The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-07-26
As Ithers See Us.

Around a boarding table in Chicago,
talk easily drifts eastward. Naturally
so in this instance, because, out of the
dozen young people gathered there,
ten had cone from New England or the
Middle Atlantic states. They had been
talking of writing to mother" One
"never had anything TO say" He
"could talk fast enough, but pen
drove away all IDEAS" Another de-
clared he had not missed a weekly let
ter more than ten times in so many
years. The little typewriter in black
flashed look of admiration and
promptly said, IF one has a mother, it
is the least he can do to write once
week"
"Well, l have a mother" said an
other, and 1 write occasionally. But
somehow don't care much about 60
ing home. A man ought to stay in one
place where he was born or else 60
away and never return. Now my sis
ter and her husband have gone home
to live and they have my room. My
traps are all packed off to the garnet.
When 60 home they put me into the
spare room. There's no place that be-
longs to me, and L don't feel at home.
I've got two dogs; good ones too. l
have written twice that l wanted one
of them, but the folks have taken no
notice., nor offered to send him. l
haven't been home for two years and
l am not going for two more"
"My sympathy with you, Mr.. Brown"
came from the bride, who was waiting
impatiently for the new house to be
finished. Our boxes came to. day, and
my little bookcase that Mr.. Jones made
me eight years ago was not sent. o, |
know why; they couldn't bear to take
it down from the sitting-room wall
where it has been all these years. And
/ am not sure that l have the courage
TO remind them that is is my very own
property"
Maybe there is a timely suggestion
in the complaint of the young fellow
who did not want to go home, and who
liked Chicago only because it was the
first place he T ad found where he could
make money" Is it possible to keep
the children's rooms just as they are
left? Is it worth while because of the
homelike feeling in short week OF
vacation-and lingering thought, per
chance, On Sundays and holidays for
the rest Of the year? Is it possible to
make desired changes in furnishing
and yet keep it identified with the
former occupant? Certainly not, if the
parting member selfishly gathers VI
every personal belonging. But that j:
not usual in the earliest flights 1t is
only as the home takes on the cir Of {
" strange house that the desire come
to gather up those homely and purely
personal possessions with which al
early associations are linked; desire
to give TO some other room the memo
ries of that room where we fought on
battles, she'd our tears, or were jubilan
over our victories; room perhap
which had the good fortune to look on
on the green hills of Vermont or thu
waves of the Atlantic.
And the little typewriter was right
Few realize, save through experience
the far cry of the mothers heart, a
she wrote these words after Septem
Der fitting of her household to schoC
ard to work; / 60 upstairs into you
room to see if you are there. 1t
empty. Tle bed lies spread just a
you left it. | open the drawers simpl
to see their emptiness. Igo into Kate
and Mary's room. Their bed in in th
same condition. | open their drawers
look into their clothes press, 60 out an
look into the dark bedroom where thei
dresses hung. 1t is all empty, g
across into Willis room; nothing Their
that belongs to him. l 60 back, loo
the door, go into the front chamber
look where Aunt Nellie's trunk sa
look into the clothes press to see ho
empty it is, so as to pile up the feeling
of loneliness, and come down stairs say
ing, My house is left unto me desc
late" SARAH MAYNARD.