The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-10-26
aYes. Caddy. | didn't notice

es, Caddy, didn't notice 1t
any more than you have, until the
past two weeks, but it seems to me
now that l could count every fur
row in fathers careworn brow, and
every thread of mothers whitening
hair. They are old beyond their
years, Caddy. They have been work
ed to death, and because they loved
US SO well as to bear it all patiently,
we never saw it."
Kate's voice was all of tremble.
and burst into tears.
Mother is an intellectual woman y
she went on in a moment, with a
mind capable of rare development.
But how much time do you suppose
she has had for reading and rellec-
ton beyond the wants aud necessi-
ties of her large family? And don't
you know, Cad, how often we have
excused ourselves from reading
aloud to her, letting her sit digging
away into this very basket, solitary
and alone, through the long evening
hours? | fairly hate myself when |
think of it."
did, too, by this time, and |
said so. "But, KATIE | added,
"isn't there a bright side to it some
where?"
1--WE can make one, she answered
decisively. II have been thinking
of that; how would it do to 90 to
work and get all the house-cleaning
done before she gets home? 1t will
be vacation next week anG Ross and
Nellie will be here to help u.s.
To this plan / gladly consented,
and then we went to bed. When
we arose next morning it was with
very different views of life and its
stern realities from what we had
ever cherished before. But we were
determined to enter into the conflict
with strength higher than our
own, and through that to conquer.
And we did. Two weeks more and
the house wore new aspect from
garret to celler; everything was as
fresh and clean as could be, and
well we felt repaid for all our toll.
One spot in the house was an espec-
ial attraction, and that was mother
and fathers room; hitherto bare
sparsely furnished apartment, with
the same stamp of self denial upon
it that had always been upon every
thing that was individually their
own; but now the most CHEEKY,
tastefully arranged of any room in
the house. We girls had planned
the renovation, and John, dear,
good, honest fellow had lovingly
paid the bills. And now. with all
in readiness for her coming, with a
well cooked meal upon the table,
with an air of thrift and neatness
upon everything, which gave us
the utmost satisfaction. we looked
for mother home. But when she
came-when we saw the dear face
looking eagerly out of the hack
window to catch a glimpse OF home
and It's treasured inmates-the re-
vulsion of feeling was too much
for us, and we ran behind the door
to hide our tears. Such foolish
thing, but we did not stay there
long. She called US rs she came in.
and we came out Of our hiding
place, all tear-s,ained as we were,
and greeted her. And sucn a time
as We had taking her over the house
and witnessing her delight ard
surprise mingled with little soft
hearted rebukes for our working so
hard when she was gone. But
when she came upon her own room,
and her eyes fell upon the bright
new carpet and the bed with its
snowy spread and rufiled pillows,
the easy chair and the dressing Ia.
bic with all its little appointments,
it was really refreshing to hear her
exclaim over the extravaganza we
had been guilty of, and all for the
sake of a woman who was fast grow
ing cid. But oh, when We told her
that we had done it ali that she
might dwell in perpetual youth :;
when we whispered quietly in her
ear the lesson we had learned by
putting ourselves in her place; when
we told her what we proposed to do
in the future, that she might live, Lot
as slave, but as queen among
her children, how her heart melted
into tears, and with what manifest
love she clung to US.
And as the years still come and
go We are reaping blessed recon-
pense. The rich reward of our
struggle with idle and self iudul-
gence we see before us in the faces
of our loved and loving parents,
where sits q sweet content and
beams look of sweet content and
rest look CT youth once more.
They share with us our pleasures
and our entertainment; we share
with them the otherwise solitary
hours in the interchange of thought
and feeling, and find wisdom we
could have gained from no other
source. Rejoicing in the knowl-
edge that we are smoothing for them
the rugged pathway of mortality,
We feel our recompense to be incor-
ruptible, being assured that it is as
gold laid up in the treasure house
of God and bringing. forth a hundred
fold.