News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-07-02
MabGl'S Motto.

room with package IN her hand.
"Have you room for just one thing
more?' she asked, smiling, as she
spoke, down on the great Saratoga,
which already seemed full to over
flowing.
Il hope so, auntie," said Mabel
"Your mysterious packages are al
ways so delightful | could not bear
to refuse even one. Don't keep me in
suspense, please, for | have inherited
a goodly share of Mother Ewes curl
osity, you know"
HereupOn the brown-eyed Girl look
ed up SO coaxingly, that her aunt
passed her the package to unite at
once Mabel was in too much haste
to stop long admiring the pretty cas-
ing of her gift, and swiftly plunged in
medias res, There, all nicely packed
for travelling, was an oblong picture,
in tiny white and gold frame.
Nobody but aunt Alice would ever
have thought of such a thing, and no
hand but hers could have preached
such a lesson with a case of water
cOlors.
In rustic letters, of crimson and
gold, dropped here and there. these
words looked out from the frame,
''Do all the good you can, to all the
people you can, in all the places you
can, as long as you can" Amidst
the letters liGtle pictures peeped out,
as if to say, "We aren't enigmas, are
we? Can't you see how we Illustrate
the wOrds?' And Mabel couldn't
help seeing how exceedingly well they
helped on the lesson which the words
taught. just at the-Side Of the first
clause was a table-leaf, upon which
rested IL loaf of bread and glass of
sparkling water. Opposite the words,
''to all the people you can" were
three faces, each a study. One was
that of an elderly lady, so frail and
lovely that for the sake of a smile
from such a countenance almost any
body would put himself to more than
ordinary trouble; beside her was a
stupid, commonplace looking girl,
about Mabel's own age; and next to
her was a little black-eyed boy, with
golden clustering curls. Beside the
words, ''in all the places you can,
was a tiny marine sketch, consisting
of sandy beach, pile of broken
rocks, and, beyond, the chameleon
like ocean. now blue, now green, now
gray. 1t was a day of extreme heat
in the city, and even Mabel's spacious
room was oppressively warm; but
the sight of that pretty sketch was
like a Whit from old ocean itself, and
revived the wilted spirits of the tired
packer. To the left of the words COM
posing the last clause was a picture
of a sunrise, with the slant beams dis
pelling the darkness of the night just
spent, while opposite this, from a
bank of gorgeous clouds, the sun was
Just sinking behind the western hills.
"Oh, how beautiful, aunt Alice
How did you ever think of such an
exquisite design" exclaimed Mabel,
enthusiastically.
II have meant to do it, my dear,
ever since | saw those words on the
fy-leaf of Mr.. Moody's Bible. They
made ii deep impression on me, and
it occurred to my mind, the other
day, that perhaps your life would
count for more, during the summer
vacation, if you had this wide-reach-
ing motto upon your dressing-table
[ am glad if you like it
"You dear auntiel Twill try to act
from the principle it teaches as long
as live, in Boston as well as Nan
tucket," !" and the impulsive girl wink
ed back some unbidden tears, and
speedily found room in her trunk for
! her new treasure.
The sea air did not agree with the
aunt; so she was going-to Bethlehem
while Mrs. Benton and Mabel were
going to Nantucket. Amid kindly
wishes for each other, the family
divided
In the cars, just in front of Mrs
Benton and Mabel was a fashionably
dressed young mother, with two mis-,
chievous little ones and their pretty
German nurse. The frivolous mann,
ma was intent upon sensational
novel of the day, and seemed dis
turbed by the slightest noise from the
children. A gurgling laugh from the
baby was followed by a hasty, "Kat
rina, 'tyou keep that child quiet?'
Threr-year-old Harry had obtained
possession of a pin with which HI
occasionally pricked his little sister
and, as this treatment did not prov,
particularly welcome, the baby Sc
up a howl, which crescendoed into {
shrick.
The emotherimpatiently threw dowl
her book. "Katrina," she exclaimed
sharply, "you are good for nothin,
to take care of children. Can't yol
give me a little peace? / don't Sc
what you do to the baby to make he
cry So"
The tears came into the honest blu
eyes, as the poor girl began, 'Ja, Ii
be Frau aber-"
''There, therel don't care for ez
plantations. Attend to your WORK
and do better in the future r and til
mistress turned to her novel.
Harry was getting his instrumen
= of torture into position again, whe
Mabel, who had been watching tn
group as a mere outsider. suddenl
remembered the plainlooking Girl
+ her new picture, and as the words
"to all the people you can" fiashe
through her mind, she beckoned I'll
uneasy child toward herself. II,
sweet smile had done it's influence
!. always does.