Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-10-20
An EYE WITNESS.

In spite of the fac. that added years
are serious Inconvenience to people who,
like myself, have passed beyond the
boundary of middle age, l can still lay
claim to fair portion of my former ac-
tivity and vigor.
My home is naturally with my only
daughter, whose interests and affections
are centred in her husband and little
children, and who never cares to leave the
country, where she has lived since her
marriage. AS for me, if my joints are a
trife sitter than of yore, my spirits have
not yet lost their elasticity, and cannot
bear the monotony of quiet life bereft
of outside diversions.
To me the country is charming. From
the time of natures awakening till the
reapers have gathered the harvest, each
flower, each twig, each tender grass
shoot speaks its own silent, beautiful
language. The chirping of the birds,
the droning of the bees, the various
sounds that issue from the poultry yard
and stables, the baying of the hounds,
and, above all, the prattle of innocent
children, appeal to me strongly, and at
such times l am all that could be ex-
pected of model grandmother / have
my easy chair, which my good son-in-
law rolls into pleasant corner. have
my spectacles, my knitting and my remi-
niscences all ready to make use of at the
first opportunity, and my dear Nellie re-
Joices at seeing me so contented. Poor,
deluded child With the last autumn
leaves and the frat moaning of the winds
through the bare tree tops make ready
for flight, and Nellie relnotantly does my
packing, shaking her head the while
over my folly.
But it is not foolish, this desire for
human intercourse, for while nature
sleeps | crave my kind. l delight to
mingle with them in the busy city and
study them in my own peculiar way.
Nellie cannot understand this, her home
duties absorb her and narrow her views.
Practically my life is on the wane. l
have loved, have welded and been
widowed. have reared my child and
have lived to sec her a happy wife and
mother, and now that my work is fin
ished-now that am no longer needed
Il must have vent for my surplus
energy. cannot end my days in the
proverbial chimney nook, whittier all old
women who have served their time are
rclegated, no, not while have feet to
carry me wheresoever / will
1t was throughsuch forcible arguments
that generally overruled Nellie's objec-
tons, and so it happened, at the partic-
uiar season of which write, found my
self most charmingly situated in one of
the choice localities of the city, with
friends who, for the sake of past associa-
tions, were willing to accommodate me.
My rooms were delightful, but my
circle of acquaintance was so large, my
invitations and engagements so numerous
that / spent little time in my coy quar-
tiers until brought to sudden halt in my
gayeties by twinge of lumbago, with
which Providence saw fit to affiict me
for my unseemly frivolity. / still wrote
cheerful letters to Nellie, however, never
mentioning my complaint, standing,
truth to tell, rather in awe of her inevi-
table 81 told YOU so ~
During my close confinement / viewed
life from my front windows, and dis
covered that even with such limited
ItuRC VI ODSeTNullOu Huu SOhuC-
thing to amuse aud interest.
At first only noticed casually the het-
erogencous procession that passedup and
down the street, but after while /
commenced IT, single out individuals who
attracted my attention by reason of some
distinguishing Characteristic, and finally
became so absorbed in my contempla-
ton of two striking fguresthat allowed
the other to go by UNDECIDED. Now l
blame myself for this, as it cost me much
trouble and annoyance and taught me a
lesson / shall not quickly forget.
The more prominent of these two was
a young man whose age could not have
been over 25. His face was SO boyish
that l thought he could scarcely claim so
many years, but on account of his splen-
did figure and dignificd bearing gave
him the benefit of the doubt. What first
drew inc towards him was his walk. 1t
was the most even I ever saw. His steps
were firm and resouDding, nor neither
hurried nor tagging. There Is much in
q walk, and am sure there was great
deal in that young mans.
/ have always openly admitted my
fondness for the other sex, as, indeed,
every woman should II she is not hypo-
critic. but am generally inclined SC
favorably towards them that l am apt ia
err sometimes on the side of lenience.
seem to find more excuses for their faults
and foIlics, more sympathy with their
temptations. In short, like them, old
as am, and the many good men whose
lives have passed directly under my scru.
tiny, inspire me with degree OF tender.
ness that have never yet felt for the
best OF women.
There was something clerical in the
dress and bearing Of this particular young
man, and l decided without hesitation
that he was either student Of divinit,
or perhaps q full-hcdged minister. and
this added to the respect that his appear
ance commouded