Sharp County record., 1885-05-21

L WOulu nave WdBeltu du tulIlS IHdO
one of those elderly girls had presided
over this part of the old gentleman's
toilet His hands were brown, but not
hard as those of man who holds
plow, and his face was lighted by a
pair of shrewd, twinkling blue eyes. He
brushed white thread off his coat, he
crossed his legs, he looked askant at
me, and remarked that it was fine
day. Like a flash there came into mind
droll dissertation of Heinz ch Heines
upon the possible horrible consequences
that may follow if one does not cap the
remark "Fine weather to-day" with
Eyes, to-day we have fine weather."
and l replied promptly that had never
known more perfect autumn day.
"Just the morning to start off, said
the old man. "My girls kind O. sur
missed it would rain; but | guess it was
only because they wanted to keep me
home. They eopl Int see why should
start up all of sudden and 60 visit
ing"
$50 you are off on pleasure-trip?"
/ remarked.
He nodded and smiled 81 amt going
very far; but it's to place where l
ain been in long time, though L have
lived within twenty miles of it for more
than thirty-fve years, Queer how you
travel here and there and don't think OF
places right near home. "
eyes" | said. Il was born and
raised fifty Or sixty miles from Niagara,
but never went to see the Falls. -
My companion slapped his knee:
That's Just it. l have been living al
most next door, as you might say, to
my old home, where l grew up, and l
amt been there in ten years. went
over once to the funeral of an uncle of
mine, my mothers only brother, and
amt seen any of the folks, except now
and then as they would come on busi-
ness or something of that sort to our
village. Lately, though, | have had
great desire to 90 back-want to see
the orchards that l hooked apples from
when l was a boy" He paused and
chuckled at the delightful memory OF
his youthful pranks; but his face grew
grave, and when he continued it was in
a low, confidential tone: "You see, have
got to 90 pretty soon, for | had warning
this spring-a stroke-paralysls-apo-
plexy-I don't know which; for awhile
/ was bad off. | can't do much now
adays, and my sons-in-law runs the store
mostly: and so says to the girls that |
would buy a new suit of clothes. L
should have to have 'em anyhow to be
buried in, and might as well get lit
tie wear out of 'em first So | got the
suit; and then l made up my mind to
90 visiting. The girls didn't like to
have me 90 off; but | ain tgot so old as
to be bossed around like child. | knew
could take care of myself, and | know
everybody in Baldwin-that's the name
of the place l am going to; next station
but one. was raised there. l guess
this will be my last visit-though man
NAV have shake and live twenty years
afterward. 1t don't make me much
alive, somehow" "
He smiled. and his eyes twinkled, but
his words were pathetic to me. Perhaps
| encouraged him, for he rambled on,
telling me all about his fam ly and bus
mess affairs, and winding up with an
account of his wife's death, which had
occurred the winter before. He was
deep in the details of her last illness
when the train stopped so suddenly as
to startle everybody, and the men with
one accord hastened out OF the car and
rushed forward to see what had hap
pened. A freight train had run OF the
track, wrecking one car completely; but
gang of laborers had already arrived
from New Haven, and the conductor
told us that the way would be cleared
in an hour or so. Leaving my new
friend to watch the progress OF the
work, sauntered slowly down shady
road that wound through lonely fields.
Presently / came on little school
house, painted white, and through the
open windows and door | saw few
children seated at their desks, while a
few others stood up before the spinster
teacher, reciting a lesson. l felt a
thrill of pity for the lint-locked urchin
who was saying the multiplication table,
stumbling over the mines, just as | had
in my boyhood. Opposite was a grave
yard, running up steep to the east and
and inclosed by o low stone wall that
was almost hidden beneath tangled
vines and sprawling bushes There
were no paths, and the grave-stones
pee ed out from dense growth OF tall
grasses, purple asters and vivid golden
rod. One stone marked the grave OF
certain Appollos Welthey, who had fall
on in the battle of Seven Mountains. |
made my way about the graves slowly,
but found no quaint epitaphs, although
some of the names struck me as extra
ordinary-such as Noahdiah and Par
thena, and Minerva. Far up on the
brow of the hill was a simple marble
slab. marking the place where Parma