The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-04-04
MlSUNDE RST00D.

Tap, tap, tap, at Bortha's bedroom
"1en o'c'ogk, my dear" said he
mother voice, ''timo you were IN bed
ify1u want TO keep your roses
An angry scOwI disGgurcd Bertha
pretty face, an the tone in which she
called out: VERY we'll" was decidedly
cross.
"Onc would think | WAS old enough
10 use my own Judgment about going 10
bed" she giumblcd, casting ingcrinl
look ON the open pages Of her diary, rs
she slowly wiped her pen, and put the
cover on her ink.bottlc.
She had felt Just in the mood for
writing. II wa too bad TO stop just as
She wa well "wonnd up, she thought
"Misundcrslood, Is there II saddcI
word in the vocabulary OF the English
lanpago? An, in many young and
ecnsltiyo heart it has rung the death
kncll o! all happiness
"Ihgt is beautifully turned, n
Aunt Hattie would say,' She muir.
INJURED, and she com nuol 10 read nlou /,
holding The pen in one hand, the wiper
IN the other:
"Wiih each day am drawing near
cr TO the tomb. Tho icy touch OF an
invisible hand is on my brow. Al
when am lying cold and dead, N
irall hands claspcd over my pulse'cs,
heart, regret will bG van. No prayer.
can call me back; In my silent grave
out under the cold blue SKY, the wnd
will chant wild rcquiem4 over me, wills
pcring that this chcckcrcd life is over
and after liIe's hllui fever -
i was Just here that Bcrtha's mother
had interrupted her And now, with n
sigh lcrtla closed the book, undrcsscd
herself rs quickly rs possible. and
sprang into bed, her mind full of her
talent rs u writer.
Though profoundly impress ed with
tile idea hat she was not long for thi,
world, l'crlha was tho very picture %
health n tact which distressed her con
sldcably. Willingly would she have
seen reelected in the glass II hollow
o, ed. pale checked, ethereal looking be.
ing, whore dismal cough and langIid
step would move the hardest heart to
pity. But her checks were proyokingh
round and red, and her eyes rs BRIGHT
rs stars. And though she occasionally
cs'aycd cough, it was but wrctchel
tI0ycsty ON the real lhing. Her broth.
or and sisters laughed at her prophe.
clcs OF early death and there was no
one to whuir she 60 i'd go for svmpa
thy. Only 10 her diury--lhe parting
gut OF her Aunt Hattie could she unur
ont her thoughts, aud the elegant blue
and gold hound book was made the re.
po'torv OF great dead of nonsense and
false sentiment.
Eortha had spent the past three years
away from home, under the care of AN
aunt who had INDUCED her TO the last
degree, and permitted her TO do very
much as hcpIcascd in over, thin". Doe
tor and Mrs. Smncrycgfcltcdn now that
they had ever allowed Bertha 10 lcnyc
them, for they saw very p'aink that in
spite Gf tho adlyantn, cs she he'd 70.
covcd in the way OF music and the Ian
guagc', her long visit had been mis-
take She robc.ol against the Whole.
some discipline o, her father house,
thought herself greatly abused when
called upor to PERFORM household du.
ties, and D dozen tines n day openly re.
GREETED that she had lett her aunt
"lou don love mo as Aunt Hattie
docs" she would say when given the
dusting brush or directed to set the din.
ncr,tnblo, "Aunt Hattie trod to mako
mo happy"
81 shall give Bertha lccturc." said
Doctor SUMNER ovorhcaring remark
Of TINS kind one day. "Sho shall not
make the whole house uncomfortable
BY her nonsansc,h
NO no don'tspcak 10 hcratout IT,"
pleaded tie mother. II am sure sho |
VIII outG"ow her foolish notions il wo
only have u little patience. Let mo
manage Eor"
very Kind and gentle was the moth.
Pr management; but very firm. She
INSISTED on regular routine on the
NSlemalic per omancc OF household |
iutios, and aimed by keeping Bcrtha's
ds.prottably busy 10 ccp her mind
rom dwelling on the sentimental and
romant'c ideas she had cleaned from
tho many novels her aunt had pcrmttel
her to read. But the improvement in
the eldest daughter of the house was
very slow. She coud moi in three
months forget the training OF three
years,
$40 You think it is CcrBawfui to have
to wash dishes and dustp' asked Lena
one morning. when Bertha rs usual was
pressing over the darkness and cruelty
OF her fate
The bare iaci of the dish washing
and busting is not awful sad Bertha,
but IL stabs me 10 the heart to ha,
ny parents think me on icvct with
uch mental occupations. If mother
.onld only recognize those finer grades
tho soul
"Nh, mother hasn't time for such
ash, " said Ned, who was listening TO
10 conversation with face in which
sgust could be plainly read, there's
20 much to DO done And you only
r a"' ~ ~ snirk' feytha. You'd like to
'arrie." WI Lehh anu
Bertha. '''o" signed
!, he always took refuge in that os,or
s.un when not caring to continue an ar 9
eeo o,nen. ana she derived n great dan, =,
comfort from the reflection. "'"' vi
bertha said her mother u., c
.a'u'. want you to pay more oi,on
Won 10 your morning toilet herea,,nn
DO not come to tho breakiost, a ,ae,.
again with your hair in curl.papers :"
Aunt Hattie always let me dress no
pleased" said Pcrtha, resentiully.
Very likely; but you are not with
our Aunt Hattie now, and | don't
ant my daughters to grow up with
ntidy habits. And now you can 90 up
n rs and sew tho buttons on your
oes."
"Ihey won't stay on" said Bertha"
" because you sew them on with cot
a. Use linen thread, and romember