Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-05-31
Doing Things Thoroughly.

Doing Things Thoroughly.
Laura came into the disorderly sit
| ting-room, put sweeping-cap on her
head, and began listlessly drawing a
broom over the dirty carpet. In few
| moments goodly pile of dirt was swept
| out the door, when she, took buster
and looked around, quite puzzled where
to begin, nit, =. ..i.,,,.,ifs
Sarah's," she said, dropping down on
the lounge with more discontinued
| look than before. ''It's all very well
for her to talk about keeping things in
| order, but her children seem different
from ours. Just look here"
1t was rather discouraging. On one
chair lay some crusts Of bread and mo-
lasscs; on another torn picture bcok
and some paints over which the glass of
water used with them had been split
On the table mothers over-filled work
| basket was running over, some spools
of thread tangled among broken TOYS
The ashes from the CRATE were widely
| scattered, and every corner seemed to
| have its separate litter.
| "Who sweeps room well, does
| Gods service Something like this
| Laura had heard said while at her
| aunt's house. u.
| Il don't believe God has much to do
with such a room as this she said,
fretfully, to herself. ''And it don't
make much difference how it's swept,
Pm sure" But her eye noted rather
uneasily the untouched corners, and the
dusty patch under the table which her
, lazy broom had not reached. Aunt
Sarah's CHEEKY watchword: ''Thor-
ough, my dears, thorough" seemed to
! sound in her ears as she remembered
| how she had come home with firm
determination to institute a better order
of things.
"I'n try it, anyway" She busted
| and carried out every movable article
of furniture. sprang to her broom
again, and this time welded it with an
energy which left little chance of peace
to the seldom-disturbed dust. And into
the fire went many a fragment of broken
playthings that would surely never be
missed. Aunt Sarah believed in judi
cious keeping down of worthless trash.
The dirt being gathered this time in
a dust-pan and sent after the trash,
Laura Strengthened and busted the pict-
| ttrcs, then the curtains. Books not
needed were carried away, the others
piled neatly in order Newspapers
were sorted, and those not to be saved
taken 40 the kitchen for kindling. A
basket Has found for the toys, and the
rubber shoes and a slate which had lain
under the lounge were put away in the
closet. Theremas not time for thorough
cleaning of fisger- marked windows, but
a quick rub with some soft paper
frightened them amazingly. Then She
washed up the OF loth before the CRATE,
and when the frlr.ii{a.lre was back in
place sat down with the work basket,
glad of a rest. .a - 'irS .-t
81 do think it's She most hopeless
snarl, L ever saw, but I'll try what
thorough will do here.'' A number of
pieces for chance mending Were rolled
into bundle, the thread untaBgled as
far as it could be, wound and fastened.
Needles were placed in the needle-book
and buttons in box by themselves.
A iumping-jack and tin horse on
wheels was rescued from woeful en-
tanglement in sken of darning yarn.
which was wound up and laid with the
stockings, mated ready for intending.
Almost everything went back into the
e..
it was not half full.
i Lastly Laura went to the parlor and
brought out a gay-colored tidy for the
large chair and worsted mat for \
vase, which she hastily filled with flow
ers. I'm not going to keep all the
pretty things out of sight" she said,
cover for this old lounge. 1t won't cost
much and will tighten up the ROOM
Even baby gave crow of delight as
he came into the room on mothers
arm; then scrambled down and laughed
aloud as he crept toward his tin horse,
which had been lost for q week. And
mother looked around the room with n
brighter smile than Laura had seen on
her face for many day.
"Oh, my daughter-have your little
hands done all this? Why. l didn't
know the old carpet could look so fresh.
and what cheery-looking,7 pleasant
room it is after all. What precious
comfort you are, my darling!"
Laura looked around the tidy room
with great satisfaction. sa'
"I've been over every inch Of it,
mother. How pleasant it Is to feel that
you've done thing thoroughly"
Try it girls. Try what satisfaction
there is in bringing order and sweet
ness out Of confusion. Try what joy
there is in tightening mothers cares
and in making dear faces brighter be-
cause the dear home is brighter. And
be sure that the Master who has said:
" Whatsoever thy hand 'finieth to do.
do it with thy might" will tenderly
bless even q smaller service, conscien-
tiously and heartily performed. than
that OF a room well swept."--N. Y.
Observer. .s.. ...,.., -.