Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-10-25
USE THE PRESENT MOMENT
HOW He FOUND HER.

Ster ana ScnOOl teacnef, nau relln-
pushed her long-cherished dream
of spending two weeks of her sum-
mer vacation at the beach. She, had
been born and raised inland, so the
grandeur of the sea was only known
to her imagination.
She had laid aside a little hoard
for that indulgence; itseemed almost
sinful, she felt vaguely as though
she should feel like the one who
had wasted his substance in riot
Gus living" on her return; her in
tense, ascetic nature, inherited
from the generation who felt upon
them the eye of jealous God in
this world, and probably flames
for their neighbors in the next, had
been trained up in self-denial and
rigid economy.
In her rebellious moments she
thought bitterly that never, under
any circumstances, had she ever
realized her humblest ideal. By
what seemingly personal spite of
fate was it that she was always de-
frauded and left out in the cold in
both great and small things. Her
pretty mouth had grown into a
compressed line, the wild rose color
of her cheeks crept back the ghost
of itself only under strong excite
ment. Her "uppish" ways scared
of the rustic lovers she might have
had. Only one was bold enough
to venture near, and her sarcasm
withered him so that he seemed
abashed ever after.
But this one pet dream she would
see realized, nothing should como
in the way. II have starved, starry
ed all my life; | will know what it
is to have one unalloyed Joy before
| am too old to care for anything
but the grave"
So surreptitiously she had order
ed a pretty blue flannel dress with
blouse waist and pale pink ker-
chief to wear with 1t. The dress
came, she struggled it away, and in
the privacy of her room donned it
and was surprised at the change.
She was constantly hearing the
girls tell about the splendid times
they had-well, she too was deter
mined to have splendid time" for
once in her life, and then she would
be willing to go back to the tread
mill.
And now, just one week before
her departure sister Carolin's third
baby was born, und mother had
sprained her ankle and could not
take care of her. Abby wrestled
with her selfish angel and the out
come was as all who knew her ex-
pected. The tears Of morbid disap-
pointment were known only to her
pillow, and with calm face Abby
packed small valise and took the
train for Edgewood.
Poor Carrie felt load lifted
when she saw the practical face
and figure Of her older sister. A
few weak tears Of gladness strayed
down Oh the little brown head of
the red-faced, blinking baby that
she bent over.
1t was after one o'clock, the dim
ner table, in a state of chaos, stood
in the middle of the pretty little
dining-room, the sun beat in, and
flies swarmed like an Egyptian
plague. Harry, Willie, and the
nurse were engaged in triangular
struggle Of which no one could pre-
dict the result. Abby tied her new
apron string with snap and laying
firm hand on a shoulder of each
boy brought them to halt
Harry Osgood, | am astonished
Is this the way you teach Willie to
act when your poor mother is sick
and helpless! A great boy seven
years old, you know it is very wrong.
Do you want to make all the trouble
and noise you can so your mother
will diew
NO." he said i'll diSmay, "but |
don't care for that old nurse, she
amt the boss Of us; mamma let
US 90 down TO the brook whenever
we want to-"
That is not 80, Harry"
IF | coax her long enough she
would" he compromised.
well, thank goodness you'll do
no coaxing while l am here. I'll
see that she has chance to rest.
Take off your hat and jacket and
wash your face and hands, while. |
try to find out the color Of Willie's
face; think he must be little
papoose," and she led them captive.
They soon re-appeared, neat, and
thoroughly good-natured, and be-
| ING dismissed with "clean hiss "