The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-05-05
A POSTAL CARD.
The Unpleasant Consequent
ces of an Act of Kind
ness.
rrarper,s Bazar.1
BY PARKE DANFoRTH.


tried to look at Baieyville through rose
colored glasses. praised the facade of the
white painted church, with its sharp, tall
steeple, where papa was to preach But l
could not conceal my disappointment when'I
came in sight of the parsonage, and saw how
much too large family we were for it, We
had always been crowded in Monson, but
papa had gained the impression that this
house was larger. / saw at glance that the
parish had built for young minister and his
bride, and had not remembered that they
might have papa to preach for them, who
has, besides me, his grown-up daughter, five
small boys.
One .of the ladies in the parish, Mrs.
Howe, had insisted on giving up to us an old
and valued servant who, she said, if prop
erly considered. would repay us with life
long devotion. and relieve me of all care.
And there was Rosabel at the open door to
receive us. could not help thinking how
much more / should have appreciated her
cordial hand-shake If she had not permitted
the bedsteads to remain out on the lawn and
the cooking stove to block the front en-
trance. Our old furniture tried to give us a
WNtSOhts Due vic piahOs ohiOuhCu IA a bCu-
quilt Of melancholy hue, stoves looking out
of the parlor window, refusing any connec-
ton with chimneys, papa's library in the
tubs and barrels, and the dining table on its
back with its legs in air like disconnected
turtle, could not help out the idea that we
had reached our home. The boys were hap
Ply as soon as they discovered that the only
way to get in or out of the tiny parlor was to
climb under or over the piano placed before
the one door. Some lady in the parish had
invited us out to tea, so the duty for the mo-
ment was to find how eight people were to
sleep in three bedrooms.
The pre- blem was not made easier by dis
covering that Rosabel had established her.
self in the largest room. She explained her
choice by saying it was this one chamber that
lay to the sun, and that she couldn't live
without that. wanted to assure her that
she was not peculiar in her fondness for sun
shine, but then reflected what . treasure
she was to prove If 1 treated her properly;
so bit my tongue hard, and gave my mind to
finding places for the family to sleep. Il Sc
lected a large closet. If the house had been
a ship should have thought my state-room
commodious, but when one is ashore one re-
quires and expects larger dimensions. 1t
would be impossible for me to sleep in the
large canopied bed which had always used;
but then remembered that Rosabel had al
ready appropriated it for her room. My
blood boiled Indignantly while busted my
self washing the boys faces and hands. but
said not one word, for / was resolved not to
hurt the feelings of any one in the parish by
not approaching Mrs. Howe's valued .contri-
button my household. -
OF course the tJEsliked the idea ~ Sleep
ing four in one room, but papa and / were
troubled about the lack of fresh air. Surely
the parish, when they saw us OVERLOOKING
into second pew on Sunday, would remem-
Der the few bedrooms, and offer to build on
an addition. Unless they did something Of
that kind. l should have to part with Rosa
bel, invaluable as she might be If gave her
chance.
Papa was bending deep into barrel which
he was unpacking and was trying to find
my much-scattered wardrobe, when we were
startled by angry words, scuffiing, shouting
and a door banged. :'There, won't have
such raft of boys tearing through my
kitchen"
We knew that Rosabel was the conqueror
in the scrimmage when we saw the boys run
ming to take possession of board-pile,
across the street, that quite dwarfed our box
of house.
"Neyer mind, dear: Rosabel is troubled by
the confusion. Be gentle with her, and she
will show us those noble traits that so en-
endeared her TO Mrs. Howe"
''She's begun by hating the boys, and there
will be no peace. shall never like her. But
don't fear; mean to be very discreet, and
not displease any of the parish. Oh, papa,
II only had not been born a minister's
daughter for do hate to be managed and
looked out for. I'm dying to throw Rosa
bells things out of the window and put you
in her room, With the sun and the view Of
the river"
Rosabels voice from the kitchen prevent
ed my father from giving me the gentle re-
proof / saw by his eyes he had
ready for me.
"Tell your father the folks where you're
asked to tea has it prompt at 6, and them
boys are plugging mud at Mrs. Howe's hens.
You'd best be starting"
ohC SdfO ehAo aNNANO WAN Vic AOiSC VI a
command. And father thanked her mildly,
and went to see what the boys were do
ing.
Rosabel told me again and again that she
was fairly tuckered out" before we were
settled. But 1t seemed to me that she was
always running over to advise with Mrs
Howe as to what should or should not do I;
and was left to keep the fire going, pnt
down carpets, mix bread and unpack. But
did great deal outside, for 1 was determin-
ed to make favorable impression in the
parish. went to the sewing society in the
vestry. taking the two youngest boys with
me and bribing the others by allowing them
to eat their supper on the board-pile, to keep
away from Rosabel's kitchen. 1t was
strange thing about her, how quietly and
quickly she came into possession of the large
part OF our house. She always spoke of her
cellar, her stairs, her stove; and although
she did not claim the piano or papa's books,
think 1t was simply that she had no use for
them.
The parish which we had left never had
approved of me. They said that my life was
too 'self conferred" that held aloof from
social and charitable organizations, that
did not take the place in the church which,
as the clergyman's daughter, belonged to
me. Yet they knew that was trying to fill
dear mammals place, to comfort my father,
and keep the house and five small brothers
mended, fed, taught and amused.
In starting in Baileyville | resolved that
everything should be different. acquiesced
in all the plans which the parish proposed ;
to sing in the choir, although l have NO
voice; to teach Sunday school class all old
er than and more wise; to preside at the
Dorcas Society, although ! am under 20, and
have no executive ability; to haste and pre-
pare sewing for the Saturday classes. If
they had asked me to preach on alternate
Sundays, have no doubt should have con-
scented. | was so resolved that every one
should like me.
But the hardest of all my duties was to be
enthusiastic when my neighbor Mrs. Howe
dropped in to talk over Rosabel's excellen-
ces. How many times came near offering
to restore her lost treasure to her empty
kitchen but Rosabel had injured her ankle
at a skating rink, and was more inefficient
than usual. The physician who came every
day to bandage her ankle was the only one