Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-02-26


on farm. This clock was one Of those life
size limitations Of old Father Time, viz:
loug-case. old-fashioned timekeeper. l rec
olect, with smile, the eccentric character
Of this piece Of furniture. o t-times, when
the sun had informed the well-versed work.
men that the hour Of noon was come, aud
they, obedient and very willing, proceeded
to the house, in expectation Of dinner, the
"women folks were seen busily engaged
iu, the one, digging potatoes from the weed
grown garden, another about to descend in.
to the depths Of the cellar for the long-endur-
ing chunk Of pork, aud yet another putting
away the breakfast dishes while the seri-
ous-faced clock above them pointed to the
leisure-iBspiring hour Of ten,-two hours be-
hind time
AT another time one Of the long suffering
hands was broken exactly in twain by some
ambitious infant, eager in the pursuit of in-
vestIgating knowledge. Then for months
the single hour-hand told the uncertain time
in solitude,-all regardless of the apt saying
Take care Of the minutes, and the hours will
take care Of themselves"
My chamber looked eastward but, strange.
ly enough, this was no source Of congratula.
tion to me, for was in tho bonds Of that
uncountry.like habit of sleeping in the
morning, and the energetic and indofatigabe
sun pried under my closed eyelids and into
my sauctum of fantastic dream. Imagery so
impoliteIy, in the delightful hour Of "topping
off the sleep Of the night, that, scattering
all my strange bed-thOughts, he compelled
me to unwilling consciousness. Blinds there
were none and shades could not intimidate
him they only served as a medium for con.
densing his rays. However, am not sure
but that without his timely interference,
might many time have been compelled to
eat my breakfast in dreamand, which to the
hungry boy is extremely light diet.
But on hot afternoons what an earthly
paradise Of comfort in coolness was that
room!' Oftentimes, returning from the
quivering field air, have drawn out from
their mysterious hiding places the accumula-
ted magazines of years, and, seating myself
on the wide window.sill, in the face Of an
eastern breeze, unielt where the sun shines
but deliciously evident here,-where the
very presence of the sun is no longer real
lied have seated myself, and, in FIVE min
utes, been transported to other scenes by fas-
cinating tales Of adventure, so dear to every
genuine juvenile reader. Here james De
Mile made mo one, in seeming Of q company
Of light hearted boys, travelling in the rob-
ber-haunted scenes Of Italy. Here, again.
/ was made to tremble with very excitement
as to the fate Of some pursued fugitive, or
escaped prisoner, whose difficult way was
continually yielding up fresh alarms. Here
| followed, with a delighted sense Of free
dom, the tangled and taDgling thread of
WV "uN ~ uuVo SouEus hJnVil sWhiuB
over the sedate humor of the negro dialect,
which continually forces itself into all litera-
ture descriptive of social life in these later
times. Looking up, occasionally, from this
mine of diversion. would see some dusty
traveller pass, with his pack over his should
er, or a fragrant load Of hay drawn slowly
and lOllingly by the heated oxen.
But when evening came, and was made
known by the awakened birds, and the re-
newed strength of the field men, breaking in-
to loud whistle or a rough song, could
no longer read, aud, catching my hat, would
run down into the cooling meadow to rake
after, and ride up on the "last load" in the
fast deepening twilight
AdOwn the west with ia ding light dOscends the set
ting suni
His glare longer blinds the sight, his daily course
Is run.
Close hind his steps the twilight creops, with mantle
cold and gray,
EnvclOpng the distant sleeps shrouding the dying
day,