Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-05-09
stlttt Storp.
MY METHOD.

Mother and ,at costly working and
chatting together through the warm
hours of an afternoon in early autumn,
III the sun. sinking low. seemed to wrap
hi, heat around him and draw it away
from Us. as it it were hi, bed blanket
How cool these September evenings
grow said mother then. >hiycring. and
drawing her little shawl about her shoul.
derS.
Yes, indeed a>scnted /, her daughter
Frank, with an answering ,hircr. Let
US have little wood fire, shant we
mother, dear? 1t will bt - nice when
father and Will come home
There is no kindling in the house, said
mother. doublfully; and Almira has
gone of somewhere, in her usual indie
pendent fashion, OF course.
oh. I'll have the lire ready in five
minutes. il may only make it. mother
Ii am new conner here, hope know
the way 10 the woodpilc; and where the
andirons stand, too
And off | darted TO disiutor the latter
articles nom their summer reposc; and
that accomplished snatcheA down coat
OF Wits, tied the two sleeves around my
neck To make ii an eXlemporized cloak,
and twisting an old led scarf around my
head. sailed out to the woodpile.
oh, what Il figure = cried mother send
Ing a laugh after me; for had turned
the coat wrcng side out in my hurry. and
no doubt looked absurd enough every
way.
Fine enough for these blessed prairies,
I'm sure, | answered back. n ran.
For thi, new Indiana home of ours WAS
remote. ,cqucSted melancholy, low.
in rcSpcc, to amy >oricty t. be found
there; there w1> no DENYING that. 1t
WAS - great change from our former
beautiful home ON the Wissasickou. where
We had constant access 10 and int ercourSc
with what and whom We liked best in the
ucighboring city Of Philadelphia; and
two gowns. and everything handsome
about Us, rs added, to myself, half
sighiug. n mentally reviewed our
changes while bu>ily filling my chip
basket
II was jus, ~ well worth while to
laugh rs to sigh, too, for /. wa> 80 good
to know that fathers loss of fortune and
return TO the iaboriou~ habits of his youth
had not yitaIly touched our happiness. |
felt 50 proud OF my parents. seeing how
cheerlulIy they took up the burden of life
again, strong in their mutual love and in
teglity They felt it most for my sake,
feared Will liked the great change
the Indiana farm suited him exactly. But
that their 'ac dochtcr' should turn out in
the world to earn her bread. they felt
more keenly than did myself liked
my work - a decorative designer, chow
fortunate that had prepared myself Tor
il, when studying in the School of Design
was only whim and 4 paStime, and had
pride in showing myself my parents
true child in energy and cheerlulnesS,
now that there was some trial tor them
both. But meant not to be separated
So tar from them any longer. No, in.
deed ] had staid in Philadelphia to com.
plete the engagements hastily entered
upon there, but now | was determined to
find something to do nearer home.
For il will be home again, and Il pleas
ant one, too | me,iitated, when | had got
thus far in my retrospect, sitting down
among the chips AMI taking a thoughtful
survey of the little white house before
me. Ii stood on II gentle rise, that varied
the somewhat too level surface OF the
rolling prairie land,so called, OF northern
Indiana. A pretty grove shaded one side
OF it. and two bright little lakelets near at
haDd-muckshaws. they called them,
from the Indian name of their a0ounding
water-lilies, frightened the landscape like
two clear eyes in a face. almost making
amends for the lack of the aowing
streams we had been used TO.
The frame house was small 10 be sure,
but it would lie pretty enough, l decided,
when mother had iair chance with the
bowers, and vines, and shrubbery her
heart delighted in. AT present she pro-
tested. with a touch of bitterness, she
would mot put dlbble in earth to set one
slip Of them, and more, till the new pal
ing father had promised TO erect should
be there to protect them; wandering ami.
mails of various kinds having so often
made assault upon her precious plants,