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in the split trunk。
The rain now subsided； there was only an occasional faint
rumbling of thunder； as if it were murmuring over the distant sea；
the clouds broke away in the west； the sun peeped out； as if to see
what had been going on in the world since he hid himself an hour before。
A delicate rainbow bridge stretched from the blackened church
steeple to the glittering weathercock on the squire's barn；
and there； in the centre of the fair green meadows from which it
had risen in glorious strength and beauty for a century or more；
lay the nooning tree。
The fireball； if ball of fire indeed there were； had struck
in the very centre of its splendid dome； and ploughed its way
from feather tip to sturdy root； riving the tree in twain；
cleaving its great boughs left and right； laying one
majestic half level with the earth； and bending the other till
the proud head almost touched the grass。
The rainbow was reflected in the million drops glittering
upon the bowed branches； turning each into a tear of liquid opal。
The birds hopped on the prone magnificence； and eyed timorously
a strange object underneath。
There had been one swift； pitiless； merciful stroke！
The monarch of the meadow would never again feel the magic
thrill of the sap in its veins； nor the bursting of brown bud
into green leaf。
The birds would build their nests and sing their idyls in other boughs。
The 〃time of pleasure and love〃 was over with the nooning tree； over too；
with him who slept beneath； for under its fallen branches； with the light
of a great peace in his upturned face； lay the man from Tennessee。
…
THE FORE…ROOM RUG。
Diadema； wife of Jot Bascom； was sitting at the window
of the village watch…tower； so called because it commanded
a view of nearly everything that happened in Pleasant River；
those details escaping the physical eye being supplied by faith
and imagination working in the light of past experience。
She sat in the chair of honor； the chair of choice； the high…backed
rocker by the southern window； in which her husband's mother；
old Mrs。 Bascom； had sat for thirty years； applying a still more
powerful intellectual telescope to the doings of her neighbors。
Diadema's seat had formerly been on the less desirable side of
the little light…stand； where Priscilla Hollis was now installed。
Mrs。 Bascom was at work on a new fore…room rug； the former one having
been transferred to Miss Hollis's chamber； for； as the teacher at the brick
schoolhouse； a graduate of a Massachusetts normal school； and the daughter
of a deceased judge； she was a boarder of considerable consequence。
It was a rainy Saturday afternoon； and the two women were alone。
It was a pleasant； peaceful sitting…room； as neat as wax in every part。
The floor was covered by a cheerful patriotic rag carpet woven entirely
of red； white； and blue rags； and protected in various exposed localities
by button rugs；red； white； and blue disks superimposed one on the other。
Diadema Bascom was a person of some sentiment。 When her old father；
Captain Dennett； was dying； he drew a wallet from under his pillow；
and handed her a twenty…dollar bill to get something to remember him by。
This unwonted occurrence burned itself into the daughter's imagination；
and when she came as a bride to the Bascom house she refurnished
the sitting…room as a kind of monument to the departed soldier；
whose sword and musket were now tied to the wall with neatly hemmed bows
of bright red cotton。
The chair cushions were of red…and…white glazed patch；
the turkey wings that served as hearth brushes were hung against
the white…painted chimney…piece with blue skirt braid； and the white
shades were finished with home…made scarlet 〃tossels。〃
A little whatnot in one corner was laden with the trophies of battle。
The warrior's brass buttons were strung on a red picture cord and hung
over his daguerreotype on the upper shelf； there was a tarnished
shoulder strap； and a flattened bullet that the captain's jealous
contemporaries swore _he_ never stopped； unless he got it in the rear
when he was flying from the foe。 There was also a little tin
canister in which a charge of powder had been sacredly preserved。
The scoffers； again； said that 〃the cap'n put it in his musket
when he went into the war； and kep' it there till he come out。〃
These objects were tastefully decorated with the national colors。
In fact； no modern aesthete could have arranged a symbolic symphony
of grief and glory with any more fidelity to an ideal than Diadema Bascom；
in working out her scheme of red； white； and blue。
Rows of ripening tomatoes lay along the ledges of the windows；
and a tortoise…shell cat snoozed on one of the broad sills。
The tall clock in the corner ticked peacefully。 Priscilla Hollis
never tired of looking at the jolly red…cheeked moon； the group
of stars on a blue ground； the trig little ship； the old house；
and the jolly moon again； creeping one after another across the open
space at the top。
Jot Bascom was out； as usual； gathering statistics of
the last horse trade； little Jot was building 〃stickin'〃 houses
in the barn； Priscilla was sewing long strips for braiding；
while Diadema sat at the drawing…in frame； hook in hand；
and a large basket of cut rags by her side。
Not many weeks before she had paid one of her periodical
visits to the attic。 No housekeeper in Pleasant River save
Mrs。 Jonathan Bascom would have thought of dusting a garret；
washing the window and sweeping down the cobwebs once a month；
and renewing the camphor bags in the chests twice a year；
but notwithstanding this zealous care the moths had made their
way into one of her treasure…houses； the most precious of all；
the old hair trunk that had belonged to her sister Lovice。
Once ensconced there； they had eaten through its hoarded relics；
and reduced the faded finery to a state best described by Diadema
as 〃reg'lar riddlin' sieves。〃 She had brought the tattered
pile down in to the kitchen； and had spent a tearful afternoon
in cutting the good pieces from the perforated garments。
Three heaped…up baskets and a full dish…pan were the result；
and as she had snipped and cut and sorted； one of her sentimental
projects had entered her mind and taken complete possession there。
〃I declare；〃 she said； as she drew her hooking…needle
in and out； 〃I wouldn't set in the room with some folks and work
on these pieces； for every time I draw in a scrap of cloth
Lovice comes up to me for all the world as if she was settin'
on the sofy there。 I ain't told you my plan； Miss Hollis；
and there ain't many I shall tell； but this rug is going to be
a kind of a hist'ry of my life and Lovey's wrought in together；
just as we was bound up in one another when she was alive。
Her things and mine was laid in one trunk； and the moths sha'n't
cheat me out of 'em altogether。 If I can't look at 'em wet Sundays；
and shake 'em