Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-05-24
PARLOR ORNAMENTS.
BY KATE w. HAMILTON.

BY KATE W. HAMILTON.
THERE were David, sgd, Bob, Mark,
and Jimmy-fve of them. "Half
dozen, lacking one" Mrs Gurney used to
say almost despairingly. They were real
boys, too, with a genius for whiting,
mending skate-straps, owning dogs, and
tearing their clothes; and, as if these ac-
oomplishments were not enough, David
had lately attempted music. An old
violin had been purchased by the sacri-
flee of some other valuable possessions,
and now it groaned and squeaked in
cessantly, in season and out of season.
"There's tunes in the thing somewhere,
and I'm bound to get 'em out" remarked
David with cheerful perseverance; but as
nothing that resembled one had been
coaxed out as yet, Mrs. Gurney's faith
was weak.
Mrs. Gurney was tired that night, and
heartily glad when the last of the five
pairs of feet had disappeared up the stair
way and she was left with no music but
the monotonous creaking of her low
rocking-chair, that had learned its toue
through the hushing to sleep of so many
babies. The old round table stood beside
her, drawn up in front of the fire, with
lamb, scissors, and the inevitable spool of
black silk upon it. She had jacket, to
mend-always a jacket, or pants, or
stockings-and she gave her thread a
sharp twitch as she thought of it.
''What else can it ever be when there's
so many of them?" she said.
Nancy Styres dropped her chopping
knife into the mincemeat, and looked up
brightly. OF course any remark made in
her hearing was addressed exclusively to
her, and if she did not understand this
one, she could guess what was meant by
the ''many of them" and that was sutii-
cient peg to hang an answer on.
"Hey? Pears like when there's so
many of 'em, it's most pity some on 'em
wasn't girls, ant it, now"
mo" said Mrs. Gurney, shortly But
her eyes wandered off from her work to
the opposite side of the room, where
stood long row of boots deposited care
lessly in the easiest place. Five pairs
She found herself wondering just for a
moment, how it would seem if some OF
them were shoes-not boys shoes-in
stead.
HE, hel" giggled Nancy, following hel
glance. "Guess if any thieves broke in
here at night they wouldn't so further n
the chamber door. They'd think wet
got whole regiment slowed away up
stairs"
Mrs. Gurney looked persistently dowr
at her Jacket again, a little veXed at sucl
watchfulness. Then she discovered
another button off, and after plunging
through mixture of snail-shells, stee
pens, bits of rosin, string, and broker
slate-pencils, found that the rip in thu
pocket" which had been commended t
her attention, was no rip at all, but hol
of respectable size, pinned shut with
nail to prevent the escape of the above
mentioned treasures. There were othe
indirect damages not mentioned in tn
contract, and she cut out patch grimly
and settled herself to an evenings task o
it.
Always something of this sort to do
How could she have rooms as quiet
pretty, and orderly as those she had seel
To-day. where there was no one to brin
confusion, and so many to arrange an
beautifyg That neighboring house o.
the hill side was very Mordecai at TIA
kings gate to Mrs. Gurney sometimes
and because of it her own possession
availed her nothing tonight. Mrs. Davi
and the girls had exhibited so many spec
mems of dainty handywork during he
afternoon call that she could scarcely "
member them all-pretty cushions, del
cate lamp-mats, elaborate tides, tastefl
little plcture-frames Maria had don
this for Christmas surprise, and Ros
the other for birthday gift, until I'll
rooms were fairly overlooking with I'll
graceful triles that looked so prettily.
But hers-Mrs. Gurney furtively su
viewed the boots once more-they we
ornamented, to be sure. Even in h
parlor she could barely find time to du
the two oldfashioned vases on the mante
piece, and keep the flies off the solen
old pictures of General and Lady Was
ington; and for the rest of the house, the
were hats lying about instead of lam
mats. Mittens, tippets, school.books ar
states were sure to decorate every ava
able corner. Looking after such thinl
would be the fancy work certain to gre
tomorrow, her birthday, as it did eve
other day.
"Boys must ha' gone to bed upstairs
remarked Nancy, briskly; anyhow Il
fddle's stopped clatterin'."
Mrs Gurney wished another instr
ment would follow the fiddle's exampl
but she refrained from saying so, and
gan to wonder little herself at the I'm
sually early hush that had fallen over
upper regions. Presently Mr.. Gurn
came in, and seated himself comfortat
f by the fire.
"Another days work done, Susan"
"Mine isn't" she answered, rath
shortly.
"Well, some folks can contrive to ma
little work stretch a good ways, he 81
gested, mischievously. "What are y
busy with newH"
"Patches, of course. It's always mer
ing"
eyes, expect so. It's wonderful h
a boy can go through things, isn'tit Us
to be Just so myself. Well, if they were
tearing their clothes to pieces, they'd
doing something else, ] suppose" +" he az
ed, carelessly.
"And might find a chance to do sol
thing else, 100" she said, provoked
such comfortable view Of the case.
But Mr.. Gurney had opened a III
note book, and was too intent upon II
heed the remark.
"What day of the month is itG" he a
ed, looking up.
"Twenty Fourth. Tomorrow is
birth day, Stephen"
''Eh. is itS We're both growing {
an'twe, wife" And he plunged into
accounts again,