Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-07-27

decisively. II have been thinking OF
that how would it do TO work and get
the house cleaning all done before she
gets home? 1t will be vacation next
week pnd Ross and Nellie will be here
to help us.
To this plan / gladly consented, and
then we went to bed. When we arose
next morning 1t was with very different
views of life aud its stern realizes from
what We had ever cherished before.
But we were determined to enter into
the conflict armed with strength
higher than our own and through that
to conquer And We did. Two weeks
more and the house wore n different as
pect from garret to cellar; everything
was IA fresh and clean as could be and
well repaid we felt for all our toIl. One
spot in the house was an especial attrac-
ton, and that was mothers and fathers
room hitherto bare, sparsely furnish
ed apartment, with the same stamp of
self-denial upon it there had always
been upon everything that was individu-
ally their own but now the most Chez
ry, tastefully-arranged of any room in
the house-We girls have planned the
renovation, and John, dear, good hon
est fellow, had lovingly paid the bills.
And now with all III readiness for her
coming, with well-cooked meal upon
the table, with an air of thriftness upon
everything, which gave us the utmost
satisfaction, we looked for our mother
home. But when she came-when we
saw the dear face looking eagerly out of
the carriage window to catch glimpse
of home and its treasured inmates-the
revulsion of feeling was too much for
us, and we ran behind the door TO hide
the tears. Such foolish thing, but We
did not stay there long. She called us
as she came III and we came out of our
hiding place, all tear-stained rs we were
and greeted her. And such Il time as
we had taking her over the house and
witnessing her delight and surprise,
mingled with little soft hearted rebukes
for our working so har while 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
little appointments, it was really re-
freshing TO hear her exclaim over the
extravaganza we had been guilty of, and
all for the sake OF n woman who was
fast growing OLD. But oh, when we
told her that We had done it all that she
might dwell in perpetual youth when
We whispered in her ear the lesson We
had learned by putting ourselves In her
place, when We told her what we pro-
posed to do in the future, that she
might live, not as slave but as queen
among her children, how her heart
melted into tears. aud what manifest
love she clung to us.
And as the years still come and go
We are reaping a blessed recompense.
The rich reward of struggle with idle
ness and indulgence We see before us III
the faces of our loved and loving pa
rents, where sits sweet content and
beams look of youth once more. They
share with us our pleasure and our en-
tertainments we share with them the
otherwise solitary hours, and i'll the in
terchanGe of thought and feeling find
wisdom we coulo have gained from no
other source. Rejoicing i'll the knowl-
edge that We are something for them the
rugged pathway of mortality, we feel
our recompense to be incoTuptble
being assured it is as gold laid up in the
treasure house of God, and brins ing
forth hundre1 fold.