Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-12-25
variable order was oppressive.

could pierce through crack or crevice
of the nicely adjusted shutters.
Every book was in its place; the
chairs as guiltless of dust as if just
cleaned, and the unblurred polish of
the piano reflected each undisturbed
ornament and object in its vicinity.
But the children! Oh! the children!
A great appalling throb of appre-
hension and whitening pain shot
through the mothers heart at the
mention of their name.
Where was winsome-no longer
mischievous, but winsome--W Willie?
Where, pray, was sportive Carrie
and lively Jennie? Where, too,
bounding, loving little Jack? eyes,"
she said, vaguely peering about in
the sunless gloom, "where are my
precious children?"
She left dining-room and parlor
and went from one child's chamber
to another; everything in that same
depressing order, even their little
beds were unruffied, each smooth pill
low looking as if impressed by sun
ny head for,-oh, SO long!
And, ah, misery! What was that
in Willie's room in the porcelain
vase?
Some white flowers tied with a
white satin ribbon; and this heart
breaking emblem in Jennie's room?
Her picture, sweet child! with a
crown of fading flowers encircling it,
and here in Carries room her pic
ture, the darling, also crowned with
immortelles.
And Jacks room, forlorn in its
tidiness yes, yes, funeral wreath in
his room, dear, loving little Jack?
Mrs. Jewett's first wild impulse
was to disarrange everything; the
quiet andpalling neatness were goad-
ing her to madness; even kitty had
deserted the sunless, childless house,
but the children,-oh, the children!
The mother felt as if her brain was
on fire, and her heart was bursting
with pent grief; she could not endure
it another moment, and she awoke.
Thank God! She was sitting di-
rectly in the rare, sweet sunlight
which God made to come in, not to
be shut out of our homes. In the
garden she heard the sweet delight
some voices of her children,-the
blessed little children.
Kitty, with fluttering little paws,
was clutching with unchecked glee
at the tassels of the muslin curtain !;
and she noticed with sigh of relief
that the mahogany bureau, with its
FURNISHED surface, had been pared
with fresh finger-marks.
In the dining room she raised the
curtains, so that the sunlight danced
gayly through the room.
Jennie came in with a torn apron,
and was greeted with a smile of well
come,-rent and all.
Willie had been using paste in the
dining-room, and had daubed the
cloth, door-knob and his blouse, but
mamma patiently showed him how
to clean the spots away, and Willie
promised with great sincerity to be
more careful another time.
The children had a gloriously hap
Ply day. At night, when they were
all asleep, their mother went from
room to room, gazing with pure
thankfulness at each darling little
sleeper, so dear,-ah, so dear! She
sighed, then smiled at the little por-
celain vase in Willie's room, filled
with sweet wild flowers of his own
plucking.
Then she went to her own room,
and tearfully told "father" her ter
| rible dream.
He kissed his wife's fair brow fond
ly, and said soothingly:
"Never mind, dear, we're all right
now"
And they were. The timely warn.
ing was not lost on the mothers heart,
for she never forgot how terrible il
was when in dreams she roamed
from one empty, orderly room to an.
other in quest of her children, and
could not find them. And she re.
solved that she would not wait tC
place white flowers in their hands
when their perfume could not reach
the dulled senses, and their fading
beauty would only break her heart
the children should have the flowers
now, while their dear eyes were open
to behold them, and their hearts still
alive to all of earth's comforts and
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