The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1878-01-29
THE OLD FIRE PLACE.


The following was received Tor pub
lication many weeks ago, which has
been delayed in consequence OF the
manuscript being mislaid.l
How sweet are the memories that
these words recall. And how dear are
the associations that cluster around
this old family altar, throwing out a
gentle glow that often clings to us all
through our lives. There is certain
companionship about fire place that
you can find nowhere else. How often
do such as are fortunate enough to
have them, sit down and talk to and
commune with them, telling to the
fire what no human ear has been per-
permitted to hear. There is an ex-
preston about their genial open coun-
tenance that invites secrets. How Of
ten dear reader have you and l sat
down and conversed with our warm
hearted friend across the room, telling
to il what We would trust 10 no one
else; that they will not betray our Sc
cret, and then they have talked TO US,
sympathized and consoled us, when we
were sad and lonely, or roared joyfully
up the chimney when we were merry,
throwing out flashes OF wit and mirth
in long tongues of flame, greedily de-
youring the enormous back log, catch
ing up all the smaller fry the first leap
that it makes and then running up the
chimney in wild glee at its triumph.
In its different passes you can see all
the different characters in men and wo-
men. The bustling man of business
comes in and heaps on the fuel until
tue flames go roaring up the chimney
threatening destruction to all around.
That is type OF the man; he goes
rushing and roaring through life, seek
ing whom he may devour. But 1 may
be mistaken, business men never de-
vour any one, they are strictly harm
less; they are like George Washington,
they could not tell lie if they tried.
Then there is the fire that goes creep
ing slyly up through the great pile OF
wood, seeming TO fear being seen; now
watch that man over there. how
slyly he creeps along, watching, with
the stealth of cat, for some chance
(no not to swindle some one, he would
not do that oh, mob to make a sharp
bargain; how much pains he takes to
conceal the fact from prying eyes. for
fear some one else might get the start
Of him; congratulating himself on his
exceeding smartness, and thanking his
stars that he is not like other people.
Then there are those who have pass
I'd lifes prime, who sit down before the
old fire place and think; aud now old
fellow you have got your match, for
how can you show in your glowing
countenance the conflicting thoughts
and emotions that chase eace other
through the old mans mind. Perhaps
he has just returned to his old home
after long years of toll and wandering,
and as he sits here memory goes back
to the time when he sat here as a child,
youth aud man; and as he sits there
with the freight touching his silvered
head he thinks of the childish sports
aud the merry romps that he has en-
ioyed and witnessed by the light OF
that old fire place; Of the glee with
which he used 10 climb upon father or
mothers knee 10 listen to some tale of
he olden time, when perhaps al was
wilderness around this old home; OF
The struggles, triumphs, and dangers
Of those early days, and mentally re-
solves that when he gets big, like
brother Ben, he will be a pioneer too;
aow when the long wished for time
came he bid father, mother, sister and
brother, good bye. aud launched out
into the world to try those untried
plans OF his. Now his face grows So
Der, for he is thinking how the rosy
halo that surrounded them gradually
iaded away, having nothing but the
bare reality, and all, how different is
reality from ideality; Of the longing to
be once more at home, to be one
among the family circle. Then as the
lidings reach him in his far off home
that father or mother are gone mover
20 return, or that dear little Nellie, his
little sister, has gone on that long,
long journey. How bitter is the sor-
row, that he cannot behold once more
hose loved forms. So he thinks on.
Bot at last be is in that we'll remem-
bered spot, but the faces that was wont
20 be there are gone and he alone re.
nains. So the past goes hurrying by.
1t last the present arrives; he awakes
With a start; he had forgotten himself.
What does he see in the future? He is
Did, there is but one thing certain.
Death, yes at last it has come. To
shis, ambition is left behind. there Is
40 great project to engross the future.
! &c sees this, and as he arises. sighs
Tor no man." Old fire place, you are a
rue friend, truer than ever was wife,
burning alike for rich and poor. IL is
for you that make this plea. ARAzz
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