Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-08-29
BRATTLEBORO, W.: AUG. 20, 1857.


friend forever, because she had NOT risen to the
higher level to which that friend had attained
not in external, but in the true internal life
But sharper modification was IN store for
her The letter of her husbands frienl, in
which he had returned the due-biIl for one hund-
red dollars fell accdendy into her hands, over
whelmed her with consternaton For that new
carpet, which had failed to win more than few
eXlorted sentences of praise from cousin Sally
Gray, her husband had lost The esteem of one Of
hs Oldest and best friends, and was now suffer-
ing IN silence the most painful trial of life.
Poor, weak woman Instead ofthe pleasure
she had hoped to gain in the possession Of this
carpet, it made her completely wretched. While
sitting almost slupiiied with the pressure that
was ON her feelings, neighbor called IN, and
she went down 10 the parlor 10 meet her.
what lovely carpet" said the neighbor
in real admiration. "Whele did you buy it ~
"At Martins" was answered
"l1ad they any more of the same pattern ?'
inquired the neighbor.
"This was the last piece"
The neghbor was sorry. 1t was the most
beautiful pattern she had ever seen and she
would hunt the city over but what she would
find another just like it.
You may have this one" said Mrs. Cart
wright, on the impulse Of the moment, "My
husband doesn't particularly fancy it. Your
parlOr is exactly the size of mine. 1t is all made
and bound nicely as you can see and this work
on it shall cost YOU nothing. We paid little
over fifty dollars for the carpet before stitch
was taken in ii and fifty dollars will make you
the possessor"
Are you nearly in earnest" said the neigh
Dor.
Never more so in my life
at is bargain, then
VERY we'll"
"When can have it,"
",Iust as soon as can rip it from the floor
said Mrs, Cartwright in real earnest
go to work." replied the neighbor, Laughing
at the novelty of the affair, "before your task is
half done, ! will be back with the fifty dollars,
and a man to carry home the carpet"
And 50 she was. In less than an half an hour
after the sale was made in this ofI.hand fashion
Mrs. Cartwright sat alone in her parlor. looking
down upon the naked floor. But she had five
ten-dollar gold pieces in her hand, and they
were of more value in her eyes than twenty car
pets. Not LONG did she sit nusing here. There
was other work to do. The old carpet must be
replaced upon the parlor floor ere her husbands
return. And it was replaced. In the midst of
new hangings came in and were put up TO the
windows. When Mr.. Cartwright returned home
and stepped inside of the little paror, where he
found his wife awaiting him, he gave an excla-
nation OF surprise.
"Why, Mary! What is the meaning oftls -:
Where is the ne ~ carpet Z"
She laid the five gold pieces in his hand. and
then looked earnestly, and with tears in her eyes
unon his WANDERING face.
"What are these. Mary? Where did they
come from -
Cousin Sally is gone. The carpet didn't seem
attractive in her ewes; anil II has lost all beauty
in mine. So | sold the unlovelv thing, and here
is the money. Take it, dear Henry, and let il
serve the purpose for which It was designed"
"All right again ~ exclaimed Mr.. Cartwright
as the whole matter was clear TO him.
/ An right Mary, dear That carpet, bad j
remained, would have wrecked, fear. the hap
/ piness OF our home. All, let US consult only ou
own eyes, hereafter, Mary mo, the eyes of 9th
er people. None think the better of us for wha
we seem-only for what we are. 1t is not from
fine furniture that our true pleasure in life is Il
come, but from consciousness OF right-doing.-
Let the inner life be right, and the outer vii
surely be in Just harmony. In the humble abod,
of virtue there is more real happiness than in til,
palace-homes ofthe unjust the selfish, and wrong
doers. Tine sentiment is old as the world bu
it must come TO every heart, at some time in life
with all the force of an original utterance. AnC
let it so come on us now, dear Wife
And thus il did come The little experience
showed them an aspect Of things that quickeneC
their better reason and its smart remained lonl
enough TO give ii the power of monitor in al
their lives. They never erred again in thi
/ ,y,s I,,r thraa thn nj y