The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1888-08-16

1t was lovely Summer day, one of
those that you can see the justice of call
ing perfect, but the wind blew hard. |
had picked up Uncle David's chimney and
his windows in the morning, You see
we live on the Ridge, and the air is fresh
there, very fresh, while the house is old.
Consequently, whenever there's a breeze,
the bricks ard the panes of glass just fly
of and out.
| had picked up everything till the
yard looked as nice as city lawn, and
after dinner | went over to the ruined
Methodist church, down on the cross
road, and sat down on the steps To think.
While | was sitting there, along came
George Nash and Nell Beach Nell is
like one of those stars that flash and
sparkle, so you fancy they must be hay
ing a right good time up there; but
Georgia is like the day. She doesn't
sparkle, but it's warm and light and
pleasant where she is, and she makes you
| think of your mother.
MADELINE Augusta whaeyer are you
doing here to-day called Nell,
"Going around the mulberry BUSH" |
laughed
George gave me a quick look, and then
they both settled down by my side.
produce your bush and We'll take
turns till we've worn it out" said Nell.
you'll laugh at me. George, but
well, it's fancy work. It's lovely here on
| the Ridge. | don't believe there's bit
of God earth that's better worth living
on or looking at, and the women are in
the house putting seventeen tucks in
| their white skirts or pecing silk crazy
quilts till their eyes and backs ache. Or
else tails of making rick rack. hate
embroidered cat tails Why don't they 20
out into the swamps and get some real
ones if they want them? And rick-rack
and hshtwine, lamberquins and crazy
quilts. | detcst them all the crazy abom-
nations"
Madeline, dear, what's the real
| trOu0le?"
| ITS the pettiness of it, George. Here,
| where it does seem rs If woman couldn't
| look out without taking in large views of
| the universe, they turn their backs on 1t
| al to fuss with Irvine and scraps. DO
you remember in Pilgrims Progress the
| figure that gathers up leaves and straw
with his rake and will not look up To the
angel and the crown that are just above
his head2 It's like that all the while. Why
don't they live instead of giving their own
|
"It's so" said Nell. "The very houses
are crammed so full of things that you
cant turn around, and you've got to
spend hours busting them It's all very
well for the benghted jewellers in cities,
but you and don't believe in it, do we.
Madeline? Let's get up crusade against
| 1t all"
| "You needn't laugh, Nell. would like
&c see house once that made you feel
| there was room enough in it to breath.
| they can make as much fun as they want
Of the old Puritan bare rooms. There
was something in those"
Not much" said Nell, demurely. al
remember one of abont an acre that had
a sideboard, six chairs, Il sofa and cen
ter table ill., and you fairly had to shout
to your nearest ncghbor, while an echo
in the ceiling repeated your words with
An unearthly effect"
| II don't care. I'd like to 20 into a
room where don't tangle up my feet in Il
Persian rag rug every step, catch every
Duoton on my dress in Irvine lambrequiIS,
knock over riLkety stand with hideouS
| little object on it, or an easel with Its
legs spreading halfway across the room,
and sit down at last To stare at the family
china, being upon the walls instead OF
being put in the china closet where 1t be
longs. And Japanese | wish there d
never been any treaty with Japan! We
don't want their trash in our parlors
George, dear'-I had rested little
after my tirade-.help me. 1t all seems
so unreal, so small. There are solemn
realities in the world and out here, un-
der that sky and with this air and this
blessed sunshine about U.S. they seem not
only solemn and grand, but infinitely
sweet | could understand how sorrow
and Joy, truth and wrong, happiness and
misery, might be only clouds floating in
4 deep sky of blessed life and peace. But
20 into the houses where the lesson
should bear fruit, and find that Amanda
has made twenty-seven yards of rickrack
and Jane has seventeen hundred pieces of
silk in her crazy quilt. while both are too
busy counting stitches and pieces To
know that the forget-me-nots are in bios
som, and the fields below the house just
blue with the darlngs."
But, Madeline, every little piece of
work may fit into the great plan.
"Not fooishnesS, George. ! don't de-
,pise small work that is work, | think
it is good work to clear up a stony, UNI
productive field and make 1t blossom like
the rose. But play that makes belief it is
work and takes persons best energies
Is wicked"
"Thcy aren't idle, any way said Nell,
land you know