St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-01-08
The Little Helper.
By ONE WHO KNOWS.

The little mother WAS wearied out ::
there was cleaning and baking to do.
clothes to fold and t" press. and clothes
to darn and to stitch, and the Saturday
morning was passing ON. Everything
had gone wrong the whole week. from
the spelling of the jelly on Monday to
the OVERRIDING of the breakfast on Sat
urday. Everything was wrong all the
way through: work twisted into the
wrong days: callers popping in before
the beds were beaten or the parlor ii
died father frowning when he might
have been smiling; father silent when
he might have been saving pleasant
words; father altogether diSpleased on
the hothcring Saturday morning.
At four o'clock had the little neither
slipped down stairs to get things start
ted: -four o'clock in the morning the
brisk feet were flying around TRYING It"
make the last day OF the week 90 right :
but alas! from the upsetting of the
skillet i'll the fire To the ovcrdoin" of
the Veni>on steaks. everything went aS
crooked as could he.
Aud the father WAS di>plcaScd when
he closed the door behind him: she had
Slipped quickly after him when he
passed through the hall. and had he
turned his head 10y chance he would
have seen her coming 50 sadly aud ear
nc>tlN ; and the door would then not
have banged behind him. But he was
gone, and the mother. weary and un-
done. sat down in the kitchen corner
with everything to do around her and
not Il hit of heart to do it-ju>t to he
weary and to cry 10y herself. for vino
WAS there To See her or know about it.
as Archie and Winnie a. She thought .
were fast asleep.
But Us the little mother sobbed III the
Kitchen corner. pink checks and blue
eyes were peeplng al first miSchievouS-
ly and then wondcringly, around the
door. waiting for the kiss and welcome
of the morning: and before she knew it
there were tiny arms around her.
She was Il weak little mother to be
crying just about work. and about ia
Their not hcing pleased with his break
fast. and she thought so too when Arch
les red cheeks Were wet with tears for
her sake. SO she put Il stop to the cry
ing, and busted herself with the dishes
and with the breakfast for the children.
while Archie stole up stairs to tell his
Ni~l'' NOW llt Illolhtl bttu lllS
Winnie had been holding her doll 10y
the window, and thinking how bright
the morning was for Il visit, long antici-
patcd. to Il little neighhor.
Mother cryingr' she exclaimed :;
what in the world is the mattrr.'
''Shc'S tired, think" said Archie,
guessing the cause very nearly.
Il wish that was some bigger"
"What for. Winnie ?"
''BccauSc could help" and Winnie
laid dolly on the bed to run down stairs.
thinking. II wonder if coaH help if
tried"
Mother, please let me help ?" said
Winnie, laying her rumplcd head on
the mothers hand.
''IIclp how, little daughter p
"Nipe the plates and smooth the
clothes. and put the things in order"
The mother smiled and began forget
ting her troubles with such IL fond little
helper looking up into her eyes.
You are almost too small yet ; be-
sides. this is the Saturday You have
been hoping to spend ut neighbOr West
cott'S'.
Il would rather help than go and I'm
'iSS'l 'ii'th was Ntth W Iltu
ried the pastry to the pantry
You shall help to-day, if You like
it."
So Winnie ate her breakfast. then
scraped every scrap from the plates.
piled the dishes ready for cleaning, and
wiped them as the mother washed
clean aud dry. She put Goals on the
fire and swept the crumbs from the
hearth. and did il hundred other little
helping turns besides attending to many
things to amuse and please Archie. SO
the mothers heart lightencd to the pat
ter of young, earnest feet, and with the
help of little hands that did not appear
to get tired; and when the father came
home at night so tidy was the house, so
inviting the supper. so full of pleasant
smiles was the mothers face, that he
forgot to he dull and silent and forgot
about the spoiled venison steaks: for
got everything except that the little
mother was the cheeriest little woman
in the world and his children the best
and brightest, though he did not know
the half of the brightness. nor could
know that by Archie's guessing rightly
and Winnie's helping. the whole tangIe
of the crooked weeks work had come
even and STRAIGHT