Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-11-17
Sinful housekeeping,

hands to wash-refractor hooks, missing
buttons, knotted strings, all to be arranged
at the moment. Fretful baby to quiet and
early dinner to get-table pro-
vision to be made for company, upon the
shortest notice-house to be set in order to
receive them--and worse than all, as sharp
goad in the side, under all this burden, lay
that easily.besetling but carefully-concealed
sin, the determination that everything should
be done with just so much nicely and exact
ness as deemed essential to good house,
keeping"
Surely never before was baby half so IT.
ritable as this day never half so unwilling
to sit upon the carpet and amuse himself L
had some misgivings as / remembered the
difficulty with which he had cut the former
tee tn, and the possibility OF return of the
commissions; yet how many items, in the Or
der and arrangement Of my house, must l.
neglect, if | gave my time to him? And
the rest of the children, too--it seemed as if
they never would get off to school, Books
mislad- slate lost-and excuse wanted ior, a
deficient composition !! l. thought job GER
tainly had never tried mothers perpexi-
ties, when he won the palm for patience. Yet
secretly, conscience was worrying me sorest
of al-for if | would but omit the polishing
of certain articles of table use, upon which |
was bent, knew | might sooE find little
Emmas book, and as for Charles slate, |
remembered that some little school'mates
were amusing themselves with it the day be-
fore, seated in the wood-shed, where no doubt
it was left. But was too much provoked
by the successive vexa'ions to be willing to
redeem his carelessness 50 easily.
As the children left the house, Emma's
sobs had not ceased. Ann. was cross at the
long delay But Charlie turned his large,
loving eyes upon his msther's vexed and care
worn countenance and murmured such eau
tious good-by, ma" that the words fairly
stung me- An angels reproof lay all over
that fair young face with its earnest gaze
With nervous haste, buried myself in do
mestic concerns.
At last, although fatigued, heated and
restless in spirit, all was completed. Each
room had received the last touch; every de-
sired arrangement had been brought about
even baby had dropped into a quiet sleep
Before the arrival Of my guests, and for {
short interval, | was conscious of one o
those pauses in which the soul Is ready t.
speak. Just then, walking slowly across thu
room to replace broom, which had been il
use, observed shred or string lying upol
the carpet Surprised that even this small
remnant of untidiness should be left, wher
L thought all had been complete order,
paused and set about removing the intruder
I swept-but it remained. STOPPING dow
to pick it up with my fingers, found it
sunbeam Ia tiny, sweet beam had stole
between the darkened blinds and actual
nestled in the carpet, when hustle and hurry
and annoyances had banished every vestig
of sunshine from the heart A light fror
that peaceful sunbeam shone into my deepes
soul, as if it were lightning's flash tina
had poured in upon me.
In my ignorant nicely, | had been tryin
to sweep away sunbeam from the carpet
Oh, how many bright beams had |, on tina
very day, swept and washed and cleaned on
of my house! The faces of my chldre
peered up from the ray on the floor, and
how they did plead to mothers heart. Til
soothing, forbearing tone with which m
husband had met the fretfu complaints {
: the morning-this, too, spoke out rom til
little sunbeam. quivercd under the SCUM
Of it. No angry reproofs could have pierce
my heart with half so many sorrows! A
all my folly and ingratitude stood unmaske
before me, my anguish was inexpressibl
. Sinking into chair, buried my face in m
, hands, and while the scalding tears fowe'
such prayers went up from my aching hear
1 as trust, have never been forgotten or los
D How triAipg--how unimportant, now a.
= ly spurred ME to anxious labors. Ever
r household article might shine by the tolls
r neatness, but how was my soul, day by da,
! darkcning with impatience, complaints ar
, unthankfulness. How small matter in Il
e sight of God, and now in my own sight, W
r the envied reputation of housekeeper
9 comparison with that gentle patience tn
a loving sympathy and aid, which my childr
s required and deserved at my hands. | long
t for their return from school, that | might b
e gin to retrieve my injustice to them. Peac
! sweet peace, how had | shut it out from n
heart--shut it from my family--ah! he
S busy had been sweeping it all away!
love the remembrance of that gent
n monitor, the sweet little sunb cam | date
e renewed existence from the day it straycd
|, unbiddcn into my parlor. trust | ha
:, learned to devote my energies to life that
e satisfied and eternal, rather than aim to
J. serve ever so well the need of human a
e plause for its own sake. I now question t
e virtue of that degree of household ordt
e neatness and taste, which has become so a
d sorbing as to render the little kindnesses, a
n CHARITIES Of our home life Interruptions
IT our main plan, which has usurped the Oh
G place in our estimate of domestic duties
I, which, if our actions are to judge us, wor
t.. seem to constitute the most necessary item
l. our personal happiness and comfort.-Ad,
e cate and Guardian
u Is IT TRUE ?-Is ii true that there are
u the world go 100000 of our lellow-creatul
l. who. are still bowling down to stocks q