The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-10-18
A SWEET CONSIDER.


day life--pleasant to hear and see, and
pleasant TO remember. In fact, what
beautiful creations of the artist, hanging
upon the walls of our homes, are those
bright, sunny spots upon the page of
life resulting from deeds and incidents
that give JOY and gladness to the heart.
And one of them will give YOU,
George Barrows had been born and
reared in the town Of Ayryille, away
among the New England hills, as his
father had been reared before him. lie
had attended school until he was fifteen
years of age, at which time his father
had died, leaving him with q mother
and an invalid sister, and with but little
of this worlds goods to rely upon.
George was now n healthy, rugged,
hearty boy, with an education really
superior to the majority of boys of his
age for he had loved study, and he had
been moved by an ambition to be a
scholar He had fatlered himself that
he would 90 through college before his
studies were given up, But, alas! the
death OF his father had put away that
bright promise,
Mr.. Barrows had died in August.
Early in November George sat down
with his mother to look over the stua-
ton, There was mortgage upon the
pretty cottage equal in amount to half
its value. and while the widow was at
her wits end, her son submitted this
simple proposition:
Not far away was very comfortable
and convenient little cottage, which they
could have, with a clear title, by sur
rendering their legal claims upon their
present home. Or they could sell land
enough from their present lot to pay off
the mortgage. George preferred the
exchange, because thus they would have,
as good garden as they now had, the
difference in value resulting chiefly
from location. Their present home was
near the center of the village, where
land was valuable, while the other
cottage was in the suburbs half mile
distant.
At length the widow consented so sell
the old home and remove to the sub
urban cottage. 1t pulled upon the
heart-strings at first, but she became
used to it after time, and the thought
of being free from debt made her con-
tent, and almost happy
George had left school. and was look
ing for business. His father had been
a house carpenter, aud had left val
liable assortment of tools. and the boy
finally resolved to follow in the pater-
nal footsteps. So he engaged himself to
q good carpenter, and went to work in
earnest And be sure he worked with
a will, and his superior education was
help to him.
His mastery of figures and his init
mate knowledge of mathematical rules
enabled him to conquer the mysteries
of framing and calculating the need of
material, while many an older hand at
the trade was plodding along over the
fore-plane and chisel and mallet.
At the age Of twenty-one George Bur-
rows had served his time, and was
eagerly hired by his old master at good
journeyman's wages. And he was able
to earn more than this Being capable
architect, aud able to make plans for
the guidance Of others, Eo was paid ex-
ira for all work of that kind.
On the day that George was twenty
two his employer, Mr., Towne, took him
into partnership; and now he was able
not only to give his mother new com
forts, but to employ better medical as
sistance for his sister
George had been a member Of the
village choir for several years, and had
now come to be its leader.
On certain evening the choir met at
the house of Deacon Larrabe for re-
hearsal and there our hero made new
acquaintance young girl of nineteen,
named Lucy Spear She was an or
phan, and Deacon Larrabe was her un-
Gle; and she had come to make home
with him.
She was sweet, mild-eyed, happy
faced girl, lovely in form and feature,
and lovely in her life, She sang like a
seraph, her voice rich, pure, correct,
and full of pathos and harmony. Her
eyes were Of a cerulcan blue, and her
hair like ripping gold, and the color Of
her skin like the rose and lily.
George fixed his gaze upon her. and
felt n throbbing at his heart such as he
had never felt before. During the even.
ing they had TO sing a duet together
they were rehearsing for Christmas mu-
sic, and this duet was in beautiful
Christmas anthem
George Barrows had long been ac-
counted the best tenor singer in that
section OF the country, but never before
had his voice sounded to such advan-
tage as now. For little time after the
duet had been concluded pin might
have been heard to drop upon the floor.
Then arose murmur of applause, and
then demand for repetition
The girl looked up into the face of
her companion singer, and he returned
the look. Certainly there was some
thing more in the look than the mere
question Of singing But never mind
lhey sang the passage over again, and
before the evening was over they sang ii
third time.
A few evenings later the choir met
for another rehearsal, this time at the
house of the old clergyman of the par
ish, and here the tenor and soprano not
only sang duet together from an an
tnem but they were persuaded TO sing
also several other songs arranged foi
two voices.
on that evening at a late hour