The Dickinson press., 1893-12-02

were splendid. One evening was ne.
gal. There came to my apartments
two beings whose happiness was as
complete as that state of earthly con-
tentment can be made There was not
nook or corner about my apartments
which was not festooned and beauti-
fled by the hand Of Il woman who was
| the perfection Of loveliness How she
cared for me and talked to me! and in
| the nighttime she would sing to me
until the melody seemed the link be-
| tween bliss on earth and rapture be-
yond. She was my bride.
II was her shelter and comfort and
his until saw gathered about them
images Of themselves, and their young
lives We're repetitions Of the first had
| other, and another, and another. How
| they grew stronger and stronger until
they flooded me with laughter! And
then n stranger would come in. Later
on he took away one of the children I
had seen grow up-the first one They
tried to make me look joyous and hap
py that night, but it was mockery to
me- l saw, when the bells quit ringing.
her who had been my bride, and / saw
the silkcn tresses whitening, and heard
the prayer when we We're alone.
THAT first one who went away never
came back. They oil went away as
she had done.
"And then one day woman strug-
gled to the window. l think it is this
one which they have made sn hideous
with rough timbers across it, and
clutching the curtain She gaZed out
upon the vcranda where there had
been so many evenings of music aud
where first heard her sing, and where
l had seen her children gather about
her, and revel in her glorious beauty,
for none of them ever approached her
| ir that.
81 remember when she planted a
vine by the window. l helped her
nourish it, and it climbed upon me
and bore its blossoms of perfume which
she gathered and Wore in her Won
drous profusion OF hair. No wonder
! the birds made their toilets among the
tendrils of that vine.
The light went out Of that window
when she went to it for the last time,
and they carried her away soon after.
And she never came back.
"rhc strong and heroic support
which was shivered by this aff1iction
went away. l coult not expect him to
stay after that. He never came back.
So they all went, like
Short swallow-flishts Of song that dip
Their wings in tears and skip away.
strange faces, strange voices and
strange songs entered. There were
some reunions, and on one Thanksgiv-
| ing day l saw the skeleton hand of
Death pass the goblet. That night
there was naught remaining Of any
thing for which to render thanks.
ACROSS the way, and over and be-
yond, great walls arose and encroached
upon me. saw and heard the coming
of a splendid cavalcade. l know there
had been new generation, and had
learned, long before, that was grow
| ing decrepit, and that the rustic Of the
garments which had not long before
been the herald Of Il season had grown
dull, and it trailed like something
which is expiring.
''They put up a placard on MY face.
I was deserted for Il while and the bats
were my companions. One day they
came, some hardy, honest men, nO
doubt, but oh, so rough, and they put
me in chains. They dragged me
through the streets, down the avenues
1 had heard mentioned in better days
At nights they left me alone some.
times and sometimes they kept me
dragging my chains. 1 was always
thankful for that though. for it saved
mo the chagrin' of being pointed out
by people who had known me in bet
ter days. How often / heard them
point me out and say, Just after the
fire that was the finest residence on
Prairie avenue, and was the home OF
-, one of our rich men,
"And then the chains would clank
and l would move on. There is a piece
which my young mistress planted and
which grew for her, and bore blossoms
of perfume which she gathered and
wore in her wondrous profusion OF
hair. 1t is like faded ribbon which
one sometimes comes upon tied about
something which was loved and lost.
so l am here. 1t was so kind OF
them to bring me here after dark, anC
row. / might say with Hamlet, If one
having had such acquaintances. 'Fol
this relief. much thanks
'It is all l have. Tomorrow l shall
see what these poor wretches have t.
be thankful for
On the morrow the little house mex
door sent over dinner to the OLE
house. And in the evening it callcf
and heard the story that has beel
written.
Well" said the little house tina
hadn't a pretension, II have had n,
sickness or SORROW, or any of the trial
YOU have seen. There are worse thing
than poverty. l have learned a lessot
from you this day which will no longe
cause me to think that thanks are onl.
the eXcheluer of the poor
The old house, trying to smil
through its tears at the thought th;i
Its mission was not entirely gone, re
piled: "Swallows make their nest
everywhere and bring with them tn
springtime Of hope rhicag~ '''lne
The Markets.
Chicago, Nov. 2S.-No. = wheat easy
cash, 81 1-Sc; December. 62 lie: May
60 Lie. No. = corn steady; cash, 35 1-Sc
December. 30 l-Sc; May. 80 Use. No.
oats steady; cash, 81 use; December
2Sc; May, 30 7-Sc.
Minneapolis. Nov. 2S.-Wheat = Ma
opened at. G' :5-Sc; highest, 81 Lie; low
est, 63 :;-Sc: closing 63 3-4c; Novembe
closed at 59c: December opened at 500
59c. On track-No. / hard, 81 3-tc: NJ
Northern, GO 1-4c; No. . Northern
5S3-4c.
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