The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-01-05
(From the Boston Globe.l
THE FARM-YARD CLUB OF LOTHIAN
By DR.. George B. Loring.

TwEYTY-sEcoYD MEETING SUBJECT: MARK
EFT GARDENING.
Jim Bell was evidently growing weaker
day by day. He had been confined to his
house almost all winter, with what in more
primitive days was called consumption of
the blood, but what is known in our day
when the refinement of science occupies
one end Of society, society being made up
of course of physicians and patients, moth
quackeIy occupies the other-as follicular
alrophy. For months he had been quiet.
patient, submissive aud declining. 1t was
enough for him to sit at the southwest win
dow of his sunny little sitiing-room and
watch the rise ami fall of Winter-the
pasnodc approach of arctic cold reigning
and then retiring, until his sway was estab-
lshed in days and nights of hard and biting
trost-the white and shining fields. the
twigs bedecked with crystals and briliants,
the raging slorms, the lengthening days.
the embrOwntd and departing snow-banks.
the dark patches Of reappearng earth 10
midfeld, the lingering misls of the grea
,haw, the breaking clouds, the sudden re-
turn of the frost king from his cold blue
chambers in the northwest, and his Ieiuci-
ant surrender to the sweet south; it was
enough for him to watch all this, and rs be
passed on. leave his Lutte world. the mill,
he CLUB, the church, the town behind. As
spring approa ched, and the sun tempted
him abroad, he crept frebly forth to listen
20 the hum of the wheel once more and
he found consolation In the promise which
he roaring brook Just freed from wintry
bonds, aud the gathering king fisher JUS
returned to his summer quarters, gave OF
the bounty and beauty of the opening sea
son. But his interviews with nature were
sLort-his home was his only place If re-
pose, his only sunlight was the cheerful ra-
,iiar ce of Clara's face, his sweetest mus {
was The sound of her voice. And 20 he
waited aud he watched.
Aud there in the stiffness Of III Sc coun'r,
hours feeble and unevenful life gre,
fainter and f,inter. Jim Bell was not a,
old man and he had never been young
one. The measure of his life had Away
been small. a. small as n aturty in you'll
and imma uriiy in old a. could make il
his years were not many, and his circuit
was narrow. He had neither been vigoi
Gus sinner nor an ardent saint. And IN tn,
midst of his commonplace cheerfulness and
his mild ana slender activity, his sad anc
lmpeuetrable silence was oppressive ant
hewilderng. Ia all demonstrative power,
Mrs. Bell was far his superior. She was
hearty and prompt, aud strong and positive
as well rs truly good.hearted. She was 1,
bouncing gil when Jim married her, aDC
as the time went on she seemed to gain al
that he lost, to expand as he shrank, to alb
sorb every vital form and energy which
left him, 10 grow as he declined and 81
when he had become prematurely old anc
was sready 10 return TO the dust, she wa
Just entering on an hilllent and well-estab
iished maturity. In her youth she wa
redundant, and having passed through all
the trials Of middle life, she was redundant
still while in the atmosphere of her plen-
itude, poor Jim had faded away to nothing
Ii was touching to see how exhausted and
how utterly submissive he was, as m the
midst of Astounding life and the refulgencr
of opening spring he was patiently passing
away. He never murmered, hut he became
more and more childlike, until in the early
hours of soft May morning, wiki the sun
light irradiaiing his room where he lay, and
the southwest wind bearing through his
CtNu WIN wv tho b"SNh HNA 'N'AN VI w
budding earth, his sun was darkened and
his breath was hushed. The scene was SC
natural that the mourners almost forgot tC
mourn, even as they who watch the setting
sun accept the darkness and repose of thu
evening hours and turn their eyes with
faith and confidence TO the breaking light
Of the new born day. No hum of busy IN
dustry distributed the repose no clond OF
disappointed ambition casts its shadow
here. The only pang was the psng OF
parting.
During all these months Of sickness and
sorrow, Charles ingalls, had taken up his
abode in Jim Bells house-not exactly in
accof Nance with modern prophecies, but
entirely in accordance with Claras COM
fort and happiness. His work MS a tenohti
was ended, and his work as law student
had began And as his mind toiled on
through the opening stndies of the great
profession he had chosen, he found iptinit
strength and satisfaction in his Ass ISOLATION
with Clara. who not only encouraged HIM
with her quick thought in the pah he was
pursuing, hut led Lin away into the re
| freshment of those springs Of knowledg,
which are more tasteful and sparkling. anc
which belong especially to woman and th,
feminine side Of men. His presence wal