The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1893-12-29
LEAVING HOME.
Uncle Henry's Heart Is Touched
by Familiar Picture.

Bright and early they arrived at the
fair groun ds, and the first building
shey entered was the Art palace, 1t
must not be infered frora this fact that
they loved !, ;,rt-ennt tat all They came to
this structure simply because it was a
part of the exposition they had notvis-
tied before. They had come several
hundred miles tossee the fair, and it
would weigh heavily on their minds If
they fszifesl+ to SEQ any portion of It Inn
pelted. by a stern sense of duty. they
had 'done" every building, from the
convent or La Rabida To horticultural
hall-eyen though the exhibits in
some of them were as uninteiligibIe
to them as the inscriptions on an Egypt
ian obelist- The Art palace and the
Fisheries building alone remained to
be visited; aRd1lt was to complete their
cycle of sightseeing that they had
come to the fair this morning.
1t took no close observer to see that
they were simple, well-to-do country
people One knew instinctively that
their paths had lain in sequestered
places, through cool. green pastures,
where mild-cyed kline grazed eontented-
" ana birds sang through thc long sum
rner days. 1t was plain to be seen by
their honest faces that they Were far
better vcrsed in the ways of nature
than IN the wiles of man. This trip To
the fair was the supreme event OF their
livcs-the brightest bit OF color vasl--.-
into the dun gray v.sizs.s5nd rsoof OF
sv,et,.,,a - sfSv had never before
sa..s.---y5nfng more important than a
comfy fair: and this great carnival of
the nations seemed SO stBPcnGoUs and
overpowcring that sometimes feeling
of awe came over them Tn cy realized
the hopclessness OF seeing and compre-
hending more than a small part of the
whole At such times, Tn Gle Henry
would Sigh and sadly remark that he
''rccleoncd'' it was too big for him
Uncle Henry was the head of the
sa-nily. lie had "A kind, honest face
and n look of simplicity that was re-
frcshing. Lucy, his wife, was a hearty,
buxom old lady. who looked ut peace
with the whole world. Their youngest
child was with them-a pretty, budding
girl OF scventeen or thereabouts. Then
there was Uncle Hcnry's sister, an old
maid, whose patient face gave evidence
that her life had been one long sacri-
flee for the welfare of Others
Il never did care no very great sight
TOR chromos." remarked Uncle Henry,
as they passed rapidly through the va
rious sections.
Il i,iud O like to see 'em. " said his
wife. "ilut dear me! Here's So many
you git all mixed up You can't begin
to stop and look at 'cm all close, for if
you dld you wouldn't git through in all
day"
MA. look hercr' called the girl. at
- ,,f
gorgeous flowers. ''Ain't this bcauti-
ful? Wish l had it Reckon they'd
sell it, pa?"
Course" answered her father ''Sell
anything here for money"
Wont you buy it for me?'' she
coaxed.
whats the use buyin' picl<chers
when You git such nice ones free with
every pound of tea you buy?'' Uncle
Henry asked.
s A'But they're not like these here, pa.
These are all painted. They're only
printed"
'sOh, / see.i All done by hand, eh?.
Wal. | think some of 'em better been
left uHdone.''
They sat down on one of the sofas to
rest.
MA, want to learn to paint" said
the girl SThcre's a lady stays at the
Johnson's who teaches folks to make
pictures Can't | learn?''
Il reckon it's nice To know how TO do
such things said the mother. What
do you think about it. Hehry?"
'.ThinlS it's nonseuse!" said Henry,
dccisively. NO earthly use. Let Flora
learn. To paint, and our house would
soon be a rcg'lar picl5chcr gallery, like
tins. You go into the Johnson's, where
that teacher stays, and you see a sun
flower here and n cat-tail there, and a
long-lcrge,l. bird of some sort over yon-
der. Johnson was tellin' me his girls
had got the craze SO bad they even
decorated the coal-scuttle and the
spade. and wouldn't let him use EN-.
II Flora wants To learn to paint, III git
some white lead aud oil and let 'er
tac,llc the front-yard fence. -
No one male any response, and he
continued: We've seen all this we
want to. guess. Let's 90 over to that
place yTherc the queer fishes is
They were passing through gallery
in the United States section, trying 10
find an outlet The old maid sister,
who brought mp the rear of the little
group, stopped to examine picture
more closely.
Look here, Henry" she said.
The picture 10 which she called has
attention was entitled: Breaking
Home Ties" The scene was n PLAN,
bare room in an old-fashioned farm
house. a lad, perhaps eighteen, was
leaving his boyhood's home to go out
alone into the broad. unknown world.
Ills mother. an infinity of maternal af-
lection in her fearful eyes. stood by
hlm. both her hands resting ON his
shoulders The boys father had turned
toward the open door. Ia his hand
was a carpetsacil like those our grand
fathers carriee; 1t held the few belong
ings of the departing lad The aged
grandmother regarded the scene. a lo,sl'
of sadness IN her patient face. a young
lady sister sat near by, her hand rest
ing on the head of the family dog
great, noble animal, that looked