Morning journal and courier., 1891-05-29
COMMUNICATIONS.


To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER: A wild tangle of lilac bushes grew close beside a ~dilapidated brown house that stood near country road. Some of them grew like trees, with trunks so gnarled and teytwisted that it seemed as if out of sheer pity they were trying to support the crazy old structure against which they leaned with undergrowth so rank and foliage so dense as if they were lovingly doing their best to hide the decaying shingles that covered the side of the house from the too curious gaze of passer-by. And then, as if to compensate for the poverty of their humble surroundings, they put forth every spring such wealth of royal blossoms. which nodded and waved in the breeze, filling the soft warm air with their delight full fragrance and covering the old house riant were they that they reached far above the low chamber windows, framing them with verdant loveliness.
 The house was situated in lonely valley at the base of grassy hill, up which a carriage road wound its way to the sum nit Just across the street was an old and neglected grave yard, filled with sunken graves and defaced and discolored head stones; where weeds and wild vines struggle for mastery; where there was nothing pleasant or beautiful to be seen, except magnificent weeping willow that stood near the gate-a silent sentinel in this ancient city of the dead.
 It was rambling old house with long slooping roof, which, broken aud moss covered, reached within a few feet of the ground The lilacs had long since taken possession of the front door and had woven such a network of branches across it as to render it nearly invisible. A door at the west end of the house, however, opened into the living room, which was at once both parlor and kitchen, and was, with the exception of the chamber above it, the only habitable one in the building.
 The furniture was of the simplest, but everything about the room wss exquisitely neat, from the short white curtains at the window to the bit of zinc beneath the stove that shone like burnished silver. Chairs, over which opened newspapers were spread, were placed at intervals against the walls. These, like the ilacs on the outside, were trying to hide the crumbling and broken plaster which the ravages of time had made.
 Child as I was, this quaint old room had strange fascination for me. It was | 50 pleasant and peaceful here on hot summers day, with the cool greenish light from the lilac shaded window, through which the shimmering sum such games of hide and seek on the home | 1y rag carpet, dsrting hither and thither as the branches were swayed by the | breeze; while the tall old clock in the cor | ner with its solemn tick-tack echoed loudly | through the room, and the bees, with their monotanous droning, flew in and out the | open door.
 | A dank old bucket suspended from tall well sweep hung above the we'll west of the house, alluringly inviting to a thirsty pc destrian, and just beyond was the gsrden l filled with vegetables. A broad, straight walk ran through it's center, with wide borders on either side gay with peonies and peoples, where sweet old-fashioned flowers blossomed in great profusion.
 This was the home of two sisters, who like the house, had evidently seen better days They could remember when these ruinous old rooms had echoed with the batter of childish feet and had resoundec
 with young and happy voices. But, alas
 they were silent now, for, as time went on
 one by one had gone out into the>world tc
 seek homes and fortune, or had been sadly carried to join the pale sleepers across tho
 way, until these two were left alone, the
 last of numerous family, as indeed they
 were the last of their race.
 They were as unlike in appearance a
 they were dissimilar in disposition. Tn,
 elder, widow, was large, good looking
 and exceedingly proud and autocratic
 How plainly I can recall her, as with loft.
 demeanor and slow measured step sh
 went among her neighbors gleaning ant
 retailing what news she could for, digni I c. oI, eha %,
 You may be sure she was made welcom
 by the farmers wives who were too bus,
 to hear the news elsewhere.
 With an utter disregard of the rules o
 orthography she dropped the letter iron
 heard, adding it to saw, and as she eithe
 "heed" or 'sawr" all she had to communi
 cate, no doubt her tidings were authentic
 Indeed, it was jokingly said, that on
 could not pass the house-whatever tn
 hour of day or night without being seel
 by the argus-eyed widow, who was alway | peering out from behind her leaf-screene,
 window. But who could blame the poo
 lady, with so few pleasures in life, if sh
 did take an undue interest in the affairs o
 her neighbors!
 . Everyone liked Miss Lucy, as the young CT sister was familiarly known; and then
 everyone pitied her, for she had so mucl
 to bear from her despotic sister. She wa
 tall and slender in figure, with a shy, half frightened manner, pale, nervous face , with curious little quicker of the tightl compressed lips, as if she was continualI repressing something she must not speak They were pitifully poor, but so el , cessiveIy proud that their friends coul offer no assistance. They did a little sew :, ing-in genteel sort of way-but nc 5 enough to procure for them the bares ' necessities, and doubtless were often l the direst straits. Had it not been for tt