Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-19
VOL. 76.-3S75. NO. Is.


tion, as Jack buttered biscuit and will
slipped his coffee.
The boys looked amused, and Jack said,
"What for, sis ?" He was fond Of his
pretty sister, and he showed it in tone and
manner
"Oh, some extra work, and by the way, |
don't seem to have much time with any Of
you. think we ought to have some pleas
ant evenings here together, and if you will
help me, we will"
"Count on me-" said good-natured Jack.
"What is to be the programme 2" asked
Will.
"Oh, reading and music, study and gen.
eral improvement" answered Ray, merrily,
"Will you all come 2"
ado you admit checkers ?" asked Ralph,
growing interested.
40 yes" replied Ray, " but you will have
to instruct me, Ralph"
"Well," said Ralph, al will, sis. To-
night, did you say promised the boys to
go with them tomorrow evening""
" And that makes me think" said Ray.
Bring the boys in when you want to, Ralph,
you can have the dining-room."
"All right" said Ralph, as they rose from
the table, and he went out of the room puz-
zled but happy.
"Well, we'll come" said Jack as he left.
"What time does the curtain rise 2"
"At half-past seyen," said Ray pre- ly,
"witb the piano open"
am send up Mary Murphy" said Will as
he shut the gate.
"Do, that's treasure" called Ray after
him, at which gentlemanly Will took off
his hat, and bowed her a polite good-morn-
ing, saying to Jack as they parted at the
corner, "What freak is upon Ray now ?"
and receiving for an answer " do not know,
but 1t is pleasant one."
And Will, as he took down the ponderous
ledger, thought "the pleasantest thing that
has happened since mother died"
1t is real shame" said Ray to herself,
as she surveyed the bare walls of Jacks and
| Wills room, and looked back into her own,
pretty and carefully kept They occupied
the front chamber, the prettest in the
house, but it looked desolate and somewhat
neglected. at shall not look so long" de.
cided Ray, as she industriously swept, while
Mary Murphy sang, washed dishes, and
scrubbed below.
| alt looks some better" she announced to
herself after she had worked an hour. The
carpet was bright as sweeping could make
| it the bed dressed in a new white spread
heretofore sacred to the spare bed, but which
Ray decided was not too good to be used ;
her braided pillow-shams with the dainty
monogram S " were added to the plump
pillows. Ray brought up, with Marys help,
a writing-desk from her fathers room, and
arranged their books and papers, hung up
and looped with ribbons some fresh white
curtains, promising herself some lambre-
quins for their windows at the earliest mo-
ment of manufacture. Then she added a
bright bouquet to the little table with its
white cover, set the study-lamp on her
prettiest lampmat in the center, and pro-
nounced it for the present done.
"How nice you look |" said Jack, coming
in wearily and dropping down into the first
chair, while he looked in a pleased way
about. The room was cool and shaded with
curtains dropped low, with open piano and
invitingly scattered books, papers and music
study table and domino box for Ralph
and Ben. Ray had brought in her ivies
twined them gracefully about the pictures
pillaged her room of all the suitable fancy
, work, and dotted the whole with two pretty
; bouquets.
"Rests a fellow to see this" said Will
appearing in the back door. "Ray, you're
an angelp'
Rays eyes filled with pleased tears, ever
, while she felt regretful throb. No work
All, how she had been mistaken These
were not perfect young men, only home
loving, warm-hearted, and affectionate broth
ers, yet here they were gratefully praising
| her every effort for their comfort. This
, would be hers all the time, and the APPROX
! ing smile of conscience over the perform
ance of these humble duties. "I'm afraid
, you have not been so happy as you could be
/ at home" she said, "but mean to do bet
/ ter now. did not know you cared so much
for these things" she finished, smiling al
Ben, who came in rosy and damp from his
; hasty toilet.
Some good fairy has been in our room,
} said Jack, as he came down stairs. "Thank
you, sis. | mean to stay there allthe time
But we won't let you," said Ray ." and
now attention, boys if you don't fold the
spread aud pillow-shams every night you
shall be banished.'
r 81 give you my word of honor as a gen
tleman that ceremony shall never be omit
| ted," said Will, while Ray laughed ant
, called them 10 supper.
What need to speak of the happy even
| ings that followed, or Of the bright months
even years, that succeeded this new era il
the lives of this family?
} Life was not all successes and smooth
places for Ray. There were dark days, ant
r discouragements, and troublous times TO
oho youuS houschccPcI' Iuclc WcIc scil
9 denials and self-forgetting hard things Il
9 do, but the God who gave Ray her mission
abundantly blessed the cheerful, loving will
: ingness with which she labored. Ray livet
r to know, in happy home of her own, tina
her brothers were earnest, Christian, tenn
perance men, who looked back upon tina
. home as the brightest spot, the most en-
' deared, hallowed place in their lives.
3 They had always looked upon sister Ray
, as the infallible counselor, guide and sy -:
pathizer of their every trouble and gladness
= to her they ascribed their successful lives
, their happiness and their hope of heaven
' Aud she said reverently, "Let no woman
+ say there is no work to do who has home
9 however lowly;" and she read, with happ,
: smiles and tears struggling for ascendency
, upon the fy-leaf of the family Bible whicl
will had sent her from Harvard where b,
was studying "Give her the fruits of he
. hands, and let her own works praise her il
the gates. s.'-Interior.