St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-01-27
LEAVING HOME.

Uncle Hsnrv's Heart Is Touched
by Familiar Picture.
Bright and early they arrived at the
1nar grounds, and the first building
shey entered was the art palace. 1t
must not be inferred from this fact that
tney loved art-not at all. They came to
This structure simply because it was a
et OF the exposition they had not vis-
ltad before They had come several
nundred miles to see the fair. and il
would weigh heavily on their minds if
ehey failed to see any portion of it. I'M
peiied by stern sense of duty, they
mad done every building, from the
convent of La Eabida to Horticultural
haii-even though the exhibits in
sDme of them were as unintelligible
% them as the inscriptions on an Egypt
an obelisk. The Art palace and the
Fisheries building alone remained to
% visited; and it 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 sequestercd
places, through cool. green pastures,
there mild-eyed kline grazed contented-
3yAqd birds sang through the long sum-
pucr DAYS. 1t was plain to be seen by
their honest faces that they were far
Detter versed in the ways of nature
sthan in the wiles of man. This trip to
she fair was the supreme event of their
Nves-the brightest bit of color woven
into the dull gray warp and woof of
their existence. They had never befose
seen anything more important than a
county fair; and this great carnival Of
The nations seemed so stupendous and
cserpowering that sometimes feeling
Of awe came over them. They realized
the hopelessness of seeing and compre-
bending more than a small part of the
whole. At such times, Uncle Henry
would sigh and sadly remark that he
e.reckoned' it was too big for him.
Uncle Henry was the head of the
1bmily. lie had kind, honest face.
treshing. Lucy, his wife, was a hearty,
buxom old lady. who looked at peace
with the whole world. Their youngest
child was with them-a pretty, budding
girl of seventeen or thercabouts Then
there was Uncle Henry's sister. sn old
maid, whose patient face gave evidence
that her life had been one long sacri-
l3ce for the welfare of others.
81 never did care no very great sight
. they passed rapidly through the va
rious sections
II kind o. like to see 'cm." said his
wlfc. 'But dear me! Here's so many
You git all mixed up. You can't begin
TO stop and look at 'em all close, for il
you did you wouldn't git through in all
day"
aMa, look herew called the girl. at
tsacted by painting of \ bouquet of
gus eous flowers. "Ain't this beauti-
ful7 Wish l had it Reckon they'd
sell 1t. pa?''
.Course," answered her father. ''Sell
anything here for money"
"Won't You buy it for me?" she
coaxed.
.Nhats the use buyin' pickchers
when you git such nice ones free with
every pound of tea you buy?" Uncle
Henry asked.
.sBut they're not like these here. pa
These are all painted. They're only
printed" !"
.Uh, l see. All done by hand, eh?
Wal. l think some of 'em better been
LETT undone."
They sat down on one of the sofas to
rest M
ma, want to learn to paint" said
tho girl. There's lady stays at the
Johnson's who teaches folks to make
pictures. Can't learn"
81 reckon it's nice to know how to do
such things said the mother. "What
do you think about it. Henry?"
.sThink it's nonsenser' said Henry,
decisively. mo earthly use. Let Flora
learn to paint. and our house would
soon be q reg'lar pickcher gallery, like
this You go into the Johnson's, where
that teacher stays, aud you see a sun
flower here and a cat-tail there, and a
long legged bird of some sort over yon-
der. johnson was tellin' me his girls
Nd rot the craze so bad they even
.decorated' the coal-scuttle and the
shade, and wouldn't let him use 'em.
II Flora wants to learn to paint, Ill git
eome white lead and oil and let 'er
tackle the front-yard fence"
No one made any response. and he
cs csftinued: We've seen all this we
want to. guess. Let's so over to that
Mace where the queer fishes is.''
They were passing through gallery
ln the United States section, trying to
and an outlet The old maid sister,
Who brought up the rear of the little
rrour. stopped to examine a picture
more closely.
s.Look here. Henry" she said.
The picture to which she called his
attention was entitled: Breaking
Home Ties" The scene was plain,
h.re room in an old fashioned farm
housc. A lad. perhaps eighteen, was
leavip- his boyhood's home to go out
alone into the broad. unknown world.
His mother, an iafirity of maternal af-
lection in her fearful eyes, stood by
rim. both her hands resting on his
enculdcrs. The boys father had turned