don't mind that. Not I
perfect face at all, not even beautiful one
but sweet and fresh and refined, with ;
look of purity and health, moral and ply
steal, about it. The figure, as much as
can see of it, is light and firm-one o
those figures which cannot be other thai
graceful, let them do what they will.
A bell clangs in the house; luncheon, o
course. -" Eta vanishes, and only
blank wan and empty, staring windows ar
left fof my inspection. Not interesting
decidedlynot Interesting: and up at hom
among the New England hills the willow
are yelled in their soft green mist, AM
wave after wave of verdure is sweeping vi
the hill-sides day by day among the grea
granite powders, grim and gray. Doe
the sun SHINE there and does the foliag
glimmer as it used, I wonder? And ar
the brown mountain streams dancin,
downward, with their whirling flakes Q
white foam, between the messy rocks?
God made the country - thew sav hu