The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-10-30

she laughed and gave up the point, acknowi-
/ edging with sigh that it was relief.
] 1T Is this mania for trimming everything
that is wearing out 30 many women. Neces-
\ sary sewing is enough; then drop your nee.
| die and read, rest, walk or play with the
children, and see how much you have lost
| heretofore by this everlasting stitching.
/ You'd soon get rid of that pain in your side
4 II you'd let the machine stand idle whfe
1 you went out for an hour every day"
| Perhaps / shall; but | can't leave the
| children, Biddy is so careless +"
Take them with you Roll baby up and
down that nice. dry sidewalk and let Polly
1 run before, and you'd be a diff.rSnt set of
Ieople IN a month
''D) you really think so?'
\ Not ooly thar, but il you would change
| your way OF living l don't believe you'd
need to think of eoing to Ford, At ALL
| "Whv, Mary Gay, what do you mean"
! demsnded MIS- Bennett, sitting erect upon
| lhe couch in her surprise at this unexpected
| remark.
| Il have dfsen wanted to say this before,
| and now | will, though you will think I'm
al interfering womsnif do Never mind;
| il | can only save you further worry and ex-
De nse and suffering, won't miOd If you are
offended for time. In the fir place, you
most move" and Mrs, G iy gave such a de-
| ci 'ei nod that the other lady could only
calculate, "Why? Whert2 WheD?'
| ''B cause you want more sun and space,
1 into this room because you Will hno
both and to-day because | am here to help
| you"
| Mrs Bennett gave a little gap and looked
about her in dismsy 1T the bare idsa OF liy'
ing In her cherished best psrlor.
But the back room does very well" she
protested. 1T Is warm and small. and
handy to the kitchen, and we always live
there"
No, my dear, it does not do very well, for
i . l. md
| smali aud near the kitchen to MAKE 1t fit
| place TO live 10, especially for little chill
/ dren. Why don't you put your plants there
| il it is q nice place" asked Mrs Gay bent on
| making a clesu sweep Of her friends delu-
| sions and pr' judicess I
| Why, they need more sun and air and
room, so keep them in here"
| "Exactlyi and your babies need more sun
1 and ayr and room, more than your roses,
geraniums and callas The plants would
/ soon die in that close, hot, dark north room;
do you wonder your babies are pale, and
fretIul and weak: Bring them in here aud
see how soon they will bloom IL you give
/ them a chance"
| "I never thought OF that Pm sure
| would do anything to see them we'll and
\ hearty, but it does seem pity to spoil my
nice parlor. Wou'dn't the best chamber
/ overhead do as welI2"
! II want that too for your bed room, and
the little one az The side for the children.
| You use the back chamber now, and have
/ the cribs there also, don't your
| "Yes. Nv patience! Mary, would you
have me turn my house upside down just to
| have little more sum-
| do you love your best rooms better than
your children? Hadn't you better see them
| spoiled by daily use than empty and neat
| because the little busy feet we're gone, never
to come back? Pm in earnest Lizzie, and
know you will agree with me when yoG
think 1t over. Ny one little boy was killed
| by my ignorance, and have learned by sad
ex xperience that we mothers should make it
| the study of our lives TO keep home healthy
and happy for our boys and girls, no matter
how much we sacrifice show aud fashion.
Come. now, try it for a month, and see il
you don't all feel better for enjoying the best
ami sunniest Of life"
Mrs. Benefits eyes wandered round the
pretty room, and went from Polly, singing
10 herself as she sat looking out OF The pleas
| act window, to baby COME eutedly playing bo-
| peep through the bars of the fender with the
yellow fam IS which were his delight, then
came back to her friends kind earnest face,
| and seemed to wske up with sudden energy
and life and resolution.
"Tll try It," she said, feeling that IT was
| heroic thing to give up all her cherished
ideas and put her best Sunday things into
every day wear. But Mrs. Gays words
touched aud startled her, ana with a self
Il i
| never be said that she loved her plants more
than her children, or that her home should
ever miss the sweet c'amor of baby voice If
she had the power TO keep that music there.
'Goodl knew you would, and / IN going
| to show you how easy Ii will be TO change
the climate you live in as well as the scene,
and tighten your work aud benefit your
health without going far away" cried Mrs.
Gay, delighted with her success and eager 70
see her reform we'll carried out.
"What will John sayP' and Mrs. Bennett
felt inclined both to laugh and to cry at
I>thought of the coming revolution.
He will approyei men always like to
have things bright and roomy and nice
aoout them. I've been through it and /
know, for when we kept in two rooms we
got careless and narrow and low spirited.
Now we live all over the bouss, and keep
everything as bright and pretty and nice as
we can. George does not shut himself up in
his unudy den, but stays with me, aud
people drop In, and we have social, happy
time Of il, all enjoying our good things
freely together, aud feeling the worth OF
| them"
How do you pegin?" asked Mrs Bennett,
fred with the spirit Of emulation now that
the first shock was over. for John did shut
himself up because the dining Io)m was so
full of an evening with two tumultuous
boys, and the little woman wanted to see
her husband during the only leisure hour
she had out of the twenty-four.
II should Just move all the delicate things
into the little library there out OF the way
of the children. That room is rather bare,
aud they will make 1t more attractive.
Leave the pictures, they are safe, aud it is
good to have pretty objects for young eyes to
rest upon. Put The covers onto your furni-
ture, a large drugget over your carpet, aud
take the other bay window for Polly and
| b ,bys play corner It IS sunny and snug,
and looking out always amuses them; and
az night you can just drop the curiaIn be-
r, the recess and hide their little clutter
without disturbing it. In the other window
there is room for your table and chair and
close by the machine. There you can sit ss
Ia bower with your flowers about you. n
pleasar view outside, and every hing cheer
Iul, wholesome and pretty-thres very i'm
poan 6,e a. % wor,b q a, zan fnrnsce,f and