Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-06-10

a little scene, where Abby was.
Emily, rock the baby while | take up
the breakfast. Hush Julie, less noise
"Where is my mittens motherP"
81 don't know, great boy like you
must find his own things. No blubbering
now, hunt round, can't stop to do every
thing"
John came in, "Bless me what q
smoker "Wcll what can you expect
No one can cook ham, and fry fritters
without smoke"
"Why not set the table in the othe,
room ?"
Now John don't begin thattune again
Havn't | enough to do. without carrying
everything we eat in .hereP"
III you would only have a girl, Abby
Then | should have another one tc
take care of. A girl is moro plague than
profit"
John whistled.
"Now don't set such an example. the
children craze me almost to death with
their noise already"
Then The breakfast passes of in grca,
silence. and the husband went to his
days work. with no enviable feelings
The children went to school, with the
parting, "Now 1 hope I shall have a
little peace, till night"
Across the way, they might too, have
had ham and fritters for breakfast, but
they were prepared by n we'll trained
domestic in the kitchen. and brought
properly into the breakfast room.-thc
little room now enlarged. 1t was n
pleasant, social meal. and then the family
gathered back to the sitting room. Mary
filed the children's dinner basket, and
sent them to school with kiss on each
little face, and Harry departed to his day
ofwood hauling, humming an old love
song.
Ten more years.-six children in Johns
seven in Harry's home. There were
young people now at both houses, and
they mingled.
Mother" said Emily Morris the eldest,
Prank Stedman is going to college"
ITO college l don't believe they can
afford it."
"He says his father can help him partly,
and he can helphimselfa and push through
some how. And he is not going to work
at all on the farm this summer, but will
keep right on ut the Academy, so that he
can enter college in the fall. He'll be
Just nineteen then, and I'm only six
months younger and don't know any
thing beside him. / wish you'd let me
go TO the Academy more
why Emily, how can l spare you.
with all my ill spells. Would you go off
and leave me alone ?"
Hire a girl, do, mother. Pretty soon
I'll be so old l can't go to school, and
then it will be forever too late. I'm
ashamed now every time so in to Mrs.
Stedman's. There is Lucy, two years
younger than1, and she draws beautifully,
and has had piano ever since she wrs
twelve years old never took draw
ing lesson, aud couldn't play tune to
save me. Then she reads ever so many
books, and don't scarcely any. Why
last winter, Frank and Lucy and Carrie,
with their father and mother used to
read and talk over history IN hour every
evening, after the younger ones were in
their beds. We never do So"
Your father and have to work toe
hard. Which do you suppose will come
out best in the end, girls that know how
to work. or those that play the piano ?"
Lucy learns how to work too, bat she
don't have to practice it forever, after
tho lesson is learned.
Frank did 60 to college, and gradua'
ted in four years, honorably; then went
west, and taught year on salary ol
twelve hundred, and so paid mp the few
hundreds they owed on the college ex'
penses.
Returning he was even with the world,
and remarked that the commencement
day had come. Lucy and Carrie Stedmar
had passed several years at Seminary
while Emily and the next younger
Morrises had been few terms at the
Academy. and worked at home.
When Frank and his sisters came home
it drew a great deal of company to the
Stedman's-among others their schoo
friends. The old friendship with the
Morrises was renewed, and they were
often invited over. Emily was . goot
girl, and Julie, and between them was
George Morris. a bashful young fellow
Just out of his time.
"Now," thought Mrs. Morris. "there
is likely chance for the girls to ge'
beaux.n And she would have liked very
much for Frank to have favored Emily
or if not Emily, why Should not Julie:
lively ways attract him.
| The girls had their thoughts about it.
.How did you enjoy yourself at Mr.
Stedman's this EVENING"" asked Julie, o
her sister. after they were in thei
chamber at night.
"Oh. felt out of place, l was ashamed
that could not play. when Mr.. Rath
burn asked me so politely. The Others
could play and sing the new songs, ant
talk of so many things we know nothing