The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-12-15
"But we can't help it now, Kate

"But we can't help it now, Kate"
ventured to demonstrate.
mo, of course, we can't, you goose
The past isn't ours, but the present an(
the future may be. That's what In
coming at exactly. We must not lie
mother and father die yet awhile"
"Die ~ exclaimed, shocked beyond
expression.
Eyes, Caddy | didn't notice it any
more than you have, until the past two
weeks but it seems to me now that
could count every furrow in father
care-worn brow, and every thread o
mothers whitening hair. They are ole
beyond their years, Caddy. They have
been worked to death, and because
they loved us all SO well as to bear il
all patiently, we never say it."
Rates voice was all of tremble, ant
l burst into tears.
"Mother is an intelligent woman,
she went on in moment, with mine
capable of rare development. But how
much time do you suppose she has hac
for reading and reflection beyond the
wants and necessities of her large fami
ly? And don't you know, Cad, how
often we have excused ourselves from
reading aloud to her, letting her ST
digging away at this very basket, soil
tary and alone through the long even
ing hours l fairly hate myself wher
I think of it."
l did, too, by this time, and SO do |
"But, Kate" l added, isn't there &
bright side to it somewhere ?"
1--WE can make one," she added de
cisively. Il 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
and Rose and Nellie will be here to
help us"
To this plan I gladly consented, and
then went to bed. When we arose
next morning it was with very different
views Of life and its stern realities from
whatwe had ever cherished before. But
as we were determined to enter into the
conflict armed with a strength higher
than our own, and through that con-
quer. And we did. Two weeks more
and the house wore new aspect from
garnet to cellar; everything was as
fresh and clean as could be, and well
repaid we felt for all our toll. One
spot in the house was especially at
traCtive, and that was mother and
fathers room hitherto bare, sparsely
furnished apartment, with the same
stamp of self-denial upon everything
that was individually their own; but
now the most cherry, tastefully arrang-
ed of any room in the house We girls
had planned the renovation, and John,
dear, good, honest fellow, had lovingly
paid all the bills.
And now, with all in readiness for
coming, with well-cooked meal upon
the table, with an air of thrift and neat
ness upon everything, which gave us the
utmost satisfaction, we looked for our
mother home. But when she came
when YOU saw the dear face looking
eagerly out of the hack window to catch
a glimpse of home and its treasured in
mates-the revolution of feeling was
too much for us, and we ran behind the
door to hide our tears. Such Il foolish
thing, but we did not stay there long.
She called us as she came in, and we
came out of our hiding place, all tear
stained as. we were and greeted her.
And such a time we had taking her
over the house and witnessing her de-
light and surprise, mingled with little
sott-hearted rebukes for our working SO
hard while she was gone. But when
she came upon her own room, and her
eyes fell upon the bright new carpet,
the bed with its snowy spread and
ruff1ed pillows, and easy chair and
dressing table with all its little appoint
ments, it was really refreshing to hear
her exclaim over the extravaganza we
had been guilty OF, and all for the sake
of woman who was fast growing old.
But oh, when we told her we had done
it all that she might dwell in perpetual
youth when she whispered in her ear
the lesson we had learned by putting
ourselves in her place; when we told
her what we intended to do in the fu-
ture, that she might live, not like a
slave, but like a queen among her chill
dren, how her heart melted into tears,
and with what manifest love she clune
to us.
And as the years come and go we
are reaping blessed recompense. The
rich reward of our struggle with idle
ness and self-indul gence we see before
US in the faces of our loved and loving
parents where sit sweet content and
beams look of youth once more.
They share with us our pleasures and
entertainments, we share with them the
otherwise solitary hours, and the inter
change of thought and feeling find wis
dom we could not have gained from
any other source. Rejoicing in the
knowledge 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 m in the treaS,,re-hOuSe of Cod