The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-11-24
BRTC-A-BRAC.
HIS MEMORIES. OF A FARM HOUSE CAT.
AwUMPIoUs AND A MOON.
LIGHT NOcTURNE.


LIGHT NOeTURNE.
To the EDITOR Of the Morrfstown Gazette:
Net being much on night meetings, l
am usually detailed, on such occasions,
to keep house, when my "mucus maca-
roni'' is to build huge fire, for warmth
and light, and with a skreaking rocking
chair for a companion, and a twist of
long green for a comforter, overhaul
that lumber-rosm of the mind-Memo-
ny. The other night the following came
back to me. 1t was years ago-in good
old Pennsylvania.
Scene the typical farm house of that
State--a rambling, story and-a-half stone
structure, full of odd corners and quaint |
low ceiled rooms, lighted by the queer
est little windows. Along the entire
front deep piazza Qatticed at the ends
anG) so overrun with Towering vines !
clambering, clinging, pendant, as to
suggest doubt whether the piazza was
an aPpendage to the dwelling or prop
to the profuse floral demonstration.
Many a moonlight night have l passed
upon these delightful promenades. In
solitary grandeur inhaling the honey
suckle's breath, and constructing chat
eaux en- Espaignei else in lowering
around the dainty footsteps of some
piece of calico; gazing into the depths
of pair of soft brown eyes, or absorb
ed in the play of light and shadow
athwart an upturned, sweet, confiding
face.
But Gillian's dead! Heaven rest her
OH how l lov'd her twenty years syne;
Yet here am sitting at forty year
Dipping my nose in this Gascon wine"
had not then acquired the heathenesse
practice of going to bed with the chick
ems and getting up when breakfast was
ready, and, upon the night in question,
remained upon the piazza, enjoying a
moOnlit evening of marvellous beauty
long after the family had retired. When
did seek my room, it was to seat my
self by the little window, overlooking
the piazza roof, and gaze out on the
brilliancy of the night, its soft air, lad
en- with the fragrant incense of the jes-
samine and woodbine tipping my cheek
as if gently swept by the delicate pin
ions of a passing angel. An all absorb
ing revery was rudely broken by a revi-
val meeting in the attic Of the household
cats brigade. As you are probably aware,
cat revivals are always enthusiastic-the
whole gang participates as champions or
mOurners. Vexed with the interruption,
and believing that the world was made
for all l picked up a flexible, double
| ssled boot (the only influence a cat re-
cognizes) and moved to the postern, or
| entry door. Opening that door, found
''meetin' had broke" To comprehend:
The second story was traversed by a
passage corresponding with the main hall
below. At one end, opposite my door,
! the attic stair terminated. From the
ether, the flight to the first floor descen-
ded, at reverse angle. Both passages
| floered with oil cloth-thc upper flood.
ed with moonlight. The retOur u chase
l can only describe phonetically. In
mid-air, half way down the attic flight,
Tabitha, escorted by military looking
Thomas, followed las a dark horse) by a
carrotty tinted younger brother; the file
closing brother evidently under some IT.
ritatiOn, yet all three were in splendid
form-legs spread, eyes blazing like To-
connective headlights, tails pronounced
as iron bars. The attic flight cleared at
a bound, it was boong, bung-skerratch,
rip-scurry, scurry, scurry-ziz, zip
boong against the wash board } A lulI
hyoo-toyoo-then, plaintIvely
-meahyo ah-wOw W eW-wow-
wow-tOyoO-ahyOo -ah-wow- woO-wso
-spoep shush! ayecemph !-rasp, risp,
ziz, zip, cheboong, bung! skerratch,
rasp,-skurry, skurry, skurry, zip, bling,
-wOophl ehyow!-and cut of the front
door into the infinite
Gently laying dswn my boot, mur-
INJURED, truly wonderful are thy ways,
oh ! CATS" and stood musingly A low,
sweet hymn, sung by the mother in an
adjoining room to her awakened babe,
reminded me there was something left
worth living for, and resumed my scat
at the window
The night was truly a lsvely one. The
view in day time was commonplace
enough. A small lawn dotted with shade
trees; light picket fence; the pike; and
beyond, a gently rolling, slightly wood
ed country. But bathed in the radiance
monplace became a scene of enchanting
beauty. The piazza roof lay in deep
shadow. The lawn and shrubbery were
marked in ebon obscurity or clothed
with a silvery emerald hale. The pick.
cts seemed of ivory. The pike a cause
way of the driven snow, while the vista,
o'erhung by diamond dust-sprinkled
gauzy mist, appeared the confines of
fairy land. Through this fascinating
illusion swept the shrill choral of the
katydid and the cricket, mingled with
that weird voice of the night known to
all watchers as sigh, but which to me
has ever seemed the murmur Of com
muning spirits.
Suddenly, from far up the pike, came
as heart throb the sound of human
foot fall. Nearer, nearer, nearer; the
cadence, "crinch -cranch," and then the
dark form of the traveller appeared,
drawn in bold relief upon the snowy
causeway. As be breasted the house he
glanced for moment at the moon, (his !
face seemed a silver mask) then in
rich tenor he began dreamily to sing
that sweetest of nOcturnes
soft in the Silly night, ere sIumbers chains have
bound me,
Sad mem'ry brings the light Of other days around |
me-"
/ listened, entranced, until the last /