The Opelousas courier., 1892-10-08

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year 1810-so unlike a modern house
that people gaze at it %curiously as they
pass along the fashionable thoroughfare
upon which it frents. A mansion of gray
sandstone it stands in the midst OF extern
siye grounds, shaded by noble oaks,
elms, pines and sycamores. Such elms
there are in various portions of New
England, such pines over Fenimore
Cooper's grave at Otsego Lake; such
oaks near Niagara or in the bluegrass
region of Kentucky; such sycamores
along the Ohio or the Wabash; but there
are few places where one finds them
grouped together. They give the place
an air of seclusion such as .brooded over
Kenilworth. Close inspection is required
to determine that the house is built of
stone. Vines cover it from foundation
to roof, half concealing doors and win
doHs, ard massing up under the caves in
great swells of vendure. There are ivy,
Virginia creepers and trumpet vines, and
/ would gladly have more were there
space for them to grow.
IT is just such a home az a retiring oil
bachelor like myself loves.
need scarcely describe the interior.
call 1t comfortable; tidy h~ousexecpers
Heaven defend. me from them!l would
call it slovenly. My aged housekeeper
Is not ambitious. She tries to please me,
and Goes so; but she is mot tidy. NV
occasional visitors assure me that the
rooms are not we'll aired. that there is a
musty odor in the parlor. that the H.
brary is quite damp. l confess that such
remarks amuse me. The dampness and
mustiness have never been apparent to
me, and my housekeeper has never men
toned the subject. / therefore conclude
that the trouble lies chiefly in the fancy
of certain prying and oficious women.
who have not enough at home to keep
them busy.
Upin my attic, opening toward the
main street, il q small circular window,
which swings back on b hinge. Vines half
exclude the light. Birds come there,
mostly sparrows-a truly detestable bird
but robins and bluebirds also visit the
place at intervals. / once had a robin
stand IN the FAVE within a foot of my
face, peering at me curiorsly. He
winked and rolled his pretty head i'm a
most diverting way. L half believe be
thought me some gigantic species OF bird
"A gigantic cousin he had not seen
before.
often peer shyly at the outside world
through this little window, stan ling on
my feet the while, az the opening ID
higher above the floor than common.
The attic il partly lights il seldom used.
Old furniture, boxes, pictures, papers
and violins lake up most Of the space;
cobwebs and SCOT are omnipresent. There
are dark angles and corners into which
nobody but myself ever peers. / love
the quiet Of the place, and its utter lack
OF order. Sometimes | take up one OF
my old violins and discourse o half.for.
cotton air in so low a key that even the
spiders are not disturbed.
A recent warm evening iu July found
me in the attic. A breath of sultry air
came through the vine. checked window;
the leaves on my old trees were motion
less. Many people were moving on the
street, brought out Of their homes In the
hope Of finding cooler air. One young
lady / singled out walking alone. a tall,
stately women, who face, while dimly
seen at quite q distance, / could imagine
to be handsome. I grew retrospective
as I watched her. ] am not given
70 sentimantality-indeed, know
women too well to lore them;
but e cannot be denied THAT it Is very
natural for q man 60 let them bamboozIc
him. ] am we'll aware that the WORD
bamboozle is not elegant; but no other
word will convey my idea. Women are
natural deceivers; what use have they
for sincerity2 How well they know the
power of . handsome figure, q bright
eye, or pretty teeth With what adj
mirable art do they add to aud improve
upon natural attracticnsl The sweet
smile Of i girl III her teens d hard 10
resist, i grant you; il oversuras reason
hnd philosophy a tho great wheel of The
wind mill overthrow Don Quixote; but
IL this SELF same sweet srnils fails 10 cap
tivaEs you. itis rot sooa turned upon en-