New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-23
THE ANIMATED CHIMNEY.
A THANKSGIVING STORY.

IL was an anomaly, and what was more, it knew
IL. broad, old fashioned fireplace, with clumsy
sndirons and a deep niche for backlog, has no
place in O modern house. Least OF all does IL
Deiong in a California home, where the climate Is
popularity supposed to be one eternal summer, anu
,ons nd 70 yst it exerciscd
o sabtt fascination over the inmates OF the house,
and for that matter, over every one who ever
entered IT.. and people who went away with
confused impression Of the quaint little nome
and its adornments, carried with them singuaTIy
vivid recollection OF the chimney. IL must NC
confessed that it was unlike any other chimney
that was built, being placed across one
corner OF the room, for very sound reasons con-
nected with the size of the small parlor and the
disposition of the furniture In it. The brlck-
layer entering upon his Anaccustorned task with
decided disfelish and having all the pride OF a
conservative brickayer in the exterior port0n on
his work, had protested that he never would be
guilty Of such botch OF job as topping out q
chimney diagonally through the sloping roof
Under the influence of this very creditaole resoiu-
ton, he had undertaken to stTaig Aten the chimney
out indoors, and finding certain charm IN the
ease with which now an overlapping and now a
rccedinS brick was made to accomplish tne ue
sired effect, he was led TO execute couple OF turns
not down in the original programme. In this
enterprise he was undoubtedly aided and nbetted
Joe the es Of distant s from the
city, was only too glad to secure the services Oh
brcklayer under any conditions, and quite content
to act aS his own masons clerk and nTocarr, thc
two men contemplated il with widely differing
sentiments. The brick mason had very un-
comfortable suspicion that be been begniled into
o piece of work destined to damage his professional
reputation and make him the laughlng-stocK OF
the country. Upon one point both were unani-
nous.
Looks like il had never been built by mortal
hands, but had bored it's way through the
ceiling. More like corkscrew than chimney,
sulkily growcd the knight Of the trowel.
Joe rubbed his hands in quiet satisfaction IN
some curious way the chimney had been invested
with an individuality and vitality Of its OWN
The yawning black opening below hanked by
perpendiculas walls and overarched by noble
curve which promised clean draught and a
roaring blaze. the course upon course OF dull
red bricks rising in a spiral curve to the ceiling
to give the fireplace the aspect OF some friendly
come TO preside over the little household
Had there been anything wanting TO complete
Joes satisfaction, it would have been furnished IN
Hetty's cry of delight as she first beheid the
What do You think of it. little woman ?"
asked Joe. appealing from the bricklaYers eX-
PRESTON of settled gloom TO the charming little
rhinK,s she repeated. claspinc her hands
about his and beaming first upon the pile Of
brick and mortar and then up into his lace.
Think? j think il is Incompatible There
isn't such another fireplace in San Francisco; !
don't believe there is such another in the, world
This WAS enough for II was very well known
that our young people had earned for themselves,
and not without justice. the meme of being. &c
centric Had not Joe. yielding to the FIST slight
for the simplicity the quiet. and the peace Of a
country life. deliberately withdrawn from the
prosperous mercantile business in which ne mac
home? Aud had not lletty. his fooilsh young
wife, encouraged him by every means In hei
power, when both Of them were well aware ina,
IL he had persevered in his city lfe ten to twenty
years might have seen him wealthy, capitansI
as rich as carcworn. as Influential. as sour.
tempered, and narrow-mindcd. as any man OF
his GLASS in California?
fo,y ri
individuals who approved OF the Young people
choce: an artist who liked to come out and LOAF
around the picturesque canon when Upenea JUS
imagined they drew Inspirations from the stately
hills. or the ripping stream that coursed between
the laurcls and alders below; and handful OF
uthcr vagahond dre2mers, invauds, enthusiasts
or dile.tint students of natural science. who
roa,ncd around the surrounding country exhaust
ing themselves in their pursuit OF amusement, OF
taking hold of Joe's prOsac duties and making 9
PLAY of work.
Ii is needless TO say that these exceptiona
people, one and all approved Of the chimney
To he sure they confessed it was in no sense
aesthetic. for it had not the most remote &c
praintancc with symmetry, and could boast OF M
artistic motive: but its quaint turns and angles
It's deep, warm coloring, and above ell, TIN
coriiality and zest with which it sent forth light
and warmth from its cavernous depths, soon en-
deared il to them all.
the year this eccentric couple had gone forth
from the metropolis in quest Of health and az
Area
nrouhesed that they would tire Of their rustic
retirement when the beauty and luxuriance OF thu
summer were gone But the fall days came on
and the orchard trees. long since robbed OF the
rich bounty Of crimson and golden fruit, carpeteE
the ground about them with warmly tinted leaves
tho nut trees reluctantly uncssped their russo
husks and dronped their harvest: and the vine
ward on the hill-sope exchanged its fresh greer
for gold and crimson and gathered its wanin;
glory closely about the great purple an'
amber lunches still dropping from its trailin,
rain beat upon the earth. dried and parched in thu
long summer season. each pearl-hke drop provok
house. however, the fg trees still chung tenacious
70 their huge green leaves: in whose axil
pendulous brown and purple looes were hidden
the pepper trees still retained their pume-like
green foliage, interspersed with clusters Of cora
berries: and the La MarQue roses over the iron
porch were as prolific "a ever IN bloom and fra
coaxing the flames up its winding flight with
merry blaze and sparkle breathing forth tn
fragrance Of vineyard and orchard pruninss, sub
TO guard the household during the long hours o
the night with a keen and watchful eye.
But after ALL it was the fireplace. that frs
brought mischief to The happy household. A
he Season advanced. Hetty, no longer gay an
sefive. spent her evenings reclining on the Grim
SON sofa, drawn up before. the FIRE. She be
ard Joe observed to his dismay that she habituall
felapsed into long thoughtful spells. from whic
she aroused with qdickdrawn breath that wa
10 many q subterfuge did the honest fsllo,
resort In his effort 10 ferret out the cause OF tn
little woman's secret discomfort: hut whatever I'll
burden on her heart, she resolutely concealed i
At length he felt that he had stumbled upon III
clew.
Ho,nelike. isn't it, my dear p he said on
evening as ne stood holding the bellows afts
having blown the embers into bold blaze .clumsil
sending u shower Of SCOT and ashes I'll
hearth.
yes joe returned Ietty patiently stoopin
10 brush or the bricks, but with strange HIT
MAYER in her voice. Yet il sometimes seen
Go me that It's bit selfish aud niggnrdly for
10 I've enjoying IL all 20 ourselves--the comfo
aud the brfghtness-whcn we scarcely know no
.ome who are very near and dear TO may
faring.'
She was thinking rs she spoke Of her old fath
aud mother, in their lonely ehildless home '
the Atlantic, two worthy people whom life h.
not wholly prospercd. and about whom the ni'