The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1873-01-04
SELECT STORY. .
THE BEST BEDROOM.

y
possessions in which Mrs. Burtgn
felt she must Justly take pride, tkat
is if pride of any kind or degres Is
allowed to a Christian; it was n
her best bed room. It was tile
largest room in the house, and the
best furnished The Venetian blinds
were kept down, lest the s1n should
fade the color of the curtains ana
the carpet. She would scarcely lel
her careless chit of servant gifl
set her foot in it; never unless
she herself was present to see TINT
she did not put her finger man Nj
upon the polish Of the mahogany, 81
the pure white paint of The eu25
ment or chimney piece. When it
was in use, it was occasionally, in
the event of some distinguished
guest visiting her, her heart throb-
bed alternately with pride an ankle
ty; and she was never quite tran
Gull until her visitor had gone, and
the key of her best bedroom lock
ed up in a drawer in her own cham
Der.
Mrs. Burton was the widow of a
respectable tradesman, nearly sixty
years of age, a hearty Christian,
simple minded and good natured,
but with hidden, hasty temper.
which was more frequently kindled
to brief flame by her best bed
room than by any other cause. The
temper she mourned over, and con-
fessed, sometimes by an additional
indulgence to her servant, sometimes
in penitential conyersation with
her minister. But the bedroom re-
manned the object Of her greatest
regard and her greatest pleasure.
The youngest daughter of Mrs.
Burton had married well, and was
also IN consequence, perhaps, of be-
the last and youngest of her chill
ttlren, the darling of her mother;
and nothing abs lutely nothing
could be too good for Sophy. When
therefore she sent word that she
was coming to spend short time
with her, and would arrive next day
one of Mrs Burton's first co.,cerns
was to set about complete s'clean-
ing down" as she called it of her
bedroom.
. 1t was a labor Of almost equal
love and solemnity. Martha, the
servant, put on clean apron and
left her shoes at the door when she
entered it. Mrs. Burton stood over
her as she brushed the carpet, to
watch that the brush did not hit
against any point of the furniture
and would not trust her to do any of
the busting. With her own hands
she laid out the snow white sheets.
pillow cases, and counterpane, touch
ing them fondly as she smoothed
them upon the bed where her Sophy
was to sleep. When this was done,
she brought two illuminated texts.
printed IN many colors, which she
had long since bought at fair, and
hung them up, the one over the
looking glass-which she had fes.
tooned with muslin lace-and the
other over the chimney piece.
In hanging the latter her eve rest
ed on the mantle shelf, and detect
ed spots upon it's white serface. She
could not make up her mind to pass
it over and after a little fumbling
she despatched Martha to the paint,
er's for his pot of white paint, and
then with great care and diligence
gave the shelf of her chimney niece
. new coat. It was getting near
tea time before it was comnleted
md the old lady was getting tired /
with her busy days work 30 with
sigh of content, and q look of min
gled satisfaction and pride around
her best bed room, she left it, giving
strict orders to Martha not to thinR
of entering it again that evening.
Mrs Burton's house stood "a :
private street on the outskirts of
The town, and twas considared 20
secure and respectable q neiQhbor-
hood, that if Martha went ont on