The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-05-26

house, inside and ont, che often laugh
ingly declared, for in the season the
roses fairly covered her cottage. Bob
had just gone out OF the gate with
huge basket of flowers that he was TAX
ing as gift to near hospital.
II never saw such change in any one
as this business has made in Bob," she
unused. "He loves the work, he is SO
| healthy, and it seems to have frightened
his mental faculties. He remembers all
my directions as to growing the flowers
and he actually has suggested some ex-
cellent improvements about the green
house. II had not made a snug little
sum out of this enterprise 1 should call
it a success and JOY"
"Dear mel How satisfied you do look"
grosned Mrs. Holmes, appearing at her
side, "and am worn out and disguised
with life, Nell is cross, and Ned" She
gave dismal sigh.
"How did your party go Off"
"Now, Miriam, suppose you think
the party was foolish I like your way
of entertaining a dozen or twenty con-
genial people at once and giving them
| Ellen's nice homemade cake and salad,
but Nell said less than one hundred she
would not invite, and it was hot and
crowded. We had to have caterer, and
his supper cost seventy-five dollars with
walters and dishes. The walters broke
my china and lost or stole, three silver
spoons and carried off every scrap of the
cake not eaten"
"Then Guslet can't cook for partiesp"
"She can't do anything but make the
kichen the most doleful room in the
house, and manage beefstesk and boil
ed potatoes, but save her wages and we
live SO much palmer than formerly. 1
presume made this party of the differ
ence in our present way of living and
Ellen's wages"
II you did, you are a goose all the
same," said Miriam, bluntly, "for Nell
does not have enough to eat or Ned
either; they crave the wholesome, attract
i've food you used to have. Nell is cross
and nervous, and Ned told me your table
was worse than a tenth. rate boarding
house. He drinks beer, for one reason,
because you are starving him with your
everlasting beefstesk and potatoes, and
now 1 am on it, / might as well say all I
have pent up in me. Your saving OF gas
and fires all over the house, except in the
parlor, may have paid for the new silk
portieres that are in the parlor, but it
may cost Ned's purity of morals. He
used to have the boys in his cheerful
| play room for games and chat. Since
you shut it up he goes to their club. He
read the papers at home when you took
the Century, and Harpers, and had the
sitting room cosy evenings. Now he
reads nothing and saves your gas. He
gets twelve dollars a week now, but he Is
no more like the wideawake boy who was
all alive with interest in chemical expert
ments and physiological studies three
years ago-the boy who would have made
doctor capable of earning hundred
dollars for some operation done in an
hour, than that live boy looked like your
smoking, slang talking, tall.hatted dude
OF dollar store-clerk."
Miriam was out of breath, and Sarah
was getting mad" but the owner of the
rose garden felt a call to speak her mind.
Sometimes it is wise for mother,
and noble for q boy to say, Leave school
and go to work. Sometimes it is folly
(as this time) to sacrifice plenty in the
future to pittance in the present. You
had not strength to cook and do serv-
ants work, you had means enough to pay
Ellen to keep up generous, cheerful
kind Of housekeeping; what you have
saved has been at the cost of comfort and
health. I doubt if you have saved money
Did not 'Guslet Gas have to call herr
have fit and drop tray of your moth
er's china that was seventy-fve years
old ?"
eyes, and she broke the cook stove be-
yond repair, and left her kerosene lamp
in the cellar and nearly burned us down."
confessed Sarah.
hOW hUOuC 0He Tree sodtS IN 81. ret
er's ?" continu Miriam.
swell, Nell had to have new sealskin
because our free seat was next to the Pear
sons. We were asked to subscribe to the
fund for the new rose-window and the
splendid new altar. cloth, and testimo-
nisl for the orgsnist, and I must admit
our expenses there this year were more
than we ever paid for pew-rent"
"Nell is being spoiled, Sarah, for any
thing but the wife of very rich man, or
the shiftless wife of poor one. She
must have elegant clothes if comforts are
sacrificed. You are showing her how to
run house cheaply,' but you are not
teaching her how to make home If
you will show me your accounts for last
year will show You mine. 1 have not
spent cent for show, but Dever saved
light, warmth, good food, good literature,
or the giving of charity that could at
ford"
81 did it for Ned and Nell," said her
sister, "and now both of them say ours is
the dullest, gloomiest home in town, and
yours the very cosiest. Besides you have