The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-04-02
Died Of Embroidery.

The Grape hangs gloomily beside the door
where Death had never entered In before;
And In the darkcncd house the mother lay,
VINO babe farewell tn home ana friends that
Her eyes were closed, her face was thin and
white;
Her voice was hushcd, no more To say GOOD
To the fair children, weeping down below,
who could not sleep, though past their hour
Ia 80,
And still the youngest, through her sobbins
said,
Come, Mamma, come, ana take me up To
The father sat, his head bowed on his hand,
This sudden blow he scarce could understand;
The house was fair and beautiful within,
Each room displayed where tasteful hands
had been,
And rich embroiicrics met one everywhere
ON sofa, mantel and on easy chair,
And ON the floor. 10y patient fingers wrought,
LuNurlant rugs, small means could not have
bought:
Each table napkin and each pillow sham
Displayed finely hand-worllcd monngr1m;
The childrcns' dresses from the eldest down,
Whatever texture color. blue or brown,
We're all embroidered with devices rare
ANA every stitch was laid with choicest care;
How pleasant must IL he when one Is dead,
To leave SD many tokens lightly spread
Before the eyes of those we leave behind,
That in our nbors they some comfort find;
All! does the gricvIng husband sitting there,
Appreciate these dainty treasures rarel
Alas! he has In them too late cspicd
The instrument of her slow suicide;
And now their sight drives him almost insane,
So great the loss and for such pultry gain:
Anu sitting there he thinks how, 10y his side,
Night after night she had her needle piled;
And on her work she So intent had grown,
He felt each day left more and more alone;
He saw each day how pale ana wan she grew
And yet she said twas work that she must do,
An And when he begged her stop, Ia him she said,
That these cmhroidcrics really must he had,
And since, If purchased, all their means
twould take,
The decorations she must surely make;
And when he asked, "why need they such
things wcar!"
She turned away us though In mute despair,
And on her face was pictured such distress,
'Twould seem the peril were To life. not dress;
And So tn her he gave the matter DER,
And On she laborcd, weary us before;
Embroid'ry seemed To him the banc of life,
Because II claimed the whole soul of his wife:
And now he sits beside his hearth, alone,
Reaping what from mistaken views had
grown:
Ihat OF embroidery his young wife died
Beside him nj the Office. day by day,
There tolls u man upon the same small pay,
Whose home cannot such fair adjoining boast,
And yet, To him. life seems 10 bring the most
or all that fills the soul with trucst joy,
And least of that which ever doth annoy;
His children go to school in PLAIN attire,
And gaining knowledge seems their great
desire:
The loving mother has II thought that they
Are inwardly adorned each passing day,
And strives TO teach them, with unccasing
care,
To think of what they are, not what they
wear;
And after all her daily duties done,
She gives herself To gladden. every one;
Her happy face adorns their plain abode
More than the dainticSt work by hand be-
slowed,
by guarding health and temper, brains and
eyes,
She makes her home Il blessed paradise
From which her children shall at length 20
forth
With wisdom that shall bcautify the earth.
Mary W. Gleason, in Good Housekeeping.