Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1866-06-28
A Check for a Carpet.
BY LOUIE CHANDLER MouLToN.

"And how about the new carpeti"
Pretty little Mrs Lane spoke coax
ingly, with her hands .clasped on her
husbands arm. lie looked down at
6er moment before he answered.
She had been his wife for five years;
but her face WAS as sunny and as
girlish IS when .he Grst wooed her.
Her blue eyes lad scarcely shed q
tear in all those years, except the
laxy luxurious tears such happy lit
tie souls weep over the ideal woes of
story book heroines.
Her monthly rose in the French
window was not pinker than her
cheeks-her scarlet geranium was not
brighter or redder than her lips-and
the pet canary chlrping above the
blossoms, was no gayer or merrier
than the little birl-like woman who
waited for John Lanes answer He
smiled as he looked at her, and brush.
ed back her soft, brown bair, with an
unconscious tenderness.
"Ies, about the carpet, Annie. II
/ thought we needed it, would get
il of course. But we use the draw
ing room so little. The carpet that
is on it now is almost as bright as il
was the day we chose it, and you
know how pretty We both thought il
then
Fqle glrlish young wife pouted her
dainty lip
"Well, John, but it's been down
five years, and it's only nice because
| have taken such nice care of it.
If had been careless, and let it get
spoiled, you would have bought
another without grumbling, you know
you would. It's to bad, if have got
to see things forever, just because ]
am careful of them Don't you get
tired of seeing the same things al
ways, John?"
"Not easily, so long as they are
the same, fresh and bright as ever.
am not tired of you yet"
She laughed, and her pink cheeks
flushed little ...
"But I am not a carpet. Ours is
only Brussels, you know, and did
so want a Wilton, like Mrs MaYne's. q
$50 Mrs. Mayne's is the serpent in
our Eden? Well, Annie, give me till
to might to think about it." and he
bent toward her for his goodbye.
After he had gone, she went into
the drawing room and took survey
of her possessions. The carpet wa:
that soft, many shaded, moss like
green, on which everything looks Sc
well. She confessed to herself tha
it had more refined air than Mrs
Mayne's large-figured Wilton, which
held your gaze, like the eye Of thu
ancient mariner, from the momen
you entered the room. But then
she thought she needn't buy grea
gaudy thing; and Wilton was reall.
so much more elegant, so much NOR
in keeping with her rosewood ant
! brocatelle. Then she began dustin!
some of her hooks and ornaments.
While she stood there she hear
the bell ring, and 8 short parley 8
the door--a child's voice, apparent,
asking for food and the cooks an
, swer that to-day there was nothin
TO spare. A sound in the young, sa
voice, sort of accomplishing hope
lessness, struck her, and she steppe
down stairs just as Bridget was abou
to shut the door. Eo
: "Come back a moment, little girl,
she said in those gentle tones tn:
John Lane liked so well to hear.
;. The child turned, an eager ligf
coming into her face for momen
and then going out. Mrs. Lane ws
acting on impulse. She almost a
r ways did; it was very good thin.
/ therefEe, that most of her impulse
II were sweet, gentle and true
"Are you hungry" she asked pit,
: ingly. cE q
sit does not matter so much abol
me, ma'am. ! could bearto be hu
CRY, but don't know what to do (,
: my mother. have tried to get
q place to work, but no one will tai
q me. They say child ten years o
u is more trouble than good. N
=, n mother had TO work SO hard to ke,
: us, and now she's been sick awhil
of and can't work, and we've eaten 4
.t everything. So / came out to see
anybody would give me somethil
for mother, and i have asked ct eve
: house on the street, and everywhe
they said just the same, that they b