The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-03-22
misunderstood.

Tap, tap, tap, at Bcrtha's bedroom
door
Ten O'Clock, my dear" said her
mother voice, time you were in bed
if you want to keep your roses"
An angry scowl dishgured Bertha $
pretty face, an the tone in which she
called out: Very well, " was decidedly
cross.
lone would think l was old enough
10 use my own judgment about going to
bed, !" she grumbled, casting a lingering
look on tue open pages of her diary, as
she Slowly wiped her pen, and put the
cover on her nk-bottle.
She had felt Just i'm the mood for
writing. 1t was too bad to stop Just as
she was well wound up. " she thought.
+" Misunderstood! Is there a sadder
word in the vocabulary of the English
language? All, in many a young and
sensitive heart it has rung the death
kncll OF all happiness.
That is beautifully turned as
Aunt Hattie would say she muir
INJURED, and she cont nued To read aloul,
holding the pen i'm one hand, the wiper
IN the other:
with each dav am drawing near
or 10 the tomb. The icy touch Of an
invisible hand is on my brow. All.
when | am lying cold and deal my
frail hands clasped over my pulse ess
heart, regret VIII be vain. No prayers
can cnll me back. In my silent grave
out under the cold blue sky. the wind
will chant wild requiems over me, whis-
perjng that this checkered life is over,
and after life's fitful fever -
IL was Just here that Bcrtha's mother
had interrupted her. And now, with a
sigh, Bertha closed the book, uudressed
herself as quickly as possib e, and
sprang into bed her mind fun of her
talent as a writer.
Though profoundly impressed with
the idea that she was not long for this
world, Bertha was the very picture Of
health, a fact which distressed her con
siderably. Willingly would she have
seen reelected in the glass hollow
G ed, pale checked, ethereal looking be-
ing, whose dismal cough and languid
step would move the hardest heart to
pity But her checks were provokingly
round and red, and her eyes as bright
rs stars. And though she occasionally
cssaycd n cough, it was but wretched
travesty on the real thing. Her broth
er and sisters laughed at her prophe-
cics of early death and there was no
one to whom she co Id 90 for sympa-
thy. Only to her diary-the parting
gift of her Aunt Hattie-could she pour
out her thoughts, and the elegant blue
and gold-bOund book was made the re-
pOSitOry of great deal of nonsense and
false sentiment.
Bertha had spent the past three years
away from home. under the care Of an
amt who had INDUCED her to the last
degree, and permitted her to do very
much rs she pleased i'm ever thing. Doc
Mr,- 1 81 A
they had ever allowed Bertha to leave
them, for they saw very p ainly that in
spite of the ADVANTAGES She had re
Ccived i'll the way of music and the Ian
guageS, her long visit had been a mis-
take. She retelied against the Whole
some discipline of he. father house
thought herself greatly abused when
called upon to perform household dU-
ties, and dozen times day openly re-
GREETED that she had lett her aunt
you don love me rs Aunt Hattie
does" she would say when given the
busting brush or directed to Settle dim
ner-table aunt Hattie tried to make
me happy"
n shall give Bertha a lecture" said
Doctor sumner, Overhearing a remark
of this kind one day. "She shall not
make the whole house uncomfortable
by her nonsense"
mo, no, don't speak to her about It.
pleaded the mother. Il am sure she
will outgrow her foolish notions if we
only have a little patience. Let me
manage her.
Very kind and gentle was the moth
or's management; but very firm. She
insisted on a regular routine, on the
81 stematiC per Ormancc OF household
duties, and aimed by keeping Bertha 5
hands probably busy to eep her mind
from dwelling on the sentimental and
romantic ideas she had cleaned from
the many novels her aunt had permitte
her to read. But the improyementin
the eldest daughter of the house was
very slow. She could not in three
months forget the training of three
years.
do YOU think it is UcrB awful to have
to wash dishes and dustP' asked Lena
one morning, when Bertha as usual was
prusinr over the darkness and cruelty
of her fate
The bare fact of the dish washing
and busting is not awful" said Bertha,
''but it StabS ne 10 the heart TO Ia e
my parents think me on 3crcI with
such mental occupations. If mother
Woald only recognize those finer grades
of the soul
'.Oh, mother hasn't time for such
trash said Ned, who was listening to
the conversation with face in which
disgust could be plainly read, there's
too much to be done. And YOU only
want to shirk, Bertha. You'd like to
put all the work off on Lena and
Carrie
"How l am misunderstoodr' sighed
Bertha.
She always took refuge in that asser-
ton when not caring to continue an ar
gument, and she derived a great deal of
comfort from the reflection.
" Bertha" said her mother a little
later. 81 want you to pay more atten-
ton to your morning toilet hereafter.
Do not come to the breakfast table
again with your hair in curl-papers."
Aunt Hattie always let me dress as
] pleased" said bertha, resentfuuv.
Very likely; but you are not with
your Aunt Hattie now, and l don't
want my daughters to grow up with
untidy habits. And now you can 60 up
sta rs and sew the buttons on your
shoes. -
They won stay on" said Bertha"
Because you sew them on with cot
ton. Use linen thread, and remember
that once well done is twice done"
. 1t seems to me that my life is al
dish washing, busting and sewing
grumb!ed Bertha, rs she went out
''Oh, how sh l was back at Aunt
Hatte9s l led an ideal life there S q
understood me She thought me above
kitchen drudgery. You don't under
stand my Sensitive nature, mother