The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-08-26

~ W y Caycu TcIIC Oh inc
year 1S1O-so unlike modern house
that people gaze at it Curiously as they
pass along the fashionable thoroughfaro
upon which it fronts. A mansion of gray
sandstone il stands in the midst OF extern
sivc grounds, shaded by nob'o oaks,
clms, pines and sycamorcs. Such clms
there are in various portions OF New
England; such pines over Fenimorc
Coopcr's grave Mt Otsego Lake; such
oaks near Niagara oI in the bluegrass
region Of Kentucky; such sycamorcs
along the Ohio or the Wabash; hut there
are few places where ono finds them
grouped together. They give tho place
IN air of scclusion such rs broodcl over
Kcnilwor,h. Close inspection Is required
to determine that tho house is built of
stone. Vines cover it from foundation
to roof, half conceaing doors and win
doMs, and massing up under the caves in
great swcils OF vendurc. There arc ivy,
Virginia crecpcrs and trumpet vines, and
| would gladly have more were there
space for them to grow.
1t is just such n home as retiring old
bachelor like myself loves.
need scarcely describe the interior.
l call it comfortable; tidy house!ccpers
QIcnven defend me from themD would
call it s.ovcnly. My aged housekeeper
is not ambitious. She tries to please me,
and does so; but she is not tidy. My
occasional visitors assure me that the
rooms are not we'll aired, that there is
musty odor in the patlor, that the Ii.
biary is quite damp. | confess TINT such
remarks amusc me. The dampncss and
muS,ncsS have never been apparent to
me, and my housckccpcr has never men
toned the subject. therefore conclude
that the trouble lies chiefly in the fancy
Of certain rrying and otfcious women,
who have not enough ut home to keep
lEcm busy.
Up i'll my attic, opening toward the
main strDot il a a..-n ~:----i-----. e''Seow,
Which swings back on hinge. Vines half
exclude the light. Birds come there,
mostly sparroNs-a truly detcstable bird
but robins and bluebirds also visit the
place ut intervals. | once had n robin
stand ON the cave within a foot Of my
face, Pccrlng ut me curioLsly. He
"!nlcd ani role his pretty hcid in n
most dlvcrting way. I half believe ho
IA gigantic cousin he had not seen
before.
often peer shyly at the outside world
throu IN this little window, standing on
my feet the while, as the opening is
higher above the floor than common.
The attic i, rartly Ii hts is seldom used
t'd furniture, boxes, pictures, papers
aud violins take up most of the space :;
c"bwcbs and SCOT are omniprc, cnt. There
arc dark angles and corners into which
nobody but myself ever peers. love
the quiet ol the place, and its utter 'ac'l
Of order. Sometimes | take up one of
my old volins and discourse n half.fnr.
cotton air in so low u key that even the
>p;dcrs are not disturbed.
\ recent warm evening III July founi
&c iii the attic. \ breath Of Sultry air
came through the vino. checked window:
the leaves Oh my old trees were motior-
less. Many pc ppc were moving on the
,;rcet, brought out OF their homes in the
hope OF finding cooler air. One young
lady singled out walking alone, n tall,
stately wOmcU, vino face, while dimly
cen at quite distance, could imagine
10 be handsome. | grew retrospective
rs / watched her. | am not given
to mentality-indccd, know
women too we'll to love them !,
but it cannot DC denied that it Is very
natural for man to let them bamboozlc
him. ! am well aware that the word
lamboozle is not elegant; but no other
word will convey my idea. Women are
natural deceivers; what use have they
or sincerity2 How we'll they know the
power of II handsome figure, bright
eye, or pretty teeth With what ad-
r'Irable art do they add to AMI improve
upon natural attractions! The sweet
smile Of girl in her teens is hard to
resist, grant you; 1t overturns reason
and philosophy as the great wheel Of the
wind mill overthrow Don Quixote; but
if this self same sweet smile fails to cap.
tivate you, it is not soon turned upon an