The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-12-06

little children and do all the work that
must be done in farmhouse. She
might have been slender when girl,
but not careworn. Tonight, if you
will look at one of her old pictures, you
will be convinced | am right.
Suppose I am; what then?"
GLOW much would it cost to send her |
back to Ohio for the winter? l can |
keep house."
''Simply out of the question. She !
wouldn't 90 anyhow, Martha.
81 thought you didn't know it; but
she is as homesick as child to see her |
father and mother. She hasn't said so,
she never complains, but an unutterable |
longing fills her eyes, and quick tears
when she speaks of them. Sure of your
consent and my willingness to keep
house for her, she would go gladly"
"And you think it would do her
good?"
Undoubtedly, and it would be the
cheapest medicine you could give her,
and the surest. Think it over a day or
so, Nathan"
That evening Martha was not sur
prised to see y startled, anxious look on
utI IlOlutl = luCts Us ut NljNttN ~
| garded his wife, whenever he thought
himself unobserved. Husbands are
often the blindest of all persons in re-
gard to their wives, but Nathan was
| convinced.
That nioht when they rere alnrhe, he
suddenly exclaimed:
CLARA, how would you like to visit
your mother this fallP'
She looked at him moment in
silence, while a wave of crimson swept
over her pale face. Then, turning away,
she said, brokenly:
Don't talk about it, Nat [ know we
can { afford it, and I'd rather not speak
of it..
But we can afford it, and Martha is
willing to keep house for me. Now do
you want to 90, dear?'
There was an unconscious tone of re-
proach in his voice, and a look of pain
in his face which she could not under
stand.
80, Nathanr' she sobbed, with herf face
hidden on his shoulder. don't imagine
that | love you any the less, or am tired
of our little home; but | do want to 90.
Just now there is nothing in the world |
want so much as to see father and
) mother"
''Well then, you shall 90 little wife,
Don't cry so; | didn't know you cared
so much; but that settles it, you shall
go"
After Mrs Tracy and the baby We're
gone, Martha looked around the I'M
ornamented rooms and resolved that
theEe should be something new, some
thing bright and pretty, to welcome back
the home-keeper. The 'front room
had never been furnished, but after con-
sidering her resources, Martha thought
she could manage it, if she could per-
suade Nathan into buying d carpet.
ga carpet? why Martham he ex-
claimed at her proposal, too astonished
to say more.
"What was Clara's old home like?
T You don't want her to notice too sharp
contrast on her return" said the
sister, quietly.
81 may get carpet" thoughtfully
s.hpt, 50 m9nv other things would have
''Nat, when father and mother died,
we were going to divide things, but YOU
! had no home then, and while John and
| stayed, everything remained the same.
When | came here. | sold or packed
everything, and there is big box for
you, which is on the way out here Be
sides bedding and clothing, there are
pictures, vases, curtains, table-spread
and some of mothers nice rugs They
will help furnish the room. ! guess
you can afford to buy acane-seat rocker
and two chairs, and We'll make the
rest.
I'D like to know how"
There are two bottomless chairs in
the granary; | will ebonize the frames.
cushion seat and back, and with strips
of embroidery and heavy fringe they
will be handsome. That old rocker
which is forever coming to pieces can
be mended and treated likewise, minus
the rockers, and you'll have an easy
chair A pine table which you can
make, stained and vanished, and COW
cred with the spread will do nicely"
''Well, it sounds practicable, Iii help
all can.
There will be ottomans to make. a
mantle to put up, and a cornice for the
curtains. 1t will take our spare time
for all winter, but how pleased Clara
will be-"
81 intend to have everything nice for
her some day."
eyes, Nat; but woman must have
something to live on in the meantime.
There's a love of the beautiful in every
woman'S heart, and it must be satisfied.
If surrounded by grand scenery the
mind can feed on that; but here, in this
level, monotonous country, believe the
home should be very bright and at
tractiVe"
"There may be some truth in that,
but never thought of that before,
replied Nathan.
sit is not common for a man to think
about the home as a woman does, for
he mingles with the world, while most
of her hours are spent inside the four
walls. Clara had no time to fix up any
thing; that baby was sight of trouble;
but if you and the children help, we can
do wonders"
And they did. When Clara came
home, four months later, she scarcely
. | Iyro,ty ttn