The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-10-04
From Life Illustrated
APICTURE OF LIFE.
BY JANE Z. ROUSE.

JANE Z. ROUSE.
"Charle., come here
Slowly the boy approaches his mother,
when the latter gives him smar, box at
the ears, adding: "There, take that;
and now so to work."
"Why, mother, what have done p
Done, you have not done anything.
only set poring over that old paper for an
hour"
"But, mother, the chores are done,
and it is storming."
Go under the shed, then, and saw
wood"
And he went, the boy Of fourteen,
dwarfed alike in body aud mind, the for
mer by hard labor on the farm, the lat
ter BY hard words aud "hard knocks"
Poor boy aud this was the nephew that
| had 80 lopged to see, for l remembered
him as q sprightly boy of three years, all
life and animation aud this was the sis
ter that l had com; SO far to visit, and
this was my first observation day in the
family circle, for sickness had hitherto
confined me to my room, where all had
been smiles and kind attention. My sis.
ter was some years older than myself, but
being only sisters, we we're much toyeth.
er, and had few il any secrets that we
concealed from each otter, and for while
after we married, the one going toward
the rising, the other the setting sun, we
had kept up regular correspondence,
but the cares of growing family and
poor health soon checked the letters, and
at last they ceased entirely. Once she
had visited her "old home" and friends,
and brought Charlie, her first born with
her, bright lad of Il rec summers
Eleven years had passed when | decided
to make her visit and see how she pros
pered in the far West Success had
crowned their laborS, and to the casual
observer, nothing was wanting to make
life agreeable.
Three lovely girls wandered from room
to room. Let US follow them to the sit.
ting room. The eldest threw down her
book, which, instead of reaching the Ia
bic as she had designed, fell to to floor
Instead Of saying, "Pick it up, my
daughter the mother gave her a quick
slap on the he; d which sent her reeling !;
AID picked it up herself. Quiet was
scarcely restored ere another often der, for
some sli ght cause, received box aud an
angry word, and thus the afternoon was
spent I was in hopes that such scenes
were not common, aud waited impatient
ly for the evening, but, alas . 1t came all
too soon, for as much as my feelings had
been tried through the day, they were
worse tried in the evening. The candle
was placed on the stand in the center OF
the room the father, tired with his day 3
work in the woods, had leaned his chair
back against the wall and was already
snoring; the mother with her youngest
in her lap, rocking by the fire; |, with
my feet on the fender and nobody by the
ight. Charlie hunted up his paper
(Which had been tucked away and tim
idly drew his chair up to the stand in
hopes Of finishing his story, but bark
"Come, boy, just move your chair back,
and not make yourself quite So conspic.
uUuS. llC luoStu UdCh, anu sovh sup
ped out of the room, and was soon for.
gotten by all but myself; but often in
the course of the evening did wonder
where the boy was. About uine he came
in. and | expected scene, tut no ques-
tion was asked, and he passed on to his
room could not refrain from asking
my sister where Charles spent his even
ings. son. she said, "he generally
goes over to tHe other house they take
the Ledyer, and always read it aloud,
evenings. This, then, was the mystery !,
the boy could not have the privilege of
reading at home, aud went to the neigh
bors.
l felt sick, heart.sick, and home.sick,
and longed for the quiet Of my own
home. But whole winter was before
me, and something mus. be done. At
last all had sought their pillow save my
sister and myself; an unpleasant silence
pervaded the room l was thinking how
to begin; knew that my sisters heart
was in the right place if could reach it;
she asked me what was thinking about;
told her | was thinking of our mother ;
| asked her if she remembered how ten
derly and lovingly she reared her family
how she sympathized with all our lit
tie imaginary wrongs and troubles-how
she taught us to pray and sing. as well
as read and work /; how pleasantly we
spent our evenings, when mother would
tell Va some pleasant story, or brother
Charlie would read the newspapers!
1t was enough. already she was weep
ing on my bosom; no promise was asked
or given, but | heard her 20 softly tt
her boys room, and as she returned
heard her murmer, "God bless him,
and knew the good work was begun -
It wa. some time before all the little out
breaks we're dispensed with, but lool
was sufficient to still the tempest, ant
ere spring, the time for my departur'
had arrived. a lovelier and pleasante
family could not be found. Charles ac
compied me home to finish his education
and he promises still to fulfill the hope o
early years. -..
One ought to remember kindoesses re