Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-11-22
LOOKING OVER" MOTHER.

time ike 1olkS. on Know L never
really did do anything just for pleasure,
but the stern needs of the coming winter
l think will change my plans
What's the need? p
" 4 velvet dress"
" You don't mean it. Do YOU forget that
you are graded-school teacher at salary
of 50 week ?"
g l can not help it. | have earned my
money and saved it, and | want one thing
that L feel at home in when | am invited
to such places as Mrs. Cunningham's, for
instance"
=" All right, of course"
. Are you going anywhere, Louise~
" No. | have changed my plan, too"
What was it?"
q was invited up to Uncle Edwards
farm to spend the summer, and expected
to 90 until | heard Dr. Lanes sermon two
weeks ago"
g did not hear him allude to the fact"
g Not exactly, but do you remember his
asking us if we had ever thought what
was the very best blessing we ever had,
and advised us to go home and look over
our blessings and give God thanks for
them ?"
g Yes, do remember that"
" / had no difficulty in thinking up my
best blessing. 1t is my good, patient
mother, and when | went home and
looked her over it did not take me long
to decide who needed mountain air and
fresh milk the most of any one. So the
upshot of the matter is, mother goes for
three weeks 10 the farm, and | am your
most gracious and successful housekeeper
home. Come and take tea, will you ?"
Perhaps" Kate Morgan answered, alb
sently, and the two teachers left the sub
ject and the large school-room together
But the earnest, energetic Kate Morgan
took new thought along the familiar
streets. All the school years of her twen-
ty-one years of life had been spent in some
connection with that graded school in the
busy manufacturing town of Benton. The
year before she had been graduated with
honor from the High School and at once
offered a situation in the intermediate de-
partment, that she had filled to the salts
faction of all and her own great enjoy
ment
For so many years she had known what
home that the younger children might be
clothed decently and that she might COM
plete the school course. She had seen her
father count out his quarterly salary as a
clerk and sigh over its meagerness again
and again. She had seen the lines in her
mothers patient face deepen over the
problem of turned garments and doing
without things No wonder her salary
had seemed to her almost a fortune, and
its possibilities a little intoxicating. She
was young, too, and pretty, with musical
gifts that made her welcome everywhere
But she was child of the Kingdom"
too, and every day prayed: Search me,
O God, of Thyself," and to such the Spirit
is the leader
1t was late when she reached home, ami
she was still busy Cooking over" her
mother and thinking she had never seen
her look 50 pale and worn, when her father
entered with sigh over the warm day,
and sank down in his chair quite exhaust
ed. His daughter wondered that she had
not noticed before how fast he was growing
old. The three young children came in
and they sat down to the plain supper.
Kate wished now she had bought a quart
of berries in the morning, instead of that
fashion magazine. when she saw how lit
tie appetite her father had, and how the
sickly boy, Willis, left his bread I'M
eaten. Willis was Is, Herbert 10 and Al
ice years of age. Three others were
waiting up in Gods acre on the hill
That night, up in her own room, Kate
went through rapid mental calculation,
and with pencil and paper laid the result
plainly before her eyes, after this fashion:
Kate Morgan DR..
To L yards black velvet at 81 per yard....siS 90
To trimmings and making. .............- 10 90
Money 90
Kate Morgan Or.
To cash in hand 90
Saved
But it kept her awake that night, and
it was several days before her busy brain
gave her even beginning of things. and
how it should be saved. But each day she
prayed, "Teach me- O God, of Thee, in
this, as in all things
One morning nj breakfast she asked:
Father, when do you have your vaca-
ton this year,"
"The second and third weeks Of Au-
gust" was the reply, but shall proba-
bly, straightcn up Jays books for him in
the time-a little extra pay"
That afternoon found Kate walking up
to the door of Deacon Hollis pleasant
farmhouse She found the deacon and his
wife sitting in their shaded porch, and met
n hearty welcome Their own three daugh-
tiers were settled in homes of their own.
and the old people enjoyed a call from
Kate, and her singing, greatly. She had
to give them Rock of Ages now as soon
as she recovered breath Ii was some
time before she could get to business Then
she asked:
Deacon Hollis, have you disposed OF
your two-seated rockaway yet?'
"No.p
g You don't Use it?"
Not often Wife and / have agreed TO
ride on the same seat, 50 the little carriage
answers us"
Then Hates plan came out. She wanted
to hire the deacon's staid horse Roxy, and
the roomy rockaway. and take her father
and mother, and the children, with her
self, on a ride of ten days or so out in the
country.
But where are you going ?" asked Mrs.
Hollis, whose kind heart was interested at
once Your mother does look real peak
edy," she said.
my plan is to go up to Lake George,
see that, and spend one night there with
friends that have visited us two or three
times Then, about thirty-iiye miles far
ther, in among the mountains, on stage
road, lives an old uncle and aunt, who. visit
us once year, and always urge us so
heartily to come and visit Now, is that
too farY'
The deacon recl1oned the miles and said ::
"Roxy could easily do it in four days, and
three back" he added; "she's masterful
hand to know when her head is turned
homeward"
II was all settled at last. The deacon
liked to put generous bill in the collec-
ton for foreign missions and he liked a
good bargain right well, and it did come a
little hard to offer Roxy and the rockaway
for dollar day and her keep" but gem
crosby compelled, and he never regret
ted il.