The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-05-11
Kitty Hamilton's Door-Mat.
For Big Children.)
BY MRS. SUSAN T. PERRY.

Kitty Hamilton sat in the porch of
her grandfather's dwelling, knitting a
mat with the rawlings of pieces of brus-
sells carpeting. She was watching and
waiting for Fred-Fred Bewley, who
was nearer and dearer to her than all
the world beside. Fred was going away
IN the evening train that very night; he
was going to take situation In mer-
camille house in distant city.
Kitty's thoughts were not the pleas
ATTEST, or happiest, for tear after tear
rolled down her cheeks and dropped
upon the mat she was knitting. She and
Fred had loved each other two years,
but they had been engaged only three
months. Business being dull in the quiet
village where they lived, Fred thought
he would be enabled to get home for
Kitty much sooner by going where he
could command higher wages. Fred was
already equipped for the journey, when
Putting his valise down on the end OF
the porch, he came and took seat by
Kitty.
2" on have not finished this mat vet,
/ see,' said he, as he took up the un
finished piece of work laying in the young
lady's lap.
mo, Fred" she replied, "and I have
concluded that l will not give it to
grandma, after all. am going to send
1t to you as soon as it is finished Where
ever your room is, | want you to put this
mat down in front of the door inside,
and when you go out and In you will
think of me"
81 shall be in no danger of forgetting
you, Kitty, if I do not have the mat; but
shall be very glad to have that re-
minder of you also,
When was looking over the books
in the catalogue Of the library last week,
Fred, found book there entitled,
Fireside Saints. I liked the title, and
| took the book. One of the saints des-
cribed in it was ST. Phebe, who was mar
ried to wilful, but kind-hearted hus-
band, He would often come home from
change sour and sullen, especially when
he had been loser. Whereupon, after
much bordering, St. Phebe in her pa
thence set to work, and, praying the
while, made a. mat of dyed lamb wool,
and put it down in front of the door.
And it CHANGED from that time that never
did her husband touch that mat that it
didn't clean his temper with his shoes, and
he sat down by his Phebe, as mild as the
lamb whose wool he had trod upon"
And so my Kitty thinks me sullen
and sour, does she?' exclaimed the young
man, bursting into hearty laugh"
Not bit Of it, Fred, she replied
"but the incident suggested to me the
propriety of giving you this mat, not
only to adorn your room, but because /
knit it, and because have knit it in so
many stitches of love and so many bright
thoughts and good wishes for our future.
l am snre your will think of me every
time you step upon it."
That | will, Kitty, and thousand
times day when am not stepping upon
it,
You know, Fred there are great
many temptations in large city, and
although / have perfect confidence in
you, and know you to be pure and noble,
yet, as old Deacon Brown says. We are
all, even the best Of us, poor, weak, mis-
cradle critters. Sometime, perhaps, a
brilliant, facinating girl may try to win
you away from the plain, homespun coun-
try girl you are going to leave behind
you"
Never, Kitty" replied the Young
man, very emphatically, and he sealed
the promise with kiss"
The hour before train time passed all