Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1889-06-20

the air with fragrance The earliest
blusbirds am 20 them. and there the
first robins built their nests How
charming and airy it ali was in May.
when the days we're melting into sum
MGR. and how really beautiful aand fall
Of life we're all Of these venerable New
England homes
Af;sr the old house was burned /
visited the place. and brought away a
few bricks rs n souvenir Of n home Of
/ heroic memori~-of happy memories.
too. II we except \ single tragedy OF
the Indian War. The great orchards
we're gone the old barns and their
swallows. Only the veil remained. ard
a heap Of burned bricks. and the black
cnsd outline Of the cellar val
Il VS. n house full Of legends ard
stori~-wonier tales that once led the
stranger TO look upon il with n kind OF
superstitiOus ave. Il had its historic
lore. and. ike all great colonial houses.
its ghost lore. but the most thrilling
legend associated with the old walls
vas known "a the Two Brass Kettle
The legend may have grown with time
bat il was veil based on historic facts.
and was often told NJ the ample fresides
OF three generations of Dorchester poo
pie
The dinner. like Uncle Zebcdees
prayer. seemed never TO end After the
many courses 81 food there was an
and And pies and apples and
nuts. and all sorts of swestmea,s.
Uncle Zehcdee." | Piped-
We'll. dearie-~
Aunt said tha, you would tell us the
story Of Two Brass Kettles after din
ner-
Why. dearie. yes. yes Eve been
telling that story these eighty years.
come October. Didn't you never near
IT. | thought all little shavers knew
about that The Two Brass Kettles.
yes
They're in tho old cupboard. now
Bring them out. and | will tell you all
about EN- | shant live : tell that
story many o years May be I shall
never tell il again
The servants brought out the two
kettles into the kitchen. where we
could see them through the wide din
in--rOom door
Put EN- in the middle the Of foor be-
fore the widow" said Uncle Zebedee.
There. tina. will do That Is lust
where they we're when the Indian
came
You see the window" he added
Il had a great deep-se. easement.
GraPe-viuss half-cuFtained il now on
the outside. and the slsntiug sun shown
through them. its beams gIimmering
on the old silver of tbs table Ii Was
pas; the middle Of the afternoon of the
shortening days IT autumn
You have all heard OF Phillips War"
began Uncle Zebedee, leaning forward
from his chair OF his crutch- Ever
body hast destroyed thirteen towns
in the Old Colony. and for two years
filed every heart with terror Phillip
struck here. there and everywhere. No
one could tell where he would strike
next The sight Of an Indian lurking
about in the woods or looking out OF
the pines and bushes usually meant a
mascrre ~(mas~aereL
One Sunday in July. in 1873, the
family veut 10 meeting. leaving two
small children a boy and a girl. at
home in the charge OF 4 maid name.I
Experience The kitchen then was as
y0u see Il now The xindOx vas OPEN.
the Two Brass Kettles had been <co1r-
ed on Saturday. and placed bottom up
wards on the foor. Just As you see them
1er
1t Was a blazing July day. The
h~ay-delds were silent There was an
c~ior cf h~ay-ricks IN the air. and the
BOooliuks. suppose. toPPled about in
the grass. and red-winged ~blackbird-
piped among the Wild wsyside roses.
Just a. they do now wish that you
have seen the old h~ay-felds in the long
July afternoons. all scent and sunshine;
it makes ne long for my boyhood again.
Just 10 think of them But l shall
never NOV again
Let me See-ths two children were
sitting on the floor near the two ket
ties Experience was preparing din.
ner. and had made a fire in the creal
brick oven, which heated the brick.
but did not heat the room
Well on passing between the over
and the window. she CHANGED to loos
toward the road. when she saw n sight
that fixed her eyes. and caused her te
throw up her hands with horror, iusi
like that
Uncle Zebedee threw up both hands,
ike exclamation points. and let his
cru Oh drop into his lap
We'll. the maid only lost her wits 10,
atex moments She few to the win
dow and closed It. and boIted the door.
Then she put one OF the children gnter
one Of the brass kettles. and the other
child under the other kettle. and tooa
the iron shovel and lifted It 20. ana
waited to see what would happen.
and
Uncle Zebedee lifted his erutch. liz.
m Interrogation point and we could
easily imagine the attitude Of the ex.
cited maid
And where vas ~
The children we're under the I've
Brass Kettles. and the maid was stand
ing wiki the f-e-shOveI IN her hand -
said aunt La I've heard tha
story ever since I was a girl