Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-01-05
s'Wish You a Happy New
Year"

rocking-c chair. ''Thank you," said
she '''the same to you again. as
Uncle Ephraim used to say" Then
the bright face grew thoughtful. ''Do
YOU know, l never hear that express
sion. so common on the first day of
the year, without wondering if it is
any more than stereotyped phrase,
and how much in earnest the speaker
really is? That is, would the same
eagerness be manifested in making
or trying to makeEa happy New Year
for anothe: that there is in wishing
it."
"Why-really-' we began rather
blankly. And Mrs. Gray laughed.
ssOh, l meant nothing personal, .
said she, "although it will do neither
of us any harm to think it over. Sup
pose we both try and see how happy
a New Years day, at least, we can
make for every one with whom we
come in contact, not excepting-as
we are sometimes prone to do-the
members of our own household"
"But-"
"But what?" laughed Mrs. Gray.
1.-The aforesaid members. even
including Norah, are all out for the
day." said we.
"Then come right home with me"
Mrs. Gray said cheerily; 'that is, if
YOU haven't anything especial to do.
I've got lots of work on hand and
have been wishing you might spend
dav with me for long time.
Mrs. Gray's eyes were twinkling.
We wondered whether she wasn't al
ready trying to make ga happy New
Year" for her neighbor, but we had
not the heart to resist her cordial in
vitation.
And so, half an hour later,we were
seated at her sitting-room table help
ing to do up packages of magazines
and papers to weigh exactly one-half
pound each.
SIT costs just four cents to send a
package of that size, said Mrs. Gray,
and | don't like to have the parcels
fall much short-I like to get the
worth of my money. Neither do L
like to send much larger parcels; they
give more pleasure if sent oftener, |
think. So once every month, if pos
sible-I wrap up the accumulated
reading matter in eight ounce parcels
and mail them. Our daily L send as
soon as we have looked it through, to
an old gentleman down in Maine, who
} is much interested in the current news
and notes
HAnd these are all friends OF
yours?" we queried, looking over the
list from which Mrs. Gray was begin
: ming to address her parcels.
"All friends of mine,'' said she
p cat least, | hope so. To be franz
with YOU, | never saw one of them
e They are all invalids, all of them con
fined to the house and nearly all t.
0 their beds: most of them, too, ar
= unable to purchase books or subscrlb
for periodicals. Can you imagin
n what ray of sunshine the receipt o
V even one of these little parcels ma
n bring into a day Swallowed by pal
and WEAKNESS
Mrs. Gray's eyes were very bright
= zone of my shut-ins has lain TO
eight years in bed, unable to NOV
~ except as she is moved. Much of tn
e time. too, she spends alone, as he
l. husband is wage-earner, away fror
home from morning until night. Sh
sr is one of my specials because
&c must favor some a little more tina
~ others; yet her case is no harde
than many another
E. :sBut it must take a great deal c
il postage said we, with feelin
|! that was almost veneration for TIL
- little woman in the bingham gowr
:, "and-"
~ "You think l shouldn't afford it
l she asked. 'sWell, perhaps l shout
rs not: we are having a rather hard pull
lust now. But somehow | don't mis-
- what | give in this way, and it is
IS pleasure 1 only drop penny occ
a sionally in my mission box, bnt it
never entirely empty; then most
in the magazines and papers | have
no earn by getting small club, and
mt would be quite too bad to hoa
to them"
Which was very true; but we cou
ds not help wondering how many Peep
there were who have discovered
I'd, ;. G a.
80 pleasant way of disposing OF t
hundreds Oh papers ANU H''S''Z1iu
~ which find their way into their home
i've we couldn't help remembering til
Ter we had seen one day barrelful
IT, old magazines and books tipped in
an ashman's cart.
lld
Fl ssI'd be glad to give you list
-ou my shut-ins, if you would like, SO
the Mrs. Gray, almost wistfully. 81
to any one who may wish them. The
ian is so little that / can do in the W
MS of giving that | am envious
' 'n those who may do what they wiley
though l know | am only held
20 ponsible for the one talent which
hat mine. Sometimes l wish--' A
unit then she broke short off and laugh
1t laugh that was good to hear.
'oo won't croak," said she. "Perhaps