The Red Cloud chief., 1889-02-22
THE OLD HOMESTEAD.
4 Piens.ut Tsssarc 81 S:eWulse NeW N
giaad Goantsy Life.

..Gunnakerot Moscow" without having
soiournci in Italy or Russia /, Is fair
10 assume ,ha. the Italians and Rus
SLAMS who have never bscn in Neg
England would 90 wild with delight
over the .'Oii Homestead" But -
people who have visited and ar fanil-
lar with tha, corner OF the United
States. the play j. something not 10 ~
forgotten. The chief beauty of IL Is its
t%rueness - life and character ia New
England: and /, IS doubtful II the eS.
New Highlander can look ~ IL without
becoming 80 enthusiastic tina; his ac-
tons will betray the place q, his birth
We all have bocn there. W. rcmcm-
bcr the old hogshcad out 81 which No
dipped water. and sometimes ice. in
the old tin hand-basin; and how We put
il on n bench. aai washed our hands
with common soap that ooS OF tho
dirt. skin and all.
And we remember the lons. slopinc
meadow-fu oi bobolinks- hllei
the air with "A hay-sccnt that thrilled
u, with JOY. and which many "a perfume
manufactures ha, tried in rain 10 catch.
fo- you can't bottle the spirit of y New
England meadow. Under the haystack
was n jug OF switched. that male labor
swee;cr-swectcr than /, would have
been without it, And. looking at Old
Joshua Whi;conb. We fancy Ne again
hear the dinncr-horn. and in response
head for the old farmhouse FOR n din
ner Of coast apples. apple IA and
apple pie. washed down with tea that
tasted IL though painted reea.
Those were dear old days that
Joshua Whitcornb brings back 10 us.
when we at and Watched oar old
grandfather sharpen ris razor on III.
SAME palm that he used when perform
ing tina; oifc, for the scythc. Ills
hand was 80 hard that ho could crush
walnuts by closing il On them. and he
could hold "A rcd-hot plate longer than
any woman in the land. We remember
how he kept n eye On his face when
he shaved. AMI he u-,d the other to
see that the oxen didn't wander into
the orchard opposite. II Is II long
time since We have seen him; but he
comes back 4 us with his peaceful old
smile. and we Sc. him u table wanting
u piece Of pie. and fearing Ia take il IN
ccou Of his dyspepsia. ye, wanting: u
piece all the same.
We SEE the old siiting-room. with
the h%air-covercd sofa that no one would
dare fall asleep upon for fear of falling
OF. II was so slippery that when you
burst; into u hearty laugh YOU had To
TAX. "A firm hold To keep from sliding
of ON the floor. II would b. impo--
sible 10 remain on i; during a chill. I'M
less tied.
The frames around this room con-
tanned pictures. but IN. pictures were
10, works Of art. either in spirit ar cx-
ccutiOn. The chrome Of the bald
headed infant sucking the muzzle of "A
revolver. and Washington AT Home"
still hang i'm our memory. And the
nights Of corn-popping before the open
fire. How W. kept n hand over IA
face Ia keep OF the ia,ens. heat. and
held the old spider over the logs with
the other. il IA thing never 10 b. for
gotten. Oar hair almost .ibgcd. aud
our knucklns popped like the corn. for
the corn actually popped.
Then there wcrs the hourly trips
out through tn. snow for an armful 10
wood. The wood wa, always 80 thickly
crrIs.ed with ice and snow tina; I, a.
most put the fire out. aud froxe II
fingers so -tiH that We we're afraid Ia
warm them al the lire FOR fear they
would melt.
The rag carp, IL still on the floor.
and every member Of 'hc family can
wander back for year. IN IL. because IL
IL made up Of wedding dresses. army
uniforms. sunday clothes. o~vercoa,s
and shawls. Il i, a carpc, Of biogra-
phies. and every strip represents y
memory We till 49,. the old hole In i,
near tn. door. in which the visitors
foot nigh, catch and toss him into tho
bosom Of the family head-fir-t
We again climb NJ the rickety old
stair, Ia the garnet bedrooms with ih,
green paper curtains. the corB-hnsk
b.i. and the chest 81 drawers. Hli-i
with apples. The room j. 81 cold that I
wc Jump under the comfortahie- with
our clothes % n and und-e-s tn bed after
We have warmed H. And when thu
wind shakes tn. house In the night IL
in through the broken pane and
PLAYS weird meioiie. in the ounchc. 81
sage and red peppers suspended over
our heads.
Again We 20 heai-sr,i into IA. swim
ming hole and drif; about among 'hs I.
lily pad. 10 quest Of pickercL And IN
the green and fracraB; spring ~e CLIMB
among III. blossoms 20 rob birds nests: /
and ". make wry face ss -e gEIp tho
psoSL All the green ssld..
and oi~a-sashicoed Sewers. auss crystal
brooks. and shady orchards &c ever
kn.v come back. md seem brighter
ever with sunshine. and leyelisr
with song. Ne 20 watch ihn>c .histinS
scene. os the Old Honess~sd: aod
the .~queAkiag Of sh. fiddle sns ths
pa.;er Of happy feet make - thing
ourselves bark IN the heart 81 New
Easland. and not ia the ~hnrsy-bsriy a
STREET Puck
Georges Timely inssrrvps.on-
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