The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-06-18
OVER THE FENCE.

1t was q shabby OLD mansion IN q
shabby old thoroughfare, which had
been fashionable street in its day, but
was anything else now. Grocery shops
and junk shops had invaded it. The
square, white-painted, green-blinded
dwellings; with rallied roofs and plaster
ed front doors, through which decorous
worthless in ruffles and bob-wigs had
once gone in and out, shorn OF their
prsstige now, end Invested Of shining
knobs and knockers, were turned into
tenement-houses of the poorer sort.
Only the magnificent double row of
elms, which had been the glory of the
street in its prime, remained intact to
deck its decadence. The towering SPLEEN
dor of their green masses rustled in the
salt air now as then, but mournfulness
mingled with the rustic. Perhaps who
knows?-the. elms were sorry for the
deserted old street. It is not easy
always TO fathom what lies at the heart
of things, trees or men.
The shabby old mansion had belonged
to General Wesson, a revolutionary
hero, less conspicuous in history than
in the affections Of his townsfolk, who
to do him honor: had called the street by
his name-Wesson street. His residence,
once th6 finest in the neighborhood, had
still this advantage over it's dilapidated
com peers, that It retained It's eld-time
garden, large square Enclosure laid out
in formal tbox-edged beds and walks.
This garden had tie odd appearance Of
having sunk slightly during some con
vulsion Of nature, for its surface lay
some five feet below the level Of the
street, which had been "filled in" It
was walled on three sides. Peeping over
the low fence which topped the wall,
passer.by could look down into the very
heart of gooseberry bushes and peony
clumps. The wall itself was tangle
Of honeysuckle, ivy, and brier roses, and
altogether the garden had sweetness
sti!l, though its paths had run to weeds,
and lines Of wet linen tapped over the
rose circle which had been the pride Of
Madame NELSON'S heart almost hum
dred. years sgo. 81 y
So long past, 80 forgotten, were the
traditional dignities Of the old house, 50
poor and decayed was its present SEEM
ing, that people experienced a shock Of
surprise almost NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
that the Merayiian society had bought
the property for q chapel and parson-
age. What! that old thing they cried.
But the thrifty Morxyiars went their
way without minding much what peo-
pie said. They had little money to ex-
pend, and righteous horror Of debt.
Old riacessNas chea !; they could
mqke n do they Thought. So 8 little
army dwotk peope dsploy red upon the
premiS61 and PRESENT. all was changed.
The ground floor, divested of partitions
became : large plain meeting room.
The second floor was reserved for the
nastns,s ling There ::::::c.;.
scrubbing and whitewashing, new psint
and pissicF;; blinds we're rehune, / TT
tering chimney rebricked, the fences
mended. Last Of all arrived q cart-load
of benches, another OF OF furniture. and
Pastor Lubke and his family. The
neighbou watching, saw them 70 in:
first theyFave old-pastor leading a little
boy, then long file Of girls of graduated
heights, GIL clad in black, worn, it was
Wh1ps1sd Il memory of their mother,
Wh hai died Z few months before. The
beds, chairs and tables seemed scantv
plenishing for 80 many, and lookers-on
wondered how they managed; but mo-
body found ont, for the Lubkes we're
fSsssnk axsN v.r~a-v~nJ ..-.--1.AAl, II !,