The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-02-13
Crooked rracIss---A Scw Teas's Sfors for
Our SsEtIs-

N
Crooked rracIss---A Sc~ TeAr's Sfors for
Our SsEtIs-
What wss Alice thinking about, a
she stood gsz.ng over tie broad exFanst1
OF snowy meadow. across the river, aud
Ia TIE distant mountain tops 10 The yeir
low unset o. that still New Year eve
Toe boys were skating merri'y on Ire
Htle cleared ice patch above ths dam,
bnt the days had passed when such g
eirbt had attrSe ions for her; nor mad
these yet come gneu she could i've over
arain in another generation the Joys OF
her own recent childhood. Heg, u some
extent, her thoughts were with the o7ys.
OF rather with the crooked tracks fhey
had ma ie with their sheds over The pure
sud otherwise unrufied surface 0! the
snow.
Just like my life, she thought. One
wear AEGEAN it be a year II stood ST
this same window, looking out over
the new year. with its twelve unsuliied
months A. puie and beautiful re the I'M
hodden snow. How beautiful and pure
J intended them 90 be! How good
meant to be, how useful, how efficient,
how deserving of praise ! meant TO
study So faithfully, 20 attend TO every
hume duty, to De the support OF mother,
The light of fathers eyes such a true
friend, such an example TO Sabbath
school scholars and companions L
meant to live and do and be more than
any girl had ever lived and done aud
been before, and to leave such shining
" footprints on he sands OF time; and
now, a. look backward, oh, what crook
/ ed tTacksl
Her first effort had been directed to
the education OF her younger brothers
and sisters; but the lessons had come TO
grief in a few weeks, since the little
FOLKS positively refused to submit TO o
delegated authority, which falilng TO
control It's own temper could not COM
mapd their respect Household duties
had been esssyed, but Alice's careless
ioIgstiulness 80 annoyed her house
vifeIy mother that after several repri-
u7ands received with no very good grace,
that lsdy resumed with a sigh that part
al her burdens which she had looked
forward so snxiOusly to sharing with
her daughter.
Then the care Of her fathers books,
papers and accounts fell into Alice
hands. but matters were still worse
here. The residing clubs, the sewing
society. the Sabbath-school, etc, each
in its turn received her attention, but
the same dfEculty followed her here. In
ciinaUiou rsuher than duty impelled her
choice an uncontrolled temper brought
her constantly into collision with 9th.
ers, while cxreiessDess and neglect spoiled
eyery piece OF work which she under
took, She meant to be very religious
10 but there were some very crooked
lines along the paths OF prayer and bible
reading which she had marked out ; nor
in spite of al her resolutions and inten
tons, could she 6ud anything to help
her keep back the sharp word and sngry
thought till it was too late.
So there he stood looking out ovel
the snow, thinking her own thoughts o
the disappointing past, and adding t
them hopeless foreb )dings tor the future
For how vas she, taught her own weak
pess BY bitter experience, TO enter upoI
the new wear with her new load OF care -
the house, the children, her fathers com
fort. and the charge OF her lnvailC
Wonderland expect success where only
failure had been before. 80 Tar as sht
could see, the tracks must continue 10 81
crooked for all coming time.
, But as she looked a loud, CHEEKY hallot
was heard, which called the boys bsci
from the pond, and round the corner o
the house came the man-Oi-Sll worl
mounted on the wood sled, TO which wa
/ attached old Hannah, the mare. Come
/ hoys :" he shouted. 1.-The roads got to b
} broken; Tomorrow is New Years day
snd like 10 finish of all the old job
with the old year Soon all were a
work, and the steady old horse, guide
: by the steady old msn, marched directl.
e on towsrd the gate. The boys followed
= trsmpinc down the SNOW and beating
J hard. till lust before the shadows hid tn
! outside landscape completely from he
! view, where tue crooked tracks lay bs
/ tore. Alice could trsce & b;O3d, leve
. raxd. straight as an srrOw. Tnen, as sh
I turned from the window, many things n
t bs3 learned and hesrd be o,e flashed wit
Q ue,c meaning upln her memory; and bJ
. rly- sire weat u see tO lea, cal III Tn
7 cEii8rea, welcome her '&tH=r and max
. her mo oer cDm.0Ttabl cor the nigh
3 -H.- speit a!4nv In her room, and III III
S briar stiffness o. thl Wlrt-r twilight nu
her n,rd. by prs,er AMI iaita, into tn
: hi-,.,.d Han wfiich h-s promised TO lea
> sri.ht. ana jnp.ortd thar heavenl
!. Crude 20 - stra1r hen her in tn!ioTin
csu-elv IA the t-ot-teps ~ steady o!
: f.>hiJned du.y, - that hence'orth ever
p % u,k,d thing in her lie should De mad
straight.
F.i~nds. as you LOOK blck along you
:. snme-'i e Goods OF lis 20 you see an
Q crooked track? l. you look tOrwa'
4 over the iair. ugtrnddsu fields OF 1S1'
= wou ID you Use - reproduce them ? |
r., sasaer 80 the We aud riu which | al
= -ur,. tb.--e di--tInns wi, elicit, ! say
.. iJa h \ ice ,I1, and yuar path will
d. s.rsi,h- ~ tat which la !rla directly
:. he peri G. day - :. :. Times.
IA give ia Manly BGyS->"i soyish Men
. As we listened to the utterance of tn
d sentiment by enc beloved and honort
we were deeply impressed with j
force and importance. We mental
70 added-give US, also, womanly girls--nC
] 4.