Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1890-06-13
miscellaneous.
TURNING A NEW LEAF.

W buttO We DCtu
household goods from the old house to
the new. fhe great longing, the hope
and desire of years, that we might have
u nice new home with perfect neatness
and order, was realized Every thing
was rubbed, polished, and placed with
the utmost care where it would bring
the most comfort. The work was n
ished on the third day, and was quite
satisfactory.
Warm. and tired Of the hustle and
stir, | slipped out at sunset and went to
the old house to see how it looked, so
empty and silent. Only one room es-
pecially attracted me it had been the
family room, where all had been free to
come and go at pleasure. | sat in the
window aud gazed tenderly on its bare
walls; the heavy logs looked majestic
and grand, defying time and human
strength. Here we had sat the evening
Ned brought me home bride, discuss
ing the present and making plans for
the future. How proud we we're that
we had home, although we owed a
large debt on i'll Here we had fought
face to face with poverty, and loosened
its grip on our purse strings Here we
had lived and loved through years of
struggle and toll, hut they were happy
years No wonder tender memories
clustered about the bare walls and wide
Fireplace!
Ned came up behind nc, his face
merry as usual He looked into the
house, slipped one arm around me, and
said 81 wonder, Kate. if you'll love
me as well up yonder as you did here.
And then | was thinking too, that it
will be pretty noisy up there if you
spank the children, chase the cats, and
throw stove wood at tho dog, as you
sometimes did here. These walls deaden
the sound the others echo. loft Tom
and jamie trying the strength of their
lungs in the parlor."
"Pll try to keep things reasonably
quiet" replied eyes, think will
love you as we'll, Or better; bat we have
had so many good days here, | can't
help but recalling them"
Ned, with the practical nature COM
mon to men, began to cast a business
eye about the place.
"Plltsar the old house down, sell the
stuff, and plant potato patch in the
gard. What fine potato patch these
flower beds will make %
ooh, no, Ned, don't tear this room
down. | pleaded. "Tear down the
other room its memories belong to our
guests Tear down the kitchen il be-
longed to Mimy, and she doesn't cherish
memories she makes IL rule to forget
every day as it goes by. But let this
room stay. See, there's tho place by
the mantle where Tom scrubbed his
name when be was learning to write
There's the little shelf where the clock
stood so many years. How often | ran
10 to look at it when | was waiting for
you to come 10 dinner There's the ugly
place on the wall, by the little bed, that
jamie cut with your knife, when she
was recovering from that long illness,
and we thought she would never walk
any more. There's the great, black
spot over the mantle, smoked by the
lamp with the broken chimney, the night
| watched for you, dear, till dawn, and
you couldn't get home for the high water
There's the place where you spilled the
ink in your excitement the night | made
the horse swim the creek with Tom aud
|, after tho storm. You scolded me for
getting wet, too, remember, and said
you wouldn't have been uneasy if had
stayed all night at sisters"
81 wouldn't, either" retorted Ned.
perhaps you wouldn't, but when |
come 10 sight, you were walking the
lane like a maniac, with your hands 10
your pockets, and the rain pouring down
on your bare head"
ayes, we will let this room stay" he
said, thoughtfully, as he lifted me out
the window. IL can use il for tool
house, or some other purpose. Kate.
you don't care for the new house, now
we've got it, suppose we move back. +"
eyes, | care for tho new house, but
somehow | can't quite give up this yet.
INO uoupJ Jue VtheT viii nave mcmUTicS
by and by; then it will be dear, too"
snow, suggest that you begin by
turning over a new leaf" Ned soberly
remarked, while his eyes sparkled with
mischief II would do the same. you
know, only | turned all of them some
time ago. Suppose you try it; its re.
markably fascinating amusement. and
becomes very profitable toward the last
For instance, you might jog up dinne
little without soolding, lot the chill
dren turn summersets on the beds with
out punishment, and let small amour
Of dirt lie around, on extra occasions
without waging such fierce war upo
it. IL would improve your health. Tr
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