The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-10-07

"ies, mother. know what that MEANS
The girls voice had lost its CHEEKY ring
and the mother was quick to detectit- al,
means" speaking slowly, and as Though she
were measuring mentally the full signif
cance of every word she uttered, sit means
that | am all of life, of light, and of love to
you: all of earth; and that my face shines
fam through all your dreams OF heaven. Am
right, little mother?"
"Yes, child; quite right. Are you very
tired to-night?" changing the subject ab-
ruptIy. "Did any thing 60 wrong at school
dear?'i~
Nothing wnaiever, mother. Why should
you think so? Everything was az right as
could be expected, with the children's hands
full of christmas memories and anticipa-
tory New Years merriment. No, nothing
is wrong, mother; nothing is wrong, re-
peating the words as if to reassure herself
of their blessed truth "This is a good
world, is it Lott u good, sweet world; and
We two are the haprest, are We not! of all
the hnppy people in it,
The girls words and ways were so at
varip nee with an indefpable something in
her voice that Mrs. Lee was sorely puzzled
and distressed. She watched her furtively
and anxiously while she put away her
wraps, still. more anxiously when she came
back, looking pale and, wan, and went
| quickly te the one window of the small
room, shading her eyes and looking long
aud in silence out upon the night.
Dear little Elmer" the mother-heart
kept saying; but the mother-lips we're seal
| ed and the mother-har Is kept steadily at
their work till the biscuits were 10 the oven
and the coffee simmering on the "back lids"
of the Stuart. She was proceeding to lay
the table, when, with little hollow laugh,
Elnor left the window, and takirg the
snowy cloth from her mothers hands, said
mvrrily.
Il deserve just such shaking as gave
Willie Bright to day for putting burs in
Lettie Thoburn's hair. Here I've been
gipsying in Bob, mia, while my darling lit
tie mother did all the work, and there he
was-the pretticst pest in the district
declaring pom honor he thought it was
just the place for EN- cause burs ought to
lie burned up; an Lotties hair was the
fire est l ought to be shaken 'pon
honor"
The smile that fitted over Mrs. Lees
face would have reminded you of stray
sunbeam over rivulets in shady place it
was such quier, halfsorrowful little thing.
She had seated herself while Elinor had
been talking of the pretty pest and the red
haired Lottie-seated herself in Ter own
old mCther's place in the corner-the splint
bottom chair cushioned with chintz close
by the ire-and while she made pretense
Of watching her biscuits, she was in reality
watchirg Eiinor, who was bustling impor-
taptly from table to pantry, and from
pantry to cupboard ligttfooted and light
hearted too, it seemed, for snatches of old
sorgs where on her lips, and her eyes were
feverisbly bright.
All, E.inor Lee ! poor, foolish Elinor
Leel Your heart was like many another
heart that tried in vain that New Years
Eve to make believe it was ',he happiest
of the happy in all the happy world" and
only heaven knew all about It's aching.
Supper over, the tea things put away,
there followed an hours quiet talk befors
the open wood fire in the sitting room--a
bright little room, from whose windows
: you could see the sun rise and set; see the
white school house at the four corners ball
mile away, where Elnor had taught
summer and winter, year in and year out
. for many year; see the farm houses dot
ting, like ships the sea, the wide fields fal
away; see, over all, and beyond all, anc
more than ALL the blue boundaries of The
Llmtless Land, whose quiet compasseG
mother and child that happy New Year.
eve--or seemed to
They talked of the morrow; ;of the hearts
they were to gladden. (for Gilmore was tc
ert 'rtaiu the district scholarly; Of the yea
9 just ending and the year about to begin; o
the "staff' and the BLOSSOMS" who's,
o graves were marked by one tall slab ant
. four little ones down in the orchard; of tn
L., tba hot
and the 5lessedness that was to bs- until,
o just as the clock struck eight. Einor aros,
q and put away her work basket, saying:
Il don't like leaving you alone, so early
e little mother, on this night of ali nights il
the year, but there's troublesome littl
4, ache Just over my eyes that think ca
h sleep away; and so you'll excuse met"
A Certainly, child; I've this new book c
y, the Carys to keep me company. Try m
/, remedy for your headache, dear, will you
r brown paper vet in vinegar, and boun
" tightly over the pain. Let me fix it for yo'
d No? Well, try it, dear, anyway, and slee
10 sweetly, for to morrow is New Years."
h. "Yes, tomorrow is New Years ! to MO
row is New Years. repeated the girl al
90 sently, starring at the Pickering blaze
the candle she held, and interpreting or
little hand between it AMI the breeze fro
. the passage. Then she turned suddenly,
if something important had been we'll mig
: forgotten, set down her candle, put bo
arms around ber mothers neck, kissed b
or quietly, but without word, fingered for
moment with her cheek pressed fond
against the silves hair, and then "
ID gone
ITO the stiffness and the sorrow
OF the little room up stairs"
M, For half hour afterwards Mrs. Lee {
r IL l. l.