Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-11-15

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chamber overhead do as we'll ?n
II want that too, for your bedroom.
apd the little one at the side for the
children. You use the back chamber
now, and have the cribs there also,
don't you?'
Yes, My patience! Mary would
YOU have me turn the house upside
down just for u little more sun2'
DO you love Your best rooms better
than Your children? Hadn't YOU
rather see them spoilt hy daily use
than empty and neat, because the lit
tie busy feet were gone never to come
back? I'm in earnest Lizzie, and
know you will agree with me when you
think it over My own dear little boy
was killed by my ignoranee,and l have
learned by sad experience that we
mothers should make it the study of
our lives to make home healthy and
happy tor our boys and girls, no mat
ter how much we sacrifice show and
fashion. Come now, try it for \ month,
and see if you don't all feel the better
for enjoying the best and sunnicst side
Of life"
Mrs. Bennetts eyes wandered around
the pretty room, and went from Polly
singing to herself MS she sat looking out
of the pleasant window, to baby con
tentedly playing bo.peep through the
bars of the fender with the yellow
flame, which was his delight, then
came back to her friends kind, earnest
face, and seemed to wake with sudden
energy and life and resolution.
I'll try it y she said, feeling that it
was II heroic thing to give up all her
cherished ideas and put her Sunday
best things into everyday wear. But
Mrs Gays words touched and startled
her, and with IL self-reproachful pang
she resolved that it should never be
said that she loved her plants more
than her children, o. that the house
ever should miss the sweet clamor Of
baby voices ifshe had the power to keep
the music there.
"Good i knew you would, and Pm
going to show you how easy it will be
to change the climate you live in, as
we'll as the scene, and tighten your work,
and benefit your health without going
far away" cried Mrs. Gay, delighted
with her success, and eager to see her
reform we'll carried out.
"What will John say? and Mrs.
Bennett felt inclined both to laugh and
J cry at the thought Of the coming revo-
luton.
He will approve; men always like
to have things bright and roomy and
nice about them. have 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
house and keep everything as bright
and pretty and nice rs we can. George
does not shut himself up in his untdy
den, but stays with me, and people drop
in, and we have II social, happy time of
it, all enjoying our good things freely
together, and feeling the worth of
them"
'How do we begin?' asked Mrs. Ben
nett, fired with the spirit Of emulation
now that the first shock was over, for
John did shut himself up because the
dining room was SO full Of an evening
with two tumultuous boys, and the lit
! tie woman wanted to see her husband
during the only leisure hour she had
out of the twenty-four.
81 should Just move all the delicate
things into the little library there out of
the way of the children. That room is
rather bare, and they will make it more
attractive. Leave the pictures, they are
safe, and it is good to have pretty OBJ
jects for young eyes to rest upon. Put
the covers on your furniture, large
drugget over your carpet, and take that
other bay window for Polly and baby's
play corner IT is sunny and snug, and
looking out always amuscs them: aud
at night you can just draw the curtains
before the recess and hide their little
clutter without disturbing it. In the
/, other window there is room for your
table and chair, and work by the ma
chine. There you can sit in bower
with your flowers about you, pleasant
view outside, and everything cheerful,
wholesome and pretty-three very i'm
portant things To a woman. Keep up
the open fire; it is worth dozen fur
naces, and have thermometer to be
sure you don't get too warm; that takes
all the strength out Of You, and makes
taking cold easy"
1T won't take long To make the
! change. John isn't coming home 70
dinner, 50 we can be all ready by night,
if you can really stop and see me
through the job. IdeelareI / feel better
already, for am tired to death Of that
back room and 1on't wonder Polly is
: always teasing to go in parlor. The
boys will dance for JOY TO get full
swing here; they never are allowed it,
except Sundays, and then they behave
nicely and seem to enjoy the piano and
pretty things, and SO does John. Yes,
III do it right away and up jumped
Mrs. Bennett, finding her most powerful
i'm retns In the thnnght Of nlnaslnr