The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-04-13
FOR MOTHER's SAKE.

lieye all she needs is to have her eyes
opened. Warning fingers aren't pleasant
| know. but I'll point them for once.
There she comes now"
There was the sound of quick steps in
the hall; the door opened, and young
girl ran into the room. She was very
pretty, in blonde way. Her friends call
ed her Dot, Fairy and Fay, which airy
nicknames suited her wonderfully well.
Her name proper was Dorothy, so called
after the erect lady by the window. Her
blue eyes glanced quickly about the room,
then she said:
"De you know where mother is,
anntie?''
'tNow for itr' thought Aunt Dorothy
resolutely. II believe" replied Aunt
Dorothy. looking steadily into the girls
face, that your mother is in the kitchen
ironing one of your dresses"
Her voice was peculiar, and Dorothy
looked at her, slightly surprised.
YES" she answered, my white mus
lin for this evening"" Then something in
her aunt's face made her add: '1'd have
done it myself. you know, only I'm SO
hurried; and mother does those things
much better than |. "
Aunt Dorothy folded her knitting ner-
vousy together. Interfering with the af-
fairs of Others was very foreign to her
nature, and she was at loss how to pro-
coed. Her only brother had been the love
of her life, and, after his death, his wife
and children held the first place in her af-
lection. Among them all, Dorothy was
her favorite, and the effort she was max
ing was, in a great measure, for the girls
own sake.
Now the time, if ever" she thought;
"shes thinking little. Dorothy she
said, ''if you were obliged to deny your
self for someone--to work for aud help
that one--who wonld it be??''
Dorothy looked at her aunt in increased
answering nonsensical questions, when
every minute was precious. ''The one
love best, suppose, she returned a little
impatiently.
"And who is that?''
She answered, unhesitatingly: Mother
of course"
Aunt Dorothy rose, and taking shawl
from a chair near, pinned it over her
shoulders.
II must go, she said, "or won't be in
time to make a tea cake; and young Frank
Russell he's studying law, you remem-
Der, with Mr.. Ives, who lives next door to
me-often steps in, on his way home, to
have tea with me, and he likes my cakes.
Goodbye, my dear. SO You would rather
deny yourself, work for, and help your
mother than any one else? | am glad to
hear it; for she needs it, if ever woman
did. You'll find her in the Kitchen iron
ing your dress, or, if that's done, getting
tea, or maybe making pies. She said she
could not find time for it on Saturday, but
hoped to this afternoon"
She paused, and taking up her bonnet.
put it on and tied the strings with careful
precision. That done 10 her satisfaction,
she turned and looked at Dorothy. There
was bright flush on the girls fair little
face, and her eyes were wide open and
startled.
Aunt Dorothy was satisfied.
Good bye, my dear she said again,
her sharp voice grown suddenly gentle.
"Come to see me when you can; | am al
ways pleased to see you." She kissed
Dorothy hastily on the cheek, and the next
moment was gone.
Dorothy went slowly towards the kitch-
en-. The door was partly open, and she
paused and looked in. Her mother stood
white muslin dress, which lay like heap
of snow before her Dorothy gazed long
and searchingly into the bending face. 1t
was pale and thin; there were lines about
the patient meath, and shadows nnder the
sweet eyes. She worked steadily, but with
certain indescrbabie air of WEAKNESS
Surely, she was more tired than usual. She
did not always look like that. But why
not? w ueH ulu Shc ever ItSts n QUICK
pang shot through Dorothy's heart.
The slamming ofthe front door and coll
fused murmur of voices reused her. The
children had come home from school,
Mother! motherl Where are you,
mother" shouted Charlie
mother, Eve torn my coat. | want it
mended now, cause
Guswas interrupted by Nellie; Mamma,
Gertie Forbes is going to have a picnic,
and want"
Motherl mother. mother! And mother
would be ready she knew, to satisfy every
demand.
The hubbub of voices came nearer, and
Dorothy escaped from the dining room
into the parlor, and closed the door. She
threw herself on the sofa, and Ind her face
in her hands. She remained for a long
time in the same position, and when she
looked up, her cheeks were wet with
tears.
That evening she went to the party.
Squire Russell's place was the handsomest
in the village. A beautiful garden was
Dorothy's delight. She was sitting ont
there now, leaning back on a rustic gar
den bench. Frank Russell, her partner in