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

bier containing littlo boquet of sweet
wild-flowers, sprigs of evergreen, and
scarlet berries, which little seven year
old Minnie, herself as pure and fair
blossom as ever graced mothers gar
den, had Enthured for "dear mamma"
The precious giver had been rewarded
| with smile and a kiss, and the fond
mether had watched her lovingly as she
danced down the walk, out of the gate,
to the woods beyond, TO gather flowers
for "sister May"
Sitting there she thought of her own sun
ny girlhood, when she had been wont to
roam, glad and free, among the early
flowers and birds, so joyous ind so hap
py, and of her beautiful childhood's
home, filed with books, magazines
and pictures, music and statuettes,
choice greenhouse plants, anu every
thing to delight the sense and elevate
the mind, and then her thoughts came
back slowly and sadly 10 her own unat-
tractlve home.
She remembered the early years of
her welded life, and what Il blight had
fallen upon her dreams of happiness
when she had first become aware of her
husbands tastes and preferences. She
remembered how she had cherished
hope-alas! never realized-that she
should be able to win him to a loyo of
the beautiful; and almost inYoluntarily,
her eyes wandered over tho stained and
smoky walls of the little sltting-room,
and over the marred and dingy furni-
lure which had Eeen gilt from her
father, and was nice, new, and pretty
when she brought it there so long ago,
and arranged it in that very room with
so mach wiIely pride.
ALL she was very happy then, before
the actual had crowded out the ideal
| from her mind.
Presently new thought struck her,
and she sat, revolving it over and over
i'll her mind, regardless of the lapse of
time, till at last soft hand was laid
upon her brow, and Mary's voics recall
ed her from her reverie, asking "What
is it, mother? you have been SO very still
so long, that 1 was getting troubled
about you. 1t is so unusual, you know.
| have got the work all done up, and in
an. hanr ia will l-be. time lo- benial--diI,.
ner."
"Oh, Mary" said the mother, "I havo
been thinking of a plan to try and make
things look a little better here. 1 be-
lieve it can bo done; at any rate, am
going to try an experiment. Sit down
here while l tell you all alb 'ut it," And
when tho plan was all unfoldod, Mary
was delighted, and promised her hearty
co operations; "but," she said, 1--WE can
not get along without some money, and
how is il to DO obtained? ? 1t will not do
to ask father, for he would say it is all
foolshness, and that the house is good
enough as it is, and very likely he would
veto the whole plan"
1--WE must not mention it to him at
present; meantime it will be necessary
TO retronch somcwhere-but hardly
see where"
"Oh, mother have thought ofsome-
thing. We will not have any now
clothes this summer. My pink calico
was new last fall, and can wear it ove-
rywhero so. Soap and watcrwill keep
it fresh and neat. And there is my
lawn dross-I have worn 1t two sum-
mers, and it will fix over nicely for Min
ME, and she will need no other; and our
last summer hats arc scarcely soiled-a
very little new trimming and they will
answer, know; but you must have u
now bonnet"
"No, Mary; can make the old ono
do. l can turn tho silk, and wash the
strings. and iron them between folds of
paper, and it will be almost as good as
new."
"But, mother, the fashion has chang
ed ever so much since your bonnet was
made"
swell, what of that? 1t will not do
for poor folks to mind the fashion,
"But we are not so very poor-are we
mother? MRS. Gates said yesterday,
that father owned more land than any of
the neighbors."
"Well, never mind about it now; it is
time TO get dinner"
|
and Mary might have been seen rum
maging the garret and chamber, and,
for the next three weeks, they were very
busy cutting, sewing, and coloring rags,
and twisting yarn.
Tho first week in May, Mr.. Brown
was called away OH business, to be alb
sent two weeks-a very opportune cir
cumstance, and one that greatly acceler-
ated the improvements that We're to be
made in the cottage. Before he started
+ Mrs. Brown asked him to advance, as
she wished to use the money-a request
which he very reluctantly granted.
AS soon as he was gone, Edward, the
} eldest boy, was directed to harness the
, gray farm horse into the one-horse wa
gon; and Mrs. Brown, with Edward for
driver, started off to tho nearest town TO
make her purchases. On the way, the
carpet was left at the weavers, with di-
rections to have it finished in ten days.
3 The next morning, at an early Lour,
: everything was removed from the sit
ting room and Mary's bedroom, aud the
e plaster overhead received thorough
: coat of whitewasb. Then Mrs. Brown
a proceeded to mix some paint, according
t to direction which she had cut from an
: old almanac. A light drab was the col
/, or desired, which, after severals trials,
! she was successful in obtaining. All the
woodwork in these rooms received two
D good coats of this paint. Then the pa
! per was brought out-a very pretty pat