Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-08-30


evenings out with unfailing regularity,
and nurse likewise; but Lizzie never
knew one hour of time TO call her own.
She had tried il for year or two, deternin-
cd not TO degenerate, hut the hour for
"practice" became "the children's hour"
and French and German were neglected
while she attended TO the practical matters
of daily life.
Every one in the household had her al
loted task but Lizzie; hers was always 10
| do over the half-done tasks of others, per-
| form many sef-imposed ones, and do her
utmost day by day,-a conscientious wo-
| man who began her married life with the
| determination to do everything well, and
all she could. She had done her very best
for her family, and the very worst for her
| self. -
| band, who had now fallen asleep, and said,
| half reproachfully, 81 wish l had more
time TO devote to him. He cannot be more
! tired of this horrid sewing than am 1t is
| a worry. BY the time Jamie Is well fitted
IN. Fred is out at the elbows, and baby is
constant applicant for tucks let out. l
never find time TO look after myself until
| am driven to it, | wish could run away
| from it all for few weeks, as Nellie sug-
gested in her letter. I have tried three
times to read it and failed.'
| Yes, the postman left 1t in the morning,
| and Lizzie had taken 1t from the servant
| between her thumb and finger, then held
| 1t in her teeth and at last transferred 1t to
| her pocket; for on its arrival, baby was
proving himself anything but "a we'll
spring of pleasure" having made an attack
on pail of water left for moment near
the door. Nurse was at hand to mop up
the carpet. while mamma attended to the
rubbing down and reconstruction of this
son of Adam. Going to her own room after
quiet was restored. Lizzie opened her letter
and entered heartily into her friends plans
for the summer, but just as she reached
the never-forgotten "my husband says"
the door burst open and the frantic nurse
exclaimed, "Oh, come quick, please; Mas
ter Laurence has swallowed penny"
Down went the letter. After an hours
struggle dose of physic, and series OF
screams, the penny was discovered rcpos-
ing between the child's bib and dress.
| Dtlll WIN iiiShtt ohN was N.'iSN
upon to repeat her directions to the seam
stress: "Dd she say two tucks and one
ruflie, or two rufiies and one tuck ?" That
weighty matter decided, Lizzie, went to her
room.
Master Fred, an irresponsible youth o
three years, had taken advantage of tho
open doors and excitement in the nursery
and made raid on mammals room. When
mamma entered, she saw the letter on the
floor made into ball, her work basket up
set, a bottle of Bay-water had wasted its
sweetness on the Brussels carpet her tooth
powder was scattered about promlscuous
ly, books and papers were thrown down
and about the floor such trifling adorn
ments were seen as a half dozen clothes
pins, a tin pan, a broken-nosed baby,
r rubber ball, feather dIster, and the las
Bazaar with the fashion plates in as mucf
disorder rs the hair of fashionable belle
The little culprit stood in the corner, peep
ing out with an expression compounded o
: impudence and fear, the former predom
F; mating. Frequent repetitions of 'yoi
naughty boy' caused an additional displa,
of dimples, and the irrepressible youngste
marched eff with nurse, looking triumph
antly at the scene of his late exploits witt
. an assurance which seemed to say, "Didn'
me fix em all nice p
At last order reigned, and Lizzie attempt
ed again the perusal of her letter only
! hear, ave need yard and three-quarter
, more of this trimming for baby's Dress
"Well, Mary, will run down town fc
it, the girls are all busy now" The erran
t done after hurried walk, Lizzie finds
I to be the childrens dinner hour, and wit
=, motherly care she usually joins them, tax
ing baby down for a frolic.
$ Throughout the day these little worries
d little cares, and constant steps were kcl
c up, and Lizzie thought of the evening n
$ as time for idleness, but quiet toll altt
: confusion.
So Lizzie laid the dreaded shirt in III
1t lap and read her letter. Huntley snore
n and no doubt dreamed of some spot whel
women are never tired.
o How cheerily Nellie wrote! eff you wi
e come" she said, 1--WE will exert ourselv'
to make you once more the happy, vivi
!, cous Lizzie"
d How delightful il would be to 90 over Il
s. well-known paths with this dear irien
e How thoughtful John was concerning Ne
g lies comfort and happiness! James used
If be in the old days,-was il her fault now
'r She hoped not, it was so hard to look aft
D everything and do everything well, al
he she had kept faithfully the promise to he
III self to do all in her power TO make hon
rs happy.
re What would James say if she proposed
10 vacation? Just then the door-bell ran
a. and their neighbors, Capt. Blunt and viii
re came in Capt. Blunt, an old classmate
OIL Huntley's, and his wife, one Of the soil
motherly women, whose life flowed in ea'
III channels.
~ The noise of entering did not wax,
IL James, and Blunt proceeded TO perior
es that task in his usual manner.
u "Come, sir, get up; this is pretty wi
10 to entertain your wife while she works f
you. Good thing for you she hasn't Il
al pluck of my little woman, or you won
CT get cold bath for presuming so.'
'h Huntey reused himself and looked 81
pid, 81 guess did forget myself"
ne Guess you did? not much doubt on Ii
We score. Polite, aren't you? Who was
Llzzle, VINO useu 10 VISIT you hNe mgr
'et out of seven and stay Till after midnigh
se Never smoked cigars and snored thon, d
I'D her"
nd "Jamie gets very tired, and this stuI
,ht work makes me poor company"
"Poor fiddlestick What does he do
er, tire himself any more than you, or half
lad much. But that is just like woman,
she ways making excuses for her husband
Isk Mamie Blunt proposed going up stairs
tile take peep at the babies, for Nanni
lad youngest was at this very moment wind
at zephyr for charming young lady, q
n Nannes great heart took in all the Iii
ead ones and her stout arms were always OF
for "Auntie's pets"