Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-10-19
Taking Grandma to Boston,

Taking Grandma to Boston,
You see grandma has grown so very
feeble of late that going to Boston has
come to be regarded as Il great event in
her quiet life. And when | tell you that
in the last two years she has attended
church but three times, those of US who
have known her habits for many long
years will realize how SADLY she has failed
in ability to carry out her long. cherished
custom on the Lords day.
An unusually active. brave woman
grandma has been il her day, and when
grandpa died, twenty years ago, she took
up liie's burden and went on without him,
teartully enough at times, it is true, but
the stanch, Puritanic inheritance so signal
ly hers, of faith in God, Joined with firm
seli-reliance, never failed her.
But when Uncle John died, ten wears
ago, grandma was getting old, and Uncle
John was her Z" baby her " Little Jack"
she still fondly called the great, splendid
looking man, whom we younger ones al
ways looked up to as model of noble
manhood-as ne was-so when Uncle
John died, then came certain change
over grandma, which it wonld be difficult
to describe, but even we children felt it.
For one thing, her iron gray hair all at
once became snowy in its whiteness, and
perhaps we could not better give an idea
of the change which came over her coun-
tenance than by repeating question little
brother Jack once asked her as she sat
gazing far away out of the window:
"Grandma,' he said, what makes you
ook 50 homesickP'
Yet grandma had rallied during the
warm September days, Notwithstanding
the painful news which from day to day
she watched with increasing eagerness.
and she had several times during the
month expressed n wish to visit the city,
and our house being in closely adjoining
suburb it seems rs though her wish might
be gratitied with safety The death of
our loved president had affected her deep
ly, and when some one, on returning from
Boston on the afternoon of the 22d describ-
ed the drapings and mourning emblems
everywhere visible, her desire to see for
herself became 50 intense that neighbor,
who happened to hear her planning for
the trip next day, kindly offered to take US
both in his carriage in the morning as far
rs a certain corner of Washington street.
We arranged to start as early as possible to
escape the crowd. Then hoped garndma
would be able 10 walk as far as Whites,
where we would take a Car and return
home.
At s: 80 the next morning we alighted
from the carriage and began slow walk
up Washington street. We had gone but
a few steps before we saw in u large win
dow fine picture of our martyred ruler;
it was draped with exquisite taste in black
and white, while vines and tuberoses were
gracefully arranged on the sombre trim
mings; before this picture grandma stop
ped short and began addressing it:
"Oh you deGr!" she said chokinglv;
1--WE d have saved you if we could. Yes
we would God knows we would, but there
thou'st gone where
Never an i'll will befal thee,
Never grief will appall thee,
But God in infinite grace,
Appoints thy ransomed soul place
At His right hand
While we, as. deplore thee!"
She would have fingered longer, but
with my hand in her arm it was easy to
draw her gently away. We passed picture
after picture, and before each grandma
would gladly have stopped and soilo-
quized, while every one we passed she
pronounced better than the last, albeit they
were almost uniform in size and cast, but
after little while we approached the
window of a furniture dealer wherein the
loved, familiar face looked forth from amid
ndescribable but faultless drapings, and
an artistic arrangement OF natural flowers.
The only article of merchandise in the
window was an ample vacant chair cover
with folds of black and white.
Before this window grandma stopped
decidedly, again addressing the likeness
as though it were living thing:
"Yes; that's just the way our hearts
have felt, ever since you went away and
left us-just as empty as that char-and
don't wonder they want TO put sweet flow.
er5 all around your dear face, but we did
all we could to save you, we did indeed! |
sat up nights praying, and when they
wouldn't let me go to church that Thurs
day, the whole two hours were spent on
my knees"
The crowd was beginning to collect, and
more than one had noted curiously the
quaint figure of the dear old lady talking
so tearfully to the unconscious portrait,
so with gentle force grandma was urged
on again; but in an other moment we
came upon one of those twin pictures
where husband and wife looked upon us
from their solemn easements.
No use trying to check grandma now;
fixing her gaze this time on Mrs. Garfeld's
face, she extended her arms-and the
movement was the same as that she would
have taken one of her babies years ago,
while she burst forth with an impetuous
sob
"Oh, you poor dear soul if you could
only come to these old arms and let me
comfort you; but there-there-" she con-
tinued, in a tone with which one would
soothe grieyed child remember who
has promised to shield, and be a husband
to the widow lean on Him, dear; and
lean hard, and He will comfort you after
these dreadful days have gone, and when
all the loneliness comes on" | had TO
draw her from amidst the gaping crowd,
but she threw back Il plying look at the
wifes picture, and saw one rough look
ing man suddenly draw his sleeve across
his eyes at the tone in which she added:
" You poor, dear child, your
We were still more than block away
from the rare sight in Whites windows,
with all its mournful beauty and simplic
ty and wanted greatly to have grandma
reach them If possible, but she was get.
ting tired and leaned heavily on my arm
the excitement and emotion were fast
mastering her. Just then l caught a
glimpse in near window of little pic.
ture. which somehow instinctively knew
1t would be better for our progress up
town if grandma did not see. 1t was the
sweet, pathetic face OF an old lady, the
little frame being covered with gems of