Morris tribune., 1896-01-29
Bach Of these three por0hes il ,their


proper Of the house. 1.-THE times change,
and we change with them, would have
been an appropriate motto above each
doorway. Perhaps it was the nonexist-
ence of that damp, bare, stained, slip
shod, untidy side to this house, and
commonly called ''the back, that con-
tributed to the mystery There were
beautiful roses trained against the walls
everywhere and flowerpots with gera-
NUNS and fuchsias in them on the win
dow stills. Some people have got an idea
that you cannot see real picture Of ru-
raj beauty outside the old country, but
then some people never travel. To ad-
.mire another place need not be to de-
tract from the beauty Of a home picture.
| That would be an impossibility
In the bright and pleasant sitting
room by the open window a girl sat
sewing button on shirt. Now there
is not much poetry in shirt button of
itself, but when pretty girl is sewing
one on it becomes quite another thing
I Therefore the button and the shirt were
quite in keeping with the idyllic sur
roundings. The girls head was mostly
somewhat inclined over her work, but
| from time to time she lifted it, to smile
at some caustic and original remark that
| the elderly, dark skinned woman who
was folding some snowy linen and stow
| ing it away in little sideboard was
| addressing to her. But, upon the whole,
! the girl, who was Marie st. Denis, did
not seem to take that interest in her
| self imposed task that she ought to have
done; neither did the volatile and cheer
full remarks of Jeanette seem to arouse
any responsive flow of spirits in her.
Her thoughts were evidently otherwise
engaged. The girl looked at some Of the
familiar objects of the old Canadian
days that were ranged around her, with
taste and simplicity, on the walls of
that low rooted room-the miniature
bark canoes, the tiny snowshoes, the
plumed and beaded tomahawks, the
many beautiful and delicate articles of
the Indians and half breeds skill in
beadwork Though perhaps savoring not
little of that barbaric richness of col
oring that the savage loves) the antique
coarse blue delft that came from France
300 years before, the picturesque spin
ming wheel in the corner and the many
old world things that would have de-
lighted the heart of lover of bric-a- brac.
But still all these familiar things die
not seem to bring any sense of comfort
to her.
At last Marie threw down the shirt
On which she had sewed the refractory
button, gave little half querulous sigh
as if of relief, and said:
DO you know, Jeanette, don't be-
lieve it is in the nature of any human
being to be ever really happy. When we
were upon the prairies in Assiniboia,
used to think that if ever / could get
dad to come away to where there was
scn4e sort of civilization and to differ
ent scenes and associations-such as
these, for instance could be quite hap
py and now that have had my wish,
that he is happy, and even more prosper
GUS than he was on the ranch, there are
times when everything tires and wea
ries me until could almost wish were
back again on Many Berries creek. .
AS she spoke the roses stirred and
nodded their heads at the open window
as if in assent; there was a subdued
and drowsy murmur as of myriads of
busy bees among the honeysuckle and |
flowers of the old fashioned garden /
there was a scurry and chase of squir- |
rels and chipmunks across the stem of |
a great fallen tree that was used as a |
garden seat at the far and shady end of !
the lawn, and hawk flew past screech-
ing, followed and tormented by an
avenging crowd of small birds A but |
terfly futtered in through the open
window with all the colors of the rain
bow clarifying its wings, and the spirit
of that beautiful summers day seemed |
to speak through and permeate every
living thing. Surely here if anywhere
one ought to have been happy But it is
great mistake that modern philoso- {
pliers make when they think that it is
ones physical surroundings that con-
duce to happiness-it is in ones rela-
lions and associations with humanity
that one is happy or otherwise The 81
lence of the country is the worst place
in the world for man or woman who
has something to live down The hui
man heart and its promptings are at all
times more potent than the mere senses,
and it is only in work and in mixing
with the busy crowd that we can ever
hope to escape for a brief space from
our own rebellious selves Human ma
ture is, generally speaking, complex
and inexplicable thing, but perhaps it
was not SO very strange, after all, that
when Marie st. Denis had left Canadi
an territory with all its troubled mem
cries behind the heart whole, happy
and careless light that used to dance in
her eyes seemed to have been left be-
hind also. There was subtle change III
her, and what it exactly was she herself
perhaps only imperfectly knew
Suddenly old Jeanette turned to
her, and, as if she had read the girls
thoughts, said in quiet, kindly voice:
Don't fret, Marie If he is worth
having, he will come back for you, child
If he does not come, then you are well
rid of him; he is not worth having,
4 IL