Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-06-22
A "Reminiscences.


room. gave parting glance at my
well arranged table, and felt proud
and pleased. l knew, too, that the
dinner was we'll cooked, and the feel
ing of satisfaction which possessed
my soul more than compensated me
for the extra labor and care had in
preparing it. had seated my little
girl, five years old, fresh and sweet
in her clean starched dress, in her
high chair, and was about to turn to
go into the parlor to call them to din
ner, when a sudden cry from her
made me look back. She had, by
some terribly unlucky accident, over
turned a tureen of gravy, and the
greasy liquid was rapidly spreading
itself over the table. My temper rose
in twinkling, and an angry express
sion rose to my lips. l was over
wrought with work and excitement,
for dinner party was not common
occurrence in our quiet household,
and our guests were those of whom,
to telLthe truth, stood somewhat in
awe. A minute before everything
was so suspicious, and now, what
should / do! 1t seemed a drop too
much for my tired nerves-many
drops too much for my tablecloth. l
was about to jerk my child down an
grily from the table, when blessed
influence held me. I caught the ex-
preston on her face. Such sorry,
frightened, appealing look, l never
saw, and suddenly a picture of the
past came and stood out wildly be-
fore my minds eye. My child's face
revealed feelings which had expert
enced twenty years before.
1 saw myself a little nervous girl,
about eight years old, in the happy
home of my childhood. 1t was a
stormy afternoon in winter. 1t was
when coal oil lamps were first intro
duced, and father had bought very
handsome one. The snow had drift
ed against the kitchen windows, So
although it was not yet night, thu
lamp was lighted. Mother was SICK
in bed, up stairs, and we children
were gathered in the kitchen, to keel
the noise and confusion away from
her. was feeling very important
helping to get supper; at any rate,
immagined was helping, and in m!
officiousness / seized that lamp ant
went down to the cellar for some but
ter. / tried to set it on the hanging
shelf, but alas! l didn't give it room
enough, and down it fell on tn
cemented floor.
Inever shall forget the shock ths
it gave me. seemed almost pars
lyzed. / didn't care to go upstairs
and 1 was afraid to stay down there
and to make it worse, I heard father
voice in the kitchen. He had cal
toned us all, again and again, to /
careful of that lamp, and now, thel
it lay, smashed to pieces! But h
voice seemed to give me the impetl
l needed to go up, and meet Il
scolding or whipping, or both, whic
/ felt sure awaited me, and which
really felt 1 deserved. So crept U
over the dark stairway, and as l e.
tered the kitchen 1 met father vii
such stern look on his face that
was frightened. i saw that the
was no need to tell him what had ha
pened. He had heard the crash, ar
if he hadn't, guess my face wou
have told him the story. The CHI
dren stood silently around, waltz
to see what father would do, and
saw by their faces that they we
horror struck, and that lamp hi
been the subject of too much talk al
wonder to be smashed without ere.
ing a sensation.
AS for me, l felt so frightened,
confused and sorry that ] couldl
speak. But upon glancing again
father l saw the angry look die G
of his eyes, and one of tenderest pi
take its place. / doubt not that
saw the same look on my face tn
that saw in my child's face todf
In a minute he had lifted me in
arms and was hugging me close
his breast. Then he whispered, {
so kindly, l can hear his voice no
"Never mind, little daughter,
all know twas an accident, but
hope you will take the small lal
when you go down to the Gel
again."
Oh, what revulsion of feeling
experienced 1t was such surpl