Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-12-28

long been possessed Of the boon Of
| freedom" This was for the best. NO
doubt, and yet many time in my
visits to Washington, where 80 many
| of the newly enfranchised gathered.
my heart was wrung at the desperate
poverty of these poor children Of the
sun, who knew not how to struggle
| with the world and were bereft of the
protection to which they had been ac-
customed. My eyes were full OF tears
| often, as looked in the dusky face
| OF some poor old man, and / had my
trunk taken to the hotel in a wheel
barrow by some ragged ex-slave, long
| after an efficient express services
| made it absurd.
Holidays in New England.
After we dwelt in New Haven cur
Christmas days were spent at the
home of my grandfather, Judge John
son, at Stratford, where were held de-
| ishtful feasts OF reunion of the FAM
lily, when around the great table were
| gathered nearly all OF the sons and
daughters of the house, with their
children. Cold! All, those winter
| days were cold, indeed. remember
well when we children went of one
morning for a sleigh ride Away over
the snow, "the boys" driving, the
crowd Of youngsters packed closely
with bearskins tucked about us to keep
out the bitter chill. 1t had rained dur
ing the night and all the trees and
bushes we're coated with ice that
sparkled like diamonds in the pale sum
light. What fairy land it was! That
wood where the evergreens were deck
ed like brides with white masses of
snow and gay chains of pearls. How
the bells jingled as we slid over the
smooth ground!
Memories Of the Dinner.
Home after while to the great
feastsof the day, the Christmas dinner.
In the diningroom the long table was
set with old china and silver. At
one end sat my dear grandfather, his
| noble face glowing with Kindness.
while my stately grandmother, with
her keen dark eyes, presided opposite.
The dinner was not served as it would
be to-day, but was in the finest fash
ion of that time. After the soup there
came a great turkey at one emo Of the
table, a pair of ducks at the other,
chicken pie on one side, and q ham
on the other, fianked by variety Of
vegetables. But the dessert was the
portion that Interested me most deep
ly. Plum pudding and mince pie were
the substantials, but the glory Of the
day was the great glass bowl of cyl
labub that stood high in the center Of
the table, fianked by dishes OF pre-
serves and candied fruit. Since that
happy time have sat at many feasts.
but never where there was anything
SO delicious as grandma's syllabub
with peaches.
A Festival Of Other Days.
After dinner the "grown-ups" sat IN
the great draWing-room with the %.
tagonal end and the peacock paper On
the walls that was brought from
France by a great-uncle "A mighty
wood fire blazed on the hearth. light,
ing UP the old pictures and the stately
furniture. There our elders held sol.
emn conclave, as it seemed to us,
though I doubt not they had good
deal OF fun among themselves. We
young folks went to a big room tha1
was called .'the nursery though e !
was long years since there had been /
any babies there. We played all sorts /
OF games, making as much noise % -
could without word Of remon
STRANGE: until, tired OF pleasure, No
sank to sleep in the deep feather bods
How far away is all this nows How
many long years since those Vanished
days! Yet as write they seem - I
live once more. ard
Like the echoes faint and far
OF music's fading chime, IS i577s
l5sS II hear the laughter and the e6neD I3
OF that light hearte d 800 III.