Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1885-01-24
Suppose I am; what then p''

keep house,
Simply out of the question. She
wouldn' t go anyhow, Martha
Il 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
goodPH
Undoubtedly, and it would be the
cheapest medicine you could give her,
and the surest Think ii over day or
80, Nathan"
That evening Martha was not sur
prised to see startled, anxious look on
| her brothers. face, as he closely re-
| 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 night when they were alone, he
suddenly exclaimed:
CLARA, how would you like to visit
your mother this fallpn
She looked at him moment in
silence, while wave of crimson swept
over her pale face Then, turning away,
she said, brokenly:
Don't talk about it, Nat; / know we
can't afford 1t, 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 go, dearP"
There was an unconscious tone of re-
proach in his voice, and look of pain
in his face which she could not under
| stand.
80, Nathan!' she sobbed, with her 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 go.
Just now there is nothing in the world /
| want so much as to see father and
mother"
"Well, then, you shall go, little wife.
Don't cry so; didn't know you cared
| so much; but that settles it, you shall
CO."
After Mrs. Tracy and the baby were
| gone, Martha looked around the un-
ornamented rooms and resolved that
| there should be something new, some
thing bright and pretty, to welcome back
| the home-keeper. The front room
had never been furnished, but after com
| sidering her resources, Martha thought
she could manage it, if she could per-
suade Nathan into buying a carpet.
"a carpetp why Martha!' he ex-
claimed at her proposal, too astonished
to say more.
..What was Clara's old home Iikep
You don't want her to notice too sharp
a contrast on her return said the
sister, quietly. -.---..-...y--~....-....
II may get carpet, thoughtfully;
"but so many other things would have
to follow
''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 I 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. I guess
| you can afford to buy cane-seat rocker
and two chairs, and we'll make the
rest"
sI'd like to know how"
There are two bottomless chairs in
the granary; I 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
'sWell, 1t sounds practicable, I'll help
all I can
''There will be ottomans to make, .
mantle to put up, and cornice for the
curtains. 1t will take our spare time
for all winter, but how pleased Clara
will be-"
II intend to have everything nice for
! her some day."
''Yes, Nat; but woman must have
| something to live on in the meantime.
| There's 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 thiz
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, y
replied Nathan.
's1t is not common for man to think
about the home as 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 a sight of trouble;
but if you and the children help, we car
do wonders"
! And they did. When Clara came
home, four months later, she scarcely
knew the place.
"Come and look at your wife," whis.
pered Martha, when Nathan had fin.
ished the chores and was ready for 1
happy evening.
There she was in the pretty room,
chatting with the children. Joy and
gladness shone through her face, which
had lost its sharpness and pallor. and
there was an elasticity in her move
ments which recalled her girlhood.
'sShe looks ten years younger, Martha
and if I can help it she shall never work
SO again. You've taught me a lesson FL
not forget. Well take all the comfor
we can now if we never get big house.
.Martha has made this 80 pretty tina
: we shan't want another exclaimet
Clara, hearing his last remark as the,
entered the room. I'm SO thankful t
: you all for this pleasant Homecoming.
ftAfartha deseryes the thanks for sh,