Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-11-15

COuluh WOhoC1l1S WHY pCOplc
can't be peaceful and happy too, and
follow the golden rule.
| had had very trying morning.
In the first place | had been to see
Mrs. Jones' When l went into the sit
ting room there was fire cracking on
the hearth and l could see through the
door that there was one burning in her
room also. Now, as Mrs. Jones is poor,
and as / had supplied her with food for
the greater partof the winter, | thought
| had right to say:
Dear me, Mrs. Jones, [ shouldn't
think you could afford to have two fires
burning at once-and such a mild day
too"
She turned as red as a beet and
pressed her lips together, but she didn't
say anything. | fear Mrs. Jones is far
from being sWeet-tempered.
Then | went on to Sister Harriet's.
Her daughter Ella had just met with
quite a severe accident, having been
thrown from buggy while out driving,
painful and the shock had made her
i'll, but then she should not have been
so foolish as to have gone out behind
Ned PennyWick's young horse. | re-
minded her of this.
"You ought to be very thankful" |
began.
killed." she cried. Greatly, Aunt Ma
ria, my gratitude is not so easily
aroused"
[ sat down on the bed beside her.
Perhaps | may have drawn the cover
rather tightly over her feet, but she
need not have given such a hounce.
MY dear child, it might have been
your back or your neck" | said
"Well, it wasn't"
"But it might have BEEN"
Maria" said my sister at this point,
"too much conversation is not good for
Ella. The doctor says it makes her
feverish."
So [ left there and went to Mrs. Crit
tenden's. She was in great trouble.
She and her husband had not been mar
ried long, but they had had heavy
money losses, and he had been obliged
to leave her with her mother while he
went out West to seek employment.
| had brought her some wine jelly,
and after [ had given it to her said:
"Cheer up, my dear 1t might be much
worse. Suppose he was dead ~
ooh, DON'T ~ she cried.
"WelI, but it might have happened.
In the midst of life we are in death
and think how dreadful it would have
been to see him lying in his coffin in
stead Of his being just out West, where
you can hear from him twice week.
Does he write twice a week."
"Only once" she said.
"Only once-dear, dear !" said l. II
should think he'd write oftener."
''He is too busy" she replied.
Then, to divert her mind from her
7 +c foil hnr
about my new housemaid, Clarissa, and
last week.
'Three saucers and teacup-no !!
three teacups and a saucer" | was say
ing, when | happened to glance at her,
and saw that she was not listening to a
word | was saying.
She seems to be poor, spiritless
creature, and | made up my mind that
| would not go to see her again in a
hurry.
Indeed, I came to the conclusion that
there is very little gratitude in the world.
You can 90 around wearing yourself out
trying to do good to others, and never
get word of thanks.
| thought [ would 90 on to Mrs.
Stones, rs she had asked the ladies of
the church to meet at her house and
talk over the new altar-cloth. When [
stepped upon the gallery the front door
was aiar, and sound of voices came
from the parlOr; but no one seemed to
hear my knock. [ paused a moment,
when my attention was attracted by the
following remark:
Mrs. Paulding is one OF those people
who are moral tly-blisters to all their
friends and acQualntanCeS.
Yes" said another vOice-it was
that deceitful Margie HOftheimer-'I
always think it was fortunate for Jobs
reputation for patience that he did not
know her"
''And the worst of it is that she has
a good heart, and one can't quite hate
her.
"You are right" replied Gerarda Alb
bey's voice, Mrs. Paulding has one Of
the best hearts in the world. [ know
Of ever SO many sacrifices she has made
in order to help others"
"Well, | should think you would be
the last"
But [ did not wait to hear more. I
was SO angry that / did not know exact
Iy where | was going when l walked
away. To think that Gerarda's voice
was the only one raised in my defense,
after the way | had always snubbed her!
| felt heartily ashamed of myself. AS
| was hurrying along who should over
take me but Gerarda. She bowed and
was going to pass on. but l said; "Your
cold doesn't seem to get any better,
my dear"
She looked surprised and her lip
trembled; then she answered brayely:
,'Oh, now spring is coming it will soon
be WELL"
Not unless you take care of your