St. Landry democrat., 1883-04-21

Whatever may. become OF you, -st K sss 81 s-4
Accept, dear, easiest, best of Shoes, y A
This farewell Offering of my muse.
,4s.stz.gs.s,Et -. ~ IN. 7. Ledger.
WAITING. i.iet sa
One day, near the end of last Sep
tember--it was the first bright day we
had had for aeWeekor more II strolled
down the main street of the seaport
town where was spending my vaca-,
ton, intending to go out on the salt
marshes back of the town. This main
street, although little more than mile
long, has as eVentful career in its brief
course as the road in the Pilgrim S
Progress Chart we used to see, hung in
the sittingroom of our grandfather $
houses. Starting from the railroad, it
first passes the colony Of lighthouses and
their rows OF frames covered with dry
ing cod; then it plunges into the hurry
and hustle of the town, running the
gauntlet between the two rival grocer
les which stand insultingly face to face;
and passing the store in whose windows
are exhibited two lamp chimneys, a jar
of candy and a box iof pepper, while
overhead hangs the sign: .'B. Bearse,
Commission-Mereha Thenit comes
to the head of the Wharves, where are
congregated the men from the mackerel
fleet in the harbor, talking in various
languages, or executing slow dances to
the tune of ssHome, Sweet Home
from jewsharps and accordeons; and
then it comes out in the old village,
with the white church and the trim
houses and the flower gardens full of
peonies and pansies and hollyhocks and
larkspurs in their season, and hemmed
in by white picket-fences, each with its
green roll along the top.
| walked along here, catching a
glimpse through every cross streetsof
the harbor, until came out to where
the houses were more scattered. Then
the road goes up a little hill, and from
the top you have an unbroken view of
the harbor on one side, and on the other
the salt marshes. just beyond this hill
top and standing apart by itself, was.
an old house which Izhad never noticed
much before, but which now attracted
my attention, and I stopped. 1t stood
back perhaps fifty feet from the road,
and was built in the common country
fashion, with one story and a pitch roof
;slanting toward the road. The blinds
were all closed, and their green had
faded to light blue. The white paint
of the house was muchof it washed off,
and what was left was peeling and curl
ing up. Through the crack between
the boards of the front doorstep was
growing IA row Of vigorous pigWeed,
and the front yard was a. sea of Bounc-
ing-Bets. There had been grape-ar-
Dor at one side of the yard, but it had
gone to ruin, and the vine was trailing
among the weeds. You could tell where
the fower-beds had been by the greater
luxuriance of growth, and along either
border of the path, from the gate to the
doorway, could be seen the twinkle,
here and there through the weeds, of
seashells. 81.
The house was surely unoccupied.
it which suggested something more
than this. 1t looked as if it were wait
ing for some one perhaps very far off
now-to come and clear away the
weeds, and fill the fower-beds with
color, and throw open the doors and
windows and let in the sunshine.
As / was wondering what the story of
the house might be, a white haired man,
who had evidently been sailor, came
trudging down the road.
ssWho lived herepn he said,i answer
to my question: why, this IS old Cap'n
Peleg's house. You can't have been
here long if You haven't heard of old
.Cap'n Peleg. Would You like to look
insidep Well, I'll just go along here to I
my house and get the key. ~
He came back a moment later, and
pushed open the gate, which moved
Slowly on its rusty hinges. We made
our way through the tall weeds to the
door, and here, too, the lock and hinges
were rusty; but at last the door opened,
and we went into little entry, and T
from there into the parlor Although.
the room was dark-for the blinds were
closed and the curtains down-yet the.
light from the doorway showed that it
had cheerful, home-like look. There
was red carpet on the floor, and on
the walls were hanging some bright
pictures of schooners under full sail.
Here by the window stood a big rock
with u SOFT red cushion in it.
and there was another pulled up before