The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-10-20
Partners.

was SlUIlnS one DAY last week bV
Mrs. Graves's workable, engaged in
the delightful task of teaching her the
shell-stitch in crochet, when the door
was burst open as if a cyclone were
coming, and her ten-year-old boy
bounced in. He made a polite bow. #
is true, but l felt that he was very
unpleasant occurrence, for he stumbled
over my feet and upset our basket of
worsteds, and seized his mother around
the neck for whispering in a thor
oughly tumultuous and uncomfortable
way. He received a gentle rebuke for
his undue haste and carelessness, and
permission, evidently, to go to the bu-
reau drawer, where | watched him up
setting pile of clean handkerchief
and bringing forth in triumph fish
ing-hook!
"Does your mother always let you
treat her places that way, Frark?' |
asked.
The bright, eager face turned upon
me with a surprised look, and then,
with sunny glance across the table,
said: ooh! mother and / are part
ners."
Partners! | felt sudden pang in
thinking of my own well-regulated nur-
sery, whose clock-like rules permitted
no such invasion of my places by my
young folks.
81 won't go above the dam, mother, -
were the boys parting words, as the
door closed with a bang that alarmed
the plaster.
Frank is not always so Noisy
apologized his mother. HE is yery
much excited now, and | must save my
little lecture about his want of consid-
Grafton until it will be more likely to
avail something"
'But do you give your children such
right of way through all your places?"
| asked, my interest in the shell-stitch
gone.
"Not quite all" she answered, laugh
ing. 81 have few little hooks that are
sacre1ly my own; but only few Frank
uses the right word when he says we
are partners, and | don't know when
he has enjoyed anything as much as
being allowed to keep that new fishing
hook in my pile of handkerchiefs;" and
the mother laughed afresh at the odd
hiding-place the bow had invented
But | was burdened with conscious
ness that l should have snubbed my
young man upon any such unreason-
able proposal, and pressed the discus
sion.
"How can you keep any order, or
teach any order, " asked, rather petu-
familiarity, eff you do not insist upon
things being kept in their right places"
Il do try to check the troublesome
propensity to leave things lying around, "
answered my companion; ''but, Elsie,
don't you remember from your own
childhood how much nicer and more
secure our mothers places seemed for
our treasures? That new fishing-hook
il Of the same value to Frank that your
diamond ring is to you; more. indeed,
for it gives him more lively pleasure,
am sure, and no place of his own seemed
good enough for it. 1t was very small
sacrifice on my part to allow him to
tumble my clean handkerchiefs; but the
gratitude it awakened in that precious
little heart has dubbed up and over in
many a kiss and caress that was in
tinitely sweet to me.
! ''He got the word partners from u
story they are fond of hearing me tell,
of bit of my own childhood's expert
ence. | had some bad tricks, as child,
that were hard to correct, and one was
playing in the fire. Living in the coun-
try, big wood-fres blazed on our hearths
all winter, and seemed an irresistible
temptation to me. OF course | was
punished, time and again, but nothing
ever seemed to cure me, until one day
my mother found me with long pieces
of twisted paper, trying to see how near
the flame | could hold them without
their lighting. Instead of the punish
ment l expected, my mother sat down
by me on the floor, and played in the fire
with me for half an hour. BY that
time my craving was satisfied, and the
morbid fascination that the forbidden
pleasure had exercised over me was
gone. Nov, Nellie, said my mother,
as she brushed up the litter, we are
partners in this game, and it will be
very unfair if you ever try to play it
without me- [ never did, and the idea
of being partners with mother held
me with a strong grasp all my life; it
brought me to her side with many a
question of this or that, which / am
persuaded most young people settle for
themselves, and often settle the wrong
way"
l began to feel sorry for my poor lit
tie well-managed children, who had
never known The sweetness of playing
partner" with mamma; but they
were young enough, thank God, to be-
gin yet, and | trusted | was not too old
to learn.
"Aren't you afraid to trust Frank to
90 to the mill-stream?" l asked, kissing
my friend good-by; it's horribly deep
above the dam"
He never goes above the dam, she
replied, with proud content; that S
part of the partnership. "-HluStrate d
Christian AdU0cdte.