Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-02-21

1t was once our good fortune TO spend a
few days in the modest home of n friend Of
slender means. q home that was all that its
owner could afford to make it, yet lacked
many things that would have made it more
comfortable and convenient. During our stay,
two guests were entertained at tea, both Of
them men Of means and wide acquaintance,
accustomed to all the luxury that wealth can
give. But they were widely different in their
behavior.
The first dwclt upon the fact that the house
was in an out-of-the-way spot, and that there
were few or no neighbors At table, he told
Of the delicious tea he had drunk at the house
of one friend Of the rich tca-sorvice that he
had seen upon the table of another; Of the
rare old china that was used in his own house
hold; and of the dainty meals he had eaten
from it. In the crampod little sitting room,
after tea, be sat by the stove and talked Of
the delights Of an open wood fire, of his en-
joymont Of rare and costly books and pic
tures and of twenty other things that the
host of whose hospitality he had partaken,
did not and could not possess. When he had
gone, it was clear although nothing was said,
that his visit had caused pain that it had
made the wife feel her straitened circumstan-
ces more keenly than ever, and cast a shadow
over her husbands thoughts.
The next evening came the other visitor.
ne DlbhkhA kbth-tIttI III LID vel luNt nt
room, he said, felt so warm and comfortable
after his walk, which, he added, was just the
thing to give n man good appetite for his
supper At table, he spoke Of everything that
was nice. congratulated his host on having
such a snug little home, apologzcd for eating
so much, but couldn't help it, because it was
$50 good" and tasted so homelike," liked
the old black teapot, because it was just like
the one his mother had when he was boy,
and told lis hostess, who was all smiles and
happy as queen, that she ought to thank
her stars that she had no gas or furnace to
ruin her flowers that made her room look so
cheerful.
After tea, he insisted that the children
should not be sent to bed "just YETI" said he
wanted to tell them story, as he did; and
when he had done, and had kissed them good
night, they trudged off upstairs with beam
ing faces, under the guidance of a mother
who felt that ray of real sunshine had tn
tered her home, making it better and happier
for all time And then he smoked pipe, de-
claring that he preferred it, because lie had
that delicacy which forbade his taking out his
we'll filed cigar-case, praised the housewives
taste in arranging the prints and chromos
that adorned the walls, and declared that the
home made mat on the floor was very mar
vel Of nee work.
The very first book he laid his hands on
proved to be his "favorite author" and fur
nished the theme for a half hours chat.
When it was time for him TO leave, he said
that he hadn't had so good time for months,
hoped they'd invite him again, and left with
hearty "good-night' to every body. And
the best of it was that there was nothing
studied in all this. He said pleasant things
because he liked pleasant things, aud he alb
stained from criticisms and comparisons be-
cause he disliked them. And when he had
gone, husband and wife felt that their efforts
to make their little home pleasant and com
Portable had not been in vain; and in their
hearts they blessed the kind soul who had
revealed it to them Transcript.