Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-06-29
Lazy LiIY,s Dream,

| OuSO upOu d tliuc, very lOuS lllue
ago, on the borders Of lovely forest
lived poor widow with her only
daughter. She was very pretty, good
little girl, but she had one great fault
she was most terribly idle, and cared
neither to go to school nor to help hel
mother in her household. This was
the more unkind OF Lily, as, since hel
fathers death, her mother was obliged
to work very hard 10 find bread for her.
self and child.
One bright summers day her moth
er was suddenly sent for 10 do some
needle-work. Before leaving, she call
ed Lily and begged her to do what she
could to tidy the house, and make
things nice and comfortable before her
return. But Lily sat listlessly by the
open door long time after her mother
left, gazing idly into the depths of the
forest, and watching the pretty butter.
flies and the birds that darted hither
and thither through the waving trees.
All at once she noticed a beautiful
patch OF yellow primroses by the side
of the sparkling brook that ran thrO'
the wood.
'Ah!' thought Lily, 'any time will
do for my work. Mother ought not to
expect me to keep indoors this fine
summer day.
So away she ran, and began picking
primroSes, and every wild flower she
could find, until, quite wearied out this
disobedient child threw herself down
to rest beneath the shade of large oak
tree, and there slept long and soundly.
Suddenly lifting her head, Lily thought
she heard very strange noise, which
seemed to come nearer and nearer, and
springing 10 her feet, imagine her sur
prise and dismay on beholding all her
neglected work advancing toward her!
First came the bundle of fagots, and
the coal-scuttie, with AN old newspaper
fiuttering between them; then the ket-
tie, on three legs, toddled after them;
then the broom, pail, flannel duster,
work-box, hustled along; and, lastly,
her own Sunday white stockings, that
her mother had particularly requested
her to mend very carefully, were now
very quietly walking toward her, the
great holes in the toes showing to ad-
vantage in the bright sunlight. AS
soon MS this extraordinary assemblage
| of forgotten duties came up to Lily,
they set up most appalling noises,
shouts of unearthly triumph, till the
frightened child was almost stunned
by the hideous noise and clatter.
Light us quickly! cried the fagots
and Goals, tumbling over each other.
Fill me from the spring!' sang the ket-
tie at the top of its voice. Mend usp
roared the stockings. Sweep, wash,
scrub, and dust with usr vOciferated
tha broom, laundering down upon her
with wild yells of delight. Not con.
tent with shouting, the broom began
belaboring Lily so soundly that away
she started at full speed homeward,
thinking the best thing she could do
was to clear up the place as quickly as
possible, unless she wanted the broom
TO break itself across her shoulders.
Lily, like a good many little boys
and girls, could work very we'll if she
pleased; and soon the fireplace was
was nicely swept, the fire lighted (all
the household utensils having reached
hOme), and oddly enough, they none
them looked as though they had
moved-indeed, it might all have been
dream for all knoW-the floor nice
ly cleaned, the porch carefully swept
out, and supper laid neatly on the ia
bic; whilst .the flowers that had occa-
stoned her such trouble, arranged in
an old vase, frightened up the humble
tea-service wonderfully.
Having made everything neat and
nice, Lily washed and dressed herself,
and sat down to darn the old and me-
elected stockings. She was awake
enough now--but her dream had
taught her lession.-Little Folks.
DUTY cannot be plain in two diver
ging paths.
The bravest man accepts what he
n1ds inevitable in the world, and uses
it.
SEE the tear that falls, and the sigh
thai lG hla lradi ll, i kalx