The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-02-03
THE OLD HOUSE AND THE NEW
HOUSE.
ny MARY having.

"Dear me, James, do believe this old
house will be tumbling down OH all our
heads, before the year is out "
So spake an anNiouS-lOoking woman, the
mother of nine children, aud mistress ot n
house an hundred years old, 10 her sturdy
farmer husband, James Appleton. James
Junior, otherwise called "Jemmy," the
Youngest but one of the nine scampcrs, had
Jus, overturned "randmama's work Ia
bic in his haste 10 catch the black brush oI
Pussy's tail aud the shock had dlslodgCd
a triangle OF "plaSlcring' from the rOot ol
the room, cracked and Scamcd by time
This had fallen directly upou The breakfast
table, to the manifest danger OF mama'-
cups aud SauceTs, not TO speak OF the head
OF the baby, who sat tied into his hl.h
chair, flushing his crust. after all others had
deserted him.
Mr.. Appleton looked up quite coolly, and
replied
"'Twill save deal of trouble in pulling
1t down, then -
"And break all our dishes, meanwhile,
Besides our nscks y returned his wife, as
she swept the fallen fragments from the
cloth. "lwish it was safely down, for one.
"Oh, papa, dO tear 1t down this spring,
won't you, cried Laura aud Eben, the old.
est girl aud boy, springing TO his side al the
word awe can live so nicely in the shop,
You know, while The other house Is build
ing"
"And then have nice nctr home " eN-
claimed Sarah, the second dauGhtrr.
=" Yes, aud this is such an old thing = adj
ded Laura looking diSlaiuully around her.
The other childrcn had clustered abou,
the group bv this time; every eye followed
sister LauIa'S, and seven tongues uttered in
seven different toncs-"Such an old thirg :"
"Childcn!" II was grandma who spoke
this from her corner, in voice little trcm-
uious. "Childen, It's many one hasn: so
SoOd rul! rs this 10 cover en-
This was slight reprool, as kindly Ia
ken as It had been given. IL Silcnccd the
children, however, for the moment, except
Ebcn, who whispered to Laura
"Grandma is mot rs old as the house,
isn't she? wonder il she don't feel bad 10
be reminded OF being So old -
IL don't know" whispered Laura, in re-
turn, little ihoughtlully. 81 dare say so.
Here, Jenny and Sue, come help pick up
gIandma's spools -
Just here the father laid down his news
paper, with an energetic rafting, and fold.
ing his hands above his head, spoke in a
tone that aroused all cars
"Wile and mother! Two pretty much
made up my mind to build this next season
what say ?"
al say, by all means" answered the wife;
bu, her words were hardly dis,ineuishable
in the renewed shouts Of the young ones
"Good Hurrah 70 &c.
Hush !-you!" exclaimed the iaiher,
Well, mother, what's your mind ABOUT
n!n
Grandma lifted her eyes from the grey
stocking she was knitting, and one tear
rolled down the iurrows OF her cheek. sue
cleared her throat and tried 10 speak cheer'
fully. al s'poso il may rs well be done
now rs overland mabbe its best so ~ she
said, with sort ol sigh OF resignation.
"Why, Grandma, 10 DC sure :" cried Sa-
rah, in tone OF surprise. 40 have new
house
"And you shall have a dear little now
bedroom in it," added Laura, more gent
ly; ga room on the ground floor, so ,ha,
you won't have TO keep going up and down
stairs to your chamber | saw 1t in papa's
plan, and it was marked" Mothers
yoom.'
"You'rs very kind, Jcm, said old Mrs.