Year: 1871

Some astute Pittsburgher has becl


building his first fire this season, and thu


mOralizes over it; The first fire of tn,


season Is a matter OF moment, and tht


building thereof an event OF varied inter


est. The hand that lights the first fire


has given farewell shake to the warm


hand of summer, and Is extended In wei


come to the winters chilled palm. The


crate in which the first fire Is kindled Is


an altar on which pleasant summer mem


ories are burned, and antiCipations, cheer.


ful and gloomy, flicker forth in light and
shadow from the flame, The chilly, au'
tumn twilight is darkening Clouds that
look ready TO shed dismal tears are In the
sky, and tho wind goes Its way with a
kind Of sob. The summer has become u
habit with you, and you have kept your
windows open, Notwithstanding the chill


You close them now, for there is q per-
pGiual inactive shiver In your blood, and
1t keeps coming to the surface and threat
enlng to become an active shake. You
feel half torpid, like bear that Is little
late about hybernating. You light the
gus md try to read or write. But tho
light in the room Is not u cheerful
light. A few evenings ago you did not
think of that You did not need any.
thing TO cheer you You sat by your
open window and read by the gas flame,
and listened the while 10 the street noises,
with u sense that you were perfectly com.
Portable without distinctly knowing IT,
Now you are gloomy and not comfortable,
but you try not to realize 1t. At length
you turn toward the gate by q kind OF
impulse which must be the same instinct
that sets the birds on their southwark
flight, The crate Is closed, and you re.
fleet that 1t was only the other day that
you stuffed the chimney and set the CRATE
front in It's place. The shiver comes TO
the surface, and decides you that "fire
time" has arrived. Perhaps the chill in
the atmosphere now Is no greater abso-
lutely than II was on one or two even.
ings last summer, but II has different
quality about 1t, and you feel that moth
ing but fire will conquer 1t and give you
peace, so, with q hall reluctant energy
you set to work. The CRATE front is 70.
moved the down falling SCOT disposed of, lis
quantity convincing you that 1t must have
been long time since the stuffing was
placed in tho chimney throat, the fire.
irons arc found and unwrapped and
brought down with the coal scuttle, kin.
dIings and coal are brought up, and you
build the fire with the skill which you
arc halt surprised TO find has kept since
last winter. AS the flame struggles up,
discomfort departs and cheer comes, but
you don't quite know whether to bo glad
or sorry You have stopped shivering,
but you have also formally proclaimed
that all the glowing delights OF summer
(as you remember now had nothing but
Delights have gone, They had gone, Just
MS certainly, before you had kindled your
fire, but, somehow, you had not told your.
sell Of II, and did not know 1t as you do
know. You have practically agreed
that, hCnceiorth for many months. the
pleasures Of home shall DO winter plea.
sures. There will come warm days,
days when no fire will DO needed, but
they will come only now and then. They
will only be days when the regretfIll
year shall stop and look back over the
time that Is past" ,a.t..