The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-01-26


added Mrs. Cramer, land keep each
other warm and have a good visit be-
sides"
Was it all chance that the chamber
the two ladies occupied had in the wall
anopen stovepipe hole leading through to
the one where Jonas slept with year
old Teddy?
he slept soundly for awhile, but per-
haps it was his good angel that woke
him just in time to hear Aunt vi ask,
"What do you think about MaryY'
Mrs. Cramer was lady who used not
only her eyes and ears, but her brains as
we'll. Being new to the bingham house,
she saw it through unacoustomed eyes,
and she made up her mind fully.
II think" she said impressively,
''that she is starving to DEATH"
For the land sakes" calculated
Aunt vi. "You don't know what you re
talking about Such provider as Jonas
is! Always buys his -four by the barrel
and keeps two sorts, one for bread and
one for pastry; makes no end of maple
sugar and buys all the white sugar
body has mind to use; kills the incest
of pork and beef every winter, with
turkeys and chickens and geese and
ducks; lambs i'll the fall and the beau
tifulest veal every spring; buys fresh
meat any time in the summer, and OF
course they have milk and cream and
eggs Of their own all the year round.
He's always bringing homo honey and
fruit and oysters, any luxury he hap
pens TO see. He's too fond of good living
himself to starve anybody in his housep
"The eating is very small part Of
true life," said Mrs. Cramer when
Aunt vi paused for breath. 81 can see
that Mary's mind and soul arc starving
here in this bare house, where work
and utility are the foremost things and
beauty and pleasure have no place. Her
better nature is being literally starved
to death.
No matter what further the ladies
said, Jonas bingham heard no more,
though he neither put his fingers in his
ears nor rose and stopped the stovepipe
hole. Mrs. Cramer's words had opened
his eyes to naked, unpalatable truth
and set him to such serious thinking
and plannings that he had no ears for
anything moro.
Mary looks brighter this morning."
said Aunt Cramer at breakfast.
''She certainly Does" said Jonas,
"and 1 think your visit has done her
good. I tell you what, Mary" he said,
turning to her, 81 want you to hurry up
and get stronger, SO that the first mild,
pleasant day l can carry you to your IA
theirs to stay week. I believe the
change would do you good.
A warm, mellow day came like
smile into the heart of tho winter.
Jonas urged, and Aunt vi seconded, till
between them they wrapped her snugly,
and cushioned in the warmest and soft
est Of robes she took sleigh ride to her
fathers house, where Jonas left her.
"And now, Aunt VII" he said, COM
ing in on his return, with his arms
loaded with rolls of paper, 81 want
your help in conspiracy. The long and
short Of it is that you and I and the
boys and all the help we need are going
to work with paint and paper and car
pets and furniture to make this house
look SO Mary won't know it at all when
she comes back. "
The painters came the next day; the
paperers followed. Jonas brought homo
nice carpets and women to make them.
Loads of new furniture came to the
door and new stoves to replace the for
lorn, Anticipated ones.
An elegant new bookcase was stocked
with well selected library, and choice
pictures were purchased to hang on the
renewed walls.
Jonas was not devoid of taste when
he tried to exercise it, and when he
doubted his own Judgment he took
counsel Of those who were to be relied
on.
One lovely day, the last of February,
he went to bring her home. Aunt vi
and the boys waited patiently for their
coming
When the sleigh stopped at the door,
Jonas lifted her carefully out and car
ried her, all wrapped, as she was, into
the house, straight through the hall into
the long unused parlor and placed her
In the softest and easiest Of easy chairs.
IA hOlt COlOr6u Cdrpeb covered INC
floor, pretty paper adorned the walls,
sunlight streamed in warm at the win
dows, but did not outshine the cheerful
fire in the open stove, new books and
magazines lay on the table, the canary
in gilded cage was trilling his best
songs, and the plants in the sunniest
window seemed smiling a welcome to
their mistress.
GLOW pretty mother looksl'' cried
Teddy.
Truth to tell, most becoming red
had crept into the pale cheeks, perhaps
CLEAN from the rose colored future her
husband was portraying.
Pills. powders and plasters were all
given the go by, and Mary got we'll on
happiness. Said Jonas:
Furniture bills and all those things
are no higher than doctors bills and
vastly more satisfying Comfort and
happiness are more pleasant to take
than medicine and do more good. I've
learned my lesson rather late in life,
but I've learned it once for all. Good
Housekeeping.