Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-02-25
"KEEPINe UP"
The Profitable Lessons Taught by Wrench
In the Back.


"When ! was a young girl" said
Aunt Sabrina, II was vain of appear
ances, as a great many young girls
are" She glanced over the rim of her
spectacles in the direction of her two
nieces. And of all things, | was most
afraid of being laughed at
II was passing the store corner one
winter day. The walking was very
treacherous. Dry snow had fallen over
ice. and it was hard to keep up. Some
people whom knew were standing in
the store porch talking, and just as
bowed TO them one OF my feet slipped,
and started TO fall
Now probably it would not have
hurt me much If ! had fallen. There
was enough snow over the ice TO pre-
vent confusion, and nine times out Of
ten, in falling, it is better to let ones
self come down easily than TO strain
ones self in trying to keep up.
But there were all those people!
thought should rather die than fall.
So gave great wrench, and just saved
myself.
Perhaps the people in front of the
store did not see that had slipped at all
But presently my back began to give
me very sharp pain. and by the time |
had reached home was suffering in
tensely.
well. there is no need TO go into
particulars; but the uIAhot of it was
that / was in bed all winter, and mother
had to take care of me, besides doing
all the rest of her work and mine, and
to this day, If turn myself about too
suddenly, I'm reminded of that slip.
"As lay on my back all that winter
did deal of thinking-especially on
the nights when couldn't sleep. And
! made up my mind, very firmly, never
again to hurt myself by foolish at
tempt to keep up.
''rhe next winter father died, and
mother and were left alone, with
barely enough money TO keep us. Then
the philosophy which | had pondered
on my sick-bed came to my aid. ! said
to my mother:
Suppose we just keep house in the
sitting-room this winter, mother, and
have a fire in the cookstove only. We
could move the drum that is over the
kitchen and my little bed into the room
over the sitting room, and sleep there.
1t would be warm enough with the
drum
by spring we had put by little
money, and had been well and as com
Portable as if we had kept three fires
burning
THAT was the first time | tried let
ting myself go easy, instead of wrench
ing myself TO keep up: but I've tried it
many a time since, and always have
been glad that did.
"When have had TO choose between
new winter bonnet and new Hannels,
always took the fiannels. When we've
had to give our company plain food or
else half starve ourselves after they
were gone, we have letthem share with
us. When the parlor sofa and the sit |
ting-room lounge both gave out in the
same year, we bought a nice new
lounge, and made chintz cover for the |
sofa.
81 couldn't tell you all the things
that wrench in my back has helped me
to-and from, but it's good thing, my
dears, when folks don't need to wrench |
their own backs to learn the lesson.
didn't tell you this by accident"
The girls looked at each other, laugh
ing and blushing; but that afternoon
they came home from shopping expe-
dition and rushed up to Miss Sabrina's
room with their parcels.
"We've been buying our winter
things, aunty," said Belle. the older
one, adding, with meaning smile: ''Of
course you didn't know anything about
it: but instead of the black silks we
each got nice merino and pretty
brown worsted for mornings, and sonnet
good wooden underwear. just feell"
She pulled out of her bundle the soft
warm garments, adding: Father could
spare us only just SO much, you know,
and we thought we'd let your wrench
answer for us, too,''
1--WE never been able to say that |
was wholly sorry did it" said Aunt
"and now-well, I declare If
I'm not gladln-Youth's Companion.