Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1890-02-18
THE OLD HOMESTEAD.
A Pleasant Picture OF Genuine Now Er
sinn,i Eaanfrx Liz

I ~
gland Corntry Life.
II people can appreciate and enjol
the "Merchant OF Venice" and thi
"Gunmaker of Moscow without having
sojourned In Italy or Russia, it is fail
to assume that tho Italians and Rus
slams who have mover boen In New
England would go wild with delight
over the "0ld HOMESTEAD" Bat to
people who have visited and arc famil-
lar With that corner OF the United
States, the play is something not to b.
forgotten. Tho chief beauty OF It is its
trueness TO life and character in New
England; and 1t is doubtful II the ex-
New Highlander can look ut 1t without
becoming so enthusiastic that his ac-
tions will betray the place OF his birth.
We all have been there. We remem-
ber the old hogsheld out OF which we
dipped water. aal som ,tlm,s ice. In
the old tin hand-basln; aal how we put
II on bench. aud washed our hands
with common soap that took OF tho
dirt. skin and all.
And we remember tho long. sloping
meadow-full OF bobolinSs--thatf filed
the air with hay-scent that thrilled
US with joy, and which many perfume
manufactured has tried In vain to catch.
for you can't bottle the spirit OF New
England meadow. Under the haystack
was jug Of switched. that m ide labor
sweeter-sweeter than 1t would havo
been without 1t. And, looking at old
Joshua Whitcomb, we fancy we again
hear the dinner-horn. and In response
head for the old farm-h ,use for din
ner of roast apples. apple sauce and
apple pie, washed dowa with tea that
tasted as though painted grcsa.
Those were dear old days that
Joshua Whltcomb brings back to us.
when We sat aad watched our old
sharpen his razor on the
same palm thnt he used when perform
ing that o,iic. for the scythe. His
hand was so hard that b, colld crush
~alnuts by closing 1t on them. and he
Gould hold u rel-hot plato longer than
my woman In the land. We remember
low he kept one eye on his face when
lie shaved. AMI he usl the other to
zee that the oxen didn't wander into |
he orchard opposite 1t is long
ime since We have s,sn him; but he
omos back to us with his peaceful old |
mile. and we see him ut table wanting
piece OF pie, and fearing TO take IL on
ccount OF his dyspepsia, yet wanting
'.ece all the same.
We see the old sitting-room. with |
he hair-covered sofa that no one would
lare fall asleep upon for fear OF falling
n. It was so slippery that when you
'urst into u hearty laugh you had to
AXE firm hold TO ke,p from sliding
fl on the floor. 1t would be impos-
ible to remain on II during u chill. un-
ess tied.
The frames around this room con-
aimed pictures, but the pictures were
ot works OF art, either in spirit or ex-
cution. The chrome OF the bald
eaded infant sucking the muzzlc OF q
svolyer. and Washington at Home"
I'LL hang in our m ,mory. And the
lghts OF coFn-popping before the open
re! How we kept ono hand over our
'ce to keep OF tn, intense heat. and
sid tho old spider owe: tn, logs with +,
ie other, Is thing never TO be for 4
Dtten. Our hair almost sinyel, and
ir knucEles poppol like the corn. for
ie corn actually poppsl. |.
Then there were tbs hourly trip1
1T through the snow for an armful OF
ood. Tho wood was always so thiclsly
'ustei with ice and snow that Il A. ,,
ost put the fire out. and froze our
igers so stiff that we were afraid to
arm them at tho firc for fear they
Duld melt.
The rag carpet Is still on the floor.
ID every r;onber OF the family can r
sndcr back for years In it, because 1t !
male up OF wedding dresses, army I
liform,, SUI lay clothes, overcoats 5
ID shawls. It's u car:'et Of biogra- /
lies. and every strip represents a
emory. We still see the old hole In IL n
ar tho door. in which the visitors b
Of might catch and toss him into tho .
som Of the family head-frst.
We again climb up the rickety old
.irs TO the garret bedrooms with tho
cen paper curtains. the corn-husk
d, and the chest Of drawers, filed
tn apples. The room Is so cold that 4
J jump under the comtortables with Il
r clothes on. and undrcss In bed after
have warmed II. And when tho \
nd shakes the house In the night, 1t
mes In through the broken pane and
Iys weird melodies In the lunches OF M
ye and rcd peppers suspended over
: heads.
Again we go head-frst into tho swim n
ng hole and drift about among tho
pads In quest Of pickerel. And in
green and fragrant spring we climb
ong the blossoms TO rob birds nosts;
we mako wry faces as we gulp tho
pleasant pierL All the green fields, ca
old-fashloned flowers, md crystal
oks, and shady orchards we ever
wv come back. and seem brighter
n ever with sunshine. and lovelier
h song. rs we watch those shifting
mes of the "Old homestead" and
squealting Of the fiddle and the n,
ter OF happy feet make us think j
selves back In the heart OF New IN,
gland. and not in the hurly. .burly Of
lrteenth street Puck.
Georges Timely interruption.