The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-11-05
THINKING OF MAMMA.

tending to everybody, but never attend
ing to herself. Everybody was to be fed;
everybody was to be fixed, and who was
to see to it but mammas Appetites
were to please; pleasant dishes were to
dress; luncheons were to be put up;
every day and every day mamma thought
and did it all, but who thought of doing
for mammal
Annette forgot that her omelet was
getting cold; that breakfast was almost
over, and sat tasting and thinking as she
saw the untouched food on mammals
plate and the wcarincss and anxiety on
her face.
Every one was off to school or to
work but Annette. Mamma, exhausted
from hurry and labor, sat rocking and
resting.
Annette looked up from her school of
dolls and saw mamma, pale and tired,
and remembered the untasted food on
the plate ut mammals place at the break
! fast
'.Shc is tired" she whispered; "she is
hungry; She has so many to tend, and no
one to tend to her; if was only biggeri
Ii | was Il woman like Jo'phnc, or big
girl like our Ted" and she sung low
lullaby, mconsciously, TO the doll in her
arms. II wonder if | could,' she
thought, " if could make her ANYTHING
good. ! wonder what | could make."
and light as the air her little feet flew
over the stairs, down to the kitchen and
pantry below
Il don't dare to ask about anything"
| she thought, because mamma would
| say, No, little daughter, you can get me
nothing; | am not hungry, and YOU are
too small, and she peeped into this jar
and that pan, and dishes without mum
Der, to decide at last that she only could
guess about making broth, which was
easy, and which it was quite certain
mamma would like"
1t was just the incest thing in the
world to hear the meat blubbcring in the
pot, and know that she had put it there;
to see the rice dancing on the bubbles,
and to pick fresh parsely leaves from the
gardcn-patch and fix them in the pret-
test china bowl, all ready for the broth
Never had luncheon tray so much fin
.ing before; from the napkin, white rs
snow, to the polished spoon, everything
was arranged and rearrangcd, till the
kitchen was redolent with the vapors Of
broth, and Annette decided it was ready
and done"
But mamma was asleep, ovcrpowercd
by WEAKNESS, on the chair where she had
rocked, and Annette sat on the door-sill
to watch and to wait
Boots rang on the sidewalk and on the
steps, and before Annette had time to do
more than think, :" 1t sounds like Rob,
but what can he want?" Rob had banged
the door behind him and was whistlng
up the stairs.
"Hush" said Annette, on tip.toc,
"mamma is asleep"
whats the use of hushing? Eve lost
my lunch and come for more"
Mamma stirred in her sleep at the
sound Of the voice and the crcaking
boots.
stalrs. a n'"''"o" '''""'"" a"""''" sh"'s {"
He will get something in the pantry"
she thought, and sat down again on the
door sill to watch if mamma slept, or
awokc to the crcaking of boots.
Mamma awokc in little while, when
door banged down stairs; so Annette
scampered away for the wonderful tray
But. sad to behold, Rob had treated him
self to his luncheon, and the tray in dis
order, the parsley leaves gone, and the
drippings Of soup told tale overpower-
ing to Annette.
"Oh, Rob- Rob-" she sobbed, "every-
one thinks of himself"
Rob tapped at the window and shook
his head and was off, whistling as he
went; but Annette was burning her I'M
gers with the steam as she lifted the
boiler to the light, and beheld-Oh, happy
| sight, that there was plenty for mamma
| yet.
Mammals face was bright as she tasted
her soup and looked at Annette
/ Anncu,,-e ,,oos.. !: e-L. Oh"
4 mamma rested and refreshed, enjoying
every drop of her unexpected little
| lunch
Annette's face flushed when Rob came
home and said: Mamma, nobody comes
up to you in making soup"
So Annette knew that, though she was
not so big as Ted, nor woman Ike
"Jo'rhine,n yet she could do something
to help, and as each day the little hands
sprang forward to new tasks, and the
little feet few hither and thlther with
the consciousness of being OF use, mani
ma felt how pleasant it was to have
some one think of her while she was
thinking of others; to have some one
to do for her while she was doing Tor
somebody else; to have little, unseiflsh
fingers pulling up the weights that were
dragging on her hands; while Annette
without knowing it, grew to be In the
house as the rays of sunshine, growing
brighter and more resistless every day.
getting every one gradually to remember
that mamma could be tired ana neca
rest could be overburdencd and nccd
help, and at the same time drawing al
hearts to herself as sunshine draws the
hearts of the fiowers.-George hftnq1e' ~