Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-01-27


winter weather and winter sports as
much as 10 Jones. 1 like skating and
coasting well enough, myself, when 1
can keep warm. but I must say don't
like the cold 10 fairly reVelS in it,
and often wishes she could spend a
winter in Canada, We have had a
great deal of snow this winter and the
sleighing and coasting have been per-
feet. Nearly everybody in town has
been out, and many of the grown peo-
pie have joined our coasting parties.
10 has been right in her element.
She and were going up the street
one afternoon, when we saw little
Margaret Judd out on the lawn with
her sled. She was trying to slide
down a little place there, but it was
not very satisfactory. However, her
mother would not let her go out on
the hill, and she was trying to make
the best of what she had. Margaret
is dear child.
you come over back of my house
with us, Margaret" 10 said, land I'll
take you sliding there"
The lawn and garden back of the
Jonses house slope way down over the
brow of little hill and down to the
back garden of the Bigelow place on
but long one, and when 10 got start
ed she could whiz right down to Miss
Bigelow's garden fence, and might
have gone farther If it hadn't been in
the way. There was gate in the
fence that she would have opened if
she had dared, but she was afraid OF
! Miss Bigelow. We stood rather in
awe of her.
She lived all alone in that big old
Joness house slope way down over the
| two old servants. She seldom went
out except to church in pleasant
weather, and Mr.. Jameson, the rector
was the only person who ever called
on her. She had been abroad ever
since L could remember, until last sum
mer, when she came home and opened
the house and settled down in it again
The house is q queer old place, built
! in early colonial fashion, all but one
| wing that her father added to It. HI
| insisted on having that with a French
| roof and long windows, even going sc
| far as to quarrel with the architect
who told him it was not suitable
! Father says he can remember the dis
| cussion there was in the town at the
time and that people began then tt
| think that Mr.. Bigelow was q. tridt
| more than eccentric.
The house was pieced out according
| to his fancy, and when somebody sale
it looked just like crazy patchwork
| the name stuck, and it has beef
| known ever since es the patchwork
| house" Father says it is filed Will
| fine old furniture that would drive col
lectors wild with envy. He can re
member going there when he was
boy. One of Miss BigelOws brother
used to come home with his wife ant
| children, and there were plenty o
| young people to have lively time
there. But after her mother died an,
her father grew so queer there wer
| no more parties. Now nearly all O
| Miss Bigelow's former friends ar
| dead, and for years she has not beel
at home long enough to make any new
ones. So she has lived on alone sine
she came back, with her old furnitnr
and her family portraits. And fathe
always hints at family ghost, but
think that is one of his jokes.
10 and 1 always took a great interes
in the place. When we were littl
children We used to steal through tina
garden gate and play among tn
shrubbery. All one summer we KEEP
lot Of our toys in a long arbor there
10 spoke of it that afternoon as sh
trudged back up the hill with Mar
garet on her sled; and she laughingl
suggested that We go through tn
gate again and call on Miss Bigelov
I assured her that I'd love to If I dar
ed, but that 1 would never have tn
courage. I'm sure I don't know VIII
we stood so in awe of her but we die
and we would as soon have though
Of going unbidden to call on a queer
The old arbor in the garden was
beautiful sight that day, all drape
and crusted with frozen snow, and
thought I would take a picture If /
so I ran back to our house for tn
camera. When was nearly there
remembered that Fred had used a
the film the afternoon before. I ker
on, however, and got a sled, for it wa
rather cold to stand around and watc
10 and Margaret sliding.
! 10 was dragging Margaret up tn
hill when I got back and prepare
for a descent. There was a trick
gully under the crust, and I WASH
skillful enough in turning out for /
My sled caught a bit swerved, an
then went down full tilt, landing wit
a bump against the fence, which shoe
from its foundations.
Look out, Bab," 10 cautioned nj
} I'VE don't want to have to pay for
fence, ana we VIII nave to II you d
that again. Be more careful"
| cast a wary eye around, but no on
seemed to be looking, and we starte
down again. This time l managed t
stop myself before we reached til
fence, but to our amazement and hor
ror 10 slid on, swinging wide the rick
ETY. gate and bringing up at the yer
J window Of Miss Bigelow's sitting room
10 picked herself up, looking aroun
fearfully, with view to escape b
/ Miss Bigelow appeared at the wildo
and beckoned her to come in. ]
obeyed, and Margaret and I waited {
!. the fence. We knew, of course, thu
we hadn't been doing anything wron
, and it was an accident; but as I sal
we stood rather in awe of Miss Bige
} low. and I wandered what was comm
next.