The herald. (Smyrna, Del.) 1870-1871, 1871-06-24

drOoplng lilies, with bright but mex
pensive bordering. Tho past mado of
wheat flour we'll boiled in water, with
somo alum, to tho right consistency, was
laid evenly on the paper with the white
wash brush, and tho paper carefully and
neatly hung upon the walls. The paint
in the kitchen and pantry was bum and |
the paper, buff ground with bright
roses.
Then, bottle of varnish was produc-
ed, and the bureau, bedsteads, chairs,
and clock case received coat or two,
which made them look almost as good |
as now.
The new carpet was brought home,
made and put down. Their was enough |
to cover the sitting-room floor and two
bedrooms, and tho furniture was re-
placed in such manner as to produce
the best effect.
Two rolls of window-curtain paper
was sufficient for the lower rooms, and
and cheap muslin curtains We're made
for all the windows, short ones for the
kitchen, and long ones for the sitting
room and the bedrooms. These were
loopod back. and held in their places by
some bands of red flannel which Mary
had embroidered for the purpose.
When everything was completed, the
children were in ecstacies of dolIght, and
Mrs. Brown felt as if she had renewed
her age at least ten years.
Two days yet remained before Mr..
Brown was expected home, and the
children were despatched to tho woods
to gather pine and hemlock cones, while
Mrs. Brown and Mary busted themselves
with cutting out paste-board into vases
and frames for pictures. Tho cones
were sewed neatly on to these, together
with beans, corn, chestnut, and acorns,
and II pair of very pretty vases We're
made for the mautol, and frames for se
veral steel pate engravings which had
boon sent Minnie. These were varnish-
ed and the pictures inserted under
light of window glass, and held in place
by u thickness of stout cloth smoothly
pasted over the back, and hung upon
the walls greatly to Minnie's delight
And whom tho vases were placed upon
the mantel, with carthen tumblers Of
vv,.tsr, insi.la, and filled with Ma ay-piall<s.
and tho trailing orlantus, the joy of the
children knew no bounds.
Everything was in the incest order
when Mr.. Brown returned. Mother
,n1 fIo obiIdrnp xyarn nnot1v 1raessn1
and met papa at the gaze, and each inss-
tod npon a kiss, greatly to the wonder
ment of papa, who was unaccustomed
TO any manifestation of tenderness on
the part of his family. But the greatest
surprise met him when he entered the
kitchen, where the tea table was spread
with a snowy cloth, and nice tea was
waiting. lie looked around upon the
walls and the various improvements in
bewildernmont, and at last exclaimed:
~ must have made mistake, and got
into somebody else's house."
Then Minnie and Georgia laughingly
seized him each by the hand, and drew
him into the sitting-room. 1t seemed
been at work in his absence. Tho car
pet, the curtains, the paint, and the
bright, cheerful paper, and the furni-
ture looking so fresh and nice, and Min
MICS picture too. These were admired,
and praised to her intense satisfaction.
Mrs. Browns heart nultered a little,
and it was not without some tropidation
that sho looked up iIto her husbands
face, onlya sober, thoughtful look, as
he seated himself at tho tablo.
lie could not help noticing that much
of the faded, carey worn look had gone
out of the face of his wife, and that she
looked younger, and more like tho beau-
tiful girl that he had brought to his
home so long ago, and tho children so
bright and happy, TOO. III the brief half
hour which hud passed, his eyes had
been opened to n fact which he had never
dreamed OF, and, try as hard as he might
he could not Danish it from his view.
His thoughts were busy with tho past
while he drank his tea, and more than
once tho question came to his mind,
whether il had paid to deprive his fami-
ly the means wherewith to beautify and
adorn their home; and, so busy were his
Thoughts, that little Minnie asked him
three times to help her to q biscuit bo-
fore he heard her.
Mrs. Brown was fearful that he was
displeased, and, after tho children had re-
tired for the night, he sat for long time
in thoughtful silence, and then he asked,
abruptly:
"What have your improvements cost
you, Martha?"
Mrs. Brown arose, and, going to a
drawer, took from thence paper con
taining bill of her expenditures. Eigh-
teen dollars and seventy-iive cents, in
Guiding the cost of weaving the carpet"
she said as she put the paper into his
hand.
He looked over the items and return
ed the paper, saying, "You have made
judicious investment. / should not
have supposed that you could have so
improved the looks of home for twice
that amount" and taking from his
pocket-book two ten-dollar bills he
quietly handed them to her, saying,
"Whenever funds are necessary for
further Improvement call upon me-"
A new light had dawned upon the
mind of Mr.. Brown. lie had learned
that something moro was necessary for
home happiness than boarded dollars
aud cents, and thereafter no happier
family was to DO found than that of Mr..
Browns. Many II welcome surprise