Norwich bulletin., 1910-03-12
The Little Old House by the River

other delicate growths. Near the sum-
iner house grew clunps of tawny tiger
lilies, between the summer house and
the bridge rose battalions of currant
bushes while the entire stretch from
the garden patch to the edge of the
village street was one mass of grow
ing towering, sweet-smelling fruit
bearing vines and plants and shrubs
and m-Stemmed trees. The garden
on the other side of the bridge was
palmer, merely a strip of grass plot
atop the WALL then a big brown space
given over to potatoes and things; but,
farther on, up nearer the dooryard,
was q chicken coop, and mother hen
clucl1ing, and little downy yellow
the Stats or scurrying to the refuge
of their mothers wings The child
must say good morning to both the
gardens; see? Her only question was,
to which one first?
Some one steps upon the library
threshold and rings the great bell that
sounds far afield. The child laughs
ing to breakfast and to the familiar
faces about the board. There is
gran'pa, with his snowy hair and
STOPPING shoulders; her first good
morning kiss shall be for him. Next
him sits a pretty auntie, and beside
her a stalWart uncle. Young cousins,
whom she will greet but not kiss. are
wedged in here and there around the
I
fered a bears hug from her an hour
ago. AS for the boys" her two
brothers, her chums and playmates,
her tyrants and teasers, sons of giants,
imagine their submitting to any show
of affection at table in public, under
the terrible eyes of the big boy cous-
ms, mocking, and overbrimming with
scorni
Breakfast finished, the child pur-
sues her enchanted way from keeping
room TO parlor. from front hall UP the
front stairs which, latch lifting, opens
upon fight of old oahen stairs WHOSE
every step is followed deep by the
stepping of the many feet that. gen.
Grafton after generate helped to
wear the baclIdoor threshold into
rounded slippery shining peril. Creep
ing upon all-fours and carefully fit
ting her small knees into the bowl
shaped hollows, the child enters the
dim. delightful. old, dusty, dark gar
ret and forthwith fFi2htenS herself IN
to shivers by peering into cavernous
corners and behind boxes and bar
rels. and into the queer old hair-cov-
cred trunks that were brought from
over seas by the wonderful people
who lived long ago ShiVering. she
steps softly upon the crea king floor,
which seems to be trying to creak up
her shoulder at some restless ancestor,
two or three, perhaps. who come
creeping across the floor behind her
to give a. turn to the spinning wheel,
or lift the lid OF q trunk, or rustic
old documents (such as last wills and
testaments>. until at last, with her
hair rising from her forehead and her
eyes bullying. she stops just long
enough to open the heavy oven door
of the huge central chimney and see
what she expects to see namely: the
ha piess, baked-to- crisp victims of the
dread chimney ogre-then instantly
turns. bounds to the stirs, pIunges
down over the holloWs. and breath
lessly bursts through the door to find
who but mother. sitting by the sun
ny window. with a bit of needlework
in her hand. Mother looks up with
smile.
Have you greeted the lady of the
spinning Wheef2'' she asks: and the
squire of the Wills and deeds? Well.
then. little child. come out into the
sunlight. and may the glory of the
morning be with you"
THE RECLUSE.