Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-11-23
Sweeping a Sunbeam.

IL was busy day with me. Morning
"chores" in abundance, lunch-baskets TO
prepare for school, little faces and hands TO
wash, refractory hooks missing buttons,
knotted strings, all TO be fixed at the mo-
ment Fretful baby to quiet and amuse, an
early dinner to get, tea to be arranged for
afternoon company at the shortest notice,
house to be set in order to receive them, and
worse than all, as a sharp goad in the side,
under all this burden, lay that easily beset-
ting but carefully concealed sin, the deter
mination that everything should be done with
Just 80 much nicely and exactness as /
deemed essential to "good housekeeping.
Surely never before was baby half 80 irrita-
BILE as this day Never half 30 unwilling to
sit upon the carpet and please himself. /
had some misgiving as / remembered the diff
ficulty with which he had cut the former
teeth, and the possibility Of return of the
commissions. But he was apparently well
now, and how many items in the order and
arrangement Of my house must neglect if
gave my time to him And the rest of
the children, too-it did seem as if they
never would get off to school. Books mis-.
laid slate lost, an excuse wanted for def
cient composition thought Job certainly
had never tried mothers perplexities,
when he won the palm for patience. At
length-although fatigued, heated and rest
less in spirit-all was completed. Each
room had received the last touch, every de
sired arrangement had been brought about,
even baby had dropped into quiet sleep.
Before the arrival of my guests, and for a
short interval, l was conscious of one of
those pauses in which the soul is ready to
speak. Just then, walking slowly across
| ha 30 l. l. L. 4
in use, l observed shred, hair-like string,
lying across the carpet. Surprised that even
this small remnant of untidiness should be
left where thought all in order, paused
and set about removing the intruder.
swept, but it remained. STOPPING down, fol
| was nearsighted, TO pick It up with my
fingers, found it-a sunbeam A tiny
sweet beam had stolen between the dark
ened blinds and actually nestled in the carpet
where hustle and hurry and annoyances hat
banished every vestige of sunshine from the
heart A light from that peaceful sunbeam
shone into my deepest soul as if it were
| lightning flash that had poured in upon me
In my blind nicely | had been trying te
sweep away sunbeam from the carpet
Oh, how many bright beams had | on tha
very day swept and washed and cleaned
out Of my house The faces of my littl,
children peered up from the ray on the floor
and-how they did plead to mothers heart
The soothing, forbearing tone with which
my husband had met the fretful complaints
OF the morning-this, too spoke out from
the little sunbeam quivered under tn,
sound OF it. No angry reproof could hav,
pierced my heart with half 80 many sor
rows As all my folly and ingratitude stoot
unmasked before me, my anguish was mex
pressible. Sinking into chair, buriet
my face in my hands, and while the scald
ing tears flowed, such prayers went up from
my aching heart as trust have never beel
forgotten or lost. How trihing, how un
worthy now appeared the vain emulation
which 80 constantly spurred me to endur
my labors. Every household article nigh
shine by the tolls of neatness, but how wa
my soul day by day darkening with impa
thence, complaints and unthankfulness. HOY
small matter in the sight of God, and no,
in my own sight, was the envied reputation
OF a housekeeper in comparison with tina
gentle patience, that loving sympathy an,
aid which my children required and de
served at my hands. longed for their re
turn from school that might begin to re
trieve my injustice to them. Peace, swee
peace, how had shut it out of my heart
shut it from my family, ah, how busy had
been sweeping it all away l love the re
membranes of that gentle monitor, tn
sweet little sunbeam date renewed
existence from the day it strayed so unbid
den into my parlor. would devote m,
energies to life that is satisfying and eter
nal, rather than aim to deserve ever so vel
the applause of friends for its own sake.
even question any virtue in that degree o
household order, neatness, or taste, whicl
has become 80 absorbing and exacting as b
render the little kindnesses and charities O
our home-life Interruptions Of our mali
plan, or which has usurped the chief plac
In our estimate of domestic duties, or which
II our actions are to judge us, would seen
to constitute the most necessary item o
our personal happiness and comfort.