Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-09-30

as to the success of the plan; but any,
thing that checred up his wife pleased
him for his heart sank at the thought of
home without her, and Florida was
most distasteful idea to him. He ex-
pressed much satisfaction at his i'm
proved quarters, however, and that re-
paid Mrs. Bennett for the sacrifice she
had made, though he being man, could
never know how great a one it was.
1t took some time to get fairly settled
but the sunny side of things grew more
and more delightful as the change of
scene and better influences did their
quiet work. The children soon showed
the effects of the daily sunshine, we'll
aired chambers, simpler food, and cheer
full play place allotted to them; for these
little creatures show, as quickly as fow-
ers, their susceptibility to natural laws.
Polly was never tired of looking out of
of the window at the varying phases of
street life, and her observations there
upon gave her mother many hearty
laugh.
Baby throve like dandelion in spring
though infantile ills occasionally vexed
his happy soul; for the mistaken train
ing of months could not be rectifed all
at once, or teething made easy.
Mrs. Bennett had her moments of re-
gret as she saw marks of little fingers on
her paint and furniture, watched the
fading of her carpet, and labored vainly
to impress upon the boys that whiting,
ball, and marbles had better be confined
to the dining-room. But the big, pleas
ant parlor was SO inviting with the open
air, the comfortable chairs, flowers, ba-
bies, work, and play, that no one could
resist the charm, and tired papa found
it so attractive that he deserted the Ii
brary set apart for him, and spent his
evenings in the bosom of his family, to
his wife's great delight.
/ People got in the way of dropping in,
not for formal call in the prim, best
parlor, but social visit, with gossip and
games, music, or whatever was going
on, and soon it was generally agreed
that the Bennetts' house was the pleas
ATTEST in the neighborhood.
The doctors standing joke was, "Well
ma'am. are you ready for Florida ?" and
the answer, with ever increasing decis.
ion, was, 81 guess we can get on little
while longer without it."
1t certainly seemed as if the chief in.
valid could, and now that the sewing
machine had long rests, and the ducal
linen aprons needed only bit of braid
to finish them off, Mrs. Bennett found
many half-hour to practice, read, wall
with the children, and help the boys
with lessons and play. In the evening
it soon came to be habit to clear w
the parlor, get the babies costly to bed
make herself neat and pretty, and b
ready to show papa cheerful face wher
he came home. For, being no longe
worn out with unnecessary stitching
languid for want of exercise, and ner
vous for the need of something to breal
the monotony of a busy house-mother'
life, she had spirits to enjoy socia
: hour, and found it very sweet to be tn
f center of happy little circle who look
ed to her for the sunshine of home.
"Some of us must 60 to Florida t
get well, but a great many people nigh
, save their time and money, and make
land of flowers for themselves out of th
| simplest materials if they only kne'
e how" said Mrs. Gay, when the Bennett
q thanked her for the advice which did S
much good, and every one agreed wit
her.-Louisa N. Alcott sn Womaa
Journal.