North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-04-11
sfleft gtury.
A CHE OK FORA CARPET.
Sand how about the new carpet 7"

| W I'LL uCi udILIS CldSpC0 Oh hSA iAoNaHu
arm. He looked down at her moment,
before he answered. She had been his
wife for five years, but her face was as sun
nv and as girlish as when he first wooed
! her. Her blue eyes had scarcely shed a
! tear in those years, except the lazy, luxur-
ious tears such happy little souls weep
| over the ideal woes of storybook heroines.
Her monthly rose in the French window
was not pnker than her cheeks-her scar
let geranium was not brighter or rcdder
than her lips-and the pet canary chirping
| above the blossoms was not gayer or mer-
rier than the bird-like woman who waited
for. J John Lanes answer. He smiled as he
looked at her. and brushed back her soft
brown hair with an unconscious tender
ness. -.r.. z.. .. .-..
-"Yes, about the carpet, Annie. If |
thought we needed it, l. would get it Of
course. But we use the drawing groom so
little. The carpet that is on it now is al
most as bright as it was the day we chose
it, and you khow how pretty we thought
it then" Fftns @.a8Et s.f
The girlish young wife pouted her dainty
lip. ......-
"Well, John, but it's been down five
years, and it's only so nice because I've
taken such nice care Oft. If I'd been
careless and let it get spoiled, you'd have
bought me another without grumbling,yo
know you woad. It's too bad. if I've got
to see things round forever, just because
I'm careful Of them Don't you get
tired of seeing the same things always,
John ?" 4
Not easily, 50 long as theE,are the same
fresh and bright as ever. | am not tired
! Of you YETI -aT
She laughed, and her pink cheeks flush
ed little. aea. %
But I'm not a carpet. Ours is only
Brussels, you know, and did SO want .
| Wilton, like Mrs2 Matnes 2"
$50 Mrs. Nayne is the serpent in our
Eden? Wcll, Anaie, give me till night to
think about IT, and he bent toward her for
his gooi-hye.
After he had gone, she went into the
drawing room and tooka survey of her
possess ions. The carpet was that sot,many
! shaded, moss like-green, on which every
! thing looks so well. She confessed to her.
1
self. that, it had more refined air than
Mrs. Names laroe figured Wilton, which
. held your gaze, like the eye of the ancient
mariner. from the moment you entered the
room. But then, she thought, she needn't
buv a creat, gaudy thing and Wilton
was reallv So much more in keeping with
her rosewood and Brocatelle Then she
! I'y.- 1,,o,;no come of her books and or
namnnts s >,
While she stood there she heard the bell
ring. and short barley at the uoor-a
ch Ids voice, apparently asking 'or 1901
and the cooks answer that to day there
was nothing TO spare. A sound in the
vouno. sad voice, sort of uncomplalning
boneIpssness struck her, and she stepped
down stairs Just as Bridget was about to
shut the door - -- =,
"Come back a moment, little girl" she
said in those gentle tones that John Lane
liked so well to hear. SGT
The child turned, an eager light coming
into her face for a moment,and then going
ont. Mrs. Lane was acting on impulse. =
She always did it was good thing,there-
fore. that most Of her impulses were sweet,
and gentle, and true.
"Are you hungry?' she asked plying
| ly, .
sit don't matter so much about me,
ma am. I could bear to be hungry, but I
don't know what to do for my mother. /
have tried to get place to work, but no
one will take me- They say child ten
wears old is more plague than profit. Moth
er had TO work so hard to keep Us, and
now she's been sick awhile, and she can't
work. and we've eaten up everything. So
/ came out to see if anybody would give
me something for mother. and I've asked
at every house in the street.. and every
where they said just the same, they had
nothing TODAY" -..3.Ias@
Where do you live,-is it'far Z" Mrs.
Lane asked.
aOnly few steps, maam--three streets
off"
Well. then, I'll go home with you, and
see your mother. Come into the house,
while put on my bonnet, and Bridget shall
give YOU some bread and butter and cold
meat" a-k.fa ! tgF
4 Mrs. Lanes sweet young face was full Of
pity, as she hnrriedly packed a basket with
bread and tea and sugar, and glass OF
jelly for the sick mother. Then she b ran
up stairs and tied on her pretty summer
hat, and down again. while the hungry
girl was Just finishing her breakfast
5"Come little GIRL" she said, ''what il
your name = .r.- X
:. "EIlen Stanton, ma'am, but my, father
always called me Nelly, and so does my
mother" laa
| "And is your father dead ?"
"Oh. yes that's the way our trouble
began. Father died, and mother wasn't
used to work so hard to keep baby and
me- tasa4. IA aE.
Mrs. Lane asked no moro questions just
then. She wasthinking more seriously than
she had ever thought in her life,rcmcmber
ing how she had been borne to ease ano
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