West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1884-12-31
Miss FOWler's Corner.
"Out of the Old House into the New.
Nos. 1884-1S85 Century Street.

Der W1aC uellgnI Cne very IHOuSHt
of moving-day brought to you
when you were child?
Then you left the old house with
a laugh or hurrah and dashed off
to the new house ready to be de-
lighted with allsyou found there.
After the child "grows tall" the
leaving of the old house is some
thing that has more than a tinge
of sadness in it and one longs to be
alone as for the last time he walks
through it's familiar rooms. Do you
remember when you went through
the home of your childhood for the
last time? Wasn't your first visit
to the garnet, that receptacle of
wonderful things? Then to your
own particular sanctum, where
memories crowded each other and
events long forgotten lent their
voice to the dirge your heart was
singing, for in spite of all the joy
GUS times spent in that old room,
the sad hours and the fierce bat.
ties for the mastery of self, stand
out most prominently now. From
that room you turned instinctively
to the nursery, the scene of many a
childish frolic. At one end of the
room are the shelves and drawers
on which thechildren's playthings
were kept. They are empty now,
but as you look, the treasures of
your youth seem to be arranging
themselves in their old familiar
places once more and a smile
breaks over your face as you rec
ognize the dolls, books, drums, SOL
diers, tool chest, sword, and all the
things which delight the heart of
a child. You are awakened from
your day dream by the echo of your
ringing laugh, as in fancy you saw
the merry group of children who
played at being soldiers with
"Brother Oh arlie" for their Cap
tain. True, he had to act as drum
major at the same time and his
sword was so long it almost tripped
him up as he gave the command,
"File right" but the glory of his
position compensated for all diff
culties.
You turn from this room with a
half sigh and pause on the thresh-
old of that room, which you can
not enter even now, without see
ing that group Of little ones gath
cred round the chair in which lay
that mother whom Gods angels
were leading away from earth after
all these years, your heart repeats
the old song,
"Mary summer the grass has grown green,
Blossomed and faded our faces between.
Yet with strong yearning and passionate
pain,
Long tonight for your presence again.
Mother, come back from the echoless shore,
Take me again to your heart as Of yore.'
But tits sacred spot, you dare
not tarry.
Your next visit is to the dining
room where once such a merry
group assembled. What bright
pictures memory gives you in that
room. So on through the old
house from room to room you 60,
each one filled with it's own pre-
cious memories. You close the
door on the old house and 60 into
the new one, not with the light
heart of child.
Possibly as zee leave this old
house, No. 1884, 10Th Century ST.,
some of us will take just such a
look through its rooms. Doubt
less we will find things in each
room in need of repair.
Let us see. Here is the door
leading into the room of Charity,
swinging on one hinge-the other
one has rusted and broken off. The
knob is off the door Of "Brotherly
love-" There is some defect with
the chandeliers in all the rooms,
No wonder there has been such an
uncertain light for some time. Re-
ally we could not have been liv-
ing in these rooms, or we would
have discovered the condition Of
the doors long ago. Some will find
if they attempt to enter the room
| &c To,,,oro ,ooo tbot tho 6por c