Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-03-02
miscellaneous.
From the Mothers Assistant.
"SAW UP AND SAW DOWN."
BY MRS. HELEN c. KNIGHT.

BY MRS. HELEN C. KNIGHT.
GIVE must have some new furniture,
and that soon,'' said gentleman, taking
a leisurely survey of the parlors, one
morning, tootb-pick in hand. {" have
been looking at our cousin Madison's, ST.
very fine theirs really, ours begins to
look shabby, arkish !"
Chow, father?" asked one Of the
three boys, who followed him in the sur
vey.
"Arkish, my son, it looks as if it were
from the ark ; quite out of date we
must have new.'
"Not for the present, my DEAR" OBJ
served a lady, rising from the breakfast
table, and following on "this will an
swer for some time to come; it is hard
ly ten years old, and you know how
handsome it was considered then 7"
"Yes, and do you remember how
chicken hearted you were,-afraid it was
beyond our means % said the gentle
man, chuckling "but it looks old now,
out of date, at least, beside our cousin
Madison's."
Why make any one our standard ?"
asked the wife. "Look at these three
boys to provide for" as she patted Phi's
curly pate.
"Ah, we'll look out for them, time
enough for that" he replied, as he COM
placently surveyed them " but we must
not be too snug; something is due to our
station )" upon which he drew himself
up little pompously, perhaps.
eyes, to support it with sufficient
economy to lay up something for rainy
days."
your rainy days, Jane the wealth
er will take care of ITSELF" he said, good
naturedly, going out of the room then,
thrusting his head into the door, added,
81 will send the porter up with those
things, if he is not too busy"
"Let the boys go, my DEAR" besought
the lady here are are Madison and
Philip, who would give all the world for
something to do"
Yes, mother yes, mother let us
gop' shouted the two.
"No, no; lei the porter do those
things; cousin Madison's boys"
Must not be patterns for ours" play
fully interrupted the wife, placing her
hand on his mouth.
"But do you think it best for the boys
to go? they can't bring il"
Yes, father, yes let us try there's
nothing like trying, mother says" eager
ly declared the two.
Z" | see mother is for your working
well, perhaps it is best, under all crcum-
stances. Come with me" and so from
his handsome parlors departed MIR. Phil
ip K, my father, a rich merchant
as the world reputed him, with his two
eldest, Madison and Philip; pale, slen-
der boys, of ten and eight years.
Some time passed away and, al.
though the subject of new furniture wa;
frequently brought up, and cousin Mad
ison Joness sufficiently commented up
on, yet my mother never cordially assen
ted to its being bought not needing it
to her, was synonymous with not buying
it.
At length, few days before Thanks
giving, rockingham, in the newest ant
easiest style OF twenty-five years ago, en-
tered the front door, the precursor of I
handsome set of furniture for the par
lors. Our mother looked at it somewha
ungraciously, and drowned our excama
tons by her silence. At dinner, whel
our father appeared, he threw himsel
into it, saying, "Ah! Jane, this is jus
what | want this minute. am shock
ingIy tired"
We looked at him, and there was
strange paleness about his mouth. 81
it not easy =" he asked, resting his hea
back, and looking into my mothers fac
as if her full coincidence of opnio
were only needed TO complete his enjoy
ment. She smiled pleasantly, then pre-
sed her hand upon his forehead. "
fear you are not WE'LL" she said, tende
ly; "your head is very, very hot. M
father was not well he soon entered h
chamber, and the next day, and mex
and next, grew more sick. The thrt
weeks which succeeded | shall never 70
get; dreary, dreary, dreary to me, Il
invalid boy. for was deprived of n
mothers care and presence, always
necessary to me before. How keen
did feel that nobody was like my mot