Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-12-03
A CRUEL KINDNESS.


door, but they still lived on in the same
old fashioned methods Of the past half
century, clinging to the chairs and ia
bles they had when they were married,
even retaining the little squeaky piano
that had been Ann Maria's before she
married rich foreigner and changed to
Anita Marie. The cradle she was rocked
in when baby, manufactured out Of
barrel by her adoring father and covered
skillfully with rose colored chintz, had
been sent up to the attic, for it offended
her fine sense Of aesthetics when she
came home to visit. The rag carpet in
the living room was the work Of leisure
hours and had been in service twenty
odd years, and the old man himself used
to say lovingly while he regarded it
with admiring eyes, "You' II never make
another carpet like that, motherW 1t
was like the last painting Of great art
list to him.
And now the old people had taken an
outing that was to last a whole week,
the result Of conspiracy in which Ann
Maria was chief mover, aided and abet-
ted by her sisters. who were married and
settled in the same town and whom she
was visiting.
While the old couple were gone, the
conspirators possessed themselves Of the
key of the homestead, entered 1t stealth
lily and began what they considered a
work Of reform, which also was expect
ed to be delightful surprise to those
most interested.
"We'll get that dreary old piano out
Of the way first" said its former own
or, who had one now that cost thou
sand dollars, land the old rag carpet
it gives me chill to see it-and all
those dreadful framed photographs and
chromos-I have few oil paintings
that I brought down with me on pur-
pose to replace them-and that red table,
cloth-Sophie, do you remember when
we used to learn our lessons on that
flaming thing? 1t looks as awfully red
az ever, doesn't it?''
YES" answered Sophie, with dis
tinct sigh. II wonder il we are as hap
by now as we were then, Or if our con-
ditions depend so much on surround
ings-fne furniture, for instance?"
"Pshaw!" said Ann Maria with en-
phasis. "We must move with the world
Or be run over. Here, take those old pea
cock feathers and stow them away some
where. Isuppose it wouldn't do to burn
them? l once thought the eyes in those
feathers watched everything I did. Well
leave grandfather clock because it's
genuine and fad now in the best soci-
ETY., and the older the better.
So they tore up and tore down, and
in few hours really modern air per-
vaded every nook and corner. A pretty
new carpet-not too gay, but with a
pleasing assortment Of colors-took the
place Of the despised rag carpet. New
chairs, a handsome rug, an upholstered
easy chair for father" and a modern
rocker for mother" supplanted the
long used furniture Of the past, and the
faded old photographs were removed to
make room for smart paintings in con-
sistent style with the new order of
things. "A white marseilles counterpart
replaced the old log cabin quilt, every
square Of which had been as an open
book for mother" to read. Other inno-
vations were made throughout, and
then the conspirators paused to look on
their handiwork and take breath.
That's the first work I've done in
| 20 years, said Ann Maria, wiping her
flushed face with real lace handker-
chief, "but I'd just like to see the dear
| old couple when they open the door. -
'sI'm afraid they'll object to having
the piano ont Of sight, " said one Of the
sisters, but they're sure to like every
thing else. Mother would never lot me
touch chair, seven to straighten it out,
80 / knew the only way was to take her
BY surprise. Old folks get cranky about
| things they have had long time. II
isn't good for them to make idols out
| Of old furniture. =
~ should say not, /" added Anr
! Maria. Besides II isn't the fashion
now, as it was a few years ago. / wa
really afraid people would think We
didn't appreciate our old folks to lei
them live on among that old rubbish. !
The last finishing touches being no
complished, the sisters went to their re
spsctive homes, and at nightfall thu
two old folks walked into the domicilt