The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-07-11

II any people ever deserved as much
money as they knew how to take care
Of. popular verdict declared it to be the
Deans: and nobody grudged them either
their money or their loveliest of homes.
In one at the city suburbs where pave
menis and lamps had not yet stretched,
where the country ways were overhung
with elms and beeches, and every house
was set in Ia ms and gardens, stood this
home OF theirs old stone mansion,
with hays aud balconie overgrown with
Virginia creeper and wistaria whose
stems had intertwisted themselves with
tie ma onry at every cseyice, and were
as stout and strong as ropes--ropes here
and there stretched so tightly that they
sang in the wind like Eolian harps.
Within the house the hall was laid in old
tiles, ard covered with rugs, the noise
less and beautiful drawing-rooms and
library were filed with Inherited treas
ures. and. to say nothing Of sleeping
rooms and nursery, the play-room was
q fairy place, and nothing less. II was
the only room in the house that Mrs.
Dean had changed when she came in to
reign hut she had arranged this great
sunny place II please her own fancy,
and not that OF her husbands ancestors.
On the well she had paper hung, con-
trsry tn the canons of art, she was
told, but delightful to the eyes Of her
boys and girls, where on . skyey
background blush-roses climbed ali
over q gilded trellis, birds built
their nests snd tilted on the spray, and
cbildren's fares peered in and out the
garlards. The floor were thick felt
that allowed no tumbles TO hurt the
tumbltr and that deadened every noise
and for the remainder, there was no
contrivarce to amuse children that
the mother had not amassed In that
room. There was the big white rock
ing horse nearly as large as her own
ponies. sall saddled, all bridled, all fit
for fight" there was the mimic nine
pin alley. the bsgatelle tables, the phil
osoohical apparatus and the telescope,
with which Mr.. Dean used TO perform
for the children, and give them
climpses If the g fairy tales Of science"
when he other fairy tales palled, and of
worlds beyond when the pleasures Of
their own we're not enough. And then
ths re were the walking and the talking
dolls. with multitude Of other me-
chanical toys, and there we're parallel
bars. and. yes. q low flsing trapeze A
happy little SCI Of savages they were
that bad tie freedom Of this delightful
room when the days spelling and null
tiplying were over There were Robin
and Matte. the twins, and Ned; there
were the two orphan cousins that had
been added TO the number; there were
usually more or less Of the neighbors'
babies; and there was Cyrus, the
pet and darling Of them all, fair
faced. blue eyed title fellow, with his
long yellow cuIls dosting over his shout.
ders- almost too lovely. II seemed to
that household. for common flesh and
blood. A precocious little creature too,
for bis four years, full If mischief, his
old nurse said, as nut n Of meat, and
full # sweetness too. Singing about
the house from dawn till dark, kissing
the dog, which felt him . peculiar
charge. worrying the cat, feeding the
birds. vanishing the chairs with the
mucilsg' decorating the wall with hi,
fingers clipped in the ink-bottle, break
ing the pre- ions flower from the stem
for some unwelcome guest, knowing nc
difference between servants and mas
tiers. ard having kisses for all, always
serious and always loving in the mids
Of his preoccupation and mischief. th'
little fellow was the ideal Of home ans
Of the region round about. One nigh
ss they al sat in the plav-room by
fire III teng rainy outside), when tn
games had fsiled any longer to amuse
each one recited some verse alread,
learned; and while thus engaged, |
was found that Cyrus had been printing
on the bit Il a. black. board, in uncoutl
but very recognizable character, the lei
ters Of the alphabet; and when III
Others had said their say, he came an
stood by his mothers knee, and repeat
ci the " Better Land, In his sweet, g
rious voice and baby patois.
As Mrs Dean went through the play
room. later, with candle in her hand
those characters upon the blackboar
fared up like the handwriting on tn
wal. and m de her shiver, rs she aftel
ward remembered, she knew not WHY
She passed through into the nurseries
and saw her little people al gent
sleeping there; but somehow her hea1
seemed TO linger the longest roun