The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-12-09


starting tears and suppressed laugh
ter contending with each other: q
Robert, that is just an excellent il
hOmely, Illustration of all the good ]
ever tried to do In my life. Pains
taking, careful offerings on unwashed
plates. Wasted labor and material,
only fit to he rejected with disgust.
The unfOught. unremoved, tolerated
evils permeating and spelling I'LL the
hard.wronght good. see it. Oh, j
see 1t. 1t is clear us the light Of day!
What In the world do you mean,
Fanny!
They way to learn to do well, is to
cease to- do evil first. The Word puts
it first. Cease to do evil, learn to do
well.
| Well?
will tell you what I mean by and
by. / must go and take off my things
and shake the dust off now.
In II very short time Mrs. Osgood
reappeared bearing walter with
tempting fresh damask of snowy
whiteness. delicate china. shining
silver and lunch prepared by her
own hands, with fragrant tea.
This Is nice, said Mr.. OssoOd. No
nncanny flavor here!
l am going to try to get rid of the
bad tlavors, Robert. i believe my
scolding, fre.ful ways with the chill
dren spoil the real instruction and
training | give to them. and it's one
reason l have so much trouble with
the servants, too.
Mr.. Osgood was too intensely sur.
prised to make any immediate re.
Spouse. He was u genial. patient.
facetlOus man, an upright. protesting
Christian. He respected and sympa-
thized with his wife's principles and
her hobby for doing good. Why
such right motives should work o,lt
such astounding results as they often
did was one of the mysteries Mr..
Osgood frequently reflected upon but
never mentioned.
am sure, Fanny, you always try
to do what is right in everything. he
finally remarked, in q sympathizing
tone.
But it makes so much difference
whether we take the Lords way to
do 1t or our own way. i was so irri-
tated with that Sewing-wOman ]
could not have gone to her In positive
love and with tender words. But
when went, looking to the Lord for
strength To keep from SHINING against
Him by being harsh and vindictive.
it just made me humble and seemed
to bring Him SO near, and the words
seemed given me to say. 1t seems as
though He was so ready To help us
and do all for us if we just put the
evil out of the way.
In the evening Mr.. Osgood felt so
much better that he sat in the family
sitting.room, in dressing.gown and
slippers.
When the children's study hour
was over and little Franks problems
were not finished, peremptory words
rose To Mrs. OSgood's lips. She was
going to say. Now ! give you just
tiftecn minutes by the clock To get
the answers to those two problems. |
She checked herself Il moment. and |
said instead: Come here my son, and |
let me help you.
Have you got time, mamma! in |
surprised tones.
Certainly, my hoy
The principle mastered, the grateful |
child fingered to say. baShfully: You
are Il nice mamma, before gathering |
up his books and saying good.night.
just then Mrs. Huntley. Ellen Earl |
and Hrtty Ford and others came in.
We've adjourned our session devo-
ted to "Auld Lang Syne" memories
to hold brief postscript of Il meet
ing here. said Mrs. Humtley.
Mr.. Osgood congratulated himself
on being up ''in state to receive
them.
These brief, severe attacks Of mine
that lead to long. nervous prOStration
afterward are getting less frequent
for year or two. Seeing So many
old friends ought to cure me quite.
he said, in answer to their inquiries.
and to relieve their apprehensions of
intruding on sick man.
AS the bevy broke up later, the
invalid said: Your old "reminiscences
make me feel as though was Il young
man again paying attention to my
wife, in Snmmerlield.
l haven't seen her look so young
and happy since her wedding day.
said Hetty Ford. So well make be.
lieve it's true.
/ am trying you way in my home.
said Fanny OsgOod to Mrs. Huntley,
us they stood aside to notice i'm open.
ing rose in the Kindergarten while
lIetty put on her wraps. l hope /
shall always walk in it, for. my dear
friend, / believe it's the Lords sway
and IL ii makes us feel our lttleness.
it shows us His strength and brings
His tenderness and condescension
very near, making us To dwell safely.
My feet have only entered the way.
she added, hut | see men as trees
walking. | believe my family are
happier already on account of the
new light that has dawned upon me.